Woodfjord and Northern Spitsbergen, Svalbard, 6/18/2018, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Arctic
Our last day in Svalbard started early. At ten minutes past midnight, our expedition leader, Lucho, made the call on the PA system that we had arrived at Cape Fanshawe.
Stefano is originally from Italy and nature has always been the greatest of his passions. Spending time outdoors is his daily priority with a special devotion rock climbing during summer, accompanied by ski and snowboarding during winter.
The last day of our amazing voyage is here, and what an expedition it has been! Captain Martin and our expedition leader Peter have taken us through the hardest ice, found good weather, and we’ve had great wildlife encounters. What better way to start this final day than to be at the impressive Dynjandi Waterfalls, a cascading massive waterfall crashing down the mountainside. Some of us set off on a long hike while the rest of our guests went straight to the waterfalls. The view was breathtaking! After lunch the galley team treated us to a special 4th of July barbeque buffet and we started to make our way towards Reykjavik. The many sea birds soaring around us were magnificent company as we sailed along the coast of Iceland enjoying great views on our way to our final destination.
During breakfast we arrived at Isafjörður, the capital of the Westfjords. It was an overcast and slightly windy morning but nevertheless pleasant! National Geographic Resolution lay at the pier and we could choose between spending time on our own, strolling through town on a guided walk with beer and food tasting, or exploring the surrounding fjords and valleys on a bus tour to the small fishing village of Flateyri where a small concert awaited us in the local church. Just after lunch we spotted humpback whales again, this time in the fjord outside Isafjörður. Some of them were really close to the ship and their huge white pectoral flippers could clearly be seen whilst they swam. Tonight’s recap was a special highlight as Hotel Manager Laura had arranged a "bathrobe party". Nearly every guest arrived in their white bathrobes. It was hilarious! After dinner we landed at a small island called Vigur in the fjord Ísafjarðardjúp. Here, a small museum with information about eider down collection awaited us...and there was homemade cake! Those who dared could go on a guided hike over the island, which was interesting as we passed a colony of breeding Arctic terns. A wildlife encounter that will be hard to forget!
National Geographic Resolution sailed from Husavik at 0800 under clear skies and calm winds. The sea was glassy and the unlimited visibility was perfect for finding whales. “Blows ahead!” rang out on the PA system and soon we were getting close views of a group of humpback whales. Flukes, fins, and spouts seemed to surround the ship. Camera shutters clicked constantly from the outer decks as each whale surfaced and tossed their flukes up for all to see. The afternoon was a birding extravaganza as we explored the cliffs of Grimsey Island, a prime nesting spot for Atlantic puffin, fulmars, gulls, terns, and razorbills. A hike along the top of the bluffs produced fine photos of puffins around their boroughs, while those in flight where trickier to get in the frame. Behind us in the grass we saw redshanks, Arctic terns, phalaropes, and a few very shy snipes.
