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Sjoveien
Longyearbyen to Longyearbyen
Overview
The Arctic summer arrives in late June. The midnight sun reigns supreme, the bird colonies are teeming with life and the purple saxifrage decorates the slopes. Whales are more frequently seen in the waters and more and more snow-free areas become accessible for longer walks. The autumn arrives in late August and offers beautiful colours, a warm light and spectacular sunsets. The ice in the eastern parts of the archipelago has usually retreated at this time, which offers good opportunities to explore the seldom visited eastern parts of the archipelago.
Departures
Cruise Itinerary
We arrive in Longyearbyen, embark our expedition ship in the afternoon and sail out through the spectacular Isfjorden.
We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our ambition is to make landings or cruises every day with our Zodiacs. Here are some examples of places we may visit: Northwest Spitsbergen The scientific village of Ny-Ålesund is situated in Kongsfjorden. It was from here that Amundsen and Nobile started their heroic expeditions to the North Pole. Two other courageous attempts to reach the North Pole started on the island of Danskøya. Swedish balloonist Andrée made an attempt with a hydrogen balloon and American journalist Wellman started with an airship. There are still interesting remnants from these expeditions left on this site. Magnificent fjords Svalbard offers the visitor countless spectacular fjords. During our journey we will explore a few of them such as: Liefdefjorden, meaning “The fjord of love”, is lined with snow-covered mountain peaks and here we hope to cruise along the face of the spectacular Monaco Glacier. In Krossfjorden we revel in the beautifully sculptured front of the 14th of July Glacier to the raucous greeting of kittiwakes and Brünnich’s guillemots on the nearby cliffs. Raudfjorden is an area of immense natural beauty – dominated by beautiful glaciers. It is also a favourite spot for seals. Hinlopen Strait and Alkefjellet If the ice allows we enter Hinlopen Strait. Here is Alkefjellet, an impressive, basaltic cliff, which is the home to an estimated 200 000 Brünnich’s guillemots. We may also continue into the beautiful bay Palanderbukta on Nordaustlandet. Eastern Svalbard The island of Nordaustlandet is covered by an enormous ice cap and fascinates naturalists as well as historians. There are huge glacier fronts here, intersected by hundreds of waterfalls. Barentsøya and Edgeøya offer magnificent landscapes and vast tundra. Chances to encounter walruses, Arctic fox and Svalbard reindeer are good here. Southwest Spitsbergen The grand fjords of Hornsund offer spectacular glaciers and a breathtaking landscape of towering mountain peaks, often reaching above the clouds. On a clear day we can see the summit of the highest mountain, Hornsundtind, measuring 1431 meters. Hornsund is a favourite haunt for some of Svalbard’s polar bears and bearded seals are often seen resting on the fjord ice.
Early morning we disembark our expedition ship and begin our journey back home.
Our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and wildlife. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites Svalbard has to offer. We always strive to maximize your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Sjoveien
Vessel Type: Small Ship Length: 40.66 meters Passenger Capacity: 12 Built/Refurbished : 1964/2017 M/S Sjøveien (meaning the Seaway) was built in Bergen in 1964 for the Norwegian Government and she worked for them in various capacities. From 1979 until 1995 she was used as a training ship for mariners. Since 1995 she has been in private ownership and during the many years since, worked for the Norwegian coast guard. After being a hotel ship for the past few years, she is now being refurbished into a classic and exclusive passenger ship and will set sail towards Svalbard in the early summer of 2017. She is a true beauty with wooden decks and vintage details. There is a lot of deck space on the main deck and there is also an excellent area on top of the bridge, from where you have wonderful views of the magical Svalbard scenery. To accommodate a maximum of 12 passengers there are eight outside cabins, all with private facilities. On the lower deck there are four twin cabins with portholes. On the main deck there are two larger twin cabins with windows and one large superior cabin with a double bed and windows. The eighth cabin is located on the upper deck and is a large superior cabin with windows. The dining area on the main deck is where you are served breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is also a lounge area where you can relax with a cup of tea or coffee and listen to interesting talks by the guides. There is an international crew on board who speak English and the bridge is open for visitors.
Highlights
• Discover Svalbard - this vast glaciated archipelago invites to midnight sun, pack ice and dramatic mountain chains. • One of the secrets behind a successful expedition cruise is the Zodiacs. With these safe and sturdy rubber boats we navigate among icebergs, cruise along glaciers and go ashore to get unique nature experiences. • Svalbard is also home to animals such as the charming walrus, the cute Arctic fox, the endemic Svalbard reindeer and last, but certainly not least, the king of the Arctic – the polar bear.
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