July 14 - 27, 1998
Aboard the 122-passenger Clipper Adventurer
Join us for a 13-day exploration of Arctic Spitsbergen and the beautiful fjords of coastal Norway. Travel aboard one of the most comfortable and ice-capable vessels afloat to experience the savage grandeur and magnificent wildlife and wild flowers of Spitsbergen, at the very best time of year. Expect to see polar bears and a host of other mammals and birds that flourish during the short summer period in one of the world's most rugged environments.
Then continue to explore the coast of Norway, where even the local people are awed by the highly scenic fjords and impressive mountain scenery.
July 14 - Oslo, Norway
Arrive at Oslo and transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay. Dinner this evening is on your own.
July 15 - Oslo/Longyearbyen, Svalbard (Embark)
Depart by charter flight for Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard often called Spitsbergen and transfer to the Clipper Adventurer. Embark and sail in the afternoon..
July 16 - Ny Ålesund/Danskoya
For the first part of the cruise you will explore what the Norwegians call Svalbard (the name means "cold coast"). Americans call the whole archipelago Spitsbergen, though officially that name is reserved for the largest island. The itinerary for the next few days is for guidance only, and may vary according to wildlife encountered and local ice and weather conditions. Your progress will depend on the pack ice, which changes position from year to year and also throughout the season.
The first visit will be at Ny Ålesund, in Kongs Fjord. This former coal mining settlement is now the biggest scientific research center in the high Arctic, and is the most northerly village in the world. At Ny Ålesund you can see breeding birds such as Barnacle Geese, Long-tailed Ducks, Red Phalaropes, and Arctic Terns. With luck, you may see some reindeer. In the afternoon, visit the site of an unsuccessful Swedish expedition to the North Pole. Some of the artifacts that you may see at Danskoya stem from this 1897 expedition. Danskoya was also an important base for the 17th-century whaling industry.
Jul 17 - Monaco Glacier/Hinlopen Strait
Sail to the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen, and the entrance to Liefde Fjord, where there is a very good chance of seeing Bearded Seals, and perhaps Polar Bears as well, while Eider Ducks nest on small islands. At the end of the fjord is the magnificent Monaco Glacier, one of the most beautiful in Spitsbergen. It is relatively fast-moving and large amounts of ice break off it each summer.
Hinlopen Strait runs between the island of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet, the second largest and most heavily glaciated island in the archipelago. This area is noted for pack ice and icebergs. Look out for Walruses, Ringed Seals, or Harp Seals, which are often seen resting on the ice. At the southern end of the strait the towering bird cliff of Alkefjellet is home to thousands of Murres and Glaucous Gulls.
Jul 18 - Kvitoya
South of Nordaustlandet is an impressive floating ice shelf essentially a seaborne extension of the slow-moving inland icecap. This ice shelf stretches virtually unbroken for over 100 miles. At its end is Kvitoya, or "white island." It was here that Andre and his ill-fated companions erected their last camp after their balloon came down in 1897. Their remains were not found until 1930 and a small monument now marks the spot
Jul 19 - Kong Karls Land/Freeman Sound.
Kong Karls Land consists of two uninhabited islands that you pass on the way south to Freeman Sound. They are geologically fascinating, with terraces of basalt pebbles which reach a height of over 600 feet. You will spend time cruising in this general area looking for Polar Bears, which are out on the ice at this time of year. Later, a landing is planned in Freeman Sound, which separates the islands of Barentsoya and Edgeoya. The tundra plains here are grazed by reindeer, while the rich moss and grasslands support an abundance of wild flowers. Walruses occasionally haul up on the sandy beaches.
Jul 20 - Hopen Island
Hopen Island is the southwestern-most point of the archipelago. There is a meteorological station located on a ridge near the shore, and from here a short walk takes you along the cliffs to a colony of Kittiwakes. Leaving Hopen Island, the Clipper Adventurer heads south through the Barents Sea towards the Norwegian mainland.
Jul 21 - Bear Island
Bjornoya or Bear Island sits like a large rock between Norway and Svalbard. Its name commemorates the first sighting of a Polar Bear by the Dutch navigator Willem Barents in 1596. The southern cliffs rise 800 feet out of the sea, and can seem like a wall of birds, with tens of thousands of Murres and Kittiwakes jostling for position on the narrow ledges. Glaucous Gulls breed on the very top. Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will travel by Zodiac among the spectacular caves and tunnels at the foot of the cliffs, or land at Walrus Harbor.
Jul 22 - Fugleoya/Troms�, Norway
The morning is free to relax and reflect on the land and wildlife you have seen in the past few days. The onboard team of naturalists will continue their lecture program. At about midday there is the chance of a Zodiac cruise beneath the sheer cliffs of Fugleoya, or Bird Island. This 2,300-foot-high island is home to a large colony of Puffins, which nest in burrows in the green, eroded slopes. Bird Island is also the most important breeding ground of the White-tailed Sea Eagle. With luck, you may see ten or twelve of these magnificent birds in the sky at the same time. In the late afternoon, dock at Troms�, Norway's northernmost city and traditional gateway to the Arctic for hunters, sealers, and whalers. At this time of year, the sun does not set in Troms�.
Jul 23 - Troms/Andenes/Troll Fjord
The city of Troms� boasts a fine polar museum as well as another devoted to Arctic natural history and the Sami people of Lapland. The modern cathedral with its architecture of glass and concrete is worth a visit, or you may board a cable car to one of the nearby mountains, for a great view of the city below. At midday, sail south for Andenes, a fishing village that has recently become a whale-watching center, where you have an excellent chance of seeing great whales, especially sperm whales. In the evening, Clipper Adventurer enters Troll Fjord, which terminates in an ice-scoured bowl. The "trolls" of Scandinavian folklore once reigned in this magical, intimate mini-fjord where you can enjoy the sight of flowers, shrubs, and dwarf trees in profusion.
Jul 24 - Reine Island/R�st Island/Vikingen
This morning make a short visit at Reine, a neat settlement of small, gaily painted houses and one of the most picturesque fishing ports in the Lofoten Islands. Back on board, keep watch for Orcas, or Killer Whales, which are sometimes seen in the area. Gatherings of feeding gulls often give away the orcas' position. After lunch, disembark at R�st, near the southern end of the Lofotens. This scenic island is one of the most important breeding grounds for the Atlantic Puffin and its cousins, the Razorbill and the Black Guillemot. Oystercatchers roam the shores, while Shags and Gulls are also abundant. The boulder-strewn slopes are carpeted with lush grass dotted with the pink and white of campions. After dinner, celebrate crossing the Arctic Circle when the ship passes the small island of Vikingen, which lies precisely on the Circle. You can see a monument of the globe and the island's only inhabitant, a sheep named Ingrid, who grazes there each summer.
Jul 25 - Torghatten/Cruising
This morning, land at the island of Torghatten. The name means "market hat," in other words the fine hat that you should wear on market day. The island is in fact shaped rather like a hat, but the most remarkable feature is an enormous hole which runs right through the mountain about 400 feet above sea level. According to legend, this was caused by a furious troll firing an arrow while pursuing an enemy. You can reach it via a path running through a forest of birch and mountain ash. On the far side there is a magnificent view over the coastal farmland. Leaving the island at mid-morning, you have the rest of the day to relax on board as the Clipper Adventurer sails steadily southward. The naturalists continue to inform you with lectures and briefings.
Jul 26 - Geiranger Fjord
Today is spent in the Geiranger Fjord, the most spectacular and deepest of the Norwegian fjords. Waterfalls cascade down the almost sheer walls of the Geiranger, and you will be amazed at the trees which have somehow found a foothold on the precipitous rock faces. High up on the steep slopes you can see fields and farm houses (now mostly abandoned) perching on the hillsides. Disembark in the morning at the pretty village of Geiranger. A coach will be available to take you into the mountains, where you will stop at the remarkable viewpoint of Flydal Gorge. Later, the ship will pause near some of the most famous of the waterfalls, such as the romantically named Seven Sisters, and the Suitor.
Jul 27 - Bergen (Disembark)
Arrive this morning at Bergen, a well preserved trading port of the Hanseatic League, and Norway's second largest city. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
