Arctic Cruise Svalbard Circumnavigation July 11-23, 2022
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ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 ARCTIC CRUISE - 2022 Pollina Tours’ much awaited cruise to the Arctic is now scheduled for July 11-23, 2022. Please mark your calendar and book your space now as booking will only be accepted only on first come first served basis. The goal of this ARCTIC voyage is to circumnavigate Svalbard, a bucket list item for many! During the adventure we will enjoy the immense beauty of Svalbard on this high Arctic voyage among whales, walruses, polar bears and millions of sea birds. We approach the polar bear´s favorite summer residence, as we cruise to 80 degrees north, getting as close as possible to the pack ice north of Svalbard. How far north we reach, and the exact route will depend on the ice conditions, while the many amazing locations along the coasts of Svalbard’s islands are kept navigable by the warm Gulf Stream. Onboard Ocean Atlantic you will experience areas of Svalbard not easily accessible otherwise. But we are not only cruising in the far north, we will also visit some extraordinary locations in the eastern part of Svalbard with Edgeøya and in the south part of Spitsbergen like Bellsund and Hornsund. 1 ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 During the short summer, wildlife such as reindeer is busy amassing energy for the icy polar winter. The cliffs shimmer with life as every surface is populated with countless birds. On several shores, the huge walruses enjoy the short Arctic summer as well as many whales and seals foraging along the edge of the pack ice and the coasts. In the fleet of Zodiac dinghy boats, we are able to view wildlife at close proximity. The Zodiacs allow us to have frequent shore landings and embark on exploratory mini cruises in the fjords and glacial landscapes. Enjoy the immense beauty of Svalbard on this Arctic adventure cruise among whales, walruses, polar bears and millions of sea birds. Experience high summer in the Arctic with Ocean Atlantic - one of the few ice-class expedition ships built to withstand the North Pole’s pack ice. Please join today by filling in the Booking Form. We are looking forward to seeing you on board this Great Voyage! Note: In Order to reach Oslo, Norway on Tour dates mentioned below, please book your flights accordingly from your home city one day ahead. 2 ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 HIGHLIGHTS Sail aboard one of the world’s only ice-class expedition ships built to meet the North Pole pack ice. Reach 80° north, when we cruise towards Sjuøyane, close to the pack ice. Cruise close the spectacular Alkefjellet and witness a miracle of nature with hundreds of thousands of birds. Experience the polar desert landscape at Torrelnesset which is home to walruses amongst other wildlife. Our vessel, Ocean Atlantic, is docked close to the town center. After boarding and a welcome drink, the Expedition See whales, walruses, seabirds and other amazing Leader will provide information about the voyage, the ship's wildlife up close. daily routines and the various security and safety procedures. Before sailing, there will be a mandatory safety Very good chances of seeing polar bears as well their drill. The Captain then takes the ship out of Advent Fjord and main prey, seals. our Arctic adventure commences. Zodiac cruises in the fjords and nature walks on the tundra. JULY 11, 2022: DEPART USA TO OSLO, NORWAY Today, you will depart on your own international flight arrangements to Oslo, Norway. If you like, Pollina Tours can also assist you with you flight booking and quote and book the airspace for you. JULY 12, 2022: ARRIVE IN OSLO JULY 14, 2022: NY ÅLESUND, NY LONDON AND Arrive in Oslo and transfer to your first-class hotel in this LILIENHÖÖK GLACIER Norwegian capital city. During the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the JULY 13, 2022: LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early EMBARK THE OCEAN ATLANTIC summer and this is both the challenge and gift of this special Arrival to Longyearbyen, Capital of Svalbard – possibly the voyage. Winter ice will possibly block the inner waters of northernmost ‘real’ town in the world. many fjords, but this will give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent – but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its prime habitat. At this time of year the migrating birds have just arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start for the coming hectic summer months. 3 ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 living – and quite often dying – here in the heyday of blubber production. There are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of Spitsbergen. If conditions allow, we’ll make a landing on Ytre Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts. JULY 16, 2022: MONACO GLACIER AND CRUISING TOWARDS THE PACK ICE During the night we head to Wood Fjord and its branch, the Our first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in Liefde Fjord. Our plan is to embark on a Zodiac cruise along fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE the broad glacier front of Monacobreen. This gives a unique northernmost town. But… is a group of scientific stations, a insight of the glacial forces and the unlimited forms of post office and a single shop open for a few hours a real icebergs. The ice front is named after Albert I of Monaco, who town? You will have to judge for yourself. The setting is nice, was a major sponsor of Svalbard research. the scientific projects are very interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area. During the afternoon the ship will steer far north towards the edge of the polar pack ice. How far north only time and weather will tell, but the main target for us is just the ‘edge’, In the afternoon, we continue further north into the fjord possibly at 80 degrees north! This is the kingdom of the polar system, and depending on the ice situation, we may do a Zodiac cruise along the Lilliehöök Glacier front… or enjoy a bear! As the pack ice retreats during summer, polar bears lecture. ride the floes north, as this is where their prey - the seals - resides. Bears who for unfortunate reasons do not ‘catch’ the JULY 15, 2022: FORMER WHALING STATION AT ice moving north, are stranded on Svalbard all summer, and SMEERENBURG AND YTRE NORSKØYA will have to sustain on berries, eggs and whatever whale We have now entered North West Svalbard, which was cadavers they can find. A hard life indeed! declared a national park in 1973. The day could begin with a Zodiac cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in JULY 17, 2022: SJUØYANE AND DRIFT ICE, POLAR Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskøya to BEAR COUNTRY AT 80 DEGREES AROUND EASTERN Amsterdamøya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, the SVALBARD legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men were During the day, lectures on polar mammals, environment and/or culture can be enjoyed on board in the Viking Theater. 4 ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 Should we get into the pack ice where the sea usually is JULY 18, 2022: AMAZING BIRDLIFE AT ALKEFJELLET, calm, a Zodiac cruise will be arranged. POLAR DESERT LANDSCAPE AT TORRELNESSET In the morning we arrive and cruise slowly by the famous Alkefjellet. If the weather is on “our side” we will have a good view of the steep cliffs. The whole area is home to a dense congregation of Brünichs guillemots. There is so many of the birds, that hardly an inch is free. During the summer the breeding pairs offer a wild view of frantic activity, both along the cliffs and in the sea in front. The part goal of the day is to reach the island Nordaustlandet and hopefully its 7 (or 9, depending on how you count) smaller islands Sjuøyane in the far north of Svalbard. The almost vegetation-free, rocky islands are located around 1000 km more northernly than mainland Norway’s famous Nordkapp. More wildlife awaits us as we land at the polar desert landscapes of Torrelnesset. The beach here is home to a host of walruses that lay amongst each other. They feed on the clams and any other mollusks that they can find in the shallows of Svalbard’s waters. JULY 19, 2022: THROUGH THE HINLOPEN STRAIT AND FREEMANSUNDET, LANDING AT EDGEØYA The main issue that can halt a circumnavigation of Spitsbergen is the ice situation along Hinlopen Strait. If the ice is passable, we can make it through the southern edge of the Strait and cruise through Freemansundet that separates Barentsøya and Edgeøya. We enjoy the views of the massive Kapp Lee on our way and pass through into Weather permitting, we will land and walk these most Storfjorden. northern landmasses. These high Arctic islands are quite barren, with moss and lichens covering the stones. The birdlife is rich in this area and some of the rarer gulls frequent these islands, so bring your binoculars. At the end of the day, we will start cruising towards the Hinlopen Strait that divides Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet. 5 ARCTIC CRUISE SVALBARD CIRCUMNAVIGATION JULY 11-23, 2022 We plan to make a Zodiac landing along Edgeøya’s coast. mouth.