Day 1

Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to stroll around this former mining town, whose parish church and Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the surrounds of Longyearbyen, more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Day 2

Heading north along the west coast, we arrive by morning in Krossfjorden where we will make our first check dive and where we take the Zodiacs for an exhilarating cruise along the sculpted front of the 14th of July Glacier. On the surprisingly fertile slopes near the glacier, a colourful variety of flowers bloom, while large numbers of Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots nest on the nearby cliffs. There is also a good chance of spotting opportunistic Arctic Foxes, patrolling the base of the cliffs in case a hapless chick falls from its nest, and Bearded Seals, who cruise this scenic fjord. In the afternoon we sail to Ny Ålesund, the world’s most northerly settlement. Once a mining village - served by the world’s most northerly railway, which can still be seen - Ny Ålesund is now a research centre. Close to the village is a breeding ground for Barnacle Geese, Pink-footed Geese and Arctic Terns. Visitors interested in the history of Arctic exploration will want to walk to the anchoring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in the airship Norge in 1926 and Nobile in the airship Italia in 1928 before their flights to the North Pole.

Day 3

On our way further north we might visit the Little Auk colony of Fuglesangen, and sail past the 80th parallel to Moffen Island on which Walrus haul out. We might find some excellent diving along the bird cliffs with great visibility and lots of benthic life. We will also find some good wall diving here. Depending on the weather we may now sail to the mouth of Liefdefjorden where we usually have a great dive, inside the achipelego. It is a protected location with good visibility. Gentle gradient with soft silty bottom, interspersed with rocks, large leaf kelp and bushy brown algea and lots of critters. The photographers will go ashore for a walk on the tundra island of Andøya. Many Common Eiders and Pink-footed Geese nest here, and the rarer King Eider may also be seen. We hope to sail into Liefdefjorden, cruising near the 5km long face of the impressive Monaco glacier. The waters of the glacier front are a favourite feeding spot for thousands of Kittiwakes and on previous voyages Polar Bears have been seen on the glacier, providing wonderful opportunities for photography.

Day 4

During our visit further North and the North East side of the Spitsbergen archipelago we will find good dive sites in the Hornsund, Tusenøyane and Seven Islands with basaltic blocks and excellent wall dives in the fjords.

Day 5

Before turning south into Hinlopen Strait (if the pack-ice allows us) we will have reached our most northerly position. On and around the ice at the entrance to the strait, which divides West Spitsbergen from ice-clad Nordaustlandet, there is a good chance of seeing Bearded and Ringed Seals, Polar Bears and Ivory Gulls. On the eastern side of Lomfjordshalvøya we take a Zodiac cruise through the ice floes to the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet, where thousands of Brünnich’s Guillemots nest in a spectacular setting. The basalt pillars, rising hundreds of meters, and the overhanging ice cap with its waterfall
are an awe-inspiring sight. Finally, on the eastern side of Hinlopen Strait we intend to make an evening landing in Augustabukta on the island of Nordaustlandet, the most northerly of the major Spitsbergen islands. Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the sparse vegetation of this largely ice-covered island, where Pink-footed Geese, Walrus and a rare Ivory Gull colony are also found.

Day 6

Retracing our route westwards, we visit Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord dominated by spectacular glaciers and favoured by Ringed and Bearded Seals. Here we have a great dive site, sandy and rock bottom with rock outcrops every where. There is also a spectacular wall at Hamiltonbutka with lots of critters and all the usual benthic life.
The cliffs and shoreline of the fjord also support thriving seabird colonies and a surprisingly rich vegetation, which flourishes in sheltered spots. On the offshore island of Ytre Norskøya, we visit a 17th century Dutch whaling site, whose large graveyard is a poignant reminder of the hardships and dangers of life here at the time. The island’s bird life is prolific, with colonies of Little Auks, Black Guillemots, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Puffins and Arctic Skuas accessible to visitors.

Day 7

We land at the northern tip of Prins Karls Forland near Fuglehuken, where Barentsz probably set foot on Spitsbergen for the first time. Seabirds nest on the cliffs and along the coast we see Harbour Seals the only population in Spitsbergen. Further we also will observe the remains of the Polar Bear hunting era, with demolished set guns and bear traps. At the opposite site of Forlandsundet at Sarstangen is a haul out place for Walruses. Alternatively we sail south to the mouth of Isfjorden and land at Alkhornet. Seabirds nest on its cliffs and Arctic Foxes search the cliff base for fallen eggs and chicks, while Spitsbergen Reindeer graze the relatively luxuriant vegetation. The reindeer may seem unbothered by human presence, but this is not really the case. The animals must survive the harsh winter, when temperatures plummet and food is hard to find, so they preserve what energy they can, fleeing only when it is absolutely necessary. In the afternoon we cruise through beautiful Borebukta, following a glacier front before continuing to Longyearbyen.

Day 8

Return to Longyearbyen and disembark for the transfer to the airport and the flight to Oslo and home.