We woke on the west coast of Svalbard navigating our way into Krossfjord under spectacular blue skies and sunshine. This area is protected due to its important bird populations, many of which we saw streaming back from foraging trips ahead of the ship. Our first destination was Fourteenth of July Glacier (named by the Duke of Monaco after the French Bastille Day) to explore by kayak and Zodiac. Conditions couldn’t have been much better as the snow-covered mountains were mirrored in the glassy waters. After a BBQ in the sunshine, we headed for Lilliehook Glacier, and the 10 km face was absolutely breathtaking. Next up, 80 degrees North, with ice for toasts and hopefully some more furry wildlife.