Today we experienced what the high Arctic is all about. A spectacular scene of blue skies, pack ice, sunshine, and mirror-like water. We spent the day sailing through a frozen and silent landscape that looked and felt like something out of a dream. Kittiwakes, guillemots, and northern fulmars on flight glided around National Geographic Resolution, as we made our way through the ice with many eyes on the lookout for wildlife. Soon enough, a family of walrus appeared resting on an ice floe, two adults and a pup. These charismatic creatures were a joy to watch but after a while, we decided to keep exploring around Northern Svalbard.
As we were finishing lunch, the team spotted a polar bear and her cub as they moved from floe to floe. We went out on deck to watch in silence to avoid causing disturbance to this small family. As if this was not enough, soon after we left them, we encountered three more bears. While one was off on its own, another one was intently feeding on the ice only to be surprised by a third one which emerged suddenly from the water. It was an incredible day for all of us on board.
