The North-West - Summer 2008
Sailing north we leave Isfjorden and sail along the west coast of Prins Karls Forland…
…until we reach and pass Fuglehuken.
Spitzbergen, how the islands were originally called, owe itsname to the jagged coastline.
Here we are somewhere at the height of Kongsfjorden.
Next comes Albert I Land with its seven dramatic glaciers.
Beautiful light effects on the glaciers.
We reach Magdalenehuken and sail into Magdalenefjorden.
Jagged mountains along the coast.
Gullybreen in the fjord.
Waggonwaybreen in the end of Magdalenefjorden.
The name probably derives from the name of the medial moraine of the glacier, The
Devil's Waggonway, "a black track like a road upon the snowy surface" (Captain Broke's description from 1807).
Waggonwaybreen.
Waggonwaybreen, right side.
Waggonwaybreen.
We land at Gravneset in Magdalenefjorden.
It gets its name from the old burial ground with some 200 graves.
There are rests of the old blubber cookeries from the dutch whaling station from the 17th
century
A closer look at the cookery.
Some areas have been enclosed to protect them from wearing - the moss layer is very delicate, and walking on it causes permanent damage -
…the whole Gravneset peninsula was once covered in moss, but most of it is now gone.
Svalbard administration is currently evaluating how bad the impact of tourism is on the nature, and wants to take preventive measures before it is too late.
Do not tread on the mosses. Do not walk on other plants. Take great care of
this delicate nature!
The wonderful, delicate moss.
Moss.
Moss, stones and nails.
:)
❤
White Arctic Bell-heather (Cassiope tetragona).
We sight a first polar bear from the boat.
Smeerenburgbreen in Bjørnfjorden.
Smeerenburgbreen.
In the background, right side, Amsterdamøya with Smeerenburg, an old Dutch whaler's camp.
The great whaling station was founded in 1617, had its peak in the ten years after 1633, and was abandoned in 1642: the whales were in steady retreat, and
by 1646 they could be taken only at sea. Just off the picture, to the left, lies Virgohamna, the bay used as a starting point for the dramatically failed
expedition to the North Pole by Andrée.
Two walrusses,
…possibly a mother feeding the calf.
Ice.
Ice. 
Ice.
We are heading further north, aiming to reach the ice shelf at 80° N.
Minke whales accompany this part of our trip.
Minke whale.
Mink whale.
Minke whale.
Minke whales.
A Puffin and its reflection.
Puffin close-up.
We reach the outer limit of the ice shelf at 80°02'N 13°42'E.
A walrus waves us good-bye…
…when we head back south, to enter Woodfjorden and Liefdefjorden.
On to Liefdefjorden | Back to Svalbard - Summer 2008
Sailing north we leave Isfjorden and sail along the west coast of Prins Karls Forland…
…until we reach and pass Fuglehuken.
Spitzbergen, how the islands were originally called, owe itsname to the jagged coastline.
Here we are somewhere at the height of Kongsfjorden.
Next comes Albert I Land with its seven dramatic glaciers.
Beautiful light effects on the glaciers.
We reach Magdalenehuken and sail into Magdalenefjorden.
Jagged mountains along the coast.
Gullybreen in the fjord.
Waggonwaybreen in the end of Magdalenefjorden.
The name probably derives from the name of the medial moraine of the glacier, The
Devil's Waggonway, "a black track like a road upon the snowy surface" (Captain Broke's description from 1807).
Waggonwaybreen.
Waggonwaybreen, right side.
Waggonwaybreen.
We land at Gravneset in Magdalenefjorden.
It gets its name from the old burial ground with some 200 graves.
There are rests of the old blubber cookeries from the dutch whaling station from the 17th
century
A closer look at the cookery.
Some areas have been enclosed to protect them from wearing - the moss layer is very delicate, and walking on it causes permanent damage -
…the whole Gravneset peninsula was once covered in moss, but most of it is now gone.
Svalbard administration is currently evaluating how bad the impact of tourism is on the nature, and wants to take preventive measures before it is too late.
Do not tread on the mosses. Do not walk on other plants. Take great care of
this delicate nature!
The wonderful, delicate moss.
Moss.
Moss, stones and nails.
:)
❤
White Arctic Bell-heather (Cassiope tetragona).
We sight a first polar bear from the boat.
Smeerenburgbreen in Bjørnfjorden.
Smeerenburgbreen.
In the background, right side, Amsterdamøya with Smeerenburg, an old Dutch whaler's camp.
The great whaling station was founded in 1617, had its peak in the ten years after 1633, and was abandoned in 1642: the whales were in steady retreat, and
by 1646 they could be taken only at sea. Just off the picture, to the left, lies Virgohamna, the bay used as a starting point for the dramatically failed
expedition to the North Pole by Andrée.
Two walrusses,
…possibly a mother feeding the calf.
Ice.
Ice. 
Ice.
We are heading further north, aiming to reach the ice shelf at 80° N.
Minke whales accompany this part of our trip.
Minke whale.
Mink whale.
Minke whale.
Minke whales.
A Puffin and its reflection.
Puffin close-up.
We reach the outer limit of the ice shelf at 80°02'N 13°42'E.
A walrus waves us good-bye…
…when we head back south, to enter Woodfjorden and Liefdefjorden.