Polar Bear, Walrus, Bearded Seal and Landscapes, Svalbard, Norway - April 2022
After a number of visits to magnificent Svalbard during the summer months, I was really looking forward to seeing familiar locations, but in the grip of winter. The contrast is amazing, snow and ice are everywhere! With temperatures as low as -33C (-27F), it was a challenge being out on the decks of the MS Origo as we cruised along the coasts and into the fjords of Svalbard's largest island, Spitsbergen. Polar Bears are much more difficult to find at this time of year, as there is a lot more ice for them to spread out over, and permits for ships do not permit access east of Spitsbergen; that is we are not allowed into the area were most bears generally are found. Fortunately, we did enjoy one long and hugely productive encounter with a large healthy male bear. In his prime, we watched him for many hours as he explored the coastline of Raudfjord on the north coast of Spitsbergen. We also had good sightings of Walruses and numerous seals hauled out on the ice.