Spitsbergen – Polar Bear Special

Day 1
ARRIVE LONGYEARBYEN, BOARD SHIP AND SAIL
Our expedition begins in Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen (which is the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago) and depending on the arrival time of our flight, there should be an opportunity to explore around this former mining town.  Birds that can be found close to the town include King Eider, Purple Sandpiper, Little Auk and Snow Bunting, whilst Reindeer can often be found too.

Board M/V Ortelius in the late afternoon and in the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where there are chances to spot the first Northern Minke Whales of the voyage.

Days 2-7
EXPLORING WESTERN AND NORTHERN SPITSBERGEN AND THE PACK ICE
Having departed Longyearbyen, we have a week to explore the remote shorelines of rugged west and north Spitsbergen as well as heading for the pack ice outside of the territorial waters of the Svalbard archipelago.

The sites we visit will be determined by factors such as ice and weather conditions, but these could include the following:

Raudfjorden
This fjord has some impressive glacier fronts and can be a good place to look for Polar Bears. There are also chances for Bearded and Ringed Seals on the sea ice in the fjord. The cliffs and shoreline support thriving seabird colonies with rich vegetation ashore.

Hamiltonbukta and Ytre Norskøya
There is a colony of Brünnichs’s Guillemots in Hamiltonbukta whereas the small island of Ytre Norskøya has some interesting human history as it was used for many years as a lookout point for Dutch whalers. We can follow their path to the summit of the island, whilst on the shore there are the remains of 17th century blubber ovens and about 200 graves of whalers and others who perished here.

On the northern side of the island, we may be able to look for Atlantic Puffin which can be relatively tricky to find in Svalbard, although we stand a decent chance here as they breed on this island along with Kittiwakes.

Forlandsundet, St John’s Fjord and Alkhornet
There are many other places we could explore including these three sites. At Forlandsundet, there are sometime Walruses hauled out on the beach whereas St John’s Fjord and Alkhornet can provide opportunities to see nesting seabirds, Reindeer and Arctic Foxes.

Pack Ice
We aim to sail into the pack ice outside the territorial waters of Svalbard, looking for Polar Bears and Bowhead Whales. As we sail from 76 N to 80 N along and in the outer fringes of the ice edge, we also hope to find Harp Seals, Hooded Seals plus seabirds such as Little Auks, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Black Guillemots and Kittiwakes.

The pack ice sailing will be a highlight of this voyage and may be a multi-day activity depending on the position of the ice and local sea and weather conditions.

On one day, we may also go into more open water where there are chances for Northern Bottlenose Whale and the first Fin Whales of the season.

Day 8
DISEMBARK IN LONGYEARBYEN
We will disembark in Longyearbyen after breakfast and there may be time for some further exploring before we head to the airport for our flights home.

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. The programme may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the Expedition Leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

WHAT TO EXPECT
A seven night cruise on the comfortable expedition ship, M/V Ortelius, exploring the western side of Spitsbergen and visiting the ice edge to the NW of the archipelago. The vessel is a comfortable expedition ship and has excellent cabins and passenger facilities.

At many places, we will use the ship’s zodiacs (rubber inflatables) to go ashore and getting in and out of these should not be a problem for anyone with reasonable mobility and there will be staff both on the ship and ashore to assist you.

You will receive a detailed briefing about the use of the zodiacs.  If you have any concerns about this aspect of the holiday, please call the office as Chris Collins has spent many years working with zodiacs and can provide more information.

The trip will be accompanied by Limosa/WildWings Leader Chris Collins subject to minimum numbers.

You will also be able to join the full programme of activities/excursions offered by the Expedition Team working on the ship which are all included in the price of the trip.

THE SHIP
M/V Ortelius was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989 and originally served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science.  Subsequently, it was acquired by Oceanwide Expeditions, re-flagged and renamed after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598), who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theater of the World. At that time, his atlas was the most expensive book ever printed.

The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is, therefore, suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice, as well as loose multi-year pack ice.  Ortelius can accommodate up to 108 passengers and has an abundance of open-deck spaces. It is manned by 24 highly experienced nautical crew members, 20 hotel staff, eight expedition specialists (one expedition leader, one assistant, and six lecturer-guides), and one doctor.

It is Dutch flagged and fully complies with the latest SOLAS (‘Safety of Life at Sea’) Regulations.

Ortelius offers high-quality accommodation for 108 passengers in 52 cabins all with private toilets and showers. There are four quadruple porthole cabins, two triple porthole, 26 twin porthole cabins, 12 twin cabins with a window, two twin deluxe cabins with a window and six superior cabins with a window.  All cabins offer lower berths (one queen-size bed in the superior cabins and two single beds in the twin cabins), except for the quadruple and triple cabins (for 4 persons in 2x upper and lower beds).

Please be aware that a small number of cabins may have a partially obstructed view due to the size of the windows and the design of the ship and some windows, for example, may be partly obstructed in the lower half by a gangway.

The vessel has a restaurant and a spacious observation lounge (with bar) with large windows, offering a full panorama view.

The ship generally cruises at 10-12 knots.

You can expect to make two landings and/or zodiac cruises on the days around Spitsbergen. The ship is very stable and, on occasions, it may even be possible to use a telescope and tripod on the outer decks.

There is plenty of open deck space making it ideal for wildlife watching, enjoying the amazing landscapes and photography. You can expect good food, a large lounge and bar and a highly experienced staff and crew who are dedicated to ensuring that you have a successful, comfortable, safe and enjoyable trip and that you see as much of the wildlife as possible.

The zodiac drivers will take you safely ashore, and also on more leisurely cruises as well, so you will gain an even more intimate and unique perspective of the seabirds and marine mammals in this stunning wilderness.

In keeping with the spirit of expedition, dress on board is informal, so bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities. Keep in mind that much of the scenery is best appreciated from the open decks, which can be slippery, so bring sturdy shoes with non-slip soles, and make sure your parka is never far away in case there is an announcement of “whales” over the PA system and you want to dash outside in a moment’s notice.

We recommend opting for layers, as it is comfortably warm aboard the ship though often cold out on deck.

YOUR PHYSICAL CONDITION
You must be in good overall health and be able to walk several hours each day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding, but we spend as much time as possible on shore. You are, however, welcome to remain aboard the ship if you prefer.

To join most excursions you must be able to get up and down the steep gangway, from the ship to the water level, to board the zodiacs. The ship’s staff will assist you in and out of the boats, and boarding will become progressively easier with practice, but conditions on shore can be slippery and rocky.

Remember, you will be travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition or need daily medical treatment.