Through the North Atlantic - From Scotland to Svalbard

Description

There are few wilder, more magnificent and untouched places than the Arctic Islands of the North Atlantic! And no ships more suited than Ocean Atlantic for such a voyage.
Join us for an early summer’s cruise from Aberdeen to the lush green Shetland isles, the Faroe Islands small capital Tórshavn and the North Atlantic to the Arctic islands of Jan Mayen and Svalbard. We will travel north along with the migrating birds, and hopefully spot the polar bears hunting from the sea ice in the 24-hour daylight.

The cruise starts in Aberdeen on the Scottish East Coast. Here we embark Albatros Expedition’s vessel, the comfortable Ocean Atlantic, which is our home for the next 11 days. Our first stop is cozy Lerwick on “main” Shetland, then we venture further north to Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands. After a day at sea spotting for seabirds and whales we reach the enigmatic and isolated island of Jan Mayen with its looming 2,200-meter high volcano of Beerenberg. We travel north with the spring and 24-hour daylight until we reach the snow-covered mountains of Svalbard. Sea ice will still cover many fjords, but with an ice class of 1B we are safe on board Ocean Atlantic. From the panorama deck we hope to spot the iconic polar bear on the ice and feel the Arctic nature close to us as we cruise in our smaller Zodiac vessels. We venture further north into Kongsfjorden and Ny Ålesund, to Smeerenburg and hopefully as far as Yttre Norskøya in the far North west corner of Spitsbergen Island. Weather and ice conditions will often dictate the course, but each landing with Zodiac-boats will still be unique and adventurous.

The cruise does not have any special requirements for you as a participant, but it is assumed that you are in good shape, agile and good on your legs. Some landings will be made with the ship’s Zodiac rubber boats, and this requires some agility to get in and out of. The journey takes place in the mild spring and early summer, and we expect calm sea, sun and temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees.

After 11 fantastic days we will disembark in Longyearbyen for your homebound flight.

Trip Name

Through the North Atlantic - From Scotland to Svalbard

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Ice-class small expedition cruise ship Length: 140 meters Passenger Capacity: 198 Built / rebuilt / renovated: 1985 / 2010 / 2016 Ocean Atlantic is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising in Antarctic waters! Newly renovated in 2016 and with an international ice class rating of 1B, she is one of the strongest ships operating in Antarctica. Her high maneuverability, shallow draft and strong engines allow for extended voyages into isolated fjords, creating exciting adventures for any Antarctica traveler. Ocean Atlantic is newly renovated (2016) with elegant common areas and accommodation for 198 passengers. The ship was built in 1985 and underwent an extensive rebuild in 2010. With a length of 140m she has ample space on the multiple decks for several lecture halls, a relaxed restaurant serving 4-star international cuisine, professionally staffed bars and observation platforms – and even a pool. All common areas on the Erickson Deck feature large panel windows, enabling passengers to quickly spot passing whales and photographic sights from the comfort of indoor lounges. All private cabins are stylish appointed and feature individual bathroom facilities, phone for internal calls, individual temperature controls and TV. Ideal for relaxation, the vessels’ accommodation ranges in size from 11 - 35 m2 and are designed with either portholes or windows. Daily shore landings at penguin rookeries, research stations and other Antarctic wonders are made possible by her fleet of 20 Zodiacs. Restaurant & Bar The bright, spacious restaurant prepares 4-star international cuisine. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your tour price. All meals are served in the restaurant where you can enjoy the spectacular views. You have free seating at all meals. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, while dinner is a la carte. Meals, including daily snacks, are prepared by a professional chef. Coffee, tea and water are free during the entire cruise; other drinks can be purchased in the restaurant and at the bar. In the event you are not onboard at lunch time we will prepare a lunch bag for you in the morning, which you can take ashore. In the afternoon, we offer tea and coffee in the lounge. We also offer a midnight snack between 22:00 h and 24:00 h. The professionally staffed bar offers a selection of soft drinks, juices, wines, liquors, spirits and beer that can be charged to your shipboard account. Observation Deck / Pool Enjoy the time on our observation deck while relaxing in a deckchair, take a swim in the pool or soak in the jaccuzi. Activities Library: Our board library offers a wide range of multilingual books ranging from fiction to travel literature. Curl up with a book, watch a DVD and broaden your understanding of the region's history, flora, fauna, climate, scientific contributions and more. Entertainment: During all Albatros Expedition cruises, the focus is placed on exploration and education. From the ship's well-equipped, onboard lecture theatres, the expedition team will host a series of presentations and workshops on various topics. Shore Excursions & Landings: The expedition team will organize a series of Zodiac excursions and shore landing activities to bring you closer in touch with your natural surroundings. Gym & Wellness Gym facilities and a sauna are available onboard the ship. Panoramic Lounges Large windows, comfortable seating and even binoculars create the ideal lookout to enjoy the ever-changing landscapes.

Itinerary

Day 1 - DAY 1 BOARDING IN ABERDEEN

Our journey begins in Aberdeen in North East Scotland, where MV Ocean Atlantic is located by a dock in the Dee River. Boarding is in the afternoon, where the cabins are designated. After the mandatory security review and drill, we sail out through the mouth of the Dee River towards the North Sea.

Day 2 - DAY 2 SHETLAND ISLANDS WITH THE HARBOUR AND FISHING VILLAGE OF LERWICK

Ocean Atlantic approaches Lerwick near the "Main Land" of Shetlands in the morning. The island of Shetland consists of more than 100 islands and shores, of which only 15 are inhabited year-round. The islands form the northernmost part of the British kingdom, located approximately 300 km north of the mainland of Scotland. This "central" location in the North Atlantic has through the ages led many to the islands, and the Scandinavian heritage still shines through dialects, folklore and place names.Once securely docked at the port, we depart through Lerwick towards Scalloway for a short scenic drive. From the elevated position we can enjoy the view of the charming village and the imposing Scalloway Castle. After a short photo stop, we continue eastwards through the area that is locally known as the “Black Gates” – an area where peat is still cut to use as fuel.Following the road northwards our main destination of Clickimin Broch is only a short drive. There will be free time to discover this well preserved and restored Broch and learn more about life in the Iron Age. (The excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the price of the trip).Afterwards, we will return to Lerwick and the ship in the middle of the day. The rest of the day is for enjoying at leisure before departing in the early afternoon.

Day 3 - DAY 3 FAROE ISLANDS TÓRSHAVN AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC

We arrive after breakfast at Tórshavn, possibly the smallest capital in the world, ruling the scattered 18 island that make up the Faroes. Centred around the charming grass-roofed Parliament on Tinganes, Tórshavn is now an almost bustling modern city with shops, cafés and even three traffic lights!By midmorning you can participate in an optional bus excursion where we will try to look a bit back in history. We drive out of the capital and over the mountains to the south. As the climate on the Faroe Island is ‘stable unstable’ it is not unlikely that we will drive through the cloud base and experience some fog on the way. But if you wait a moment, it also not unlikely that it will clear up. We arrive in Kirkjubøur, the most important historical site on the islands. Kirkjubøur was in medieval times the Episcopal centre of the Faroe Islands, and also its undisputed cultural centre. We visit the ruins of the impressive Magnus Cathedral that perhaps never was completed, and the St. Olav church – the only remaining medieval church on the Faroe Islands. Upon our return to ‘Havn’ – as Tórshavn is often just called – you can go for a leisurely stroll through the old citadel near the harbour. A visit to the Art museum and the Nordic House is also very recommendable.(The excursion is part of the excursion package and is not included in the price of the trip).The sailing northwards towards Jan Mayen will probably go through Vestmanna Sound, along the west-facing shore of Streymoy and the south side of Mykines. But the route depends on winds, sea and comfort. We spend day number 6 at sea and enjoy the ship’s many facilities.

Day 4 - DAY 4 ON THE SEA TOWARDS JAN MAYEN LOOKING FOR SEABIRDS, DOLPHINS AND WHALES

Listen to a lecture from our experienced expedition staff, see a film about Arctic nature – or go out on deck to catch glimpses of migrating birds and hopefully some whales.

Day 5 - DAY 5 JAN MAYEN WITH LANDING IN ZODIACS

Approximately in the middle of the North Atlantic lies the enigmatic volcanic island of Jan Mayen. And if not exactly in the middle, at least it is located precisely on the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the reason for its volcanic existence. And enigmatic it is not only because of its isolation but also due to the almost perpetual clouds and fog that hovers above it. Jan Mayen belongs to Norway, and the mountain Beerenberg is one of the higher of Norways 300 summits above 2.000 meter. The island is habited by only 18 persons, running the meteorological station and the Norwegian Defence.We will try to go ashore at the narrowest part of the island, from either south or north, depending on the prevailing wind and surf. The volcanic origin is visible all over with cinder cones, lava flows and the Mount Fuji like appearance of Beerenberg looming above.After a pleasant stroll on the narrow isthmus we board the Zodiacs and Ocean Atlantic to continue our voyage north.

Day 6 - DAY 6 ON THE SEA TOWARDS SVALBARD

Lectures, movies or maybe a game are some of the activities and this sea day.

Day 7 - DAY 7 KONGSFJORDEN, NY ÅLESUND

We are getting closer towards the islands of Svalbard, and it should be possible to spot the largest island, Spitsbergen during the afternoon.Our route for this day and next are much depending on conditions. Not least the pack ice coming from Arctic Sea as well as from calving glaciers, and also solid winter sea ice. Our vessel has an ice class of 1B and the Captain should be able to safely approach the edge of the ice to give us opportunity to spot our first polar bear, hunting for seals.The west coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so winter ice should now have melted.During the night the ship will sail north along the coast of Spitsbergen.

Day 8 - DAY 8 NY ÅLESUND, KONGSFJORDEN AND BLOMSTRANDHALVØYA

During the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early summer and this is both the challenge and gift of this special voyage. Winter ice will possibly block the inner waters of many fjords, but this will give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent – but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its prime habitat. At this time of the year, the migrating birds have just arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start for the coming hectic summer months. Our first landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in fact further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE northernmost town. But… is a group of scientific stations, a post office and a single shop open for a few hours a real town? You will have to judge for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific projects are very interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area. Continuing our exploration of Kongsfjorden, Ocean Atlantic will anchor behind Blomstrand Peninsula. As we will immediately see, the name is a bit misleading. Blomstrand is now an island - the Blomstrand Glacier has receded, revealing a shallow water strait. We will cruise through this on our Zodiacs and make a landing on the island.

Day 9 - DAY 9 FORMER WHALING STATION AT SMEERENBURG AND YTRE NORSKØYA

We have now entered North West Svalbard, which was declared a national park in 1973. The day could begin with a Zodiac cruise in Danskergattet, looking for seals in Virgohamna, before crossing from Danskøya to Amsterdamøya to make a landing at Smeerenburg, the legendary whaling town of 17th century. 200-plus men were living – and quite often dying – here in the heyday of blubber production.There are several interesting places to visit in this northwestern corner of Spitsbergen. If conditions allow we’ll make a landing on Ytre Norskøya, where whalers would have their lookout posts.

Day 10 - DAY 10 PRINCE KARLS FORLAND WITH HERDS OF WALRUSES AROUND POOLEPYNTEN AND THE ICEFJORD

During the night we have entered Forlandssundet, that separates Prince Karls Forland from Spitsbergen. Our destination is Poole-pynten (Poolepoint), a small headland named after the British whaler Jonas Poole. Today the area is inhabited by herds of walruses who can be seen (and smelled!) from a distance. The large mammals flaunt their tusks and whiskers, as well as their considerable bulk.After the visit, we are southbound towards the entrance to the Icefjord.On our way towards Longyearbyen as we cruise through the Icefjord, we hope to get our last glimpses of wildlife as well as the truly unique landscapes of Svalbard.

Day 11 - DAY 11 LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. DISEMBARKATION. CHARTERED FLIGHT TO OSLO

Early in the morning the ship has returned to our starting point in Longyearbyen. After breakfast and farewell greetings to the expedition team and crew, disembarkation will take place. Transfer is arranged to the airport. From here you will board your chartered flight to Oslo.

Day 12 - Please Note:

Please note that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and ice conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas, as for the zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions, ensuring the safety of all our passengers and staff.For this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the entire trip, Ocean Atlantic has excellent public areas, such as wellness/sauna, restaurant, bar and a library for our passengers to spend their spare time. Our ship is staffed by experts in the field who will also share great lectures along the way, ranging from exploration history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

SHETLAND ISLANDS WITH THE HARBOUR AND FISHING VILLAGE OF LERWICK
FAROE ISLANDS TÓRSHAVN AND THE NORTH ATLANTIC
JAN MAYEN WITH LANDING IN ZODIACS
NY ÅLESUND, KONGSFJORDEN AND BLOMSTRANDHALVØYA