In Search of Isbjørn.

[Jillinflorida]

Oh I did see the 'boo' picture - I just didn't get scared....aw well.

Not boring at all. Fascinating. Friends of mine think I'm weird wanting to go back to SA....no accounting for some people.

14 st isn't bad - as long as you're about 6'6" tall.

[Flutterby]

Please don't tell me we have to start revealing our weight on every TT!!

[Mel]

Flutts! Don't you mods and admins get any wrong
ideas and make it a new rule on this forum.

Dewi, I can't add anything that hasn't been said before...
I also find your trip very fascinating as I'll probably never get there myself.
It's great to read about such exotic places at the Arctic and your pics that
go with it only deepen the sensation of curiosity!

So, the first Isbjørn is found and if the BOO-photo was taken by yourself,
then we're in for a serious close encounter.

[Flutterby]

Flutts! Don't you mods and admins get any wrong
ideas and make it a new rule on this forum.

Not a chance!!! -O

[PRWIN]

Dewiiiiiiiiiii

[Dewi]

Thanks everyone for your comments, appreciated.

Patience Mr. Irwin, patience.

Mel, believe me, the sightings will get better, so stay with me here.

Just had one of my Svalbard pics published in the daily newspaper here today and just got off the phone after being booked to do a talk on my trip to the local Birding Group.

[Lisbeth]

Bravo Dewi, Your fame is speading

[Dewi]

With several monuments here, we spent some time lokking at each one and walked around the site which was steeped in history.



I got distracted by a colourful flowering plant which I think is Polar Stoloniferous Saxifrage. These hardy little plants cling on to life in this harsh environment by nestling between rocks and grow in small clumps wherever they can get a foothold.



And another pic of our little ship showing the rich colours of the mosses along the beachfront.



On leaving the beach, three Harbour Seals were seen eithes swimming or hauled out on rocks. This is probably the worst pic of a seal I have ever taken, so I apologise, but the best I got in the gloomy light with my little mik-en-druk.



Back onboard, we headed to the lounge for welcome beverages and the ship sailed NorthWest overnight where we landed at Mosel Point. I took this next photo of the coastline on the approach there.



The beaches here are littered with driftwood from all along the Arctic coast from as far away as Siberia. I loved seeing the weatherworn patterns on the roots of a tree that once graced a land far away when alive.





Lichens grew on these aged castaways and added a splsh of colour to the growth rings underneath.



Evidence of the stormy weather conditions here could be seen in the rock formations lying on the beaches.



We wandered along listening to the tinkling calls of Snow Buntings. Purple Sandpipers fed on the littoral and Arcic Skuas chased and harried the Terns and Kittiwakes offshore. This was bliss for me. I walked along with the group, but my mind was elsewhere as I marvelled at everything around us, stopping regularly to inspect a tiny plant or watch as a bird flew over. What a peaceful place this was that day. I did not want to leave. We walked some distance to a low rise and looked out over the bay...........

[Dewi]

Thanks Lis.

[nan]

and the colours continue
I like the "very bad" picture of the Seal
and this one of the little flowers