The Explorer glided through the millpond waters of the Nordfjord of Svaristen National Park to the sound mewing Common Gulls and the splash of Harbour Seals pondering what was entering their tranquil domain. Our guests spent a few glorious hours admiring the reflections from the sides of the fjord in the cold waters, the hanging glaciers that adorned the tops of those steep sides, the birds that were singing and flying back and forth, and walking along the water’s edge and through the birch forest. The day was completed with a visit to the southern fjord and a beautiful waterfall.
6/13/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Fjortende Julibukta and Lilliehöökbreen
Our last day in Svalbard began with a wintery feeling. National Geographic Endurance sailed towards the entrance of Krossfjorden while it was gently snowing. Our morning destination was 14th of July Bay. This was our last outing in Spitsbergen and we could not have picked a better spot to end our unforgettable voyage. The landing area was covered with spring flowers which painted the otherwise barren looking landscape with green, white, and purple colors. Svalbard reindeers were contently grazing in the outskirts of the steep cliffs, enjoying the place also known as “hanging gardens.” Thousands of kittiwakes were loudly soaring above us. Occasionally a fight would break out between a kittiwake and an Arctic skua, who clearly was not very welcomed in the nesting site of the gulls. A Zodiac cruise also offered us great wildlife encounters. The shoreline was a popular nesting place for the guillemots, eider ducks, and the Atlantic puffins. After lunch, Captain Oliver positioned our vessel in front of another spectacular sight, Lillehöök Glacier. After an hour-long cruise, we reluctantly bid farewell to Krossfjorden and made our way towards Longyearbyen.
