Svalbard

SK4414 Departs Oslo  09.40 am  arrives Svalbard  13.45  (SAS Airlines) 

Today we fly to one of my  favorite places on the planet, Svalbard. We will be met at the airport by the Oceanwide team who will take our luggage direct to the ship and drop us in Svalbard  so we can explore before boarding later on in the day. This is a great day to enjoy a stroll around Svalbard and mix the locals! There’s an interesting selection of shops, a church, museum, and several great places to enjoy a meal. In the early evening our ship sails out of Isfjorden.If we are lucky we might spot the first minke whale of our voyage.

On the first day of our activity program, we will slowly ease into things. Blomstrandhalvøya is located on the northern side of the fjord, which will offer shelter and room to change plan in case the weather changes. In the afternoon, we visit Ny Ålesund, one of the northernmost settlements on Earth. Once a mining village served by the world’s most northerly railway – you can still see its tracks – Ny Ålesund is now a research center.

Close to the community is a breeding ground for barnacle geese, pink-footed geese, and Arctic terns. If you’re interested in the history of Arctic exploration, visit the anchoring mast used by polar explorers Amundsen and Nobile in their airships, Norge (1926) and Italia (1928). In the evening, we head north along the west coast and spend the night in the sheltered surroundings of Krossfjorden.

Next we will head toward Amsterdamoya, where we have the chance to hike past the remains of a 17th-century whaling station. We also enjoy the beautiful panorama of Smeerenburgsleta. In the afternoon, we make for the islands around Fair Haven.

At Raudfjorden, on the north coast of Spitsbergen, we can take in an expansive fjord spilling with glaciers – and maybe even visited by ringed and bearded seals. The cliffs and shoreline of this fjord also support thriving seabird colonies, rich vegetation, and the possibility of polar bears. Here we will find the right balance between safe activities and wildlilfe watching.

Depending on the weather, we could sail into Liefdefjorden and cruise within sight of the 5-kilometer-long (3.1 miles) face of Monaco Glacier. The waters in front of this glacier are a favorite feeding spot for thousands of kittiwakes, and the base of the ice is a popular polar bear hunting ground. If ice conditions prevent sailing here early in the season, we may use an alternate route along the west coast of Spitsbergen. Near the area of Texas Bar and Hornbaekpollen, where there are also some great hikes.

This is our reserve day for activities around North Spitsbergen. Weather and wildlife permitting, we will choose the right location for another day of splendid outdoor adventures.

Forlandsundet, between the main island of Spitsbergen and the narrow Prins Karls Forland, is a place of great beauty and fascinating wildlife. Walruses sometimes haul out here, and seabirds can be found around Fuglehuken. We may also see walrus populations around Sarstangen and Poolepynten. Alternatively, we might sail into St. Johns Fjord or south to the mouth of Isfjorden, landing at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on these cliffs, Arctic foxes search below for fallen eggs and chicks, and reindeer graze the sparse vegetation. We will arrive in Longyearbyen later this night.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. We will disembark in Longyearbyen with options to stay a little longer or take flights back home. Flights back to Oslo then onwards to your home destination.