The new day got off to a slightly unusual start. We were able to sleep in, well – kind of, as the wake up call still came at half past seven. The reason for this is because we will spend the morning at sea, en route for the island of Bjørnøya. Sea birds keep us company all along the way, mostly northern fulmars, but also guillemots and gulls. As we gazed out at the sea surrounding us we marvelled at how these birds have made the oceans their home. It was also an opportunity to attend some presentations and we are all delighted to finally know how the Brendan voyage ended.
After lunch we learned more about animal migration. By this time the island was clearly in sight, rising dramatically out of the Barentz Sea. Huge numbers of birds could be seen flying to and from the island on their foraging trips.
By mid-afternoon we are ready to board the Zodiacs for cruises. We marvelled at the thousands of birds that were clinging to seemingly tiny ledges on the impressive cliffs which dominate this part of Bjørnøya. The birds number in the thousands, Brünnich’s and common guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, black guillemots and the occasional Atlantic puffin, which always delight us. The birds are right in the midst of courtship and bonding behaviour as they prepare for the breeding season. A few birds were already on their own and were very silent, which may mean that they were already underway and sitting on eggs. Every now and then geese were seen flying overhead and various species of duck were spotted on the water.
The rock formations also impressed us mightily, one particular sector with its narrow banding and beautiful colors. Then there was another area where the banding rises vertically to great heights; we all sat in wonder at the forces that uplifted these rocks from the horizontal position a long time ago. There were also sectors where we could see beautiful folds. Every now and then we came upon small beach areas and as we approached them the water turned a deep turquoise, a result of the reflection from the sandy bottom. There were also caves and tunnels that could be explored today with the calm sea conditions.
But it is probably the images of the thousands of little black and white or gray and white dots all over the cliff faces that will remain with us the most.
Cocktail and recap hour is lively today as we share our adventures together, understanding perfectly that no two Zodiac trips are ever the same and these moments of sharing are a way of enriching each others experience.
The day ends with our first sightings of icebergs as we make our way to Svalbard.
