Having arrived in Longyearbyen we had a day to explore before boarding the ship at 1600. It’s only a small town, built in 1906 by an American to exploit the coal. After visiting the excellent museum Steve found the Taubanesentrale (Coal Cableway Centre) was open to visit. After a climb up through the town and then up the spiral staircase it was a remarkable collection of cable tracks where trolleys of coal were brought from the mines. It was in use between 1957 and 1987.
Taxis were booked at 1600 to take us down to the harbour where our ship docked yesterday. All aboard and we were welcomed by the crew: Captain, Martijn, Chief Mate, Jeroen, Deckhands, Vito and Maria with Chef, Espen. Expedition guides Phil and Jonathan introduced themselves and gave a few safety briefings. The accommodation on board is excellent, small but comfortable cabins and lovely large communal area with a bar. We set the sails and departed the dock in sunshine with a few clouds crossing the Isfjorden to anchor for the night at Trygghamna, 2300 in clear light. Spitzbergen means ‘pointed mountains’ and we’re anchored amongst them beside a splendid glacier!
After breakfast on Wednesday, we set out in the Zodiac for a hike along the glacier, putting on snowshoes as we landed on the pebbly shore scattered with brash and growlers (the two smallest types of glacial ice). I was unlucky in choosing a somewhat dilapidated pair of snowshoes which needed repairing several times by our patient and helpful guide, Jonathan who was carrying plenty of spares. Before departing, expedition leader Phil had assured us that the hike was ‘only 750 m. there and back, mostly flat’ – this was a rather optimistic assessment. Caroline logged 2.5 miles by the time we returned to the shore! Apart from the challenge of walking in snowshoes, it was a great first hike into the Svalbard landscape with plenty of opportunities for sketching and photography.
Returning to the ship by Zodiac we set sail for our overnight anchorage at Dahlbreen Glacier, just outside the Isfjorden, in deteriorating weather with clouds covering the mountain tops.