tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66019328436749563232024-03-21T16:39:10.678-07:00KAYAKING THE ARCTIC HIGH LATITUDESUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-64288111122810004822010-10-19T05:34:00.000-07:002010-10-19T05:38:59.655-07:00DARKNESS IS COMING BACKWatch this beautiful video created by talented friend, Jason Roberts. He's most famous for shooting footage with David Attenborough's Lonely Planet and Blue Planet specials, and many more.<br />Jason lives in Longyearbyen and shot this footage for a Phillips advertisement, an experiment in creating simulated daylight for the four months of total darkness in the northernmost city in the world.<br />Longyearbyen is on Svalbard.<br />Go <span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH7VRzvMG24&feature=player_embedded">HERE</a></span> to see Jason's work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-31593789530747494322010-10-17T16:09:00.000-07:002010-10-18T09:10:01.300-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vsC_BfIV50mNUoO0J8fj6bCLAjspV359rdWNun1Sj-V2gHxwxwKu215ANwLCVG0wKOXI0nMvyH8_vWtEo75WdSmShEnXTUdPg0yO3twef3Eu-uEtOPlafJ5qaWt1LjHwTqnqM4higU0/s1600/mini-12.+Polar+Bear+and+cub+by+Phil+Wickens+2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vsC_BfIV50mNUoO0J8fj6bCLAjspV359rdWNun1Sj-V2gHxwxwKu215ANwLCVG0wKOXI0nMvyH8_vWtEo75WdSmShEnXTUdPg0yO3twef3Eu-uEtOPlafJ5qaWt1LjHwTqnqM4higU0/s400/mini-12.+Polar+Bear+and+cub+by+Phil+Wickens+2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529418727771562050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnw6sZb6wIhpPR8wHwQJf28hl0lHZV30xLgVBduWhioIr0i3g4H2mIEqBt1rc_7YF92eLAn1VEQU2piRO43YmDwK6hSl5GLuqRJRAeodkPgPttfI0QEMpXoahUlpb2uG5dWpsPjS44jM/s1600/mini-13.+polar+bear+w+sleeping+cub.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnw6sZb6wIhpPR8wHwQJf28hl0lHZV30xLgVBduWhioIr0i3g4H2mIEqBt1rc_7YF92eLAn1VEQU2piRO43YmDwK6hSl5GLuqRJRAeodkPgPttfI0QEMpXoahUlpb2uG5dWpsPjS44jM/s400/mini-13.+polar+bear+w+sleeping+cub.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529418629509878818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSM5vfgg6iRqMTHs_CIsr96cUXyBlMBm71Q7gajryO8EkQ6J3lsFNPlxbY2I2iYsoX7zIK5jUF_579AeHZ0bIs2Y3c6pWMCPfOzOz4pdgKeObNdeQk9zsrQY3GHLZOGGBunh0yQsc3p4/s1600/mini-10.+Reindeer.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSM5vfgg6iRqMTHs_CIsr96cUXyBlMBm71Q7gajryO8EkQ6J3lsFNPlxbY2I2iYsoX7zIK5jUF_579AeHZ0bIs2Y3c6pWMCPfOzOz4pdgKeObNdeQk9zsrQY3GHLZOGGBunh0yQsc3p4/s400/mini-10.+Reindeer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529418546192134178" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtqhTG8bQz6oYCy7elPNTeTf3Vq3-NMOCtxgsOjyvbR6GHUarEp68O1mu58AT_981a4wKaX5ZmfBPFOfxy26Ysr6O6wtj6gvRNF2xBTw0enNAUmEV003Plbg4WY0H-PcLjpPsvEwhREg/s1600/mini-9.+walrus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtqhTG8bQz6oYCy7elPNTeTf3Vq3-NMOCtxgsOjyvbR6GHUarEp68O1mu58AT_981a4wKaX5ZmfBPFOfxy26Ysr6O6wtj6gvRNF2xBTw0enNAUmEV003Plbg4WY0H-PcLjpPsvEwhREg/s400/mini-9.+walrus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529418482323777906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiQH0kNnqG2HT5CU-foo-r7gCaM1DaVKTnTqCQ6ZHAzaTnddiR0t-HpgAR3gIxIYFZvv1ldW6rptqky2gsb2QLB3peGx94tMIsvPSXy_-cmVWEH_QzQ67iWhn_zANhr7rB3ChuLOj4mQ/s1600/mini-puffin+on+the+water.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiQH0kNnqG2HT5CU-foo-r7gCaM1DaVKTnTqCQ6ZHAzaTnddiR0t-HpgAR3gIxIYFZvv1ldW6rptqky2gsb2QLB3peGx94tMIsvPSXy_-cmVWEH_QzQ67iWhn_zANhr7rB3ChuLOj4mQ/s400/mini-puffin+on+the+water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529162541480715890" border="0" /></a>Atlantic puffin, above.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">New photos, just in, from friends who worked the Arctic this season.<br />Below, the Akademik Shokalskiy in front of a glacier.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6-0Qw_Jwv-0c_Y-kCP5LpU0xxi4uVV4GTu7ySQrsKa4KJE4HlBapcnxtJe8_OAmKEKhIHqTRJh87qScqs13c6Com_Fm2PCSRZDkxNB4zeQWE2zMyv5QzDsdljownzgaWOAwBdVraoeY/s1600/mini-7.+Akakemic+Shokalskiy+in+the+Arctic.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6-0Qw_Jwv-0c_Y-kCP5LpU0xxi4uVV4GTu7ySQrsKa4KJE4HlBapcnxtJe8_OAmKEKhIHqTRJh87qScqs13c6Com_Fm2PCSRZDkxNB4zeQWE2zMyv5QzDsdljownzgaWOAwBdVraoeY/s400/mini-7.+Akakemic+Shokalskiy+in+the+Arctic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156886262192498" border="0" /></a>Glacial tongue.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzz843eQad7wJ_ZYndh3g2dcjLBBs949nGI7S0iKuDR6INKS9ddKn0aMnKDxULRmI_7Uwg6FbN6pq-tsvTGkoV-2W5cCtvL2oHcRNOJ4NHqf0E3b2vfjHFO_D1_n-hcd4AX1Vjj_ygnw/s1600/mini-5.+Glacier+tongue+face.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmzz843eQad7wJ_ZYndh3g2dcjLBBs949nGI7S0iKuDR6INKS9ddKn0aMnKDxULRmI_7Uwg6FbN6pq-tsvTGkoV-2W5cCtvL2oHcRNOJ4NHqf0E3b2vfjHFO_D1_n-hcd4AX1Vjj_ygnw/s400/mini-5.+Glacier+tongue+face.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156818596227714" border="0" /></a>Breaching dwarf minke, just popping up to have a look.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEaqk_AAkz5YtbdnJZoFlupYa2GFG0swhvFwuO67Ae8J0bSl36pJ5bQMCsVuuagjjCR93HQVet2T5WvmKL0ThvyFF3ZNdwI7SM6YHu2Kdd4QSnK59WcjbRl1TJPX9q3E1337V6_ah9dA/s1600/mini-4.+breaching+minke+whale.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEaqk_AAkz5YtbdnJZoFlupYa2GFG0swhvFwuO67Ae8J0bSl36pJ5bQMCsVuuagjjCR93HQVet2T5WvmKL0ThvyFF3ZNdwI7SM6YHu2Kdd4QSnK59WcjbRl1TJPX9q3E1337V6_ah9dA/s400/mini-4.+breaching+minke+whale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156736797309650" border="0" /></a>Large 'sad' polar bear.<br />This far from the ice it's doubtful he'll find food.<br />The bearded seals are the main fare and it's likely<br />the ice is a good 500 miles North,<br />too far for this weakened bear to swim.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEY7mT30eEC4UjzTq1kPXRlw0UwNu9ZSHAutSdczHRgOPgk235y8bFnxhQZMnApT6k-KFU3zTIllXeyb2Cmg_5kL0Nx4WM1AtyFSg0NDGFg7x3Nwd7kjN_mdEaO6BgrEaRVjIjQvLTWQ/s1600/mini-6.+kayakers+with+polar+bear.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEY7mT30eEC4UjzTq1kPXRlw0UwNu9ZSHAutSdczHRgOPgk235y8bFnxhQZMnApT6k-KFU3zTIllXeyb2Cmg_5kL0Nx4WM1AtyFSg0NDGFg7x3Nwd7kjN_mdEaO6BgrEaRVjIjQvLTWQ/s400/mini-6.+kayakers+with+polar+bear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156665338576226" border="0" /></a>Matted, dirty fur is generally a sign of neglect and lack of interest.<br />That's what happens when they're hungry.<br />He's also lacking the energy to take off after these kayakers.<br />I'm not sure I would have gotten this close!!!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4h_UocBXaSI3qr40vT5fFTp2vIUAN9Gn829j6uUImbE4b_p8Ztkv1UHvDuGlaa8B-PdlBNCJnUt66Nb__CZoFNCI94E6O-cwMmwcOji6xKimxsJu2JoUJ1l_bHYHzxuhrf2a-o7u5arg/s1600/mini-3.+big+sad+male+polar+bear.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4h_UocBXaSI3qr40vT5fFTp2vIUAN9Gn829j6uUImbE4b_p8Ztkv1UHvDuGlaa8B-PdlBNCJnUt66Nb__CZoFNCI94E6O-cwMmwcOji6xKimxsJu2JoUJ1l_bHYHzxuhrf2a-o7u5arg/s400/mini-3.+big+sad+male+polar+bear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156583600690898" border="0" /></a>Polar bear food:<br />Bearded seal.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP4MOnDeSUZpSo8XXlsGJOxUpxBoLd_972X_A6VcjYlEJ4UpNz04RSgmT05BGi0usWewSSLOtrnEa1L0oslAfQcKzL-mqVKhacHHkJ9PWbznSH5Ilbhbfqs-v7ot7-_eOGK86tFvChrE/s1600/mini-2.+Bearded+seal.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP4MOnDeSUZpSo8XXlsGJOxUpxBoLd_972X_A6VcjYlEJ4UpNz04RSgmT05BGi0usWewSSLOtrnEa1L0oslAfQcKzL-mqVKhacHHkJ9PWbznSH5Ilbhbfqs-v7ot7-_eOGK86tFvChrE/s400/mini-2.+Bearded+seal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156510981716098" border="0" /></a>Arctic fox.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIs_Xw_abccb51vAjB7dAnLmBJSjvmbZ_nQm_wL9zfWq3799-VpyE0Xz3ClI3A-K2aHnSzRbheRu8w6GR0SVHBU-z6f_KYyMmRpu3p8jO4EeKaILeSHZ-MUD0yBigqmNoDWlUyXEiQ4c/s1600/mini-1.+Arctic+fox.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIs_Xw_abccb51vAjB7dAnLmBJSjvmbZ_nQm_wL9zfWq3799-VpyE0Xz3ClI3A-K2aHnSzRbheRu8w6GR0SVHBU-z6f_KYyMmRpu3p8jO4EeKaILeSHZ-MUD0yBigqmNoDWlUyXEiQ4c/s400/mini-1.+Arctic+fox.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529156429454134690" border="0" /></a>Thanks for the photo share, Marcos and Phil!<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-36836847956406744582010-10-03T06:05:00.001-07:002010-10-03T06:05:54.937-07:00VESLA'S BLOGSSee more of my blogs <a href="http://veslasblogs.blogspot.com/">HERE</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-43959067316640409952009-09-25T18:51:00.000-07:002009-09-25T18:55:18.040-07:00MORE GURL POWERFreya Hoffmeister is about to become the first woman to solo circumnavigate Australia. She's trying to beat the record of the only 3 people who've ever done it before, all men.<br />She's not someone you forget easily. She's an amazingly accomplished kayaker with a varied background, starting out as a model. With a height of 6' tall and always dressed in black, she's a striking figure with a larger-than-life personality.<br />Check out a profile <a href="http://www.epickayaks.com/racing/teamepic/freyahoffmeister">here</a> about her, then check out her <a href="http://www.qajaqunderground.com/">web page</a>.<br />Follow Freya on the homestretch as she paddles through some of the worst seas in all of Australia.<br />Phew.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-64038734136195565242009-09-18T18:28:00.000-07:002009-09-18T18:30:02.232-07:00SVALBARD, SUMMER 2009Two dead polar bear cubs found on Svalbard summer 2009. See these and other outstanding photos of the archipelago <a href="http://www.naturalexposures.com/corkboard/?p=317">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-68054414606192359392008-10-28T11:10:00.001-07:002008-10-28T11:30:56.006-07:00IN THE ICEOn the search for polar bear. First we had to get to the ice. Earlier in the season the ice was thick in the north, reaching all the way down to the north of Svalbard, not permitting us to pass over 80degrees. On the next trips mid-season we were able to travel further north and into the ice as it broke up. There we searched and scanned for hours on end. The sun was getting closer to the horizon.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5wvcQAC1q7SWr2cuZavcDRw8kXifHuGy-y6Rqedm01grgNZw2uSruaQQz2HdPGretnOUd3ilQhD_n3lG1DM_PxTWg3KnC5deaRi2NIDLlp53fDkqz3K-gC82MttXHSoAwFD_ZvhNndU/s1600-h/mini-440.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270593335652226" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5wvcQAC1q7SWr2cuZavcDRw8kXifHuGy-y6Rqedm01grgNZw2uSruaQQz2HdPGretnOUd3ilQhD_n3lG1DM_PxTWg3KnC5deaRi2NIDLlp53fDkqz3K-gC82MttXHSoAwFD_ZvhNndU/s400/mini-440.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It never goes below the horizon, but looks like this through much of the 'night.'<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBdy67VCKR-2ugsFhPyca5PHXk2hpqXNS6TAnsy4QqPrrcY7N7lU3eDYWbmPz0Xir5w7NDD-GsbMbeY7Y0mfpORMaf27XYfwllju54dtzzkZEkjYC9tdI_l2YyskR2GOSA-zl9aNgVcg/s1600-h/mini-450.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270508587109074" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFBdy67VCKR-2ugsFhPyca5PHXk2hpqXNS6TAnsy4QqPrrcY7N7lU3eDYWbmPz0Xir5w7NDD-GsbMbeY7Y0mfpORMaf27XYfwllju54dtzzkZEkjYC9tdI_l2YyskR2GOSA-zl9aNgVcg/s400/mini-450.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, we saw signs.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCNoes2gXeuhT6CkxXH4UMMLNRL5QNN9gw0WYCu7Yl_DKdoBGZihodmRjUCXexSUTztLh9yxU3u88PlbkhnNt1Lq91JkdK9y0Q9YrS37vpbzmI5h1nVqqADVL4YmuR8LZWCc8qqjH-zk/s1600-h/mini-458.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270409464000434" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCNoes2gXeuhT6CkxXH4UMMLNRL5QNN9gw0WYCu7Yl_DKdoBGZihodmRjUCXexSUTztLh9yxU3u88PlbkhnNt1Lq91JkdK9y0Q9YrS37vpbzmI5h1nVqqADVL4YmuR8LZWCc8qqjH-zk/s400/mini-458.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzfU8n_m-6CKHi9iGbjBj8Ko4m618NDi-DpS2Zw0DsNAylushT4OGCvwr4No-7D9AZuN1I1AU3njN-pGP9iqtqjOfMoUQsUioQ4onlpOYIEe1MoJjddxZa86AoLxcl_oBvKtTPrhbgeA/s1600-h/mini-460.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270303519576594" style="WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzfU8n_m-6CKHi9iGbjBj8Ko4m618NDi-DpS2Zw0DsNAylushT4OGCvwr4No-7D9AZuN1I1AU3njN-pGP9iqtqjOfMoUQsUioQ4onlpOYIEe1MoJjddxZa86AoLxcl_oBvKtTPrhbgeA/s400/mini-460.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Then...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6YWaWudDxxIcq_cYrbMhhTnRvu7qgRcvwvsmeaMqKVC_T9xVjkPLduDT0RnmtqtBimd1J50yieEj_IQwOxizT9PdQhPjC2F221NLTJ4bXK2tBO5HjyPMUJB8eCvt-O6BoLzrOv4o_cY/s1600-h/mini-461.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270213122676498" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6YWaWudDxxIcq_cYrbMhhTnRvu7qgRcvwvsmeaMqKVC_T9xVjkPLduDT0RnmtqtBimd1J50yieEj_IQwOxizT9PdQhPjC2F221NLTJ4bXK2tBO5HjyPMUJB8eCvt-O6BoLzrOv4o_cY/s400/mini-461.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToUUY5UuIV7bVIDEVdap6bELxP6WDOVNRWBB17bSmDV5PA3CSJNozms66IJoQeYLmSVWS0EeO2i_ndwYRXtq227QV_vcyzKLIGGrfp1JSmg731J3_8LI0BmUoSel0IAQ3H0yFqClba4k/s1600-h/mini-462.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262270108999639538" style="WIDTH: 311px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToUUY5UuIV7bVIDEVdap6bELxP6WDOVNRWBB17bSmDV5PA3CSJNozms66IJoQeYLmSVWS0EeO2i_ndwYRXtq227QV_vcyzKLIGGrfp1JSmg731J3_8LI0BmUoSel0IAQ3H0yFqClba4k/s400/mini-462.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These are happy bears, well fed and in the ice where seal is plentiful.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC0lXheDRFBUBSCF521XWbUoP1o2isKHTDJzXMu7gxCPMM3B-K_gVEHJd2CgLrstKuuMRcGi4hziBM21nOIm-xjwYVn-LsNRr4RWkTwlGmYbxgsdk4iNLQFxzCpb1uMaqu6D9tQflCQs/s1600-h/mini-466.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269984512012866" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 298px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC0lXheDRFBUBSCF521XWbUoP1o2isKHTDJzXMu7gxCPMM3B-K_gVEHJd2CgLrstKuuMRcGi4hziBM21nOIm-xjwYVn-LsNRr4RWkTwlGmYbxgsdk4iNLQFxzCpb1uMaqu6D9tQflCQs/s400/mini-466.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mother and cub.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc20-2xUezXP5X05RQiYRLERU9I9KNIvDsopQkUXtLZJdrUmC2_3YCcGfMxOZ4tsPObWeYdp0J6_ehZP3zIIlsQ2WTy2b6ZmhYxiBt1MIZZykdUptTvZ5ccZWc1MTw8PjFq_cG_6fgVgE/s1600-h/mini-468.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269891825107730" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc20-2xUezXP5X05RQiYRLERU9I9KNIvDsopQkUXtLZJdrUmC2_3YCcGfMxOZ4tsPObWeYdp0J6_ehZP3zIIlsQ2WTy2b6ZmhYxiBt1MIZZykdUptTvZ5ccZWc1MTw8PjFq_cG_6fgVgE/s400/mini-468.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls2KT8qAbMzQ2Hhvk33zRAzJgji22gC_ddlR3O0EAn_x0R6gK1-joUpnmRwVlh9j3noPTa2zNN11TFNg967JKnHof-RIf7aAijd9QYudb53TBKDR9q-Pmq6Bba5dCyW6uhbYSLJ9e9W0/s1600-h/mini-469.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269789979646082" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhls2KT8qAbMzQ2Hhvk33zRAzJgji22gC_ddlR3O0EAn_x0R6gK1-joUpnmRwVlh9j3noPTa2zNN11TFNg967JKnHof-RIf7aAijd9QYudb53TBKDR9q-Pmq6Bba5dCyW6uhbYSLJ9e9W0/s400/mini-469.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Later on, a disturbing and chilling sight, a rare encounter with polar bear cannibalism. Even the long time naturalists had only heard of this yet never seen it. A polar bear eating one of its own is a desperate bear. Polar bears eat blubber. Yet a lean polar bear will not have much blubber on it. We could tell the head had been eaten in back, where the fatty brain is. Here, it's eating a small layer of fat in the lower belly.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_LoDLJnjOEAOWB0glwkbKVRhepIkrMGu0iIf77E6RGtEtQCwC8Z8nMyhzBnb_s55EQXPKbnzuXYJ0XrX5eMhtb9oH3z5-N0YlaHgz6OVflDX4o4pkUWZya8yRWs80KXxdDMmsh1ZPU/s1600-h/mini-470.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269696797952898" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvW_LoDLJnjOEAOWB0glwkbKVRhepIkrMGu0iIf77E6RGtEtQCwC8Z8nMyhzBnb_s55EQXPKbnzuXYJ0XrX5eMhtb9oH3z5-N0YlaHgz6OVflDX4o4pkUWZya8yRWs80KXxdDMmsh1ZPU/s400/mini-470.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This was the sight I feared most, a very lean and lethargic bear, too far south of the ice to ever catch up to find food. It had eaten a small pile of rotting blubber, from a beached whale going back two years. They'll eat anything to fill their bellies, rotting or otherwise. Generally their metabolism slows down to conserve energy. At this stage the ice was about 200 miles north, too far for the bear to swim to catch up to the ice. I called this the Sad Bear. It barely moved the whole time we watched it. Skinny, lethargic, weak and dirty, it most likely didn't make it.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXNB-I4AjCwKvuzkOzSGXEN4sxytCr777_yFXVqafIh0YH3OwGrUKkOQpVej93Gw-j6qPJxG_iblSpPOM8in9gn7x31gnRYc48NsSk_Qg8PvZgh62rjKfPsPBDK9QCoKOjtcgXuL24mA/s1600-h/mini-472.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269545228772706" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXNB-I4AjCwKvuzkOzSGXEN4sxytCr777_yFXVqafIh0YH3OwGrUKkOQpVej93Gw-j6qPJxG_iblSpPOM8in9gn7x31gnRYc48NsSk_Qg8PvZgh62rjKfPsPBDK9QCoKOjtcgXuL24mA/s400/mini-472.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Too close for comfort! Who was more surprised, Phil or the massive male just emerged from the water?! Phil held his ground without threatening or retreating and eventually the male edged back into the water. They can and do, do terrible damage to our zodiacs with their tusks should we get too close. We don't even put zodiacs in the water when near walrus beaches.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkMtbya23o4DIWfydfuYks1lWJqdgK4ManyjSmnBjpR98f0u8aa05-HWE4_4vGDJKwSi_jl5Ifbh1BtLqD_1GKoGAbFOGUL5Xz75VFg1l8XoLruSB8ENmXIcqRrHq5hnoiSEafB6cdpw/s1600-h/mini-481a.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269411609375458" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkMtbya23o4DIWfydfuYks1lWJqdgK4ManyjSmnBjpR98f0u8aa05-HWE4_4vGDJKwSi_jl5Ifbh1BtLqD_1GKoGAbFOGUL5Xz75VFg1l8XoLruSB8ENmXIcqRrHq5hnoiSEafB6cdpw/s400/mini-481a.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoQ3zIREGQNLoApeRd_itziu4T-G5xlqxVNsSwWQSlZjXnwYr1p9X1S83eUEqv2QLPqVa2bfyKLO0Q9Lenmv6Bqn9GxWuWsUBp6-2nnhYgzaftcnhsJBzmvst6snqyFcwf4McLaislwY/s1600-h/mini-482.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269256890015874" style="WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoQ3zIREGQNLoApeRd_itziu4T-G5xlqxVNsSwWQSlZjXnwYr1p9X1S83eUEqv2QLPqVa2bfyKLO0Q9Lenmv6Bqn9GxWuWsUBp6-2nnhYgzaftcnhsJBzmvst6snqyFcwf4McLaislwY/s400/mini-482.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Fearless purple sandpiper.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-sGGDQwnjMFKH-fNa3FhqUjppi18D-bXuwCpJmTcNpzTHvNr0NmG03Dxwe6sOu9tQ-B1TzLIuD4g0bva_Ssdlj34_b3pvDrCTUAacwBHN4bs8RcaZu0-henpI2CPqr27d-CSyFxeqW4/s1600-h/mini-486a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262269152151698162" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-sGGDQwnjMFKH-fNa3FhqUjppi18D-bXuwCpJmTcNpzTHvNr0NmG03Dxwe6sOu9tQ-B1TzLIuD4g0bva_Ssdlj34_b3pvDrCTUAacwBHN4bs8RcaZu0-henpI2CPqr27d-CSyFxeqW4/s400/mini-486a.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The edge of the Hinlopen Glacier is 5km long. It's a glacial tongue that stretches over the water several kilometers. There are gushing streams rushing over it every few feet. It's melting fast.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xwJsTAYcq5pJnM_eJvXNUXElov_qpGXHq5SCeo2NjBe2vSDVTW1b5PUCb0HDT6t0gmvxp7pS_kJOulVk4Gr4NBw3J8dLO3iJasJ-gPqYZ51u37kNC6rRST5OyuOscUCuE8prT8Y2gfY/s1600-h/mini-487.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262268975089284050" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xwJsTAYcq5pJnM_eJvXNUXElov_qpGXHq5SCeo2NjBe2vSDVTW1b5PUCb0HDT6t0gmvxp7pS_kJOulVk4Gr4NBw3J8dLO3iJasJ-gPqYZ51u37kNC6rRST5OyuOscUCuE8prT8Y2gfY/s400/mini-487.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And calving frequently.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XsYu4SwW8tchoAtHEVN-WYQ-TQmJD8Kgpy4kWjMascbHgMqitKzld4Ny_U6rEpZt4T3N4jyVPiJBWRYd33x9MaaHhJrL5lxwdm4EqozRYQYOudbD_cIU8WY9SFwcjf0kI9Kc4ob0FzE/s1600-h/mini-490a.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262268883522245906" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5XsYu4SwW8tchoAtHEVN-WYQ-TQmJD8Kgpy4kWjMascbHgMqitKzld4Ny_U6rEpZt4T3N4jyVPiJBWRYd33x9MaaHhJrL5lxwdm4EqozRYQYOudbD_cIU8WY9SFwcjf0kI9Kc4ob0FzE/s400/mini-490a.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-60774746716937025282008-10-28T10:29:00.000-07:002008-10-28T11:10:12.284-07:00GORGEOUS ICEBERGS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAvn80btu36CjSGKY5QS9fdkhRr_I0HZoCxcn7pXaqa7FEpvcQw0lv5F01ngHtzPkcRMfaeNhvWt8xfK9HkQuvg9Ae4_e0NLqMEtchGuq6PcPMEvJC4WpGWawE3gmNYKNbq7DsepThQI/s1600-h/mini-495.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262264578609181746" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZAvn80btu36CjSGKY5QS9fdkhRr_I0HZoCxcn7pXaqa7FEpvcQw0lv5F01ngHtzPkcRMfaeNhvWt8xfK9HkQuvg9Ae4_e0NLqMEtchGuq6PcPMEvJC4WpGWawE3gmNYKNbq7DsepThQI/s400/mini-495.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This massive iceberg is typical of those that break off ice shelves and float around in the currents for several years, breaking up as time passes. This one is most likely from Greenland.<br />Below, these smaller pieces called bergy bits are ever present and choke some channels. We can safely navigate between the smaller ones while in kayaks. We generally give them a wide berth while attempting to envision the amount of ice underwater. Should one break apart we want to be out of range as it rebalances.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uEf_z9x-tQVC4SzwYJJnP1ofUgB_N7uD_ukr3PG_QYY1-MdzyWtmxf8iFV9R1t1u90Yu400UULEm6nH1LZLLbiLQ620ibs1K9p1SjzXpsXa1viTDRYFxXBQtvIjHK7P4PzEIZnRABYM/s1600-h/mini-496.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262264471026863394" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uEf_z9x-tQVC4SzwYJJnP1ofUgB_N7uD_ukr3PG_QYY1-MdzyWtmxf8iFV9R1t1u90Yu400UULEm6nH1LZLLbiLQ620ibs1K9p1SjzXpsXa1viTDRYFxXBQtvIjHK7P4PzEIZnRABYM/s400/mini-496.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Melting glacier face in the foggy mist one morning as we climbed nearby.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfcNe1vj2-s9Qng3ntB-pTqXm-598ZdsqLQx62IbGXI93EMHMuQ7Ew_VebUMl-U3_2IzXv_3Cj_3huYV8QBzsoMFBBRxqJIAlIIZv3ZuM0c8IzfwNz2M9-eVrIYIIJ0ohzaWIG6_wly0/s1600-h/mini-497.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262264370924609090" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfcNe1vj2-s9Qng3ntB-pTqXm-598ZdsqLQx62IbGXI93EMHMuQ7Ew_VebUMl-U3_2IzXv_3Cj_3huYV8QBzsoMFBBRxqJIAlIIZv3ZuM0c8IzfwNz2M9-eVrIYIIJ0ohzaWIG6_wly0/s400/mini-497.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Below, a rare sighting of an immature kittiwake...they lose all this beautiful plumage at maturity, looking like an ordinary gull with wing tips dipped in ink.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7X5HMe2bsz8KDW9HsQPuhSJm9u-DEOQ3WGd2ljd1HaFpHA6nxpmqMQJijb-reKDsbdO5MLejEAj_Xx-1qfdkOIFQe7CjllaushNSr1_A1Gn1lzgUsm2FrMaUEewOS9DEkkBFVHjTN60/s1600-h/mini-497c.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262264244600277442" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7X5HMe2bsz8KDW9HsQPuhSJm9u-DEOQ3WGd2ljd1HaFpHA6nxpmqMQJijb-reKDsbdO5MLejEAj_Xx-1qfdkOIFQe7CjllaushNSr1_A1Gn1lzgUsm2FrMaUEewOS9DEkkBFVHjTN60/s400/mini-497c.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>A zodiac provides scale in this immense landscape.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8GljHqja3m9rKrkYIbJH-09U0C-ldDNLFfhzUr7HtfrLDEdDSiJDbfbX0D0odkTz199Os4VHXqYPePt8tsn_9sOZ-ErzWfElehuHN-GxaqdYsCMRV_U64_fm-3PQKGdo8q4R4Fah7Fo/s1600-h/mini-499.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262264131847316706" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8GljHqja3m9rKrkYIbJH-09U0C-ldDNLFfhzUr7HtfrLDEdDSiJDbfbX0D0odkTz199Os4VHXqYPePt8tsn_9sOZ-ErzWfElehuHN-GxaqdYsCMRV_U64_fm-3PQKGdo8q4R4Fah7Fo/s400/mini-499.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Why we don't go into the glacier's caves!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ecS-rf-3IsaxOH9Ic1X9dwCO8ByGpzYzV-XoeVuxLovZi8VBPIHgtc8PzxWj5bzJ0hn8A5uumEYfFCtoaJyHe6zchwaEeQBSHewS7cwLiv32xk8AeggTLenzhddlNLksgao2ijdkYm4/s1600-h/mini-500.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263956315710802" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ecS-rf-3IsaxOH9Ic1X9dwCO8ByGpzYzV-XoeVuxLovZi8VBPIHgtc8PzxWj5bzJ0hn8A5uumEYfFCtoaJyHe6zchwaEeQBSHewS7cwLiv32xk8AeggTLenzhddlNLksgao2ijdkYm4/s400/mini-500.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Or anywhere closer, for that matter.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-5Du6wYHLeGAb4aKhXys5Y_4PFyF4jQV6Z4qB2mRowKYWl-n-SWnH10_aIWbvOCIPII1d6gNY6M09vp7O91OhO5rMQW39uBHtkpiggt6RKo2bYWg6js7bvdahvQjB2ep9a76ebCpHYk/s1600-h/mini-501.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263861677522498" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-5Du6wYHLeGAb4aKhXys5Y_4PFyF4jQV6Z4qB2mRowKYWl-n-SWnH10_aIWbvOCIPII1d6gNY6M09vp7O91OhO5rMQW39uBHtkpiggt6RKo2bYWg6js7bvdahvQjB2ep9a76ebCpHYk/s400/mini-501.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-R-8VWkDZj2W50aQpxkaaT3_xApfS8tj6qOWD2oFLNeiKEtSLNhIe0FWFHE4dvIxMOgTFDRceVo6M4sBld86rcGCvdBsTBuuZixzU37R8oNQOxqpG6ls-BMlqaqRPZhMdH_NDB4KR_MA/s1600-h/mini-502.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263676240864594" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 276px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-R-8VWkDZj2W50aQpxkaaT3_xApfS8tj6qOWD2oFLNeiKEtSLNhIe0FWFHE4dvIxMOgTFDRceVo6M4sBld86rcGCvdBsTBuuZixzU37R8oNQOxqpG6ls-BMlqaqRPZhMdH_NDB4KR_MA/s400/mini-502.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Just another gorgeous ice berg on an otherwise ordinary day.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7wY0hyphenhyphenRPiG9VZPrslSspE8BS-DQXDU2QrOKy5dWNeNFffeH-fi0ZkT4u3MBZ_oc8ps3fFgo82XaLJercIL50GBJOK80_H1LzzloXgZIYUkiWUdPnudP_rDJYi0yMruecI5btY23a3yk/s1600-h/mini-506.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263559560035026" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq7wY0hyphenhyphenRPiG9VZPrslSspE8BS-DQXDU2QrOKy5dWNeNFffeH-fi0ZkT4u3MBZ_oc8ps3fFgo82XaLJercIL50GBJOK80_H1LzzloXgZIYUkiWUdPnudP_rDJYi0yMruecI5btY23a3yk/s400/mini-506.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>Well fed bearded seal. They live on their fat stores through the winter, looking leaner by spring.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxvP_C4wyAPK3Yl8HkUF4_02IedRnhD5TiR_DbXyAs69n9nMZomcyX10WgpC75YxEAl5k7KrjyOLN-gYiT29Y2naG_EMQgc_4YRHCz0TNQnWM_LSG-mQsPHpk6c4DUYio9Z6tSdognoM/s1600-h/mini-511.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263470481315026" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxvP_C4wyAPK3Yl8HkUF4_02IedRnhD5TiR_DbXyAs69n9nMZomcyX10WgpC75YxEAl5k7KrjyOLN-gYiT29Y2naG_EMQgc_4YRHCz0TNQnWM_LSG-mQsPHpk6c4DUYio9Z6tSdognoM/s400/mini-511.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Death of a glacier. The ice surrounding the glacier has all melted off. This glacier is shrinking from the sides inward. Eventually it will look smaller and narrower. The debris locked inside will be more visible as the ice around it melts.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuM-BvtVobxdkZs8gQglEo2CaIsvjhJEk-Pjhd2deDqyYU0-mthUpLsBhi-VWbLKLsU_pT5ei2lhHQeeispsbbfnKIRYYuoGHCkkZS3GhSMGA3XptTgjnaSAb0AM1WWP30rhvhH2gJoA/s1600-h/mini-513.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262263160523144914" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuM-BvtVobxdkZs8gQglEo2CaIsvjhJEk-Pjhd2deDqyYU0-mthUpLsBhi-VWbLKLsU_pT5ei2lhHQeeispsbbfnKIRYYuoGHCkkZS3GhSMGA3XptTgjnaSAb0AM1WWP30rhvhH2gJoA/s400/mini-513.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZjjGZiZ7Zta1oKh5mcF9xaDr-4s46EbfOym3ad71YWivnE-cm4XqWE5TlU_ds3h7bFo3D3EsEUv5Z4gzAYroL1o56SWGVpegmIcoPdGkyw60hSulVPtpZXWu3aKrF0nw1dpj3x9KkH8/s1600-h/mini-514.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262262844556050994" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZjjGZiZ7Zta1oKh5mcF9xaDr-4s46EbfOym3ad71YWivnE-cm4XqWE5TlU_ds3h7bFo3D3EsEUv5Z4gzAYroL1o56SWGVpegmIcoPdGkyw60hSulVPtpZXWu3aKrF0nw1dpj3x9KkH8/s400/mini-514.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It will shrink back from the water's edge.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey5OKBzhy1Zow7eAMNZ7YzI2LJMzs8pzBj0ws3ShjJTyf20b4RxL2fJFwnrRISMnNBZRd5mgutvVNIxoEh0i7r_pUeNcO0M4sXeatHKDrFowNaajTWhUoMlmRUaQ7mjqyywkEawAUnaU/s1600-h/mini-515.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262262749230416722" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey5OKBzhy1Zow7eAMNZ7YzI2LJMzs8pzBj0ws3ShjJTyf20b4RxL2fJFwnrRISMnNBZRd5mgutvVNIxoEh0i7r_pUeNcO0M4sXeatHKDrFowNaajTWhUoMlmRUaQ7mjqyywkEawAUnaU/s400/mini-515.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Until it looks like this.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwYdnKfr2G-gKTwTLob5XG92ORjIEf344smKa8ZmIl5yNLG0jMSQLFWIaljw8jJNX1Q8n88NGTgUlKD6eLu6ysXpMTbb_iQDtaxWIXgMRRpQePVPRj9YB_W2odjFvH5GPuQcMiFTgJIA/s1600-h/mini-521.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262262657282554786" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwYdnKfr2G-gKTwTLob5XG92ORjIEf344smKa8ZmIl5yNLG0jMSQLFWIaljw8jJNX1Q8n88NGTgUlKD6eLu6ysXpMTbb_iQDtaxWIXgMRRpQePVPRj9YB_W2odjFvH5GPuQcMiFTgJIA/s400/mini-521.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Not too far distant all the glaciers in Greenland will have receded.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQVPLOkYZC_lqOVw1M-LYUBLQbQpsToDp6OcPgS1fwW7OrfY6dqKo3YpPm7t8SjC8t9g11QwMspFNWTQyb3atncXD9YBRzrm0APYX0DWjS2visbzld8VvT0VKiFwGRQHTv4LdUA8XsBA/s1600-h/mini-522.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262262545672454658" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQVPLOkYZC_lqOVw1M-LYUBLQbQpsToDp6OcPgS1fwW7OrfY6dqKo3YpPm7t8SjC8t9g11QwMspFNWTQyb3atncXD9YBRzrm0APYX0DWjS2visbzld8VvT0VKiFwGRQHTv4LdUA8XsBA/s400/mini-522.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>This bear is most likely overheated from swimming so far to get to the ice. It may or may not have had a meal. But once it's caught up to the ice a meal will never be too far away. This is a cooling off method. A snooze is always in order.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HeWOE1fTVs6LUj8ABo6fBaALQ3s1ez7FstDWyUEl_RUuaaX9PXawrqlKLXtTD45dPy1bcVvd9L0uTqgT5L_xOLn_pBamEmKpR8KJlcwDnCV8TU0Y7Du5moSL4DleYYaiuv08FLXE2jY/s1600-h/mini-523.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262262466534147826" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HeWOE1fTVs6LUj8ABo6fBaALQ3s1ez7FstDWyUEl_RUuaaX9PXawrqlKLXtTD45dPy1bcVvd9L0uTqgT5L_xOLn_pBamEmKpR8KJlcwDnCV8TU0Y7Du5moSL4DleYYaiuv08FLXE2jY/s400/mini-523.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-85444010572818514292008-10-03T14:05:00.000-07:002008-10-04T13:59:23.543-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">NEW!</span><br />How to dress for cold weather kayaking. Now on YouTube! Click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeAJCwyDuXQ">HERE</a>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-84854186973641567872008-09-07T17:52:00.000-07:002008-09-07T18:17:43.951-07:00GREENLAND QAJAQING...the real deal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZbyhJMIXwrTStSBk7TFF1CseDLpTYx_N7j0axT5lGfkN3QAJUT9zY1oSOcIVEEkXvpI96UceecS6Bxi3MDgfxFLWP4HEQCGf6-2etsWE1YbDVNtw_DwsFiKNWZVutnyAYv6xZyDz8qg/s1600-h/100_5306.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243451786054108610" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZbyhJMIXwrTStSBk7TFF1CseDLpTYx_N7j0axT5lGfkN3QAJUT9zY1oSOcIVEEkXvpI96UceecS6Bxi3MDgfxFLWP4HEQCGf6-2etsWE1YbDVNtw_DwsFiKNWZVutnyAYv6xZyDz8qg/s400/100_5306.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXFGNR8QQTMF9-GWkPwd56Ip6kdQtHXeF3897k6hoKH_P9L0Oe5JoYFArvwlwaqPEYnXNvoVcDc2Yb_A2jySH6mKJZ-j1luzr_87MPl4iA_qZa9N2DYqI7P0huk6EHz35UNpCz8BtyBc/s1600-h/Ittoq+hunter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243449172069631778" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXFGNR8QQTMF9-GWkPwd56Ip6kdQtHXeF3897k6hoKH_P9L0Oe5JoYFArvwlwaqPEYnXNvoVcDc2Yb_A2jySH6mKJZ-j1luzr_87MPl4iA_qZa9N2DYqI7P0huk6EHz35UNpCz8BtyBc/s400/Ittoq+hunter.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>COMING SOON...<br /></div><div>A link to take you to a group of photos I amassed for a presentation aboard ship on the origins of Greenland kayaking...where it all began. I'd discovered a huge treasure trove of photos, poring through the dozens of photos provided by a Danish museum, and then the excitement of finding original photos mounted on the wall of the tiny 2 room museum in Ittoqqortormitt. The woman minding the displays that day allowed me to take the 8 x 10's off the wall to photograph them. Her countenance reminded me of the Dalai Lama, joking with a huge, warm and friendly perpetual smile. She graciously held out a seal skin and allowed me to photograph her holding it. The original qajaq was covered with seal skins.<br /></div><div>It was sad and disheartening to find that the one tiny Greenland village we visited on the east side was losing its Inuit culture. Even though Inuits still lived there the only kayak in the village is owned by a young German woman who had built it and brought it with her when she moved into the community 2 years ago. Fortunately she befriended an older man, a former kayak hunter, who could teach her the culture of the qajaq. This is him but his name escapes me. The two plan to teach Greenland kayaking to schoolchildren in the community. </div><br /><p>As a sidenote, the only husky team in town is owned by a fellow named Gary who is originally from London's East End. But he's been transplanted 20 years, the first 18 in the Canadian Northwest, and now here on the east coast of Greenland, in Ittoqqortormitt (pr. it-toe-core-tour-mitt). With any luck perhaps he can get a few of the village kids interested in dogs and sledging as well.</p><p>I look forward to getting to work on creating a separate page to display the early photos of kayaking and hunting in East Greenland. Stay tuned.<br /></p><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-38323511893883023022008-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:002008-08-25T04:51:49.872-07:00PUFFINS AND HERRING<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLd12Sg4sb3i45yfb2CqDixrnYKfPXebpDc652NjGunFqOrGzQIF4dFHkZBWfyXjQ5b5leRZMWdItSVS29M2NafDwz3VYKLhaKJQ8Y_t35059GcoPYvoCAcSzrgGvkjMIzg3qzxdL5Jk/s1600-h/100_4925.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237734411271495234" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLd12Sg4sb3i45yfb2CqDixrnYKfPXebpDc652NjGunFqOrGzQIF4dFHkZBWfyXjQ5b5leRZMWdItSVS29M2NafDwz3VYKLhaKJQ8Y_t35059GcoPYvoCAcSzrgGvkjMIzg3qzxdL5Jk/s400/100_4925.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Approaching Isfjorden at the end of Adventfjord. Cabins in the distance.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCtIZTa99_2nAVCHDyHAdXELJiUYb1VCW2O95jWkLL0EBOOVxwreT2hSG6iRYdWdXetn7d_wsYnv-TAbSCzfD79nb_zAcNCA9GbRlhC_3juTy0LH5dIKgQqa7vxw_BPFn60zdenyMOHg/s1600-h/100_4929.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237733426242010706" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCtIZTa99_2nAVCHDyHAdXELJiUYb1VCW2O95jWkLL0EBOOVxwreT2hSG6iRYdWdXetn7d_wsYnv-TAbSCzfD79nb_zAcNCA9GbRlhC_3juTy0LH5dIKgQqa7vxw_BPFn60zdenyMOHg/s400/100_4929.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />"Monkey brains," the local name given to rocks found in glacial streams. The deep creases resemble ginger cookies but they're very round, and some nearly perfect. The smooth one is the size of a small cannon ball. Tove collects monkey brains, we collect lucky stones.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfZypb_nLL7oQjWAfg5BgdHNNRNpXcAfD3nySlu_BpiycA5ibuGG7T539AaKxvAjBqb4w4ePDbt2fZ0U2MUKXOr8SZeGsSDAIvz3IXMj37oDZB13Dp0yShThsXV409Hf1hiM12FoA1-s/s1600-h/100_4932.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237732803716019906" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfZypb_nLL7oQjWAfg5BgdHNNRNpXcAfD3nySlu_BpiycA5ibuGG7T539AaKxvAjBqb4w4ePDbt2fZ0U2MUKXOr8SZeGsSDAIvz3IXMj37oDZB13Dp0yShThsXV409Hf1hiM12FoA1-s/s400/100_4932.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Tove and I pose by the flag in front of their cabin. Barely a breeze, a rare calm day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaDv_Q2HMRf-bFhzfZBUG1ar1mg3XXmmO40AqKH0jDjVo8hvPSkJ3rosk7U3-xLWWQqmCfK6dz2mgYbglBHZb4Iqw2FbjNt0doaOLTyntnjbcr8mWkYSYnWGRg19UR7PR0_bOE9Q4nok/s1600-h/100_4926.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237731968100385122" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaDv_Q2HMRf-bFhzfZBUG1ar1mg3XXmmO40AqKH0jDjVo8hvPSkJ3rosk7U3-xLWWQqmCfK6dz2mgYbglBHZb4Iqw2FbjNt0doaOLTyntnjbcr8mWkYSYnWGRg19UR7PR0_bOE9Q4nok/s400/100_4926.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The view behind us, from Tove and Tommy's cabin, across Isfjorden to the distant mountains and glaciers.<br />On the trip out I skirted a medium sized school of herring with dozens of kittiwakes feeding on them. A little while later I drifted up to this puffin.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-41103520113197934132008-08-23T00:40:00.000-07:002008-08-24T13:44:01.259-07:00KAYAKING IN ADVENTFJORD<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5wNIiSC79IGultIC6qVgt0CFpshJfVSY8-e3MoTnJDak04gvsy45ZocuTx4qxnAaJ-ISuariGkOTNfEwkkngRfmVySK075FC-MLP4Q7ddFgAtdAAX8mBqLRYStMvB0Osxcxf9rfc0D0/s1600-h/mini-DSC00809.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237753962472848562" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5wNIiSC79IGultIC6qVgt0CFpshJfVSY8-e3MoTnJDak04gvsy45ZocuTx4qxnAaJ-ISuariGkOTNfEwkkngRfmVySK075FC-MLP4Q7ddFgAtdAAX8mBqLRYStMvB0Osxcxf9rfc0D0/s400/mini-DSC00809.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On the way out I saw this curious little guy. I drifted quietly while it came swimming straight toward me. When it got to about 12' away (4 m) it turned and took off.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZBnji9v09lALXJRaIp5gr-iVg4_yRzXBSPDjQiA7HZSikVrgVz5bZpcLcm06tfg0ULLSbMQWlbN9NrdkKDu-Aj2nCfzDClCvLRGJikvkDozYdBe2CZ33vtgqy5K078v9U42hPDQBT3I/s1600-h/100_4920.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237625766504822354" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZBnji9v09lALXJRaIp5gr-iVg4_yRzXBSPDjQiA7HZSikVrgVz5bZpcLcm06tfg0ULLSbMQWlbN9NrdkKDu-Aj2nCfzDClCvLRGJikvkDozYdBe2CZ33vtgqy5K078v9U42hPDQBT3I/s400/100_4920.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds_CMhfN5GBKyjQQMe-LpKfj3L83gNnDwKNC-kJaCqgfNbShnPUY3kcAZGnvMujg_8W93uyh0bmj0jdy1LSFAxuTFX0WxauiKuwHbzFJFdVltq9SIWQSHlt80agzxQZu-a5-hWAhZ1LU/s1600-h/100_4921.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237625578005696146" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds_CMhfN5GBKyjQQMe-LpKfj3L83gNnDwKNC-kJaCqgfNbShnPUY3kcAZGnvMujg_8W93uyh0bmj0jdy1LSFAxuTFX0WxauiKuwHbzFJFdVltq9SIWQSHlt80agzxQZu-a5-hWAhZ1LU/s400/100_4921.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>Here's today's plan. To kayak out to the far point on the far (north) side of the Adventfjord, a distance of about 6 miles (10 km) one way...just like paddling from Sheldrake to Aurora, or the Inlet Lighthouse to the Myers Point Lighthouse. Not a big deal today with a breeze, but for the past few days the wind has been fierce from the southeast, gaining the strength of freight trains over the glaciers and ice cap for 50-60 miles until finally funneling down this fjord out to sea, at left in the photo. Coupled with a strong 3-4 knot current running with the incoming tide it's been challenging finding favorable conditions. It's either that pesky southeast wind or a blasting north wind, barreling off the glaciers across the big fjord, Isfjorden. Or maybe I'm just a wimp and looking for easier paddling while on shore. We've had our share of wind out in the fjords of Spitsbergen! It doesn't get any calmer than this is today.</div><br /><div>The above is a view from my hotel room window. The kayak sits on a pyramid shaped rack, seen in this photo as a small yellow lump next to shore, to the right of the buildings (enlarged photo below). The far view shows glaciers and mountains on the far side of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Isfjorden</span>, a distance of 25-30 miles distant. The surrounding soil features are tundra atop permafrost, which in summer is now found 10-20 cm down. </div><br /><div>The guy who owns one of the small cabins on the far point is a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">kayaker</span>, too. With his friends last weekend they schlepped carpeting out to cover the floors and then stayed over. The only reason they could and not fear bears was they'd also brought along a dog and several rifles.</div><br /><div>A polar bear was shot two weeks ago, a rarity these days as they're protected throughout the entire Arctic. A group of Russian geologists was in the field hiking up on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Nordaustlandet</span>, the big island off the northeast corner of Svalbard about 100 miles from here in Longyearbyen as the guillemot flies. The bear approached, yet, after 5-6 warning shots in the air, continued forward progress. As it charged the group they had no choice but to shoot it. Locals are saddened, this isn't the intended outcome. But it must have been one hungry bear, as most have left these parts following the sea ice and seals northward. A hefty fine of $10,000-50,000 can be levied if the bear is more than 30 meters away and not in fully engaged, aggressively charging motion. According to locals there's always a threat of bear anywhere around the village out of range of human civilization.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Roads around here dead end in less than 5 km in any given direction (but for one road leading to a village 14 km away, where it then dead ends) yet are considered safe as traffic passes through every couple of minutes during the daytime hours. The most heavily traveled road is the one passing through the shipping district out to the airport a distance of about 4 km. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-60672496065663085582008-08-22T00:59:00.000-07:002008-08-22T01:08:21.328-07:00SUMMER FOX<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX0_hqXJPnctHm09WEzworvu8eV_Uzhd3iH53Z6onjmqErRXmhewIcugwUvOJ_bwJK9Aj0oyNfBoqf3dnIB87liMWNWXa52Uvu0BsDlgbUnFb0vcLSkLXgV91wjOE08Ya6Hp6iV4xF7E/s1600-h/Arctic+23.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX0_hqXJPnctHm09WEzworvu8eV_Uzhd3iH53Z6onjmqErRXmhewIcugwUvOJ_bwJK9Aj0oyNfBoqf3dnIB87liMWNWXa52Uvu0BsDlgbUnFb0vcLSkLXgV91wjOE08Ya6Hp6iV4xF7E/s400/Arctic+23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237250249122124002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD9QkEdUQTxdmrVpCuUN6O-HTgs9qdWY68Un6YHZXoHWrhWDL37e8eySSKe6MzjQ9Os2VbTYLHzSJ-jia7RWC_UisYIqJBKXnQuehI3202Tz-e0e2u73MAaUDKARhS1ZSXYTWDVduJ-c/s1600-h/Arctic+24.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD9QkEdUQTxdmrVpCuUN6O-HTgs9qdWY68Un6YHZXoHWrhWDL37e8eySSKe6MzjQ9Os2VbTYLHzSJ-jia7RWC_UisYIqJBKXnQuehI3202Tz-e0e2u73MAaUDKARhS1ZSXYTWDVduJ-c/s400/Arctic+24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237249877509298738" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7YqbeHXJWhgf5cwQnO8FRRiDJtfUcbQaRUKWVMTafCctUCc83KtLv98WeEjlf7p1JAwtH5Qwh-maJgVWng0dH159cOBxqFt1JPVhbJwpgOuAwTobpk88faOvj5H0ZNu9K7YGuavH50Y/s1600-h/Arctic+25.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7YqbeHXJWhgf5cwQnO8FRRiDJtfUcbQaRUKWVMTafCctUCc83KtLv98WeEjlf7p1JAwtH5Qwh-maJgVWng0dH159cOBxqFt1JPVhbJwpgOuAwTobpk88faOvj5H0ZNu9K7YGuavH50Y/s400/Arctic+25.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237249620003713042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1qwBRIIt7PVfMSPNBTCv1rk4yMPujfzpHv04_p4B3WUfnz1BC7eIfgrW6NQzrcULrXsT6Cud6HKbFABr84sMJwK1fW7FLNXOwuZWUpgI99ILXqTDS4WAi-mSx-Q3Bs2ZaqZ1nf5EgFs/s1600-h/Arctic+26.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1qwBRIIt7PVfMSPNBTCv1rk4yMPujfzpHv04_p4B3WUfnz1BC7eIfgrW6NQzrcULrXsT6Cud6HKbFABr84sMJwK1fW7FLNXOwuZWUpgI99ILXqTDS4WAi-mSx-Q3Bs2ZaqZ1nf5EgFs/s400/Arctic+26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237249406953645218" border="0" /></a><br />The fox are wearing their summer coats. In winter they're pure white and have loads more hair, looking quite fluffed out.<br />We found this mother and pups on a scree slope near a bird colony. They tend to make their lairs high up the very steep slopes under a rocky outcropping. We saw some lighter colored ones, almost blonde, but had a hard time photographing them, they were just out of range.<br />The pups are nearly full grown. They're fattening up now, and the bird colonies appear abundant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-43067881454222136792008-08-21T00:14:00.000-07:002008-08-24T00:40:26.611-07:00FLOWERS OF SVALBARD<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44jX6-3FCmCbeG2lilmHQkVYMJrkF_2aw0xcHhtViDx1ucADEbBEyEuHOxASX119hWrEUbjoxZgmlIe3O8-lKJkMvIElpRK5fvoyx_hXOY2vCutE4iJHNTk8GTw9vM2npVYHKTMe5Z-A/s1600-h/Eriophorum+scheuchzeri+Arctic+Cotton+Grass.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236878893669623186" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44jX6-3FCmCbeG2lilmHQkVYMJrkF_2aw0xcHhtViDx1ucADEbBEyEuHOxASX119hWrEUbjoxZgmlIe3O8-lKJkMvIElpRK5fvoyx_hXOY2vCutE4iJHNTk8GTw9vM2npVYHKTMe5Z-A/s400/Eriophorum+scheuchzeri+Arctic+Cotton+Grass.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Arctic Cottongrass <em>Eriophorum scheuchzeri</em> The quintessential tundra plant, this furry little grass is like rabbit fur against the skin. Ripened seeds float off on the breeze, like our dandelions and cattails. And, like those plants, is found in large clumps everywhere, but especially in Longyearbyen village where it's more fertile and protected.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC3yGYJ47cNjzdnX6neXluhxZdAUEhY2SwxbaxxyCWifnFORmGnuVF0Fn1S_Av22Z0A4cFsox4huhV1wQ5BrOqzcgPpxjPdJ5OlHyhrPwmMdEXPq2SpX2SJHJqrr7C1MCj2aCl10r7Oo/s1600-h/Oxyria+digyna+Mountain+Sorrel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236878346781744338" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC3yGYJ47cNjzdnX6neXluhxZdAUEhY2SwxbaxxyCWifnFORmGnuVF0Fn1S_Av22Z0A4cFsox4huhV1wQ5BrOqzcgPpxjPdJ5OlHyhrPwmMdEXPq2SpX2SJHJqrr7C1MCj2aCl10r7Oo/s400/Oxyria+digyna+Mountain+Sorrel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mountain Sorrel <em>Oxyria digyna</em> The leaves have a fresh aciduous taste and are rich in Vitamin C. They were uesd by locals to prevent scurvy and are great in salad. Grows in wet places and is common all over Svalbard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PUVtGURY-wI2zAxKuVCSRQ2kODm9QfcrpmKCfUg7Cfkd52yWB1-r4Dr5jUxywULdT0oP_YO6iN1vZNIg9TcuEhRMH-8aSMStVresb-ZZ8FZyCsCOsA6WvKVUUklfVeP2sf_s0vKnSWo/s1600-h/Saxigraga+cernua+Drooping+Saxifrage.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236877782903153506" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PUVtGURY-wI2zAxKuVCSRQ2kODm9QfcrpmKCfUg7Cfkd52yWB1-r4Dr5jUxywULdT0oP_YO6iN1vZNIg9TcuEhRMH-8aSMStVresb-ZZ8FZyCsCOsA6WvKVUUklfVeP2sf_s0vKnSWo/s400/Saxigraga+cernua+Drooping+Saxifrage.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Drooping Saxifrage <em>Saxifraga cernua</em> I found this little gem last evening, growing out of construction rubble in Longyearbyen village behind a row of shops.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZko9punA2nExk7LKjDs81eYSVRBFRHzrSWB5HsV3HfZ9q3qM0NvPgmcfjfOz9QRz_0ecqqGdKZV0r_e2b0VJd0FYrQqPniCTN1EWK2PR3IQAQIoOnKSrno5g-cHj8NwrqNvbSmXBypn8/s1600-h/Raanunculus+Buttercup+Phil.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236872995708072194" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZko9punA2nExk7LKjDs81eYSVRBFRHzrSWB5HsV3HfZ9q3qM0NvPgmcfjfOz9QRz_0ecqqGdKZV0r_e2b0VJd0FYrQqPniCTN1EWK2PR3IQAQIoOnKSrno5g-cHj8NwrqNvbSmXBypn8/s400/Raanunculus+Buttercup+Phil.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Buttercup <em>Ranunculus,</em> but which species?<em> </em>Impossibly yellow and stunted. The backdrop gives you an idea of where many of these flowers are perched, high enough to grab every bit of sunlight available in their short seasons.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnqDhtDcp_2BPDL8Noy5nhgeJfDZH5mAdLP3aGLprDSD7VBromsY9MLb7QLT6Jb86n0eXM8jFmnuRajzXBOzozzCp-bKvtPbtu_jkMgCIxv1s_EMkGN5BltFB0Gv0gbf2JtiKn_3ixXg/s1600-h/Silene+acaulis+Moss+Campion+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236872023740036178" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnqDhtDcp_2BPDL8Noy5nhgeJfDZH5mAdLP3aGLprDSD7VBromsY9MLb7QLT6Jb86n0eXM8jFmnuRajzXBOzozzCp-bKvtPbtu_jkMgCIxv1s_EMkGN5BltFB0Gv0gbf2JtiKn_3ixXg/s400/Silene+acaulis+Moss+Campion+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Moss Campion <em>Silene acaulis</em> Displays 'compass flowering,' developing flowers on the southern facing part of the cushion first. Enjoys a long flowering season and is found all over Svalbard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSylGs56heUPIIpv4LmjWxr_JIhvM74APjc9WBBvzNpksJZqDG1jZTamPv_LapkWhJ9Zcd71fuJfMiw-HaaA8kCr6ZRxG6Y2MvIWVDcko-wiQe1AKGntPOUY2vHdEjv8t-RHmFhDQRMIY/s1600-h/Purple+saxifrage+Saxifraga+oppositifolia.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236870814320100754" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSylGs56heUPIIpv4LmjWxr_JIhvM74APjc9WBBvzNpksJZqDG1jZTamPv_LapkWhJ9Zcd71fuJfMiw-HaaA8kCr6ZRxG6Y2MvIWVDcko-wiQe1AKGntPOUY2vHdEjv8t-RHmFhDQRMIY/s400/Purple+saxifrage+Saxifraga+oppositifolia.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Purple Saxifrage <em>Saxifraga oppositifolia</em> A sure sign of spring, it's the first to bloom and last to fade. Common all over Svalbard. Grows in North Greenland, at 83 15', the most northerly plant locality in the world.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JStMtZhVArAWpzOdG1tBe-YtvYhUO3zKhTWq0KOSB-lxdKF5bLmnZOGf7Z4PRfhWRQskcIhrcY7dDFApV4Jdr0ZEVjG0a3Kk2Ifx7naZXg0p9bIeplexHxgh_c1MCmnVtkvoXBHq5g4/s1600-h/Papever+dahlianum+Svalbard+Poppy+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236870295302110274" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2JStMtZhVArAWpzOdG1tBe-YtvYhUO3zKhTWq0KOSB-lxdKF5bLmnZOGf7Z4PRfhWRQskcIhrcY7dDFApV4Jdr0ZEVjG0a3Kk2Ifx7naZXg0p9bIeplexHxgh_c1MCmnVtkvoXBHq5g4/s400/Papever+dahlianum+Svalbard+Poppy+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Svalbard Poppy <em>Papaver dahlianum</em> Comes in yellow and white, considered the 'national' flower of Svalbard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIrbG8T5vF9qiDBnwdmu3lV0Vfs2_VsCj8rhtNkUR0lVJOE5nzhduKzU2_Q_C3Wa9Mja0crOuvS-_unlWMqrMNMKLwyOJXI7fGAL4kItBUtHXhuQ7-hC7zoreiYhUg6Zeo6fAEQBvQIY/s1600-h/Dryas+octopetala+Mountain+Avens+Rolf+S..jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236869567753036770" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIrbG8T5vF9qiDBnwdmu3lV0Vfs2_VsCj8rhtNkUR0lVJOE5nzhduKzU2_Q_C3Wa9Mja0crOuvS-_unlWMqrMNMKLwyOJXI7fGAL4kItBUtHXhuQ7-hC7zoreiYhUg6Zeo6fAEQBvQIY/s400/Dryas+octopetala+Mountain+Avens+Rolf+S..jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Mountain Avens <em>Dryas octopetala</em><br /><br />Here's a sampling of the tough little tundra plants thriving in the scree and rock rubble of the arctic tundra's moraine. Generally, they tend to have a sturdy taproot extending down to the permafrost, about 10cm below.<br /><br />They thrive nearest bird colonies, rich in nutrients. Low bacterial action in the soil makes this region otherwise deficient in phosphates, nitrates and other essential salts.<br /><br />One strong factor contributing to the abundance of these plant forms is the dwindling of the Gulf Stream as it pushes northward, snaking along the Norwegian coast and up into the northern reaches on the west side of the Svalbard Archipelago. The presence of the Gulf Stream creates a more temperate climate and is known as mild arctic-oceanic.<br /><br />Most of these species propagate in several ways. Seeds, obviously, but also by means of bulbils, underground runners and viviparous flowers.<br /><br />There are forms here I've recognized by their leaves. For instance the poppy, which in these parts has the distinction of being named the Svalbard Poppy, considered the 'national' flower of Svalbard.<br /><br />Another are the many saxifrages. The leaves are so obvious yet stunted, they stopped me dead in my tracks. Other recognizables include lychnis, buttercup, Jacob's Ladder and dandelion (!)...all very tiny and dwarf.<br /><br />The only 'trees' here are a willow and a birch yet they're so low to the ground and the leaves so tightly packed and stunted they're barely recognizable.<br /><br />It's become a secondary highlight of the trip for me, learning, recognizing and identifying the various flowering plant species. First and most obvious of course are the presence of the polar bears.<br /><br /><strong>Photo Credits:</strong><br />Buttercup, Phil Wickens<br />Mountain Avens, Rolf Stange<br />~Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about Svalbard can be found in Rolf Stange's incredible book: <a href="http://spitzbergen.de/HTML-Dateien/E_Index.htm">Spitsbergen - Svalbard</a>. Or check out his <a href="http://www.blogger.com/httpwww.spitzbergen.de">website</a>. He's a veritable font of knowledge, very approachable and down-to-earth friendly. What he's accomplished in his short lifetime is an inspiration.<br />~Phil is my amazing co-worker, a superb geologist, mountaineer, historian, plant fancier, photographer, downloader of ice maps, gun and zodiac handler and all-around nice guy. Friendly and cheerful beyond measure. (And he looks great in drag.) Find his photo at left.<br />Other photos: various passengers, including S. Boyes.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Click on <a href="http://svalbardflora.net/index.php?id=1">FLOWERS OF SVALBARD</a> for complete listings and gallery. Wait 'til you see the arctic Jacaob's Ladder!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-8145228402247070332008-08-20T12:28:00.000-07:002008-08-20T12:34:47.827-07:00GLACIER CALVING<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLvs-ZTB3iC9Vt2KXQquH6BH5EWWCXXW_yXK0W_Y28td_AWH9o8-AaRGwL5EqQFJqFwL1wKgIAQXOf62WJ0AjPptHzTGJPImqTHp5jju8XwOxixtcL4vWL9C2wqSNqFaDTr29BFY7Emc/s1600-h/DSC_1639.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236684491297322594" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLvs-ZTB3iC9Vt2KXQquH6BH5EWWCXXW_yXK0W_Y28td_AWH9o8-AaRGwL5EqQFJqFwL1wKgIAQXOf62WJ0AjPptHzTGJPImqTHp5jju8XwOxixtcL4vWL9C2wqSNqFaDTr29BFY7Emc/s400/DSC_1639.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-71083380180965486912008-08-20T12:11:00.001-07:002008-08-20T12:43:04.729-07:00BRUNNICH'S GUILLEMOTS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEZQtgopgXUbIUHT04rW4528rPizO7SJ0-tcyWqSp_Zr_NIf_JYpdO_o18vVzA5oGi6gDuLtfBAI_PKNQwxY1IQcs1_vMbLcwVHxuckYURn1LhnXJ6BfqVDRn_0Thii42zWJb8M7grJ4/s1600-h/Arctic+14.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236682101245474082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEZQtgopgXUbIUHT04rW4528rPizO7SJ0-tcyWqSp_Zr_NIf_JYpdO_o18vVzA5oGi6gDuLtfBAI_PKNQwxY1IQcs1_vMbLcwVHxuckYURn1LhnXJ6BfqVDRn_0Thii42zWJb8M7grJ4/s400/Arctic+14.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNFPQofXKb4vNeEpzv9dJ2EdactjiTBLdeNNVCX6xVEH4alQUPTmi1ILbkGtesmakzL4M-eNW8mynQCDPeWk65A0wDcuZnGJ4eD-HEilzXK_YYpGqeBxlrlfNNxNtYQANYxoqwmjye1M/s1600-h/Brunnichs+cliffs_01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236681166651991810" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNFPQofXKb4vNeEpzv9dJ2EdactjiTBLdeNNVCX6xVEH4alQUPTmi1ILbkGtesmakzL4M-eNW8mynQCDPeWk65A0wDcuZnGJ4eD-HEilzXK_YYpGqeBxlrlfNNxNtYQANYxoqwmjye1M/s400/Brunnichs+cliffs_01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxRCJnPjZA6rncLgBuNqZNhkj6dtWpt1V8DuXxNJw0XA66S8OdShyphenhyphenTVfEXqRd-aTJjlkEntM8aeX-gdeZqBU1wdbTJoQaAwg6lw2NzZVlmSCCCY18rW6x5xceIyozUqI15E_uyGD0ge0/s1600-h/IMG_4318.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236680867103288850" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxRCJnPjZA6rncLgBuNqZNhkj6dtWpt1V8DuXxNJw0XA66S8OdShyphenhyphenTVfEXqRd-aTJjlkEntM8aeX-gdeZqBU1wdbTJoQaAwg6lw2NzZVlmSCCCY18rW6x5xceIyozUqI15E_uyGD0ge0/s400/IMG_4318.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7Er9oGyE-L4mNMUSlXmrACJYOaXEazZNSLee9YORcYEUXeMA8Pfr4-k3jOHLIGJ6rsr2_o8_hfm3fHnqAVkdGodi91BbNMF8XN0FT4FngQ8nMJn4hC18t24WAjlvmjJ7HDPcM_RcU2U/s1600-h/DSC_1724.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236680385958082050" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7Er9oGyE-L4mNMUSlXmrACJYOaXEazZNSLee9YORcYEUXeMA8Pfr4-k3jOHLIGJ6rsr2_o8_hfm3fHnqAVkdGodi91BbNMF8XN0FT4FngQ8nMJn4hC18t24WAjlvmjJ7HDPcM_RcU2U/s400/DSC_1724.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEYbODZzFfH_Oy0QwyAf_mKXUryoOZMYKl6x7bVbafQcOEHg3BPONRbCYrhrdFkjgKFVRA_Okivo6uSLE8M7fb_0t1Aw9sOUxEa7lZWoQfrkNhTfci6UQkNUBdJ79LkoV4FKDjqoAPs8/s1600-h/DSC_1737.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236680275978374882" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEYbODZzFfH_Oy0QwyAf_mKXUryoOZMYKl6x7bVbafQcOEHg3BPONRbCYrhrdFkjgKFVRA_Okivo6uSLE8M7fb_0t1Aw9sOUxEa7lZWoQfrkNhTfci6UQkNUBdJ79LkoV4FKDjqoAPs8/s400/DSC_1737.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwpfw2Nea-Asnxynd7SMaAS_LGa7d9EoFvxbrOepn8aFHIY2SLod2X3qmQmFNNyLH1VAnJw6XDK8VF-gukN7bwkvWtwcp0zujF0LY0-AP34msi5Lqh3CI_8Zpr3Scoa6-F7Z_Oogi6-E/s1600-h/Brunnichs+chaos.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236679884923395842" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwpfw2Nea-Asnxynd7SMaAS_LGa7d9EoFvxbrOepn8aFHIY2SLod2X3qmQmFNNyLH1VAnJw6XDK8VF-gukN7bwkvWtwcp0zujF0LY0-AP34msi5Lqh3CI_8Zpr3Scoa6-F7Z_Oogi6-E/s400/Brunnichs+chaos.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The male Brunnich's guillemots are the ones to train the youngsters. As soon as the young are swimming they head to Greenland. "Follow me to Greenland, child."<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-86792914545507401442008-08-20T12:04:00.000-07:002008-08-20T12:46:55.067-07:00THE BEARS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6Vg-RRF9akxHtHT351-lWTa_t27iAwO8lLTnP5laXRub0st-2NU-3skHwRqQCJlBx9UWidN_r4JciLFXHGdtqjqPyZ9-WXiLatxaYfmfq-iY-10nTnZZ7n6l95PmkWzdO-PQq3GdFBY/s1600-h/Kvitoya+-+Kong+Karls+0342.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236683090192766674" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6Vg-RRF9akxHtHT351-lWTa_t27iAwO8lLTnP5laXRub0st-2NU-3skHwRqQCJlBx9UWidN_r4JciLFXHGdtqjqPyZ9-WXiLatxaYfmfq-iY-10nTnZZ7n6l95PmkWzdO-PQq3GdFBY/s400/Kvitoya+-+Kong+Karls+0342.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NHgpUjNyyMjWUDN6CD4wfadUlNWwPJvBLQfLvYmIOEshKKhX0IhiDj1R3zuIyOkIj1YGctl2PP1i6tHtBAFK_JjDyrwl-Us1cWArRTLUXF8LkkhWUEBM2FMzrEF6pAYiAhzw9hExQoU/s1600-h/Polar+bear+footprints.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236679203121284834" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NHgpUjNyyMjWUDN6CD4wfadUlNWwPJvBLQfLvYmIOEshKKhX0IhiDj1R3zuIyOkIj1YGctl2PP1i6tHtBAFK_JjDyrwl-Us1cWArRTLUXF8LkkhWUEBM2FMzrEF6pAYiAhzw9hExQoU/s400/Polar+bear+footprints.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5wepocE1JWC8U6eJpFxNSeHML4sur0erDhVLBczCEbKuP4Y5yyedUT0UojUAG6XHRvnX1CqcICFcipmdspC0GG8LiTCKf8QAXdmBAjO931vqAheJOifJKMsKGOi6Ent2LDwcaBYsbp0/s1600-h/MZ0028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236678594824786066" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5wepocE1JWC8U6eJpFxNSeHML4sur0erDhVLBczCEbKuP4Y5yyedUT0UojUAG6XHRvnX1CqcICFcipmdspC0GG8LiTCKf8QAXdmBAjO931vqAheJOifJKMsKGOi6Ent2LDwcaBYsbp0/s400/MZ0028.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbC7oQ8bnXfviZbSkLaCaEy2OEIty-2ENPJR22QFbTv0mf8m_bkHf0976ax_Fq3__uf0f5EE4liKquUbdW8LgQci5K7jgYi5tumgj54SyXsRQbTNdzt-G2WNfdEBttHcej1bZDv1LEpU/s1600-h/mini-MZ0019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236677855684807202" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbC7oQ8bnXfviZbSkLaCaEy2OEIty-2ENPJR22QFbTv0mf8m_bkHf0976ax_Fq3__uf0f5EE4liKquUbdW8LgQci5K7jgYi5tumgj54SyXsRQbTNdzt-G2WNfdEBttHcej1bZDv1LEpU/s400/mini-MZ0019.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div>The best place to find healthy bears is on the ice. That's where they hunt for seal, that's where they're most alert and well fed. The pair in the above photo are mother and two-year old cub. The rest are solitary. We found 6 bears in a 10-mile stretch of ice field. They couldn't see each other, there was just enough buffer between them.</div><div>Despite the abundance of ice and seals north of Svalbard these bears are a bit lean. It's not alarming, it's just part of the cycle between ice seasons. They'll start fattening up in the coming months.</div><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-77501905156540319572008-08-16T09:42:00.000-07:002008-08-23T01:35:45.164-07:00FULL CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF SPTISBERGEN, DESPITE 4/10-6/10 ICE*<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5seLu2bkD-npQVKz-zGENZvUgvA2j_Hsv8pQ4W6LofcQdz70n0zGzKvgRiJrmWFJCfXPoREVItsIBhfc5tFkau-oLDKvns3Oy2NhMYhdsaWJBtpGaNS7kre2adZ8EARr2YKZ-5M2_LLI/s1600-h/Svalbard_CRUISE_MAP_Aug5-15.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235156954003658930" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5seLu2bkD-npQVKz-zGENZvUgvA2j_Hsv8pQ4W6LofcQdz70n0zGzKvgRiJrmWFJCfXPoREVItsIBhfc5tFkau-oLDKvns3Oy2NhMYhdsaWJBtpGaNS7kre2adZ8EARr2YKZ-5M2_LLI/s400/Svalbard_CRUISE_MAP_Aug5-15.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>800</strong> miles around the Svalbard Archipelago</div><div><strong>23</strong> landings</div><div><strong>10</strong> days</div><div><strong>1</strong> outstanding navigational effort (*Thanks, Captain and crew!)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-69358472581413348642008-08-16T09:19:00.001-07:002008-08-16T09:20:03.575-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSNgTZXfsQhqeLT5gJyFiuwkmW_6VR_J_UdqlgNVubsVgQR-8S0NHtBt3u0sUvZ6AUJKphmA62h4__5Ba2ekShBLsiM543SPqLAi_9zhiAb4AuH6LFqB_PtVy2h9FrowgsVTi6MszmLg/s1600-h/SVALBARD_12.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235151058755142674" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSNgTZXfsQhqeLT5gJyFiuwkmW_6VR_J_UdqlgNVubsVgQR-8S0NHtBt3u0sUvZ6AUJKphmA62h4__5Ba2ekShBLsiM543SPqLAi_9zhiAb4AuH6LFqB_PtVy2h9FrowgsVTi6MszmLg/s400/SVALBARD_12.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-31304926283049488512008-08-16T02:16:00.000-07:002008-08-16T02:21:23.847-07:00ON THE HUNT AMONG THE FLOES<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJF2f_5T8YZepzEfp3WStVFVCzDVVowfIs-KkZogP0PxhDpl4b23hLK9oDkt_CjLyAMM_icHbhOspH5yNMi9EHYuU0Vba7D84_aC-NI81q53SQdyb5zNY8CYJsgu_BDKhPf27Th_IPUQ/s1600-h/_MG_2725-Edit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235042247330088898" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJF2f_5T8YZepzEfp3WStVFVCzDVVowfIs-KkZogP0PxhDpl4b23hLK9oDkt_CjLyAMM_icHbhOspH5yNMi9EHYuU0Vba7D84_aC-NI81q53SQdyb5zNY8CYJsgu_BDKhPf27Th_IPUQ/s400/_MG_2725-Edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Photo by Annelies de Kater. See her web page <a href="http://www.coldmountainphoto.com/">here</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-76299413028308789942008-08-16T01:48:00.001-07:002008-08-16T09:47:13.419-07:00CHANGE OF PLANS IN LONGYEARBYEN<div>I now have a change of plans and it's all about polar bears. </div><div>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.</div><div>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.</div><div>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...)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-34421180210628670072008-08-16T00:57:00.000-07:002008-08-17T00:21:04.203-07:00FIRST THE ICE IS THERE AND THEN IT'S GONE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTT8CF0Np7oRI09naKCJ-SftC0FieWEyOCcWagwOz8Imf8uMfaf8sGkBDcowmqpPnam6o8QsQY1t5nDioULqklS16BwgF10SS-NOND1gnpCV7P0Q_LMlQNgyHA0Wl98hQJS-7dWSlHIA/s1600-h/100_4707.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235034425243543074" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTT8CF0Np7oRI09naKCJ-SftC0FieWEyOCcWagwOz8Imf8uMfaf8sGkBDcowmqpPnam6o8QsQY1t5nDioULqklS16BwgF10SS-NOND1gnpCV7P0Q_LMlQNgyHA0Wl98hQJS-7dWSlHIA/s400/100_4707.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Where there was once ice at 80 degrees North now there is none and we can travel there freely. It just up and disappeared in a few brief days, taken by currents. SEE Svalbard Ice Charts for our journey <a href="http://www.svbicecharts1.blogspot.com/">HERE</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hrgCgstykdednlNY-DnzxXGIMudJ0QOpWMUyWKj8QwzSJbMEsWxUB7ppq3r3ORRjw37tIYhlxc0zFfF6wfmXudIdg-j3tuyn-d2elBbfh1DR-No9Qn_pkm60m4cH8RgHiGpibhh2Wzc/s1600-h/P1020173.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235033244503800466" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hrgCgstykdednlNY-DnzxXGIMudJ0QOpWMUyWKj8QwzSJbMEsWxUB7ppq3r3ORRjw37tIYhlxc0zFfF6wfmXudIdg-j3tuyn-d2elBbfh1DR-No9Qn_pkm60m4cH8RgHiGpibhh2Wzc/s400/P1020173.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-ML6hVq7GIQChRm4KarO6NZBbzUKJ4zh0hBSUwbvpZSqWBFPHgAuvttt7B4Xee2WSgr0_v35ah_9DHalBRTXIv8HIevcHKiqCZrzoP8lWZl_8DyYxRf4x7GXbDVwOxQKfvSPAFp8xWw/s1600-h/_MG_2667.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235032959578234546" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-ML6hVq7GIQChRm4KarO6NZBbzUKJ4zh0hBSUwbvpZSqWBFPHgAuvttt7B4Xee2WSgr0_v35ah_9DHalBRTXIv8HIevcHKiqCZrzoP8lWZl_8DyYxRf4x7GXbDVwOxQKfvSPAFp8xWw/s400/_MG_2667.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The island archipelago of Svalbard is known for having more polar bears than just about any other Arctic locale. Queries to two local cab drivers yesterday assured me the bears in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Longyearbyen</span> have all moved on to the North, swimming and trekking hundreds of miles to get to the ice where the seals are. Still, it's necessary to carry a loaded rifle each time hiking or kayaking plans take you out of the small village. There could be that one lone bear still roaming around these parts, half starved and a little crazed looking for food. One can't be too careful.<br />Aboard ship some passengers are lulled into a false sense of security. Because we are protected by the ship the bears appear sometimes intimidated. This would not be the case while walking or kayaking. Vulnerability changes dramatically once exposed and without protection of a ship.<br />When we encounter polar bears on our forays through the broken up sea ice they're alone and looking for food. The ship is bigger, way bigger, than they are and often times are frightened off by the sound, before we even get close. The shots I provide are given to me by passengers with high powered lenses enabling them some stunning up close photos.<br />While taking them kayaking people sometimes have a false sense that we are intimidating, that should we encounter polar bears all we need to do is link our arms and scare them off. This couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that we are warm meat and they are hungry. Simple as that.</div><div>Polar bears will watch for certain behaviors yet even the most intimidating behavior on our part won't protect us. One thing for sure is that no two bears are alike. Even researchers in the field with years of experience have no way of predicting one bears' behavior over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">anothers</span>. They're totally unpredictable and unique. The common knowledge around <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Longyearbyen</span> is, "Polar bears are different, they stalk anything that moves." They are the only predator on earth that stalks humans. And all are hungry for now is the season of finding fewer seals on which to dine.<br />We saw a bear last trip that was so lethargic, hungry and exhausted I'd dubbed it Sad Bear. It had ambled who knows how many miles over hard scrabble, scree, moraine and tundra to get to a shore line where there was the last bit of rotting blubber from a sperm whale that had washed ashore two years ago. They'll eat anything just to fill their stomachs. The male bear had dined and fallen asleep by the time we got there by zodiac. Quietly and stealthily we ventured in, making slow sweeps, first far off and with each succeeding pass a bit closer until we were very near shore and to the bear. It barely reacted. It was as though it had been tired with the exhaustion of just living, each movement harder than the last. It wasn't emaciated but it was thin. You know that feeling when you've eaten something rotten and fell into bed and couldn't move for the next 8 hours? It had that appearance, the body movements slow, laborious, as though it had to think about each and every movement and somehow muster the energy to create it. There was no fight left in it. It was dirty and had lost the will to clean itself. A happy bear swims and stays clean. It finally woke up and ever so slowly began to amble away. Or maybe the bear had simply overdone it. It's hard to say. Not wanting to stress it further we turned toward the sea and away.<br />So we continued on, and each day the satellite ice charts revealed the ice moving northward. This is the first trip of the season that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Akademik</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Shokalskiy</span> was able to fully circumnavigate the island archipelago of Svalbard.<br />This island mass is unique. The only reason these islands are not completely encased by sea ice, as are most areas of similar latitude, is that the surrounding waters are warmed by the last of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Caribbean</span> Gulf Stream current that threads its way up the Norwegian coast. Still, thick pans of drifting ice often clog the coast, rendering it impassable for most of the season. Until just a few days before my first trip, that is.<br />At the end of July I'd received an email from my sister, Susan, who was Expedition Leader aboard the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Kapitan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Khlebnikov</span>, our sturdy Russian icebreaker coming from the Siberian Arctic, that they were unable to connect with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Shokalskiy</span> in order to receive their guns and ammo, the ice was too thick. But now the 'warm' waters and currents have swept away all ice and allowed us free passage up and around the northern end of the island group.<br />We celebrated crossing over the 80 degree North position by ringing the ships' brass bell and the captain blasting our ship horn. What a ruckus! We toasted each other with hot chocolate and rum on the deck, at about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">OC</span> (32F).<br />Other bear sightings have been during that time when we were as far north off the shores of Svalbard as we could get, and where we ventured into the frozen sea ice. The little ship broke through the ice as far as it could until it finally stopped, getting into ice too thick for its ice strengthened hull to penetrate. There followed an hours' worth of advancing and retreating while cranking the wheel in a series of 'K turns' to get the ship heading back out again. In this area is where we saw a total of 6 lone bears, hunting on the ice. Each was frightened by the ship and retreated. It's not our habit nor do we like chasing bears, if they are frightened we stop our advance and sit quietly or back our way out.<br />Eventually we would travel about 800 miles in 10 days to fully circumnavigate the island group. This is something the Expedition Leader and assistant have reveled and delighted in for it means that, unlike the Antarctic Peninsula, they get to choose where we go ashore. Anywhere and everwhere there is free rein. One outstanding source of inspiration has been the web page and books by <a href="http://www.spitzbergen.de/HTML-Dateien/E_Index.htm">Rolf Stange</a>. He freely shares an incredible wealth of knowledge, particularly in his books, which can be found on his page. Highly recommended.</div><div>This is my first posting from Svalbard and there will many more as I rest up for the next 10 days before getting back aboard for my last 10-day trip. Included in future postings: birds, plants, more polar bear, reindeer, walrus, fox and ice. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-37451803303972549732008-07-25T13:27:00.000-07:002008-07-25T14:14:47.501-07:00OUT AND ABOUT IN SVALBARDThe size of Ireland, Svalbard is located 1,000km (623 miles) north of the Norwegian mainland, nearly equidistant between Norway and the North Pole, and extends from 74<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ºN</span> to over 80<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">º N</span>. The island group is off the NE coast of Greenland, and north of Iceland. It's made up of three main islands, but only Spitsbergen on the west supports human colonies. There are 5 population centers, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Longyearbyen</span> is the largest, with a year round population of 1,500 and is the location of one of two airports.<br />Average daily temps reach 25-45ºF but nighttime temps can dip terribly low, such as to -20ºF at times.<br />The whole of Svalbard is gripped in sea ice for most of the year and much of the interior is covered in glaciers and ice fields. Although the west coast remains ice free for most of the summer, pack ice hovers just north of the main island year round and vast sheets and rivers of ice cover approximately 60% of the land area.<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Lonyearbyen</span> was the main export site for the rich coal seams that characterize the island. There are all sorts of abandoned coal mining detritus in the area, but the little city also enjoys a superb backdrop that includes two tongues of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Lonyearbyen</span> glacier just outside of town.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>SEA ICE</strong></span><br />Glaciers drop enormous chunks of ice all around the Arctic Ocean. Sea ice breaks up and sends <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">tabulars</span> out and about to drift on currents. The Beaufort <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Gyre</span> off the Beaufort sea of Alaska is home for a collection of ice bergs that circle clockwise for up to 3-5 years. Many of these are spun off into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Fram</span> Straight, which flows down between the northeast corner of Greenland and the Svalbard Islands. Most of the ice found in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Fram</span> Straight has come originally from the entire north coast of Russian Siberia and joins together to form the Transpolar Drift. It's rather like several very large freight trains all converging onto one track.<br />Considerable research in recent years has revealed the formation process and structure of sea ice to be quite complex.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>SIGNIFICANT ARCTIC RESEARCH PROJECTS</strong></span><br />Since the early 1970's satellite microwave sensors have provided routine sea ice and polar ocean observations. Such large-scale observations of sea ice coverage have become increasingly important to research on global environmental change.<br />There are dozens of Arctic Sea Ice research studies continuing from the 1990s. Among them are the International Tundra Experiment, Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic ocean, International Northern Sea Route Programme, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Mackenzie</span> Basin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Impact</span> Study, Ice Cores of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Nuclear Submarines and Arctic Oceanography, International Expeditions to the Russian Arctic Coast, US/Canada Arctic Ocean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Section</span> Expedition, among others with many nations involved in chronicling, recording and assessing the earth's changing climate.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-44388363834312217052008-07-25T13:22:00.001-07:002008-07-25T13:27:47.667-07:00A BRIEF ICE GLOSSARY<em>bergy bits</em> ~ icebergs rising less than 5m above the surface of the sea.<br /><em>fast ice</em> ~ solid pack ice.<br /><em>frazil</em> ~ needle-shaped ice crystals which form a slush in the sea.<br /><em>growler</em> ~ a small iceberg floating just on the surface which is difficult to see, thereby causing a hazard for ships.<br /><em>nilas</em> ~ thin crust of sea ice that moves up and down with wave action but doesn't break.<br /><em>pack ice</em> ~ floating ice formed by frozen sea water, which often creates an impenetrable barrier to navigation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-73638087023998318932008-07-25T10:30:00.000-07:002008-08-16T02:27:02.468-07:00KAYAKING CO-WORKER PADDLING SOLO OFF SVALBARD'S WEST COASTTim writes:<br />"I'm back and alive, after 6 days and 125 km of paddling. No polar bear sightings but I saw some other folks kayaking and a few ships. The secenery was fantastic: wide open expanses, glaciers, mountains and seascapes. Had one layover day to climb a peak in the sun, first time ever with a 30-06 on my back."<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(That's one for the record, Tim. It'll look great on your outdoor resume!)</em><br /></span>Tim had borrowed a kayak from our company, Quark Expeditions, the very one he uses when we lead our kayaking day trips. He'd brought camping gear from home but had rented a scare gun and trip wire to surround his camping site in case of incoming bear. I'm beyond envy and hoping to duplicate at least a portion of his trip. I tried to get a sense of currents and such but I do know these are not generally treacherous waters, like the west coast of Newfoundland, for instance.<br />Meanwhile, my sister Susan writes from the East Siberian Sea, aboard the Kapitan Khelbnikov, one of our company's two Russian icebreakers:<br />"We've had many interesting challenges on the last voyage and now this one. It is a year full of struggles. We've been stuck on shore for 8 extra hours in the fog and had to shut down our helicopter operations due to fog, only to find 2 polar bear on shore with us. VERY close to us all - no guns on shore either. Which maybe in the long run is safer! Then we do not have staff making mistakes shooting each other or injuring the bear - which might upset it! (This is an old joke, our staff are sure shots if need be which we know is not optimal, but then again...). Then delayed 28 hours in Murmansk on departure due to a series of political bureaucratic kafuffles.... now a Force 6 gale has slowed us down so we have lost maybe up to 36~38 hours from this 14-day voyage. We have cleared out of Russia, so we are not allowed to land in Franz Josef Land even though in our itinerary we had 3 days planned there! Too much ice along N. Svalbard so the Akademik Shokalskiy (my ship) cannot come that way to meet us. They have our guns and ammo and charts for Svalbard! So, now we have to go south and miss a large part of the planned voyage. And it's all because of the ice and fog, unusual conditions which are due to global warming. The gales are fairly standard. It throws off the itinerary we'd planned a year ago, which is based on prior experience and knowledge of the area. It's not that we're inconvenienced, it's that conditions are changing so rapidly here we hardly know how to plan. And there are still some people asking if global warming is real?"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Susan has been a Sr. Expedition Leader with Quark for over 17 years, in addition to working on other ships previously for a total of nearly 25 years spent at both poles. And she has seen it all! From averting potential helicopter landing disasters, to overturned zodiacs to near misses of varying kinds. SHE'S the EL you want in charge on your ship when the **** hits the fan.</em></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6601932843674956323.post-54253841487963154422008-07-22T17:43:00.000-07:002008-07-23T17:52:14.368-07:00NEWS FROM THE 78th LATITUDE<em><span style="font-size:180%;">Heavy ice, tension as 3 ships assist each other breaking through sea ice.</span></em><br />An email arrived today from Phil Wickens, co-worker expedition staff, mountaineer extraodinaire, geology lecturer and good friend.<br />"We have unexpectedly come into heavy ice, so I finally have a little breathing space to write.<br />We're now in the middle of our second trip; both groups have been wonderful and with very different experiences thrown at us up here.<br />The first had few polar bears, but lots and lots of ice (we were trapped and breaking leads with 2 other ships), and good walrus sightings at the end.<br />This trip we've had better bear encounters; again plenty of ice, but nothing quite so stressful! We haven't been able to get around Spitsbergen yet; judging by the satellite images it should be possible providing there is no threatening northerly wind, but that's the call of the Expedition Leader! It's a matter of careful interpretation of the ice charts, satellite images and weather charts and keeping a dead close eye on how it changes each day; or to stay more south until the season advances.<br />As for shore excursions, we did quite a few on the last trip, but no calorie-burning yomps, though I think EL, Brando, will be up for some on future trips as we have hardly got off the ship on this trip.<br />I am currently reverting to chasing staff around the decks, mock polar-bear fighting on the bridge and other energy-burning foolishness to stave off cabin-fever..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0