Melfjord is a beautiful fjord system in Nordland, the large central county of Norway. During the morning, we followed the curving waterway inland until turning north into a branch called Nordfjord. The skies cleared, the wind went still, and a magical morning of hikes and Zodiac cruising commenced. We explored the mossy understory of the birch forest and the intertidal zone of the long flat beach. Returning to the ship for an excellent lunch, our captain and the bridge team navigated to an immense waterfall in the main arm of Melfjord. During the afternoon, we cruised the islands on the seaward side of the fjord, dodging back and forth across the Arctic Circle at 66° 33’. After dinner, we docked alongside the island of Træna, one of the smallest municipalities in Norway with 452 residents. We visited the monument to the Arctic Circle, which runs through the island. The locals graciously opened their historic church and museum for us to enjoy, and the hotel team even met us in town with hot Nordic glögg, a Scandinavian spiced wine. A truly special way to bid farewell to the Subarctic and turn north.
5/9/2024
Read
National Geographic Resolution
Bear Island
By the end of our Svalbard circumnavigation (yes, we made it!), there was no denying that the weather gods smiled upon us. We relished six full days of clear skies, sunshine, gentle breezes, and superb visibility over the pack ice at 80 degrees north of latitude—a truly rare treat. Upon departing Hornsund and journeying south, however, we encountered the predicted strong winds and rough seas, which added an extra dash of excitement to our journey. This was the scenario at our arrival at Bjørnøya (Bear Island), the southernmost island of the Svalbard Archipelago and renowned for hosting one of the largest bird cliffs in the Northern Hemisphere. Despite the conditions, the bridge team skillfully brought us close enough to shore to enjoy a scenic ship cruise along its dramatic coastline. Throughout, naturalists and guests gathered on the bridge or other observation areas, endeavoring to identify all the bird species we had learned about during the previous week. Some enthusiasts even dared to brave the wind and spray, striving to capture the perfect photos or simply to experience the raw power of nature in the Barents Sea. A well-deserved warm lunch was waiting for them afterward.