I now have a change of plans and it's all about polar bears.
I've off-loaded a kayak and gear from the ship, and along with my own gear, had plans to paddle for 4 days or so, up and around Nordefjorden, camping overnight. I'm able to rent a gun and trip wire for the campsite but with the prospect of bear in the vicinity and traveling alone it has suddenly lost its appeal. Tim, my counterpart from the first half of the season, had done this for 5-6 days and caught a ferry back south to the village. He's used to being in bear country, having spent more than 20 years backpacking in the Sierras, Tetons, Alaska, and elsewhere. I'm not, other than camping around black bears in the Adirondacks. That snorting, snuffling and shuffling isn't much compared with grizzlies and polar bears.
My revised plan then is to spend a few hours a day paddling in the Adventfjord in this area. The stress of looking over my shoulder every 5 minutes for lurking bears or lying awake half the night listening for heavy breathing would be too much for now. I feel much better making this call, knowing that I can spend some time getting acquainted with the vibe around here, both in the water as well as on land.
There are a few kayakers who come into the area for just the same paddling opportunites and there are places to find them. So that's my mission, on my days off in the remote and small village of Longyearbyen. With a warm bed and a hot bath at the end of each day. (I've gotten way too cushy...)
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