Description
Enjoy the immense beauty of Svalbard on this Arctic adventure cruise among whales, walruses, polar bears and millions of sea birds. Experience high summer in the Arctic with Ocean Atlantic – one of the few ice-class expedition ships built to withstand the North Pole’s pack ice. One of the goals of this Albatros expedition is to sail as close as possible to the pack ice north of Svalbard, the polar bear´s favorite summer residence. How far north we reach and the exact route up there will depend on the ice conditions. Additionally, we will visit several of the amazing locations along the west coast of Svalbard, all kept navigable by the warm Gulf Stream. During the short summer, wildlife such as reindeer and polar fox are busy amassing energy for the icy polar winter. The cliffs shimmer with life as every surface is populated with countless birds, and in a few months a new generation of arctic sea birds is ready to leave their nests. Arctic guillemots, black guillemots and razorbills can be observed fishing in the wake of our ship. On several shores, the huge walruses enjoy the short Arctic summer as well as many whales and seals foraging along the edge of the pack ice and the coasts. With a fleet of sturdy Zodiac boats, we are able to view wildlife at close proximity. The Zodiacs allow us to have frequent shore landings and embark on exploratory mini cruises in the fjords and glacial landscapes.