Today was a day spent exploring the pack ice 12 miles offshore from the northern tip of the Svalbard Archipelago. Everyone spent time on the bow and on the bridge looking for wildlife. We were rewarded with an amazing encounter with a curious polar bear and several sightings of bearded seals. There was a presentation in the Ice Lounge from our undersea team and another to learn more about polar bears.
In the afternoon National Geographic Resolution cruised south, headed toward Longyearbyen. To the east, the coastline was rugged and beautiful. What a day!
