SVALBARD GOLDEN LIGHT SCENIC SPECIAL

SEPTEMBER 1-11, 2017 ON BOARD S/V ANTIGUA TOUR REPORT PARTICIPANTS

Guests: Guides & Charterers: Anita Klaussen Lauren Greider Morten Jørgensen, Guide & Charterer Björn Apelman Marie Eilenberger Nozomi Takeyabu, Guide & Charterer Bob Pecoraro Nancy Bushnell Nikita Ovsyanikov, Guide Brad Greider Natasha Safonova Thor Larsen, Guide Caroline Stam Nils Thorsen Carolyn O’Laoire Ole Jørgensen Crew: Debbie Pecoraro Sachiko Takeyabu Alexandra Renes, Stewardess Derk Tjalling Hoeksma Sarah Mallory Alwin Wuffen, Chief Officer Elena Loboda Sean O’Laoire Jan Bruinsma, Second Officer Erik Jensen Steve Eilenberger Julia Wellner, Stewardess Gerry Soifer Susanne Granath Ludo Mathijsen, AB Greg Rothman Sylvia Dolson Maarten van der Duijn Schouten, Captain Hans Mørk Sølvi Foseide Phillipp Konietzko, Steward Irina Menyushina Tove Lundberg Sascha Huhn, Chef Isis Jørgensen Vibeke Helly-Hansen SUMMARY

The sailing vessel Antigua was our platform as we enjoyed the end of summer in Sval- bard. Despite a period of highly unstable weather in the north Atlantic, we success- fully carried out an enjoyable voyage which took us beyond 81 degrees N, into the pack- ice, through some magnificent fjord and glacier landscapes, and provided us good views of almost all the most sought after iconic high Arctic animals. We had Walrus, Reindeer and a plethora of Arctic Foxes at close range, we had the two largest whale species on Earth, and we saw both male and female Polar Bears. We enjoyed the autumn colours of the tundra at several locations, and we had a superb and most memorable sunrise which dramatically coloured the sky for hours. A complete list of species sighted (20 birds and 11 mammals) appears at the end of this report. DIARY WITH ITINERARY AND WEATHER

Sep 1:

Winds light to moderate SW, sea < 3 meters / 10 feet SW, overcast, clear, 1-3°C (34-37°F) Longyearbyen - Isfjorden - Forlandssundet

We gradually embarked the lovely sailing vessel Antigua in the afternoon, most arriving at 02.00 pm, others a bit later. Come 04.00 pm, we were all getting acquainted with our cabins and the outlay of the vessel, and shortly after, Captain Maarten welcomed us and introduced his crew, after which we had the safety briefing followed by a safety drill. At 05.00 pm, we departed from the quay of Longyearbyen, heading out into Isfjorden. The calm of Adventfjorden, where Longyearbyen lies, was replaced by a gentle pitching of the vessel, as we headed into the mild seas.

Just before dinner, we all came out on deck to see our first wildlife of the voyage – a Fin Whale was blowing near the ship, it was swimming around in an irregular pattern, no doubt feeding. It was not interested in us, and it was difficult to keep close to it, so we soon let it be and went to dinner.

As we approached and eventually rounded the entrance of Isfjorden to proceed north, the seas grew, and many were uncomfortable. The majority took to their bunks early, and as the evening and early night progressed, we gradually got into the lee of Prins Karl’s Forland and were in calmer waters. Sep 2:

Winds moderate to strong E, overcast, clear but with some rain, 1-3°C (34-37°F) Ossian Sars Fjellet & Ny-Ålesund, both in Kongsfjorden

After breakfast, our guides all introduced themselves, we received our species lists, and we had more briefings about safety – about keeping ourselves, the wildlife and the environment safe. The day was grey, but the closer we got to Ossian Sars, the less the winds were, the rain more or less stopped, and it was a rather mild and gentle morning.

We landed on the beach, and walked along it, aiming to see Arctic Fox. And indeed, as many as four different individuals, seemingly two adults and two of their offspring, showed fairly well. They were a light silvery grey colour, already acquiring their winter coats.

After a while, we walked up the valley and the hill, taking a left to ac- cess the cliff top. Along the way, we encountered a female Svalbard Reindeer and her calf, as well as several Snow Buntings. From the top, we could look down on the little Antigua below, as well and numerous glacier ice pieces floating by – and we could see some of the nesting Kittiwakes, many adults flying about as well as fledged chicks.

Back on board, we had lunch, and the ship was repositioned to Ny-Åle- sund, the scientific research community located nearer the mouth of Kongsfjorden. The winds were stronger out there, and the rain was pretty insisting all late afternoon. Never-the-less, we went ashore, we had a quick browse in the northernmost shop in the world, and we then joined Nikita and Thor for a historical tour of the place, includ- ing a visit to the tethering mast of the famous flights from here to the North Pole.

Back on board, it was time to begin drying out our clothes and gear, and we enjoyed being still tied up to the pier while we had our dinner. Sep 3:

Winds moderate to light SE, overcast with brief sunny spells, moderate visibility particularly when raining, 3-6°C (37-43°F) Smeerenburg - Fuglefjorden - Holmiabukta - Raud- fjorden

After a reasonably smooth night, with some light rolling only, we anchored for lee in the early morn- ing in the southern end of Smeerenburgfjorden, then proceeded north to anchor off Smeerenburg just after breakfast. The sky was dramatically beau- tiful, with various layers of clouds interspersed with rays of sun in patches, and constantly changing. A light to moderate southeasterly was not even very cold.

After a briefing about landing with Walrus, we were shuttled ashore at Smeerenburg, on Amster- damøya. The better part of the morning was spent enjoying a close encounter with the magnificent Walrus, particularly the inquisitive and active ones in the water. The male haul-out had some 60 or so sleepy participants, and in the water were some 10+ others. Several came right up to check us out. Awesome wildlife experience.

On this sandy spit of land there is also a lot of hu- man history. Our guides told us about the drift- wood and its origins, about the blubber oven foun- dation remains and their origins, about the near extinction of the Bowhead Whale, and also about the exploits of Andrée and others just across the sound on Danskøya. It was lunchtime before the last of us were back on board, and we then used the ship during the entire afternoon to cruise some of the many fjords and in- lets and islets of this area of Svalbard. We turned into Fuglefjorden, enjoying views of quite a few Atlantic Puf- fins on the way. The glacier at the head of Fuglefjorden was calving while we were near, and the hanging gla- ciers on the mountainsides were glowing pink with snow algae. The next bay was Holmiabukta, but now the rain was a bit heavier, and we were not many on deck. Shortly after, we celebrated Lauren’s birthday with a couple of cakes and a warm cup of drink, and in the meantime, the ship turned into Raudfjorden.

We were heading for Hamiltonbukta when Irina, from quite a distance, spotted a Polar Bear. We were all on deck when we got closer, and we watched this healthy-looking adult male Polar Bear for a good while, in the persistent rain, lying at first on a vegetated patch, then walking a bit, then lying down again. An hour lat- er, we left him behind and went to have dinner. In the meantime, the weather varied, at one time the cloud came so low it was just overhead, then as suddenly it cleared and the sun broke through, with a rainbow showing across the fjord.

We had a gentle evening on board as we continued east north-east. Sept 4:

Winds 30-35 knots gusting 45 knots W, overcast with brief sunny spells, good visibility, 1°C (34°F) To Isflakbukta off Phippsøya in 7 Islands group, then at anchor there all day

Overnight, the wind increased. We had fairly smooth sailing due to the direction, but the strength of the winds did cause more and more motion through the morning. After breakfast, as we neared the Seven Islands group, it became time to pull the sails before the course change – and some 12-15 of us braved the stormy conditions on deck to help get the sails down.

As we approached the south-facing beach on Phippsøya, we spotted a Polar Bear on shore. An adult female, collared, she walked about a bit, rolled for a while on a snow bank, then laid down again. The wind force was still 8-9 Beaufort, but with both anchors down and lots of chain out, we settled in for the wait. Nothing was doable off the ship. We watched the bear, we watched the clouds come and go, and we watched the sea surface whipped white. We had lunch, and in the afternoon, we had a long, informal question-and-answer session in the salon, talking about many topics ranging from Walrus habits to Polar Bear denning, and from tourism impacts to Polar Bear conservation.

After dinner, while the winds were still howling, we watched “Life on the Field of Bones”, Nikita’s own footage from a field season on Wrangel Island. Sept 5:

Winds nil in the morning, light E afternoon and eve- ning, overcast, good visibility, 3°C (37°F) morning but 0°C (32°F) afternoon and evening Phippsøya - Rossøya - pack-ice, farthest N 81°05’ N, 019°10’E

We awoke to a very different scene. Tranquil, almost mirror sea surface, and a light dusting of new snow on the islands. After breakfast, we headed ashore. We walked first towards the emergency hut in the western corner of the bay. We had a look inside the hut, and we enjoyed the driftwood, ground patterns and old whale bones. Nozomi spotted a whale car- cass further along the beach, near where the bear had been lying yesterday. It was old, decayed, un- identifiable.

Our walk took us to the north, across the frozen ground, the frozen ponds, the lichen-covered rocks. When we reached the north shore across the sad- dle, the call came from back in Isflakbukta, where we had first landed, that the female Polar Bear was now on the beach there. We began our return, and gave her a wide space so as not to distress her. We were picked up at the far end of the bay, and then drove across to where she was slowly moving about. We watched the bear for a while, but she was mostly interested in lying down, more or less out of view, perhaps just waiting for us to leave again. We had a late lunch on board after a long and eventful outing. Through the afternoon, we headed north-west. First we passed close to Rossøya, the northernmost land in all of Europe – and there we saw our first few chunks of sea ice. A bit later, those who were on deck had good views of a Blue Whale that surfaced only three times near the ship before diving out and “disappearing”. There was more ice again now, and there were a few Harp Seals, a couple of Ivory Gulls, a sprinkling of auks, and some nice light on the horizon.

After dinner, we turned the ship right into the pack-ice, and we stopped the vessel at a point that we would call our farthest north (celebrated with a drink on deck). The ice around us was luring, and we decided to anchor the vessel to a nice, solid, square floe, after which we took a stroll down the gangway and out onto the ice. It was a most fitting end to a long day in the very high Arctic. Sept 6:

Winds nil in the morning, strong SE afternoon and evening. Morning sun- ny and only partial cloud cover. Visibility excellent. 3°C (37°F) morning but 0°C (32°F) afternoon and evening. Purchasneset, Lågøya - across Hinlopenrenna - Woodfjorden

We sailed overnight, literally, with sails and no engine, until the early morning hours. As we awoke, we were greeted by a calm morning, wind- less, with good views of Lågøya near the vessel and the mountains of Nordaustlandet on the horizon. The cloud cover was only partial, and the line of grey passed towards the east, letting the sun shine on us for the rest of the morning.

We landed at Purchasneset, the northernmost point of Lågøya. There were numerous Purple Sandpipers in the area, as well as Arctic Terns. A pair of Red-throated Divers (Loons) could be heard on several occasions. And to our north lay some 100 Walrus in two heaps as well as in the shal- lows.

This haul-out consisted of both males and females, and there were sev- eral young among them, seemingly two- and three-year-old pups. The herd was visibly more nervous than the previous one we had visited, and we kept ourselves at a greater distance, as well as at a quieter presence.

Part of the morning was spent meandering about as well, enjoying the sunshine and wonderful weather, the reflections in the lagoons, the sight of the lonely Pomor graves on the top of the spit, as well as a few old male Walrus hauled out by themselves further along the shore. Almost unnoticeably, the time slipped by, and we were not early back for lunch.

From around 03.00 pm, we were braving the seas caused by the winds funnelling out from the Hinlopen Strait to our south. The really heavy roll- ing lasted until around 08.00 pm – dinner was served from the galley on an individual basis. Then, almost as suddenly as it had begun, it was all over, we were past the rough spot, and back to normal – a gentle sea and some blue sky. Sep 7:

Winds nil in the morning, light SE afternoon and evening. Early morning (02.00- 04.00 am) spectacular sunrise, later overcast. Visibility good. 2-3°C (36-37°F) all day. Liefdefjorden: Monaco glacier - Lernerøyane - Andøyane

Between 02.00 and 04.00 am, most of us watched a stunning sunrise. All imag- inable variations of reds, oranges, yellows, blues and greys filled the sky and re- flected into the water. When we took the Antigua next to an iceberg to use it as a foreground, it broke apart right there. When the colours began to fade, the clouds were also changing, and we headed back in for a few more hours of sleep. Everything came together in the timing of this middle-of-the-night spectacle.

After breakfast, we had brought the ship close to the Monaco glacier, and we spent the entire morning here – alternating between ship’s cruising among large icebergs and Zodiac cruising closer to the glacier fronts and to many of the small- er bergy bits and through the brash ice. There was hardly a breath of wind, and the sky was decorated with a variety of cloud formations. The icebergs ranged from black to translucent blue, and the Glaucous Gulls and Kittiwakes kept us company. The glaciers regularly calved, sending the thunderous booms across the fjord in the still air. A most delightful morning altogether.

After lunch, we cruised through the narrow passage way between the islets called Lernerøyane, before heading further north in the fjord towards Andøyane. At this low-lying group of islands, we first watched a distant Polar Bear resting on the tundra, before we ourselves strolled across the lush tundra of the main island in the group. Red soil and numerous flowering species of plant were at our feet, and around us flew many birds. An Arctic Fox as well as a Harbour Seal showed briefly. We saw polygon patterned ground, we saw lichen-covered bird-perch rocks, and we saw flocks of resting Long-tailed Ducks. Many of us picked up items of plastic that sadly littered the shores. We were a bit late back for dinner.

In the late evening, we brought the ship closer to the Polar Bear which had now wandered down towards the shoreline. Before we came close, it went into the water and began a slow swim. We watched it from a good distance, saw it come out on one island briefly, then watched it swim on until it was a tiny dot in the water. The light was getting low, and the day had already been long. We went in and turned in. Sept 8:

Winds locally nil until afternoon with moderate gusts coming over the glaciers, evening light to moderate SE. Mostly overcast with occasional patches of blue sky, visibility good, temperature 4°C (39°F) early morning and 12°C (54°F) afternoon, still a balmy 9°C (48°F) at 08.00 pm Smeerenburgfjorden - Bjørnfjorden - Magdalenafjorden

Our overnight transfer across the north coast of Spitsbergen was smooth, and come morning we were in Smeerenburgfjorden, smooth still, with wonder- ful views of the pointed peaks all around. Captain Maarten spotted a sleeping Polar Bear on the steep slopes of the fjord, and during and after breakfast, we enjoyed seeing this beautiful specimen resting. It seemed a young bear, probably a sub-adult or young adult female, in good condition with a pristine coat.

During the rest of the morning, we cruised into Bjørnfjorden and enjoyed the magnificent scenery of the area, with the very scenic Smeerenburg glacier tumbling into the fjord and the ever-changing clouds and rays of sunlight adding drama. At 11.30 am, Thor Larsen delivered a presentation about the status of Polar Bears in Svalbard, discussing the subject with a focus on the hunting era, the post hunting era, and the current changes happening due to global warming.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed the scene some more, including several fairly large calvings from the glacier. A good many of us spent hours trying to guess where and when the next calving would happen, and trying to be ready with cameras too. Nikita spoke about Polar Bear conservation at 03.00 pm, and meanwhile, we turned the ship to head away from Smeerenburgbreen. On the way out, we saw that our morning bear was still resting in just about the exact same spot.

A dramatically different weather greeted us around the corner. Dark, gloomy, grey, low cloud with some raindrops – but Magdalenafjorden did not dis- appoint with its glory, and the calvings here, as well as rock slides, were no less impressive. Also impressive (understatement!) was the special buffet that Sascha and the hotel team presented – overwhelming and seriously tasty.

We rocked our way south overnight. Sept 9:

Winds light SE to nil. Overcast, visibility good, 4-9°C (39-48°F) Forlandssundet - Isfjorden - Alkefjellet in Isfjorden

The morning was spent on board, making our way through Forlandssundet towards Isfjorden. The forecast was for high winds in that area beginning late this day, so we were racing south to avoid them. Despite low winds today, there was a bit of old swell, not least in the “corner” area where Isfjorden meets Forlandssundet, and both lecture and shop-time was postponed.

Before lunch, we were sitting off Alkhornet, and could already from the vessel see Svalbard Reindeer as well as several Arctic Foxes – the latter feeding on the carcass of a large Reindeer. We brought lunch forward, so as to be able to go ashore earlier, and we ended up having a magnificent 4-hour encounter with the local wildlife.

No fewer than eight different foxes were seen over the afternoon, including one “blue” morph, several very white and some still more grey. We witnessed a lot of interesting behaviour as these predators scavenged on the carcass, and we had nu- merous very close encounters when one or more of them would come running right in among us.

After a while, we walked slightly further inland to enjoy some close encounters with reindeer. We found two large stags, their antlers bloody with rags of velvet still at- tached, and watched them graze, briefly spar half-heartedly, and then rest. A bit fur- ther away was a group of another two males together with a female with her calf.

All the while we were there, a Polar Bear was resting on the plain. It was being mon- itored from the Antigua, and we were informed when the bear got up and seemed to have picked up the scent of the carcass. It began moving in our direction, and we moved away towards our landing beach. The massive adult male bear passed behind us on the tundra, walking straight to the carcass, only once glancing over its shoulder to look at us. Soon, it was feeding on the reindeer, with foxes running around its feet, and we enjoyed the continuation of the spectacle from the decks of the Antigua. After a while, the bear sauntered up into the rocks behind it and disap- peared out of view. Sept 10:

Winds nil morning, light ESE afternoon. Blue skies and sunny, vis- ibility excellent, 2-10°C (36-50°F) Coraholmen in Ekmanfjorden - Dicksonfjorden - Isfjorden - Long- yearbyen

A wonderful morning greeted us, the sun was shining on a mirror fjord, not a breath of wind, the majestic mountain called Kolos- seum lying on one side, Coraholmen on the other. Two juvenile Black Guillemots swam around the ship. Fulmars flapped their way past. A Ringed Seal kept its distance.

We went ashore for a walk on the red muddy soil of the low hills that are a glacial moraine, complete with subfossil shells and al- gae crusts. Tufted and Purple Saxifrage still flowered. Footprints of numerous geese were evidence of the busy summer of not long ago. A late adult male Snow Bunting still sang, maybe this season’s last song? The landscapes were inspiring, the photo op- portunities many. Our pace was slow, and we enjoyed the silence. Before lunch, a fair number went for a quick dip off the side of the ship. Ole said it was warmer than last time, up near 81 north. After lunch, Thor gave an inspired talk about the changing Arctic.

Come mid-afternoon, with the sun still shining brightly, we en- countered winds further to the south. We changed course and headed back north a bit, into Dicksonfjorden, where we found suitable conditions for the project of the afternoon: Sailing under full sail, and photographing the beautiful ship from the outside. We had brownies on deck while we set the sails and enjoyed the surroundings, the vessel, and the company.

At 07.00 pm, we gathered for a final briefing and recap, and thank you’s all around. Maarten wore his white shirt, all the guides said a few wise words, and we had fresh cod for dinner. Sep 11:

Winds strong SE, blue skies and sunny, visibility excellent, 4°C (39°F) Longyearbyen

It was time to part. After breakfast, the taxis began arriving, and we all began leaving. It had been a wonderful time spent together, exploring Sval- bard in its September hues. SPECIES

Birds

Red-throated Diver/Loon: One pair seen and heard at Purchasneset Sep 6, at least 5 seen on Andøyane Sep 7. Northern Fulmar: Numerous or in moderate numbers daily. Pink-footed Goose: 7 birds in flock at Alkhornet Sep 9, a pair took flight from us at Coraholmen Sep 10. Barnacle Goose: Just 3 staging at Alkhornet Sep 9. Common Eider: Seen in small numbers on about half the days. Long-tailed Duck: At least 70 individuals seen at Andøyane on Sep 7, most of them in one large flock. Another 4 birds seen at Coraholmen Sep 10. Sanderling: One adult bird foraging along the shoreline at Smeerenburg on Sep 3. Purple Sandpiper: At least 30 birds seen at various locations, most of them at Purchasneset on Sep. 6. Arctic Skua/Parasitic Jaeger: A few most days, 35 registered total. Great Skua: 6 individuals seen, most of them during days spent in the NW corner area of Spitsbergen. Glaucous Gull: Numerous or in moderate numbers daily, the highest concentration 60 along the beach at Isflak- bukta Sep 5. Great Black-backed Gull: One adult bird feeding near an iceberg in front of Monacobreen on Sep 7. Black-legged Kittiwake: Numerous or in moderate numbers daily. Highest number away from colonies was 150+ foraging at Isflakbukta Sep 5. Ivory Gull: Three birds were seen during our short stay in the pack-ice on Sep 5. The next day, one flew over Purchasneset, while there were two foraging in front of Monacobreen on Sep 7. Arctic Tern: Seen with a few daily, with small concentrations at Smeerenburg on Sep 3 (some 80 birds) and Pur- chasneset Sep 6 (some 40 birds). Brünnich’s Guillemot/Thick-billed Murre: On Sep 5, four birds were seen in the pack-ice. Black Guillemot: Very few seen, during this time period the species is temporarily gone from the coastal waters of Svalbard. Two juveniles swam around the ship on Sep 10 at Coraholmen. Little Auk/Dovekie: On Sep 5, about 10 birds were seen in the pack-ice. Atlantic Puffin: On Sep 3, a concentration of about 50 birds delighted at the mouth of Fuglefjorden. A few others were seen here and there as well. Snow Bunting: About 15 birds total, of which about 10 at Ossian Sars Fjellet on Sep 2, and a singing male on Coraholmen on Sep 10. Mammals

Blue Whale: At almost 81 degrees N, in the pack-ice, one individual showed well but very briefly on Sep. 5. Fin Whale: One was seen feeding in Isfjorden on our first evening out on Sep. 1. One also Fin or Blue Whale was seen in the distance at the same time. Whale sp.: The remains of one very long dead large whale was lying in Isflakbukta on Sep. 5. Try as we did, we could not determine the species at all. White-beaked Dolphin: Eric saw one individual briefly just to the NE of Rossøya on Sep. 5. Walrus: 6 sightings of a total of ca. 200 animals total. On Sep. 3 we enjoyed about 70 males at Smeeren- burg, while there were about 100 individuals of both sexes and varying ages at Purchasneset on Sep. 6. On Sep. 5, there was what seemed to be a freshly dead intact Walrus in the kelp in Isflakbukta. Ringed Seal: Only 3 observations of a total of 4 animals. Harbour (Common) Seal: At Andøyane on Sep. 7 and the next day in Magadalenefjorden, brief views were had of two different individuals in the water. Harp Seal: On Sep. 5, while in the pack-ice, one flock of about 20 was seen, as were two further individ- uals. Bearded Seal: All the Bearded Seals seen on this voyage were seen inside Liefdefjorden on Sep. 7. One was in front of Monacobreen, one followed the vessel for a while among Lernerøyane, while in the eve- ning we noted a total of six in the waters around Andøyane. Polar Bear: 5 total: 1 healthy-looking adult male resting ashore at Hamiltonbukta on Sep. 3. On Sep. 4-5 one collared adult female ashore in Isflakbukta. Sep. 7 one thinnish-looking adult male seen at some dis- tance on Reinsdyrflya in Liefdefjorden, it eventually swam away between the islands. On Sep. 8, a peace- ful, presumed young adult, female was sleeping most of the day at Bluffodden in Smeerenburgfjorden, while finally on Sep. 9 we enjoyed watching a large and very fat adult male dig into a Reindeer cadaver at Alkhornet. Arctic Fox: At least 13 foxes seen during the voyage is a very high count by most standards. We saw 4 to- gether (a family group) on our first full day, at Ossian Sars Fjellet. One adult was on Andøyane on Sep. 7. And finally, on Sep. 9, we had the company of at least 8 different individuals on the tundra in the general area of a Reindeer carcass at Alkhornet. Of these, one was a blue morph, rather uncommon in Svalbard. Svalbard Reindeer: Seen at 2 locations on the west side of Spitsbergen as well as in the distance on Lågøya. Only 13 individuals total (plus one dead), but among them both female with calf and sparring adult males with large, bloody antlers. www.NozoMojo.com [email protected]