| Noorwegen: Spitsbergen/Svalbard | |
- reisschema - start - Wanny Wolstad 1 - Wanny Wolstad 2 - Henri Rudi - NEC - Hamberg - HMS Calypso |
Bron: Quark Expeditions. Isbjørnhamna “The most remarkable mountains I have seen are situated in Hornsund. Horn Mount, or Hedge-hog Mount, so called from an appearance of spines on the top when seen in some positions, takes its rise from a small tact of alpine land, on the southern side of Hornsund.” William Scoresby, An Account of The Arctic Regions (1820). Isbjørnhamna is located on the northern shore of the entrance to Hornsund where we walk up to a breeding colony of little auks. It is estimated that tens of thousands of these birds breed in the area, underneath the scree and boulders, which are the appropriate size to prevent predation from foxes and glaucous gulls. Isbjørnhamna is named for a ship, Isbjørn, which was attacked by German aircraft in 1942, near Barentsburg. This part of Hornsund was a popular area for fox and bear hunters. One of these was the adventurous Wanny Woldstad, the first woman to overwinter in Svalbardduring the years 1932-37. Andréetangen and the Ice Beyond “A journey is a person itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policies and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” John Steinbeck This territory is famous for being the best polar bear trapping area in Svalbard. The area was much used during the first half of the 20th century when the fur of polar bears was sold at a high price. A cabin built by the famous “Polar Bear King” Henri Rudi in 1946 still stands today. The site is now an important haul-out for walrus, sometimes surrounding the cabin. When hauled out they tend to be ‘thigmotactic’, lying on and around each other. If the walrus are home we will make a quite, slow approach to avoid disturbing these sensitive animals. Negribreen & Heleysundet “The world is only tolerable because of the empty spaces in it – millions of people all crowded together, fighting and struggling, but behind them, somewhere, enormous, empty places. Man needs an empty space somewhere for the spirit to rest in.” Doris Lessing Negribreen is a glacier on the east side of Spitsbergen, which covers an area of about 1,180 km2 making it one of the largest glaciers in Svalbard. In 2017 it surged at a maximum speed of 22 metres per day, about 200 times its normal rate, which has become the study of both scientists and glaciologists. Heleysundet is a narrow strait that separates the northern tip of Barentsøya from Spitsbergen. The strait is difficult to see from a distance and accordingly was believed well into the 19th century that Barentsøya was part of Spitsbergen. There are actually several passages to explore in the area, the smallest being aptly names Ormholet (The Worm Hole). Kvalvågen & Hambergbutka "If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in the water… its substance reaches everywhere; it touches the past and prepares the future.” Lorne Eisley Kvalvågen is located on the central east coast of Spitsbergen, on the shoreline of Storfjorden. The large glacier, Strongbreen, calves into the bay of Kvalvågen (whale bay). One of the huts on this site dates back to 1923 and was built by the Northern Exploration Company (England). Hambergbukta bay lies between Torell Land and Sørkapp Land on the east side of Spitsbergen. We will cruise along the stunning glacier, Hambergbreen, named after Alex Hamberg, a geologist and mineralogist who explored the area in the late 1800’s. Bourbonhamna & Calypsobyen "Once wedded to Nature there is no divorce - separate her you may and hide yourself amongst the flesh-pots of London, but the wild will keep calling and calling forever in your ears. You cannot escape the "little voices."" Frank Wild This bay, Bourbonhamna (Van Keulenfjord), was named for its royal visitor, the Prince of Bourbon, who helped chart this area from his yacht (Fleur de Lys) in 1891-92. At the landing site, the well maintained hut, Bamsebu (home of the bear) is still used to this day, but no longer for hunting. This austere setting is littered with the remains of 500 belugas, just some of those that were hunted in the 1930’s. Boats from this time lie upturned on the beach, slowly being claimed back by the environment. Geologically significant in this region are the highly deformed basement rocks (metamorphic carbonates) and also the folds in the sedimentary layers from the Carboniferous and Permian periods. This region is also known for its plant diversity and the surrounding mountains provide a spectacular backdrop. Calypsobyen (Calypsostranda) offers an exciting landing that provides a glimpse of the NeoIndustrialism era. This was the site of one of the Northern Exploration Company’s (NEC) largest installations in Svalbard, where a cluster of buildings were erected in 1918-19 for the purpose of coal mining. The area was named after the HMS Calypso, which belonged to the British Navy Training Squadron that surveyed the area in 1985. Ekmanfjorden & Alkhornet “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in the water… its substance reaches everywhere; it touches the past and prepares the future.” Lorne Eisley This 18km (11 mi) long fjord, Ekmanfjorden, branches north from inner Isfjorden, lying within Nordre Isfjorden National Park. The fjord offers spectacular views and possibilities for wildlife. It is named after the Swedish businessman, and patron of the arts and sciences, Johan Oscar Ekman (1812-1907). Alkhornet is part of Nordre Isfjorden National Park and is dominated by a sheer mountain cliff, named for its prominent shape, “auk-horn”. Alkhornet has the quintessential features of the spectacular High Arctic: beautiful mountain and glacial scenery; wide, rich tundra; Arctic wildlife; a bird cliff and historical relics from different periods. The lush tundra is enriched by a cliff-based seabird colony, which also attracts reindeer and opportunistic foxes to the area |