Svalbard August 2022

A ten day cruise on m.v. Malmo around Svalbard archipelago


So where on earth IS Svalbard?
Our route on Malmo.
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Arrivals at Longyearbyen airport can see how far they are from home.
Note the warning sign for Bears.
There should be warning signs for Arctic Terns.

Mary Ann's Polarrigg is my home for two nights.
Barnacle Geese graze the town's green areas.
Beware Bears (Hopefully a 'good omen' as well as a Sign.)
Longyearbyen, Capital, with Advent Tal in background.
Purple Sandpipers are common along the shore.
As are Glaucous Gulls.

Arctic Skua.
Snow Buntings are the only resident passerine.
M.V.Malmo, our home for the next ten days. Only 12 guests.
Dining lounge on Malmo.
Quite compact.
My Cabin was quite comfortable.

Atlantic Puffin.
Typical seascape.
Arctic Foxes are a common sight. Sadly not in winter white..
More sea and mountains.
And Ice.
On some of which rest Bearded Seals

The beard is quite full.
Glacier Calving.
Splaash!
Black-legged Kittiwake.
Arctic Terns as we don't see them at home.
And on the shore we find our first Polar Bears.

Two males are feeding on a Walrus carcass.
The larger of the two bears.
Meanwhile just waiting in the background are a female and two cubs.
But the 'boys' are in no hurry to leave the feast.
Mum feeds the cubs.
One male goes for a dip to cool down.

They must be related otherwise they would not feed together.


The female decides to approach.
But the boys are not for leaving yet.
So the trio settle down to wait.

and WAIT!
Until at last the boys give way.
When Mum and cubs get to share the carcass.
Bears depend on scavanging carcass when the ice has retreated.
The boys have not gone far.
And after a while it is time to rest. There were six bears at the feast.

After leavng the bears we pass close by some cliffs where birds nest.
The Zodiacs are launched so we can get closer.
100's of Brunnich's Guillemots breed on these cliffs
And the ever present Arctic Foxes wait for an easy meal.
Watching for a bird in trouble.
The adult birds lay off shore awaiting the fledgelings.

But this one did not make it.
But the foxes don't get them all.
Next morning we find some Walrus lazing on the 'beach'.
Is he shy or just waving?
Yet more ice splendour.
Late at night we find a large pod of Humpback Whales feeding.

Next morinng we find Polar Bear number 7.
We take the Zodiac for a closer look.
They just sleep the warm weather away until seals come back.
This one wakes up and decides to move.
A close look shows he needs a new Incisor.
Now he moves away.

This poor Harp Seal has got entangled in a net.
A really beautiful animal.
Bear number 8.
Bear number 9.
Bears 10 and 11. We think they are on honeymoon.
Bear number 12.

Unlucky for some but not us. Number 13
Number 14 is also risking entanglement as it investigates netting.
Female Walrus and calf.
Bearded Seal posing for my camera.
Smile.
Very nice.

Light-bellied Brent Geese.
A small family party.
Another Bearded Seal.
A real Star. Ivory Gull.
Very rare bird of the High Arctic.
So nice to see them.

We launch a shore party to see more Walrus.
Not spooked despite a close approach. John has his rifle in case of bears.
Joy. We get close sightings of Fin Whales.
Hunted as badly as Blue Whales they are a welcome sight.
There are about a dozen of them.
This is a view of the baleen as they feed.

See how it expells the water to leave the prey.
We are now treated to our last Polar Bear which seems to have swum some distance.
It clambers ashore but we could not follow as there was a big swell running.
It looks so clean and white after its swim.
And rolls in grass to shed excess water.
Or last day ended with a bang. After disembarking I get to splurge on a nice Hotel.

Hotel Polfarenen. A nice room.
A last hot chocolate with fellow pax Cindy and Kevin.
Bags packed and I am on my way home. What a trip.