The Spitsbergen Explorer

I remember the first polar bear sighting yelp from the deck of the GAP Expedition ship as we powered our way North of the quirky little town of Longyearbyen. Just a tiny speck in the distance made convincingly identifiable through the binocular lens. Our resident bird watching guide just laughed at my squeals of excitement and assured me there would be plenty more to come… And how very right he was.

It is a strange sensation to be in a world that doesn’t get dark (at least not in the summer months). At first I wondered how I would ever sleep but I shouldn’t have worried. The extremes of emotion you experience with every magical view or extraordinary wildlife encounter, coupled with lungs bursting with the freshest of fresh air, together with excessive quantities of delicious food and the odd tipple to toast yet another phenomenal day, has you snoring before your head hits the pillow in your comfy compact bed.

I was to discover that polar bears have an endearing sense of curiosity, and relaxed lazy presence as they sniff the air and wander closer (less so I suspect when very hungry, and when you are not observing from the safety of the ship or zodiac (motorised dinghys used for cruising and making landings)). The cubs spend 2 years with their Mother so if you're lucky enough you'll get to identify the 6 and 18 month old cubs as they interact. I on the other hand was anything but relaxed from the beginning to the end of this highly privileged adventure, bouncing and beaming like never before. And it wasn’t just the beautiful bears.. there are the birds, great cliffs filled with little auks, the wondrous walrus and the occasional excitement of a basking seal or a blowing whale. Aside from the wildlife you are awed by the ice, the sun, the enormous glacier walls carving before your very eyes…

I won’t talk about numbers or specific encounters as every trip is so different, and with the weather determining every move this is what makes your own trip so very special!

The only problem after such an adventure is where to go next?… Antarctica of course!!

For help with planning your trip to either the Arctic or Antarctica, choosing a ship and the best way to get there please contact Andrea at Travel Nation; : andrea@travelnation.co.uk / 01273 224 523