In Search of Isbjørn.

[Lisbeth]

Maybe I'd had one too many by this point.

Not this time, it's a leopard seal all right -O

Looks and sounds like a nice days.... only deck chairs missing

[Bush Brat]

That food looks good!!
Beautiful pics!! More please!!

[Jillinflorida]

I've 'gotten behind' - I LOVE the photo of the ship with the reflection in the water.

I see a lot of those wood/rock animals in Kruger.

The bonfire looks wonderful. I see the STAFF without heavy coats, what about the passengers??

Having a BBQ in the Arctic. That's something for bragging rights.

Again, the flowers all look so delicate, yet they survive some very intense weather. Amazing what mother nature can do.

Flares and rifle makes sense to me. Glad you didn't have to use either one of them. I 'assume' they would fire over a bears head unless charging and persons in danger. One would hope anyway.

Excellent narrative and photos - I'm thoroughly enjoying this adventure through your eyes/post.

[nan]

I think too, gun is a necessity, Isbjørn are the most dangerous animals... I would to be sure what I saw

did you have a swim a so beautiful weather and so limpid water

super, the braai in the middle of nowhere...
how you do to climb again in the boat... with all these chocolate

[Richprins]

Whew! Just caught up now!

Thanks for the depressing penile bone link, nan! -O

Dewi, don't some of the kittiwakes and what have you also get swallowed by the whales?

Great food pics...wish AW forumites could organise a braai like that!

A quoted comment from your melting link:

Wow! It's amazing how many scientists comment on BBC news items. Well, I presume ll these people spouting opinions have actually studied at least a teeny tiny bit of science.

No? That explains a lot.

The loss of arctic (and antarctic ice) is obviously down to changes in solar activity. The sun is entering a more active cycle and is getting hotter, therefore.....

I don't agree, though...

Stunning stuff...I'm even starting to whip out the adjectives again!


(So what happened with that pretty blonde at the braai... )

[Dewi]

Thank you Flutterby, Lisbeth, Bush Brat, Jillinflorida, Nan & Richprins.

Flutts, Wish I'd taken more pics of people, but it's one of my flaws when out in the wilds. I never seem to take many photos of people.

Thanks Lis, thought I was going there. Glad you could see it as well. No need for deck chairs, we had Siberian logs to sit on. -O

Thanks BB. And for the nomination for the wave pic. I like your description of it. P.S. About another hundred or so pics to come.

Jill, the passengers were the same. See my reply to Flutts above. I even made a see-saw and have no pics to prove it.

Nan, Isbjorn is only a dangerous animal to those that put themselves in danger or ignore the warning signs. We were always in good hands as Mats knew the bears behaviour so well. We did not go for a swim, but maybe should have? Getting back onto the ship was always a challenge with all that delicious food inside us. Have a great trip to SA and bring us some superb photos back so we can share your adventures with you.

RP, Reply to some of your spam e-mails if you are upset over Nan's link. -O The Kitts seemed to know when to get out of the way, but some do get swallowed. Maybe we need an AW advanced braaing course out in the wilds somewhere. As to the comment you copied, there's no educating dung. Yes, there are natural causes at force here, but the accelerating factor is our activities on this planet. Either that, or the scientists I've worked alongside and spoken to are absolutely useless at what their chosen fields are. I know who I believe in. The pretty blonde at the braai.....................................





was a perfect Angel.

[Dewi]

The following morning we were back at the Northwest tip of Svalbard, opposite the island where I'd seen my first Isbjørn what seemed like months ago, but was, in reality, only a few short days. Time had seemed suspended whilst we were here. It was as if we had been here forever, surely a pointer as to how good the trip had been up until now. I thought that as we had been so blessed with sightings, the trip would wind down from now until we returned to Longyearbyen. Wrong again. This magical island archipelago had other secrets to share with us that I thought I'd never experience. Those moments in the wild that you only see on television documentaries that you would have to wait weeks in a hide to observe. But that was yet to come. For now, the scenery of Fair Haven beckoned.

Towering cliffs and ice filled valleys abounded.



We landed on a small prmonatary and admired the scenery here.



Lichens adorned the rocks. This particular species only thrives where bird droppings are deposited on the rocks.



Mountain Sorrel grew in small bunches in amongst the rocks.



A pic of the zodiac in action.



I loved the way the light played down the mountain screes here.



Jurgen and I remained on board whilst the others went for a stroll on a nearby island. I wanted photographs of some of the birds that were fishing around the ship, but concentrated on taking panoramics more than the birds.









After a while, the zodiac returned and we all enjoyed a welcome coffee and cookies.



Some of the birds I saw here to follow..........

[nan]

could you descrypt lichens like hieroglyphs

looks like a bit like glaciers, but those have the sea

looking forward to the birds

[Jillinflorida]

Sigh - magnificent photos. Incredible scenery.

[Flutterby]

Amazing sights! How many pics did you take in all?