After our day in and around Raudfjorden and Alicehamna this was the 8th day of our visit to Svalbard.
We watched our first polar bears in the sea, visited a trapper’s hut, saw hundreds of walruses and sadly were told that we were not circumnavigating the island of Spitsbergen.
We woke up by an announcement of another two polar bears that were swimming in the Woodfjorden. It was a mother and her grown cub. After some time we continued towards the breath taking Monaco glacier. During the afternoon we landed at Texas Bar, a trapper cabin built by Hilmar Nois, a famous Norwegian trapper. Texas Bar is located in Liefdefjorden in the North West of Spitsbergen.
Our first sight of a polar bear
We had settled down for the nigh there was an announcement over the ship’s tannoy that there was a solitary polar bears swimming near the ship. We threw a lots of layers and went out on deck.
The small speck is the polar bear’s head. The ship could not move closer to the bear so we were shooting through our largest lenses.
We had seen a polar bear! Then we went back to bed.
Two polar bears!
Then as we were enjoying a cup of tea in our cabin we had another call that here were now two polar bears swimming in front of the ship.
We were told to look at the small iceberg and then we could see the two small specks of their heads in the water.
The ship had cut its engines and as we drifted the bears swam both to our right and to our left. We waited and watched for quite a time. The bears did not approach land but kept zigzaing backwards and forwards we went down for breakfast excited that having seen two more bears.
The ship and continue to drift and the bears came even closer to the stern beneath us. From the restaurant windows we watched them swimming past. From all the 10s of images I took, here are just a couple of the bears.
Perhaps the ship’s present so confuse them as they were now even further away from land and swimming in the opposite direction than earlier.
To the Monaco glacier
I wanted to explore further the ship and through the observation lounge and Deck six it was possible to go down to Deck five and through a water tight door. Then out to the deck where the anchor chains were. Up a steep staircase and then out onto a narrow deck with railings that circled above the ship’s bow. A loud shout from one of the other passengers saved me from tripping as I had not noticed the step down on the deck.
From here I had a clear view of the glacier as the ship did its promised cruise by.
Afternoon
Lunch was a treat as I had it individually repaired and toasted Philly cheesesteak that was excellent.
We had a look at the daily locations that were now marked on a map.
Texas Bar
The afternoons landing was at the strangely named Texas bar. We had plenty of time to see Liefdefjorden while we waited for our turn to go onshore.
After leaving the rib we climbed a short way of the beach to see the cabin. Outside what is a bench and the name “Texas Bar“ was on the wall made out of pieces of wood.
When it was our turn we went inside the cabin…
Inside the cabin we signed the visitors book. In the second room on the wall was a large collection of bottles (presumably all empty) This cabin was where a trapper and his second wife lived in the hunting season.
Behind the cabin
The ground was very wet and boggy behind the cabin as we walked up the hill behind.
We stopped at the small cairn.
Early evening
The evening‘s briefing was opened by the Captain who explained that the ship would not be completing a circumnavigation due to “ice“ in the channels.
Dinner was another themed buffet, this evening it was American themed and was excellent again
Moffat Island
The island was only a couple of metres above sea level and as the ship approached we could see the promised groups of walruses.
While I was taking pictures of the walruses, I missed the mulled wine on offer at the stern of the ship. This part of the trip was the furthest North that we had ever been.
Back in the cabin we briefly had a satellite Internet connection.
Next day we were at Magdalenenfjorden.