Ice defines us here in Svalbard. Large rounded cakes, bergy bits and small growlers are all parts of the pack ice surrounding the Endeavour. The ice is white, soft and decaying on top, with pools of deepest azure blue scattered throughout this fantasy landscape. Some might consider this world to be barren and inhospitable; but today we observed the amazing variety of life above the Arctic Circle and this unstable, both solid and liquid habitat astounds us.
As the Endeavour pushes through the pack, pieces of ice rock turn over and slide across each other. Spaces open and change and expose countless amphipods, small crustaceans and fish. Dozens of kittywakes, ivory gulls and jeagers arrive and join in the feast. We continue on into denser ice and begin to see the larger animals of the Arctic- the ringed seals and harp seals popping up for a quick and nervous look, bearded seals lying here and there. A mother polar bear with two cubs crosses the bow and further on, we come across a new species for this trip; two walrus. This day of sunshine, ice and spectacular wildlife leaves us breathless with the beauty of this wild place.
