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For questions about existing bookings are we still available via email (info@zeilendeschepen.nl) and telephone (0517 20 10 23)
For questions about existing bookings are we still available via email (info@zeilendeschepen.nl) and telephone (0517 20 10 23)
Unfortunately, you can no longer book this sailing trip. View alternative sailing vacations or call (0517) 20 10 23.
Saturday 19 August 2023 16: 00 t / m Saturday 26 August 2023 9: 00
This is a wonderfully varied journey where lovers of nature and culture can indulge themselves. After an Arctic summer, autumn is in the air. The mountains and coastal areas can be covered with snow again and temperatures are around 0 to -5 degrees Celsius. Nature is beginning to show beautiful autumn colors and the transition period from 24 hours of light to dusk has begun so that the mornings and evenings show beautiful violet and other pastel shades. The spectacular light at this time of year makes these trips ideal for photography enthusiasts. With a bit of luck you can even see the Northern Lights at night.
Due to the relatively short distances, this trip offers the opportunity to sail to the sights as much as possible, weather conditions permitting. During this trip, the ship will visit perhaps the 2 most accessible and versatile fjord systems of Spitsbergen: the Isfjord and the Bellsund. Here you can see all the beauty that the Arctic wilderness has to offer. In addition to impressive glaciers, unique geological mountain formations, large bird rocks and rich animal life, it is home to a wealth of cultural heritage that has been well preserved for the past 400 years due to the cold climate. These industries, on the edge of what is humanly possible, have clearly left their mark here and offer a narrative insight into the past. These traces of human life and activity can be seen on the beaches in the fjords, showing how closely the landscape and people were linked. It is home to a wealth of cultural heritage that has been well preserved for the past 400 years due to its cold climate. These industries, on the edge of what is humanly possible, have clearly left their mark here and offer a narrative insight into the past. These traces of human life and activity can be seen on the beaches in the fjords, showing how closely the landscape and people were linked. It is home to a wealth of cultural heritage that has been well preserved for the past 400 years due to its cold climate. These industries, on the edge of what is humanly possible, have clearly left their mark here and offer a narrative insight into the past. These traces of human life and activity can be seen on the beaches in the fjords, showing how closely the landscape and people were linked.
Day 1: Embarkation in Longyearbyen
You will arrive at the small airport of Longyearbyen, located about 15 minutes drive from the center of the town. Longyearbyen is the largest inhabited settlement in Spitsbergen and the world's northernmost inhabited city with over 1000 inhabitants. If you have the opportunity, a visit to the Spitsbergen Museum is an absolute must. Here you can delve into the history of the island, the coal mining industry, the wealth of unique Arctic animal species, scientific developments and the many polar expeditions. After the museum visit you can take a walk to the former mining town where you will find several shops with a collection of unique Arctic products and souvenirs. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which stores the global variety of agricultural crops, is also nearby.
The Reade Swan awaits you at the so-called 'floating pier' where you can embark from 16 pm. After a welcome from the captain, the mooring lines are released and you receive a comprehensive safety briefing from the crew. Afterwards you will enjoy a first delicious 3-course dinner on board, while the ship sets course for the bay of Trygghamna, where it anchors for the night. The name Trygghamna comes from the original Dutch name 'safe harbor', because of the sheltered and safe anchorage options
Day 2: Visit to seabird cliff Alkhornet
After a wholesome breakfast, everyone prepares for the first zodiac landing in Trygghamna, where you can see the remains of a 17th-century English whaling station and an 18th-century hunting station of the Pomor (Russian hunters).
From here you can hike to the 428m high Alkhornet Cliff, which is home to some 10.000 pairs of different seabirds. The cliffs are composed of carbonate rock, which is over a billion years old. The tundra at the bottom of the cliff receives nutrients from the seabirds and provides pastures for reindeer, breeding grounds for geese and shelter for arctic foxes. This location is therefore very suitable for spotting both these animals and polar bears.
Shortly before lunch, everyone is safely brought back on board where everyone can warm up while enjoying a warm lunch. In the meantime, depending on the weather conditions, the crew heads south towards Bellsund. At night, the ship anchors off the island of Akseløya.
Day 3: AkselØya Landing - Fridjofbreen Glacier
In the morning, a landing is at AkselØya, a long and narrow island in the mouth of the Bellsund, which blocks most of the Van Mijenfjord. This island is named after the sailing schooner that Finnish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskiold chartered for his 1864 expedition to Spitsbergen. Here you can see that the old traditions of fur hunting have been preserved. Then it goes to the Fridtjofbreen speleology glacier which is surrounded by picturesque mountains. Keep an eye out for belugas that have been spotted here often in recent years! In the evening the captain looks for an anchorage for the night at Midterhuken.
Day 4: Remains of the Beluga Hunt
From Midterhuken there is a fantastic view of the youngest ridge (65 million years old) of Spitsbergen. The cliffs are home to noisy colonies of guillemots, kittiwakes, lesser auks and Norwegian petrels. The droppings of these birds provide rich nutrients that make the surrounding tundra remarkably green and fertile. This tundra in turn provides a good breeding ground for arctic foxes and herds of reindeer. Even polar bears are regularly spotted here looking for food. After the morning walk, the ship sails on to Fleur de Lyshamna Bay, where everyone is dropped off at 3 old rowing boats that once belonged to the Norwegian beluga hunter Ingvald Svendsen. From there the walk goes to Kvitfiskstranda (White Whale Beach) where there is a hut called Bamsebu, a whaling station built by the same Svendsen. This location was the site of a mass killing of whales in the 19th century and the bones of the animals can still be seen on the beach as a reminder of the grim past. Fortunately, despite the massive hunting of belugas in the past, they are now regularly spotted in the fjords!
Day 5: History in the Recherchefjord
Today a landing is in the Bellsund at the Recherchefjord. The high concentration of historical sites in this fjord is evidence that the rich landscapes and abundant wildlife have attracted many hunters and other professions. During the 17th and 18th centuries it housed one of the largest whaling fleets in Svalbard and a coal mine was developed in the early 20th century. Remains from these periods can be seen here at several locations. After landing, the ship sails back north, back to the Isfjord. Depending on the availability of a berth in the port of Barentsburg, the course will head towards the Russian mining settlement.
Day 6: Soviet-Style Ghost Town: Barentsburg
In the morning, a visit is made to the town named after Willem Barentsz. The name Barentsburg was given in 1924 by the Dutch Spitsbergen Company to the then Dutch mining settlement. In 1926 it was taken over by the Russians, after which it grew into a mining town with more than 1000 inhabitants. Today there are about 400 people of mainly Russian or Ukrainian descent. Because the mine has not been profitable for a long time, the focus has increasingly shifted to tourism. From the dock where the ship is moored, you will first have to climb about 140 wooden steps. In the main street you can see that the Soviet period has left its mark. In the middle of the city is a life-size bust of Lenin, billboards with pictures of workers and modernist Soviet buildings. You will also find the world's most northerly brewery and the Pomor museum. Once everyone is back on board, the journey continues to Borebukta. The captain tries to get as close to the northwest end as possible to view the steep glacial front of the Borebreen. He then proceeds to the west side of the bay, near the Nansenbreen, where the ship anchors for the night.
Day 7: Sailing towards Longyearbyen
In the morning, the crew organizes a final landing at Cape Bohemanflya. Here you will find a piece of Dutch history in the form of the former Dutch mine in Rijpsburg. It was expanded by the Dutch in 1920 with huts for mining. Because the coastal waters here are very shallow, the Dutch found that transporting coal here was very difficult. In 1921 it was therefore decided to transfer the activities to Barentsburg. The journey then continues to the home port of Longyearbyen.
Day 8: Last day
Unfortunately, the adventure through the Arctic landscape of Spitsbergen has come to an end. After a hearty breakfast, everyone is kindly requested to disembark at 09:00. The crew hopes that they have been able to show the diversity and beauty of Spitsbergen and that everyone enjoyed an unforgettable experience aboard the Noorderlicht.
PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availability, permissions and environmental issues as per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are planned at AECO before the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount in expedition cruises
Food allergies and dietary requirements
If you have dietary requirements or allergies, it is best to discuss this before booking. Often it is not a problem, but sometimes some cooperation is expected from the guests if special products have to be purchased, which will then have to be taken by the guests themselves, for example.
