Spitsbergen Polar Bears, Walruses & Arctic Fox Cubs
Walruses. We expected Spitsbergen Polar Bears to be the highlight of our Arctic Cruise, but the walruses stole our hearts. Watching them slowly roll their enormous bodies into the ocean, or seeing them stick their flippers up as they huddle together. Or viewing these huge animals emerging from the ocean with the ice-covered mountains behind them. All of that brought a smile to our faces.
Walruses are tactile, so they can often be found in a big clump on a beach. We couldn’t stop taking photos and laughing. Don’t get us wrong– we are very thankful for being able to see Spitsbergen polar bears in the Arctic more than once.
Our first attempt to see walruses had been aborted due to the sighting of a polar bear about a mile away. We were a mere 50 meters away from the walruses when we were turned back quickly onto the zodiacs to return to the ship. We didn’t see the walruses or (thankfully) the polar bear on land.
On The Lookout for Spitsbergen Polar Bears
Whenever we were on shore during our Arctic Cruise, there were spotters with guns on the lookout for polar bears. Despite their size, Spitsbergen polar bears swim and run very quickly. If one was nearby (within 1-2 miles), we left immediately. This happened three times during our 10-day cruise. We were grateful for the team on Quark’s Ultramarine that made sure we were always safe.
We did get to see polar bears from the ship a couple of times. During our voyage, we were mandated to stay 500M away from polar bears. We had a magnificent hour watching a polar bear wander on one of the smaller islands. It would dip down underneath the hills so we couldn’t see it, and then magically reappear at another site on the island. It was the most amazing thing to watch. That was our second viewing. The first time we saw a polar bear in the water, swim all the way across the channel in a matter of minutes. It was fast and, again, incredible to watch.
Babysitting Arctic Foxes
On one of our favorite zodiac cruises to see a bird colony, we spotted a mother and three baby Arctic foxes. The bird colony was forgotten while we spent our time watching the cubs play on the beach. Mom went off to presumably hunt. The mother was in the midst of shedding her white winter coat and was a curious mix of white and black. The Cubs were black and gorgeous.
Here’s the link for more photos of the Arctic Fox Cubs.
Only a few months old, they came running down to the beach, not far from where our zodiac was floating. Running around, practicing bouncing, and generally putting on a show for us. One of the little guys found a bird carcass floating in the water. It tentatively reached to try to touch it. Then jumped away, seemingly scared. Another cub found a carcass on the beach that was bigger than it was. It began dragging the carcass slowly, dropping it every so often. It dragged the carcass as if to bag it up the hill to show mom what he found.
We Are Chargers
Then there were the hikes. There were four levels of hikes on our cruise: easy, medium, fast, and chargers. We initially elected to join the chargers, and it was fast. We got off the zodiac, left our jackets at the beach and took off. Across valleys, full of snow, up rocky inclines, through muddy paths. We were rewarded with amazing views and a wonderful aerobic workout. Everyone was sweating by the end. We were hiking in large rubber boots that had been loaned to us. We were grateful for the boots, but they were very cumbersome.
On the next hike, we joined the medium group and had more opportunities to take photos and enjoy the scenery. And, of course, catch our breath. Our last hike was a very slow hike where we spent more time taking photos of reindeer, ptarmigans, old whaling cabins, fox traps, birds, and more. We did get to see a lot of reindeer and get marvelous photos of them. At the end of the cruise, we felt like Goldilocks–one was too fast, one was too slow, and one was just right.
The Magic Of Kayaking
One of our favorite activities was kayaking among the icebergs and glaciers. We were initially bummed that we had signed up too late to be part of the kayaking expedition. Sue had kayaked in Antarctica and loved being on the kayaks seven times over the course of the cruise. We were lucky in the Arctic that our boat also offered a one-time chance to paddle. We jumped on the opportunity to spend time in the water. The session was magical. Hearing the water, gently lapping against the kayak, being able to touch a small iceberg, floating by a sleeping bearded seal, moving under our own force.
Birds, Birds, More Birds, and Glaciers
Then were there were the colonies of birds. Thousands and thousands of birds. The sound, the diving and swooping. Seeing the fights among the different kinds of gulls, and little auks. The cliffs were immense, and there was so much activity going on. And puffins and guillemots in the water. They always brought a smile to our faces.
Glaciers and icebergs are amazing to watch and feel. We saw many instances of glaciers calving while on zodiacs or a kayak and from the ship. And some enormous calvings that we only heard and couldn’t even see because the glaciers are so immense. The sound of thunder, the waves as the ice hits the water. We also managed to see an iceberg roll over itself. That was really fun to witness. Some of the icebergs were a very bright blue; others contained sediments from the land that the glaciers had plowed through. One even looked like glass. The shapes were unique.
To Jump In The Ocean … Or Not
And then there was the polar plunge. This is when people on the ship jump into the ice-cold ocean. Sue had done this in Antarctica, where most of the people on the ship did it. And yes, it was really cold. Reggie elected not to do it in the Arctic, but Sue could not resist. The crew tied a belt around her midsection so that they could pull her back in if necessary. In the Arctic, it was much more efficient than in Antarctica. People were called down by groups and did not have to wait long in the cold galley way before they jumped. Sue jumped, and Reggie took an incredible photo. It was freezing. Sue got out of the water as quickly as she possibly could.
Sailing For The North Pole
The expedition ship was an icebreaker. That meant it could sail through the ice. So one day, the captain decided to take off and kept going as far north as we possibly could go. We ended up at 81.23 degrees north, or just less than 500 nautical miles from the North Pole. The boat shuddered, and the ice screeched as we moved through it. Quite an experience.
The Arctic was everything we wished for and more. We fulfill our lifelong dream to be in the Arctic and to see Spitsbergen Polar Bears! We thought polar bears would be the centerpiece of the experience and while they were wonderful, there was so much more to see.
The Details
We took a 10-day cruise with Quark Expeditions. Sue had previously cruised with them to Antarctica. We flew to Helsinki and took a charter flight arranged by Quark to Longyearbyen, where we boarded the Ultramarine. If you are interested in more details, please contact us.
Waterproof pants are required. The ship provided rubber boots, lifejackets, and other safety gear.
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