We woke up to a sunny but somewhat windy morning as we approached St. Jonsfjorden, a narrow fjord to the west of Spitsbergen Island. The northerly wind calmed down as National Geographic Resolution nosed into the inner part of the fjord. During the morning, naturalist Carl Erik Kilander gave an extensive presentation on the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Amundsen is recognized as the most successful polar explorer of all time. He has a number of “firsts,” including the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, and the first to set foot on the South Pole. After lunch, National Geographic photographer Camille Seaman shared a fascinating story about, “Photographers That Inspired Me.” In the afternoon, we offered two options for an outing. A number of guests enjoyed kayaking, whereas others opted for a Zodiac cruise in this stunningly beautiful fjord.

Our early spring adventure in Svalbard still has one more day of exploration in store. We are now heading southwards along Spitsbergen Island to round off our expedition in a couple scenic fjords.