Sunday, October 11, 2009

80 North

Got a message from Janet today!

We’re allowed 100 words via ship satellite. No reply to email allowed. Amazing footage and trip. Kayaked today with swimming polar bears! Eight bears total and two Arctic foxes eating a dead whale! Paddled through pack ice, icebergs to glacier. Four walrus on shore. Tomorrow we reach 80 north – Moffen Island – breeding place of Walrus. Sea quiet in bays off of fjords - one day and one night of rough sea. Seen northern lights for past two nights. Played with herds of Walrus. I’m being careful – only kayak with armed escort.


"Kayaked with swimming polar bears." Hmmm.

Wow, sounds like an amazing voyage so far, can't wait to see the footage! Bears! Auroras! Rough seas and armed guards!

Moffen island is about a 370km/230mi sail north from Longyearbyen. At 80 degrees north she's in explorer-only territory, not many have been up that far. Here's a map, and I'll also put a link to this map in the link section.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, there's a weather forecast for gale-force winds, with gusts up to 50mph/80kpm. I'm sure the crew has been through these before, but I'll be happy when she gets through that weather.

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