Arctic
July 2023
Oslo
We had a 48-hour Oslo transit pass, which included all public transit: ferries, buses, etc.
Saunas - Absolutely loved the sauna culture. A few different ways to participate. We rented a private sauna boat with 4 of us and we also got a day pass for a shared sauna area / village. We did not make it to SALT sauna for the sauna + concert experience, though we did stop by for a beer, food trucks, and a DJ.
KOK - would recommend for any groups of 4+ people. Our driver navigated our private sauna boat, tended the sauna, and took photos of us. We stopped for a dip in the fjord every 20 minutes or so, where we could dive and flip off the roof which was amazing.
Oslo Badstuforening, Sukkerbiten - There were 8 saunas at this location with a few where you could jump off the roof and one with a “diving board.” Each had a unique vibe with multiple levels for hotness, and some with essential oils
Kayaking / Akerselva River - We did a river kayak tour, since you’re not allowed to rent kayaks to go out into the fjord unless you have advanced certification. Our guide was great and a super kayak nerd who was keen to up-level our kayaking technique no matter where we were at to be more efficient at diverse conditions. We loved going through the parks, under bridges, through tunnels, before emerging in the main fjord at the Munch museum
Hovedøya - Took a ferry (included in our transit pass) to this island in the fjord and walked around it’s lush, green trails. Passed some historical ruins, sheep / goats, and some nice swimming beaches.
Grünerløkka - A cute part of town with lots of cafés and parks that we wandered around.
Svalbard
10 day circumnavigation of Svalbard:
Longyearbyen
Ny-Ålesund 78°56 N 11°56 E - international research community. Ny London 78°57.8’ N 012°2.9’ E - Englishman claimed he found entire island of marble, industrial equipment shipped to Blomstrandhalvøya. Marble beautiful when it left the ground, but crumbled during transport. Everything moved to Ny-Ålesund in 1950’s.
1. Gullybukta - southern bay of Magdalenefjorden in Albert I Land, which is 8km long and 5km wide fjord between Reuschhalvøya and Hoelhalvøya. 2. Smeerenburg - whaling settlement on Amsterdam Island in NW Svalbard, founded by Dutch as Europe’s northernmost outpost. Local bowhead whale population decimated. Abandoned around 1660.
Mushamna - bay (act. lagoon) on east side of Woodfjord on north coast of Spitsbergen, Monacobreen - glacier in Haakon VII Land on Spitsbergen, debouches into Lief-defjorden. (prev. Glacier de Monaco and Liefde Bay-bræ)
81°06 N, 7 Sister Island
AlkeFjellet - cliff in Lomfjordhalvøya in Ny-Friesland at Spitsbergen. Bird cliff facing towards Hinlopen Strait, meaning “mountain of the guillemots” most faous cliff of Svalbard achipelago, home to ~60,000 pairs of breeding Brünnich’s guillemots as well as glaucous gulls and kittiwakes. Ardneset - island in Hinlopen Strait in Wahlberjoya, home to a haul-out of walruses.
Torrellneset (stop skipped to due weather conditions), Brasvellbreen - The Sudden Swell Glacier, north of Nordaustlandet. In late 1930’s observed to have a recent huge surge, forming a 10km long tongue into the sea. The ice cliff is ~180km long and roughly 24km high with a series of waterfalls.
Sundneset, Kapp Lee 78°12.3’ N 021°0.0’ E - headland of Edgeøya. NW point of island, north of Dolerittneset. Largest remaining historical slaughtering place for walrus, many bones found from whalers. Important breeding site for common eider and Arctic tern. Good feeding area for reindeer and denning for Arctic fox. Walruses have returned and have a haul-out on the beach.
Samarinbreen - glacier 23km northern branch of Mefonna
Longyearbyen
Montages
The Walrus
The Polar Bear
Arctic Wildlife
Svalbard Wildlife
Polar bears - we sighted a whopping 11 polar bears during our trip. We came closest to the one at 81°, rather it came close to us as it was rather curious. 2 were eating carcasses. 1 was in town, where we were supposed to do a walk, but couldn’t as researchers and guides stood watch with rifles.
Walruses - these were my favorite!! tons of walrus haul-outs, they were also swimming right off of beaches we were walking on… maybe a little too close 😅
Cetaceans - a handful of whales and on the last day I spotted a dolphin… and everyone was like, nah, there aren’t dolphins in this area, and we zoomed in on my video and it was identified as a white beaked dolphin!
Other mammals - Loved the furry horns of the reindeer and cuteness of arctic fox. Seals were also plentiful, on floating ice and swimming alongside our zodiacs.
