PLA13-22, trip log, Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland

It was a lovely sunny day for the start of our voyage and after a day exploring Longyearbyen we made our way to the Plancius, which was moored at the coal pier just outside town.

We were met at the gangway by members of the Expedition team and shown to our cabins by the hotel staff. After settling into our cabins, we were invited to the Lounge for the mandatory safety briefing from our First Officer Maikel. This outlined procedure in the event of an emergency on board. We had an abandon ship drill and donned our big orange lifejackets as we gathered in the lounge before making our way to the lifeboats.

Shortly after the drill, we watched the mooring lines being cast off and we were on our way on our Svalbard adventure! How exciting! It was a calm evening as we sailed out into Isfjord and we hoped this weather would be with us for the next 9 days.

It was then time to reconvene once again and this was a chance to meet and toast our voyage with our Captain and also meet members of the Expedition team, the guides who would be taking us ashore in the coming days.

Dinner was served and we got to meet some of our fellow travellers who would be sharing this voyage to Greenland. As we began our navigation out of Isfjord there was a call over the PA system that a polar bear had been seen along the shore near the beautiful peak of Alkhornet. It was quite hard to see as it then went into the water and began swimming but with binoculars and help from the expedition team we were able to get a glimpse of this top predator of the Arctic. What a great start to our trip!

After dinner the last task of the day was to collect our rubber boots ready for the landings we would be doing in the days ahead. What a long but exciting day!

It had been a quiet night at sea as we made our way northwards to our destination for the morning landing at Smeerenburg. We had two more mandatory briefings to do before we were able to go on shore which covered zodiac safety and polar bear safety, essential for going ashore here on Svalbard. 

We navigated a narrow channel into the very scenic Smeerenburgfjord and soon anchored off Amsterdamøya ready to go ashore. This island was the centre of Dutch whaling in the 17th century with Smeerenburg, ‘Blubber Town’ home to over 200 men during the height of the industry, although legend would have it that there was a town of over 20,000 people here! As we went ashore we could see the strange constructions of the blubber ovens which were used for boiling down the blubber from the whales that were harpooned off shore.

Also, on shore we could see some real blubber in the shape of walrus that were hauled out on the sandy point of the beach. We split into 2 groups for the landing with the first 5 boats of passengers going to explore the historic remains while the next 5 walked along the beach to view the walrus. There were around 25 male walrus lying in group while in the water there were three more that proved to be very entertaining as they were play fighting in the shallow water. On shore resting male walrus do very little but occasionally there was a snort, some raised flippers and now an then a head would lift up giving us a great view of their long tusks and whiskers, vibrissae which they use to search for shellfish on the sea bed.

After both groups had enjoyed their exploration of the area we made our way back to the landing site and back to Plancius for lunch during which we navigated around the northwest corner of the islands and into Raudfjord.

Conditions were beautiful with no wind and clear views of the mountains and glaciers of the fjord. The ship anchored off the small peninsula of Alicehamna and very soon we were heading ashore over calm glassy waters to land at a small trapper’s hut near the shore. The hut known as Raudfjordhytta used to belong to a trapper known as Stockholm Sven and he spent many winter seasons here hunting foxes, bears and seals. Once shore we split into hiking groups with the fast ‘mountain goats’ heading high up onto the ridge above the bay while the medium walkers went up to the cairn and the grave of Erik Mattilus, captain of a ship here who died in 1907. The guides pointed out some of the flowers that were almost finished their short growing season, explained about the effects of permafrost and freezing and thawing on the landscape and one group even had re-enactment of the use fox traps and polar bear traps! The leisurely walkers enjoyed a stroll along the beach to the small lakes and with plenty of time to enjoy the peace a quiet of this beautiful fjord.

Back on board there was time to warm up before re-cap where Philipp told us our plans for the voyage ahead and Marijke told us more about walrus.

After dinner it was a beautiful evening to be out on deck and with Svalbard behind us and dolphins ahead it was a lovely end to our day.

Last night the Plancius was heading up West towards the pack ice on route to Greenland. A few hours before breakfast the first of the keen observers were outside on the decks patiently waiting as the ice started to significantly increase all around. Number of Fulmars and little Auks were seen but it was not until we were surrounded by the pack ice that we heard the vocalisations of a true Arctic bird – the Ivory Gull. What a beautiful all-white bird and how well does it blend into its icy surroundings!

The presence of various seals in the water and birds feeding in the pack ice surrounding the ship suggested that the waters below were rich in food, which is good for polar bears as well.

We all could marvel at the different colours of the ice. After breakfast we started to see the first seals also hauled out on ice floes, including Harp seals and also a few Hooded seals including some juvenile Hooded seals swimming near the vessel. With all the key ingredients present we soon spotted a distant polar bear walking on the ice. However, due to some fog rolling in we soon lost sight of the bear.

After lunch we found ourselves a good route away from the pack ice. A beautiful rainbow was briefly seen as we left the ice behind us.

Karin welcomed us in the lounge for a lecture on Svalbard’s plant life and before dinner Philippe updated us on the ice charts and our plans for next few days. Marijke gave an overview of the Harp and Hooded seals and the vocalisations they produce. The male Hooded seals create inflate an impressive large ‘hood’ – which is an enlargement of the nasal cavity. The larger the ‘hood’ the more chances they have to attract the females. Andreas next gave an overview about how, due to climate change, the thickness of the ice has reduced over the past decades.

Beyond the goal of seeing Arctic wildlife today, we should not forget that this was the first opportunity for most of the passengers to simply observe and experience the fascinating environment of the arctic pack ice. And what time we had!

Our day started with the gentle rolling motion of the ship, outside the fog hung in the air and we were surrounded by this grey embrace.
As the morning progressed the swell increased slightly to around 4 meters, with a wave height of around 2 meters. This motion was not to everyone’s taste but those that braved the view from the bridge could really feel a part of this remote environment and the conditions it brought with it.

The day in the fog held host to a wonderful lecture program covering a wide range of topics. We enjoyed lectures on Whales and what to look for when spotting them, presented by Marijke. An extremely informative introduction to Greenland by Andreas and very useful Lectures on photography by George and Kalle.

The sea days like these really give perspective on the environment up in the Arctic regions and can really make you think about the human endurance that brought early explorers to these waters. As well as the hostile environment which a plethora of wildlife call home.

As we continued to head southeast the fog that remained with us all day showed no signs of abating, so we waited with hope that the morning would bring with it our first views of Greenland.

We awoke to our first glimpse of Greenland, emerging from the horizon. Excitement rippled through the vessel – we had made it. After enduring the high seas of the North Atlantic, we were finally approaching our theatre of operation for the next four days - the Northeastern coast of Greenland.

After a delicious breakfast in the dining room, we ventured out on deck as the coastline loomed larger. We had high hopes for our first landing in Myggbukta. However, after a discussion between the Captain and expedition team, it was decided that the easterly swell would make operations there impossible. Instead, the decision was made to continue deeper into the fjords of Greenland, in search of Plan B.

Whilst we motored west, Andreas offered a lecture on glaciers and sea ice in the lounge, sharing his stories of the receding Greenland Ice cap – the biggest such ice cap in the northern hemisphere.

In the afternoon, after another sumptuous lunch, we arrived at our Plan B – Kap Humboldt. The expedition team went ahead, scouting the area for bears. Then shortly after, we followed, setting foot on Greenland for the first time. What awaited us was a beautiful trappers hut, built in 1929 by the famed Norwegian tapper, Harold Devold. There were also some paleo Inuit remains, homes that were used by the indigenous people hundreds of years ago. We separated into our hiking groups, exploring the colourful tundra, enjoying the late-summer flowers, and viewing the beautiful waterfalls cascading down the cliffs surrounding our landing site. The mist and fog appeared and disappeared during the afternoon but this gave an almost mystical quality to the area although it didn’t always help with views from the summit ridges.

After three hours ashore, we returned to Plancius for dinner, finishing our meal with a delicious strawberry mouse. Then, after dinner, we again filled the outer decks, watching the enormous icebergs float by, glowing orange as they emerged out of the fog in the dying sun.

Finally, our first day in Greenland was over. We all slept well, dreaming of the landscapes we had all enjoyed, looking forward to our day tomorrow.

In the hope of seeing a beautiful sunrise in the Franz Joseph Fjord, many people were up early to see the views of the mountains as the first rays of sunshine came over the hills and turned the summits pink. It really was a beautiful start to what turned out to be a fabulous day here in Kejser Franz Joseph Fjord and Antarctic Sound. As the sun rose, we navigated further into the fjord system for our morning landing at Blomsterbugten on Ymer Ø.

We landed at a little beach and from here we made our way up to a very small cabin known as Varghytta which was built in 1930 as a hunting cabin. It is now used by the Sirius patrol for short visits and it would indeed be a cosy visit here.

We divided into our usual hiking groups but with everyone heading up the pass from the landing site with the goal being to reach the lake known as Noa Sø on the other side. It was a beautiful walk with the seed heads of mountain avens glistening in the sunshine and patches of bright red bearberries creating a colourful path for us.

The long hikers headed high up onto the ridge while the medium groups headed for the lake. With such calm conditions the reflections on the water were like a mirror and with the ‘Arctic Silence’ broken only by birds; Arctic terns, snow buntings and red throated divers it really was a beautiful morning. Some groups were fortunate to see some Musk ox near the lake, but they soon disappeared over the hill, their fear of man ingrained after years of hunting by Inuits and later the trappers. All too soon it was time to head back down to the landing site to continue our navigation through the fjord to our afternoon destination.

It was a 4 hour ship’s cruise through some of the most stunning scenery many of us have had the privilege to enjoy with bands of red, white, grey and black rock folded and twisted in unimaginable patterns that had us reaching for our cameras throughout the afternoon. With warm sunshine it was a pleasure to be out on deck and watching geological history pass by.

Our late afternoon landing was on Maria Ø and it was another beautiful landing with gentle tundra backed by rocky ridges. In our usual groups we all headed up the slopes and as we reached the first rocky ridge we were greeted by a lone musk ox who took at look at us, grazed a little and then slowly walked along the slope. This was a great encounter of this shaggy Arctic animal as they usually run away as soon as they see and hear people. It was nice to see it so relaxed. Maybe it was the warm summer weather!

Back at the beach the leisurely walkers had enjoyed some time along the shore and found some polar bear tracks in the mud behind the beach. This was a gentle reminder to us all that we are still in polar bear country.

As the sun began to sink lower over the fjord we made our way back to the landing site and back to the ship for another lovely meal prepared by Ivan and his galley team.

Most of us were a little sleepy eyed when an announcement was made during the night that there were Northern Lights – and yes they were all around us!

The Plancius arrived in Berzelius Berget around sun-rise and after breakfast it was time to admire the stunning rock formations in Segelsaellskapet Fjord. The many beautiful colourful layers of rock on the steep walls of this fjord are twisted and turned around and so we can in fact walk on them. All eyes were wide-open upon landing in this special place. There were many photography opportunities and some hiking tours on offer. Wildlife included more Musk ox for those keen and fast hikers and there were a variety of birds to be seen, included the Northern Wheatear, Eider Ducks and Rock Ptarmigans. A beautiful lake and autumn colours were found in patches decorating the many rock formations.

During lunch, the Plancius started to sail towards Alpefjord. With the stunning sunny weather continuing throughout the day we were looking forward to a nice long zodiac cruise. At around 1600 we all boarded our zodiacs and passed the Sefstrom glacier – there was so much ice around and some small calvings were seen too.

We then went deeper and deeper into the fjord which became narrower along the way. The mountains were peaking around us making us feel very small and the light was changing with every turn we made. Clouds were dotted around the various peaks while we continued deeper into the fjord. At the end of the Alpefjord was yet another glacier. We stopped our engines and let ourselves drift with the current of the meltwater river coming from beneath the glacier. The silence was beautiful – hidden rumbles from the glacier were occasionally heard. We next speeded through the glassy waters of this beautiful fjord to arrive back at the Sefstrom glacier where a few bearded seals were seen among and on various ice floes. These rather large seals are well adapted to this environment. They were snoozing on the ice floes and their long whiskers (the beard) had already started to curl up as they dry.

Back onboard, Alex and Thijs were greeting us with a nice hot drink to warm up after such a long zodiac cruise. The Plancius then lifted anchor, and during our delicious dinner we could continue to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Alpefjord.

Once again, we were woken not by the sultry sounds of Phillip waking us for the day but instead because we once more had the pleasure of sailing under the northern lights. The space weather was aligned with our position, and we had beautiful green and purple curtains in the sky, just for those few who pulled on their outdoor clothes and grabbed their cameras.

The morning held a new delight, once again it was a different vista that graced us as we lay at anchor in Flemings Fjord. We had swapped the imposing jagged mountain scape for a beautiful rolling hillside landscape. The red sedimentary rock was punctuated by river valleys and littered with brightly coloured vegetation.

The river cut spectacular forms through the sandstone surroundings leaving areas where the exposed rock had been colonised by lichens. The moist surfaces held host to wonderful areas of vegetation and flowers. The Autumnal colours flecked with small purple hare bell flowers fit beautifully with rich reds and yellows of the surrounding rock.

For those brave souls that wanted to feel more in tune with the arctic environment an opportunity to take an icy plunge was on offer. The sandy beach was the perfect place for those wishing to strip down to their swimwear and dive into the refreshing 8°C water.

The afternoon saw us leaving Kong Oscar Fjord behind as we headed back out to sea and headed south towards Scoresbysund. On the way we were treated to an extended recap, explaining a broad range of subjects from what we had seen the previous days, from Geology to Musk Ox, Clouds to Bearded seals and to round it all off a bit of detective work on what poo belongs to what animal. All rounded off by happy hour as we sailed out into the fog.

It was a bit of a rough sea as we sailed around the coast, which made life a little uncomfortable for some but as we entered Scoresbysund conditions improved and when Philipp woke us up for Northern Lights it was a beautiful evening on deck.

As the sun rose, we found ourselves sailing further into Scoresbysund with a few huge icebergs around the ship and clear blue sky. Our destination for the morning was Vikingebugt, which is a small fjord off the main part of Scoresbysund.

It was a beautiful start to the day and after breakfast we set off on a zodiac cruise of the icebergs and stunning basalt lava cliffs that are unique to this area. The first icebergs weren’t huge but they were beautifully sculpted and we all enjoyed taking photos of the bergs that looked unmistakably like a dog and a cat standing together in the fjord! With waterfalls cascading down the hillside it was a very scenic start.

From here we made our way to the cliffs and cruised along the coast looking up at the hexagonal columns of basalt that had formed 60 million years ago when Scandinavia and Greenland parted and lava erupted. Quite an amazing geological feature. From here we made our way further into the middle of the fjord where there were more icebergs and plenty of brash ice filling the bay. The bergs had come from the Greenland iceshelf while the brash ice came from the nearby glacier. There was even some new sea ice forming in the cold calm waters. All too soon it was time to head back to the ship to move on to our next destination.

We sailed further into Scorebysund and with the perfect sunny weather continuing many of us enjoyed time on deck watching the icebergs float past. Our afternoon destination was Danemark Ø, a small island at the entrance of Fønfjorden. We were soon heading ashore to land on a small beach which was backed by some beautiful tundra vegetation that had many of us on our hands and knees taking photos of the flowers. Karin was very excited to be there in the ‘Arctic Garden’.

We divided into our usual hiking groups and headed off into the rocky hills that make up this island and every group, from the long hikers to the leisurely walkers, enjoyed stunning views over the island with small lakes creating lovely infinity pools between the rocks. The weather stayed sunny and warm, almost too warm during our landing and it really was a memorable afternoon on the island.

Back on board we went straight to dinner and Plancius continued her navigation further into the fjords off Scoresbysund. What a fantastic

Again, many people had been up in the night to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights and it had been a good show as we sailed through the fjords. Sunrise was also beautiful as we found ourselves sailing towards Rode Ø, an area that is always full of large icebergs that have been stranded in the shallow waters of the fjord.

After breakfast we headed off for a zodiac cruise around the icebergs and it was to be a magical morning of sunshine and blue sky which had the towering icebergs sparking like fantasy castles all of which were perfectly reflected in the water as we sailed slowly past. There were some huge bergs which had once been tabular icebergs but had since turned over onto their sides showing the curved surfaces that had been sculpted by the action of the water. There were towers and caves in some of the icebergs and it was a photographer’s paradise.

After a couple of hours amongst the icebergs we headed to shore to land on the small island of Rode Ø where we split into 2 groups to walk and view the icebergs from the hills above the bay. The combination of the white and blue ice contrasted beautifully with the red and orange of the autumn tundra and we all enjoyed the time taking more photos of the icebergs from a different perspective.

Once back on board we set sail to our afternoon destination of Harefjord and it was a beautiful cruise through the fjords with sunshine, more icebergs and red mountains on the way.

Our afternoon destination was on Harefjord where the Captain anchored Plancius close to the shore and even from the ship we could see some musk ox on the hillside. Getting a closer view of these animals was to be our target for the landing. The long hikers headed off in one direction along the beach, the medium fast group went in the other and the leisurely group set off up the hills over the beautiful rich tundra.

The efforts of all groups paid off and the guides managed to get everyone into a position where they could get good views of the musk ox that graze these slopes. It was then time to sit and enjoy the sunshine and the views and the silence of the afternoon with only the occasional crack of the icebergs out in the fjord below. It was a memorable experience for all, including the Captain, who had joined us for our landing.

Back on board the galley team had prepared a BBQ for the evening and every seat on the outside deck was taken as we all enjoyed the food, complimentary drinks and the stunning views as the sun set over the mountains. The evening ended with dancing on the back deck as we set sail to our next destination.

We were sailing the beautiful ‘ø fjord’ in the morning and we all admired the massive Mountain range ‘the Grundtvigs Kirken’ – what a beautiful sight it was when the sun was rising and with those layers of fog curling around this enormous rock face!

After breakfast it was time to put on an extra layer of clothes as today the fog creeped upon us and the sunny days we have been enjoying thus far had suddenly come to an end. Nevertheless, we persisted, and the skies cleared a bit when we landed on Jyttes Havn. Quite a few birds were seen, including a raven which came flying low over the landings site and some Northern Wheatears were seen flying among the rocks. The Red-throated divers were heard calling and also seen on the water. There were different hikes on offer again, and we all enjoyed a walk through the colourful tundra. Layers upon layers of lichen were covering the rocks and also quite a few mushrooms were seen. After a good hike we gathered back on the landings site where our crew-drivers came to pick us up!

After a lovely lunch, we all felt recharged, and we came out on deck where we were passing some gigantic tabular icebergs – the scenery was truly magnificent!

We next landed on Ingmikatikajik on Sydkap. The different hiking routes on offer meant we spread out over this island at the entrance of the beautiful Nordvestfjord. The tundra was rather lush here with so many beautiful autumn colours and more mushrooms in different shapes and forms. Whilst discovering some narrow canyons were found a few Arctic Hares. Last but not least, a giant male Muskox made an appearance too and towered high above us whilst looking down into the valley.

Back on board, Philipp gave us a recap and outlined our plans for tomorrow. George, with wonderful translation by Andreas, told us about how many countries are officially within the Arctic Circle, the answer? Well, there are 8, at least for now!

The day started in thick fog covering the bay, we were entrenched in its murky tendrils. A slight hint of a white disk showed us the sun was trying to break through this foggy barrier. Due to the weather we were unable to see yet alone visit our intended landing site, although there is something remarkably calming about being in a fog bank. The silence that enveloped the ship whilst it rested in the calm waters is an experience in itself.

We were treated to lectures on plants we have seen on the cruise by Karin, Basalt columns by Andreas and then a wonderful sounds quiz hosted by Marijke.

After some unfortunate news about being unable to land at Ittoqqortoormiit we revised our plans and headed off to find a location beyond the fog.

Whilst sat at lunch we could see the fog begin to thin and the mountains start to appear again, icebergs loomed like giant monuments dispersed amongst the vastness of the sound. So we headed to the south shore to find a landing. The scenery here was dramatic, the snow line extended down from the rugged mountains to meet the beach.

We found a beautiful spot nestled at the foot of the mountains due west of Kap Brewster, here there laid an abandoned settlement and on closer inspection we could see the buildings were quite dilapidated. As we were about to depart in the zodiacs we spotted a polar bear just behind one of the buildings and as the anchor chain dropped the bear stood up to see what the commotion was all about.
We monitored the bear for a little while and with zodiacs ready it was decided that unfortunately this bear was very skinny and with that we did not want to disturb the animal, so we kept our distance and watched it from the ship.

The sun was now shining and glinting off the water so we took a ships cruise along the coast line, following the mountains and enjoying the summer conditions.

Our farewell to Greenland was an oddly exciting day of ups and downs, but such is the nature of expedition cruising and the day gave us time to reflect on a trip filled with perfect weather days and excellent scenery. It was sad to see Greenland disappearing over the horizon behind us as we headed forward to Iceland.

As we rounded the headland and headed south we had our last moment with Greenland, the sunset splashed the sky with colour, a halo shone bright around the setting sun. Hues of orange gave way to bright pinks which hung above the mountains. These colours reflected in the calm waters were joined by sounds of whales as we were approached and escorted on our way by four curious fin whales. As the light faded we saw the glow of the rising orange moon on the horizon and we sailed on south towards it and Iceland and home.

After a very quiet night at sea on our way to Iceland we woke to fog but still some reasonably calm conditions so everyone made it to breakfast.

It was bill paying time after breakfast and Alex was very happy to take our credit cards and cash to pay for the drinks and souvenirs from the trip!

At 1000 Ali invited us to the lounge for a presentation about the women of the Arctic regions, explaining about the role of Inuit women in their communities and how this is changing as the modern world enters their lifestyle in the frozen north. She also talked about some of the women who have travelled here on expeditions over the years, either exploring or trapping. It was an interesting insight into the women in what was historically a man’s world.

After a morning coffee Karin invited us to the lounge to share her experiences of dog sledding, particularly from her time in Longyearbyen but also closer to home in Sweden. This is what she does when there is snow on the ground and she can’t be on her hands and knees investigating the plants of the tundra! Maybe she should feature in Ali’s presentation about Ice Maidens next time!

It was soon time for lunch, our last on board and soon after this Michael and Jay gave a brilliant towel folding exhibition, creating very cute animals for us to try to make once we are back at home! Thank you to them both for taking the time to show us some entertaining housekeeping skills!

After some time to pack bags the last activity of the afternoon was a pub quiz with George and Adam asking the questions about things we had seen on our voyage and information that had been passed on by the guides on hikes and in zodiacs!

We had our final wake-up call from Philipp and, after breakfast with our luggage waiting for us on the pier and the buses arriving it was time to say goodbye to The Little Blue Ship Plancius and to the staff and crew that have looked after us so well during our voyage.

We have been privileged to sail these Arctic waters and explore the Greenland coast taking a glimpse into the lives of the wildlife here and also the effect of the changes that we, as humans are inflicting on the planet. The encounters with polar bears, prime indicators of climate change were unforgettable, but you have to wonder what the future holds for these iconic polar animals.

On behalf of the crew and staff on board and Oceanwide Expeditions we’d like to thank you for travelling with us and we hope to see you again in the future.