We woke up to a beautiful, calm morning, entering the drift ice. We were surrounded by the mountains of the Sjuøyane Islands and their reflections in the flat water. These islands were the furthest north we could get here in Svalbard, and from now on it was only pack ice stretching all the way to the North Pole.
As ice floes were slowly moving along the MS Quest, we were getting ready by the gangway for our Zodiac cruise. The Zodiacs were ready one by one, gliding perfectly through the smooth waters. We enjoyed the Arctic silence of this magical morning, with only the sound of the occasional Black or Brünnich’s guillemot diving into the water and the crackling of melting sea ice in the background.
Rickard told us the story of the Fram Expedition led by Fridtjof Nansen. In 1893, their ship, Fram, froze into the pack ice near Siberia, and for three years the ship and the sea ice around it moved with the Transpolar Current, crossing the Arctic Ocean and coming out into open water again in this very location we were finding ourselves in right now.
Johanne told us about the channels inside the sea ice where phytoplankton and small organisms are overwintering. With the sun coming back in spring, these small organisms are reproducing, making these waters exceptionally productive for the Arctic ecosystem.
Following some warm chocolate and chatting in the Zodiacs, we searched for the most stable ice floe we could find, and one after the other we stepped onto the floating ice and experienced the feeling of standing on the moving “land” of the high Arctic.
After a magical morning in the drift ice, we continued north, moving into thicker and more compact ice, slowly pushing ice floes away. Here we spotted several walruses lying on the ice, some alone and some in groups. Although from a distance, we were fortunate to experience a beautiful sighting of a walrus cow with her tiny calf, possibly only a few days old.
Further into the sea ice, polar bear tracks could be seen in the snow, but no bear was to be seen. Then, the bravest of us all made it to the polar plunge. With encouraging music in the background, we were launching ourselves into the freezing water, many without knowing what to expect. A variety of shocked faces revealed the freezing temperature as we hauled ourselves up again with cheering from our fellow travellers.
With warm and dry clothes back on, we continued into the pack ice, enjoying bright sunlight and the cracking of ice floes in front of the ship. Slowly, starting as a darker band on the horizon, fog was building up and moving in on us, changing the scenery and atmosphere to a mystical place.
During our recap in the evening, an ivory gull was spotted from the expedition lounge, an elegant bird roaming the pack ice with its pristine, fully white feathers. Rickard continued with the story of another failed attempt at reaching the North Pole by the Nordenskiöld expedition, which started in this area in 1861. With stories of all the hardships these men experienced, the extreme environment of the high Arctic becomes more alive for us, and we are starting to wonder what made these people choose to embark on such expeditions knowing the hardships lying ahead.
In the evening, our ship crew prepared a BBQ for us out on deck — a proper polar BBQ in the cold. We dressed up in extra warm clothes and enjoyed good food and music. Later, some of us joined in on the dance floor, showing off our best dance moves, also warming up our freezing hands.
What an amazing day this had been! A perfect day in the high Arctic, experiencing various weather conditions, pristine landscapes, and wildlife with good company.
Text: Johanne Skrefsrud
Please note: Depending on the lens used for a photo or video shot an animal may appear to be closer than it is. We always follow strict wildlife guidelines to ensure that we do not cause any disturbance.