After we spent 15 hours sailing from Storfjorden, Spitsbergen, we anchored in Sorhamna at Bear Island. Fortunately, the sea was calm and we enjoyed presentations. Naturalist Michael Nolan spoke about pinnipeds of Svalbard, and Erlend Folstad discussed Amundsen’s last journey.
When we anchored in Sorhamna, the weather was nice and we had a glimpse of the sun. However, we soon experienced some of the well-known, rapid changes in weather that can take place on a small island located in the middle of the Barents Sea. Not long after our arrival, the wind increased, visibility declined, and snow was in the air.
After lunch, Zodiac cruising along the famous bird cliffs was on the program. Our expectations were high. With more than one million nesting birds, this is the most important area for birds in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is impossible to describe the beauty of the bird cliff, both the visuals and the noise of hundreds of thousands of birds communicating with each other. We all forgot about the rough seas, wind, and snow as we cruised along the cliff.
Our divers found the roughest place on the island to be the best diving spot. We all look forward to learning more about life under the surface in a place like this. We will not be surprised if we learn that birds accompanied them during their dive.
During recap, Michal Nolan presented very interesting footage of the Russian ship, Petrozavodsk. He took the footage from 2010 until today, when most of the ship is lost to the sea.
