Ice Ice Baby

The landscape in the far north is less about land, and more about water in its different forms.

The remarkable thing about being in the frozen North is the unexpected palette of color found in the ice. Snow and ice and water isn’t all white or clear - it’s blue... incredible shades of aquamarine and turquoise and cerulean. The color is dependent on the depth of the water or the consistency of the ice.

Snow crystals are delicate and airy, and air bubbles are what reflect visual light back out to what we can see. When all colors in the light spectrum are reflected, we see white. Water acts as a filter of lightwaves – under the water, longer wavelengths of light (red-orange-yellow) are absorbed, so things look blue. 

GLACIERS

Over a period of thousands of years, snow builds up and packs down, forming huge hunks of ice. When the pressure gets big enough, ice is squeezed through valleys, slowly flowing down in the form of glaciers. 

Clear ice, from the Monacobreen Glacier

In the case of glacial ice, the pressure of snow accumulation causes the layers below to compress, and eventually all the air bubbles are squeezed out leaving tightly packed H₂O molecules. Up close, small pieces of this ice look crystal clear, but en masse, these huge chunks absorb the majority of visible light, only allowing shorter wavelengths to pass through. By the time the light reaches our eyes, only the shortest wavelengths – blue – are present. 

The glaciers in the Svalbard are rapidly receding - when we visited the enormous Monacobreen glacier we were in uncharted waters, since only five years ago the glacier was 2 kilometers longer up the fjord. While it is probably a bad sign that it is melting rapidly, the sights and sounds of a calving glacier are breathtaking and unreal - the thunder-like cracks of ice, the splash of a huge chunk crashing into the ocean, the echoes and roars through the valley aren't just seen and heard, but felt - deep down in your chest.

And the waters near glaciers are full of life:

Bearded seal

Beluga whale

Kittiwakes, feeding on amphipods and tiny fish

Did you know? A chunk of ice floating free that is greater than 5 meters (about 15 feet) in height is called an iceberg. If it is between 1 and 5 meters high it is a bergy bit, and anything less than 1 m above the surface is called a growler. In most cases, 80% or more of an iceberg is underwater, which is what makes it so dangerous - if the center of gravity shifts, the berg will tip over, taking with it any nearby boats or kayaks.

Growlers and bergy bits

SEA ICE

Along our way we have encountered huge hunks of freshwater ice, either from glaciers or from freezing sea water. Sea ice is very different from glacial ice. Sea water generally freezes at about -1.9°C (28.5°F), although if the salt concentration is higher, the freezing temperature lowers. When the water freezes, salt is squeezed out so the ice is freshwater. Because this ice is less dense than sea water, it floats. If it is attached to the shoreline, this sea ice is known as fast ice because it is held fast to land. Offshore, drift ice moves with currents and wind. Individual pieces of drift ice that are more than 20 meters across are known as floes.

Sea ice is especially important in the Arctic because this is the main hunting ground for the polar bear. In addition, the light color of sea ice helps reflect incoming radiation from the earth, unlike darker open water that absorbs radiation. Reflected radiation passes through the atmosphere without causing warming, while absorbed radiation is released as infrared, which is trapped by greenhouse gasses and warms the atmosphere. The loss of sea ice from climate change means more infrared being released, which warms the atmosphere and results in the vicious cycle of more melting ice.

ICE CAPS

The Austfonna ice cap, at 2 million acres, is the third largest ice cap in the world (behind Antarctica and Greenland). Along the southern and eastern edge of Nordaustland island, the ice cap meets the ocean at a huge and imposing ice front extending 100 mile long, and reaching up to 200 feet high.

Ice caps are formed through millenia of accumulation of snow. The pressure tamps the snow into ice, and pushes the mass outwards. If it goes through gaps in the land, they form glaciers, but if they evenly expand, they can form gigantic flat blocks of ice that end at the ocean in towering cliffs. Melting ice comes through as waterfalls, but the sides are remarkably smooth.

Was it cold? Nahhhh, I managed...

I knew I'd love coming up to the Arctic, but I thought I'd be overwhelmed by the wildlife. Instead, it is the ice that gets me - it's fascinating, beautiful, and unlike anything I could have imagined. This is why you should go to the polar regions - see the ice before it is gone!

Animals of the Arctic

The expedition I was on is called "Land of the Ice Bears: An In-Depth Exploration of Arctic Svalbard," and the primary goal was to see polar bears. Despite that, this harsh and unforgiving landscape plays host to a remarkable variety of biodiversity - from lichen and mosses on land, to the largest living animals on the planet, whales. We had great luck in our animal sightings, thanks to some amazing spotters and wonderful naturalists.

One of the most exciting encounters happened on the first day, while we were hiking at Stefan's Garden in Krossfjord. Just a few meters offshore, a pod of around 100 beluga whales swam by, so close that we could easily see the distinctive smiles on their faces. It was amazing how close they came to shore!

Belugas are all white, and have no dorsal fin. In fact, most exclusively arctic whales lack a dorsal fin, probably so that it can more easily swim under sea ice.
While we were watching the belugas, an arctic fox had creeped up close behind us.

For a while it was almost too much of a good thing: which way to look?! Belugas or fox? Belugas or fox?! TOO MUCH!

The arctic fox changes color based on the season - white in the winter and brown in the summer. The foxes we saw were all in the process of shedding their winter coats, so they looked a bit scraggly.



Also at Stefan's Garden was a herd of reindeer. These animals have a rough time here in the high arctic - they forage for whatever flora they can find. In the winter, their strategy is to minimize energy loss by not moving - they travel less than 500 yards during the course of the winter - essentially, they stand still for 4 months.

Bearded seal

Along with several ringed seals and bearded seals, we saw a few colonies of walruses. We stopped near Moffen Island to observe around 80 individuals who had hauled out to rest. They were packed tightly together, lolling about and rolling over each other. A few were in the water, and it was fun watching one huge, fat walrus roll himself into the water rather than trying to waddle in.

Later in the week, we stopped at Kapp Lee on the northwestern tip of Edgeøya, where another colony of walruses had hauled out. This beach also has a haunting bone yard, where in the past hundreds of walruses had been slaughtered. Their bones still litter the beach, with piles of skulls - sans tusks - arranged in rings.
 


There is a huge number of sea birds in the arctic, and they are most impressive in their nesting colonies. We saw two: first at the cliffs at Alkefjellet, where thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots and kittiwakes make their nests.

Brünnich's guillemots

We also stopped at Diskobukta (Ducks Cove) on Edgeøya Island, where in a narrow gorge, thousands of kittiwakes nest. Their numbers are so abundant that several arctic foxes have made their dens here, and gorge themselves on eggs or on birds who have fallen during fights. The skies were swarming with birds, and the cacophony of sound was glorious:

Arctic foxes change from white (winter) to brown (summer)

Not so hungry anymore!

On our last day at sea, we were lucky enough to have great weather - which meant it was easy to spot whales. We saw tons of spouts and even saw a breaching humpback, and this guy who decided to come check out the ship:

Friendly humpback

Fin whales

Not only did we see humpbacks, but we also saw fin whales - the second largest animal on earth (next to the blue whale).

The fin whales came fairly close, but as naturalist Rich told us, they are boring to photograph as they don't tend to come very far out of the water. But we did get to see how huge they were!

In the Land of the Ice Bears

It's 7:30 AM, and as I write this there is more water than ice. There is little to no wind, and the outside air temperature is around 37°F. The water is smooth and calm, reflecting the clouds and sun. Every so often, a sea bird swoops down or lands or takes off, disturbing the perfectly glassy surface. We’re traveling deeper into the sea ice, looking for wildlife: most notably, the polar bear.

Naturalist Adam, with his rifle

Polar bears are the largest land carnivores in the polar region. They are considered ‘marine mammals’ because they wander the ice pack and often swim long distances between ice floes or islands. They are also more dangerous than other bear species because they are much more carnivorous, given the lack of plant matter in the polar regions. In fact, by Norwegian law, anyone who goes outside in the Svalbard must carry a weapon.

On Wednesday, we reached a latitude of around 80°N. Being this far north of the Arctic Circle means perpetual sun. It is so cold that in winter the ocean freezes, causing a thin layer of frozen fresh water that builds up over time, known as sea ice. Unlike glacial ice that is compressed from snowpack and breaks off in chunks that rise up several meters above sea level, sea ice stays relatively flat – like a vast plain of white that stretches as far as the eye can see. When the ice breaks up, it forms interlocking pieces that slowly and gradually drift around and apart.

This is where polar bears like to roam. 95% of bears can be found on sea ice, where their main source of food congregates. Their favorite is the ringed seal - mainly because it is mostly fat. Polar bears don't eat much of the meat; instead, they favor blubber. They will also hunt bearded seals and harp seals, whales, and juvenile walruses.

We continued sailing north from the tip of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. We sailed north and had just reached the beginning edge of sea ice - still in open waters just skirting the edge of ice -  when the call was made that bears had been spotted. One was solitary and fairly far in the distance, but the other was closer to the ship. It was mostly hidden behind a mound of snow, but the ship was slowly creeping closer and soon we could make out the outline of a mother bear and her two cubs. She woke up and wandered further away from the ship before settling down again with the cubs. We floated quietly alongside the ice, drifting closer and closer, but she seemed to have settled down again for the night.

After watching the bear for a while, Jeanne and I decided to go down to bed around 11:30PM. I was getting ready to close the porthole when I glanced outside, and to my surprise the bears were right outside the window. In a stroke of luck and perfect timing, just then the mother was startled and ran right across our field of view. Because we were down in our rooms, we got a great eye-level view. We could easily see the look of urgency in the mother’s face, and the curiosity and confusion in the eyes of the cubs. Turns out the solitary male had made his way over to the ship, and would potentially kill the cubs. Luckily, this one was more interested in us than the other bears, and spent some time circling the ship before wandering away.

For the rest of the next day, we cruised around the sea ice looking for wildlife. There were several seals (bearded and ringed) that dotted the landscape, but for the most part it was a quiet day. During the evening briefing, we were told by the staff that we’d only cruise in the ice through dinner, then we’d have to turn south in order to get to Hinlopen Strait, away from the sea ice where there was less chance to see a bear.

And just before dessert, the call was made: another bear had been spotted. This one looked curiously at the ship before slipping into the water and swimming several hundred meters to another ice floe. 

  

Friday gave us views of two more polar bears – one from afar that was wandering the shoreline near Kapp Fanshawe - unusual that it was on land...

And one on a swath of fast ice, feeding on a recent seal kill.

Covering his kill with snow to protect it from scavengers

The bloody remnants of the kill site

As we cruised around the ice floe, we could see where the bear had made the kill near the edge of the water. Because the ice is constantly changing and melting, being by the edge was risky since there was no guarantee it would be there the next day. We could see where the bear had made his kill, and could follow where he had dragged it further inland (inice?).

It was great seeing these polar bears, looking healthy and active. The sea ice is shrinking - multi-year ice is rapidly melting, and there has been no new sea ice formed the past year. For a species that has adapted so well to this unique environment, it is scary to think how climate change will effect the polar bear population. I'm definitely glad I got the chance to see them while I could, out on the ice!

Where in the world am I?

Where exactly am I, when I say I’m in the Arctic? There is a lot of mystery and confusion about where I am – in fact, before I left I heard over and over, “When are you going to Antarctica?” Nope. Pretty much the exact opposite...

The Arctic and Antarctic Circles are defined by the areas on the Earth which experience at least one complete day of direct sunlight, as well as at least one complete day of no direct sunlight, each year. Because of the shifting tilt of the earth, this line actually varies year to year but it is at about a latitude 66.5° North and South. The polar region, on the other hand, extends beyond the Arctic and Antarctic circles; parts of the Greenland Ice Cap are nearly 400 miles south of the Arctic Circle, and the Antarctic Peninsula stretches far north of the Antarctic Circle. Because of this, the Arctic boundary is sometimes defined as the northern tree line, and other times defined by average temperature.

Coal trams, from the days of mining

Regardless of what the exact definition may be, we were far, far into the polar region. The Svalbard Archipelago is a group of islands about 800 miles from continental Norway. It's an unincorporated area under Norwegian sovereignty, so we had to go through customs when we flew from Oslo. We boarded the ship in Longyearbyen, on the island of Spitsbergen, located at around 78° N latitude (for reference, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California is at 37.4°N). Longyearbyen was started as a coal mining town, although for the most part the mines have shut down. 

Longyearbyen, along the shores of Adventfjorden

Longyearbyen is the northernmost town in the world, boasting the northernmost post office, museum, university, and airport.

There are more snowmobiles than residents (about 2 to 1!) and the ground is permafrost, so all the buildings are built on stilts (if not, your house will melt the permafrost and the structure will become unsound).

"Everywhere in Svalbard"
It's also the only white-on-black warning sign in Norway.

  

The world's northermost
(and largest) post box

Because of the permafrost, you can't to die in Svalbard (well, you can't be buried here), and you also can't be born - pregnant women are flown to the mainland a month before their due dates - mainly because the hospitals are equipped for emergencies.

It was tough keeping zombie
apocalypse jokes at a minimum...

Svalbard is also home to one of the most interesting places on earth: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. This 'doomsday vault' holds over 1.5 million seed samples as insurance in the even of large-scale regional or global crises. The frozen seeds are stored 430 feet above sea level (in case the ice caps melt), and is cooled to -18°C. Even if the refrigeration fails, it would take several weeks for the facility to warm up to the surrounding bedrock temperature of -3°C. This means the vault could preserve most major food crop seeds for hundreds, and possibly thousands of years.

On a sad note, the first withdrawal just happened, in 2015, because of the Syrian War...

Screams, statues, and ships, oh my!

I've met up with Jeanne (Kinder-3rd teacher from New Jersey) and Breanna (7-8th from Lion's Head, Canada), and checked in with National Geographic/Lindblad!

It turned out to be a beautiful day, so it was really nice getting to tour around Oslo. We started at the National Gallery, which is a great art museum that features, among other things, Edvard Munch's The Scream.








We then went to Vigeland Sculpture Park, a huge outdoor park that features 212 bronze sculptures by Gustav Vigeland depicting various humans. Some were hilarious, like this man being attacked by babies:












and the most famous of the Vigeland statues, the Angry Boy:












After that, we went to the Fram Museum which celebrates polar exploration. Inside are two original exploration vessels, the Fram (which went on several Arctic and Antarctic expeditions between 1893 and 1912) and the Gjoa (which traversed the Northwest Passage led by Roald Amundsen in 1904-06). You can explore inside the Fram, and it was interesting to see how those old polar explorers lived for years at a time in harsh conditions. Their rooms were teeeeny tiny, and their beds looked like miniature coffins. Guess when I go aboard the National Geographic Explorer, I really can't complain about anything!

Even though we only had an hour total, Jeanne and I wanted to see the Kon Tiki which is housed in a museum next door, so we decided to rush over for a quick peek. Not only did the museum have the Kon Tiki, but it had the Ra II (a reed boat a la the ancient Egyptians, which Heyerdahl sailed from North Africa to the Caribbean).

The Kon Tiki

The Kon Tiki expedition was really an experiment - a 1947 journey by balsawood raft across the Pacific Ocean. Norwegian explorer/writer Thor Heyerdahl wanted to prove that people from pre-Incan Peru could have originally populated Polynesia around A.D. 500. It was amazing to see what the actual raft looked like...  101 days on board, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Now I REALLY can't complain about conditions on board the Explorer... (not that I ever would!)

Interesting fact - Heyerdahl almost drowned as a child and didn't really know how to swim when he set out to cross the Pacific aboard the Kon Tiki. That takes some guts!

We headed back to the hotel to pick up Breanna (who stayed back to take a nap), and set off for a dinner. We walked down to Aker Brygge to see the shops along the harbor. We had dinner at Louise's, a waterfront cafe - I had to try the "Taste of Norway" starter (which included reindeer pate, aquavite sausage, cured lamb, duck, and cured ham), as well as Norwegian fish soup.

Naturalist Tom, speaking to the group

We got back to the hotel right at 7, in time for the National Geographic/Lindblad reception. The ship holds 148 guests, and they seemed to range from retirees down to a family with a 7-year old kid. Tom Ritchie, one of the National Geographic naturalists, gave a short talk and asked how many people had been to Antarctica - amazingly, around 1/3 or more of the people raised their hands!! This is definitely a group of adventurous explorers...

We'll be flying to Longyearbyen tomorrow, so it's off the bed early for us! (of course, we first had to enjoy the fruit plate that was left in our room... it's nice being in a first class hotel!)

My roomie Breanna, with our evening gift