Yesterday morning we’d hoped to visit Ny-London but a cruise ship had arrived to take a party of 95 ashore. There’s a limit of 100 people on site at any time. Expedition leader Phil suggested landing a small group who were prepared to take the short walk across the island. Once the cruise ship had cleared their groups an hour or so later we’d have walked across and those staying aboard could also come ashore to meet us at Ernest Mansfield’s derelict marble quarrying project, established in 1911.
The walk across the island and wander round derelict remains of the Englishman’s failed project was fascinating. Leaving in time for another excellent lunch aboard we set sail out of Kongsfjorden and back into Forlandsundet, sailing south again past Sarstangan to anchor overnight at Poolepynten.
There was an early start today with a call of ‘All hands on deck!’ Leaving the anchorage at Poolepynten it was cloudy and chilly but a very atmospheric morning as everyone helped to hoist all the sails. The wind was set fair for our passage south then east into Ekmanfjorden. We’d been promised a trip ashore after supper but Phil announced ‘Sorry guys, we can’t go ashore as planned, there’s a polar bear on the sea ice hunting!’ Everyone scanned the shore, watching her, wondering what she was doing. Was she hunting the seal which appeared briefly from a hole in the ice? A minky whale was spotted, cruising the shoreline. Bleary-eyed, those who had retired earlier returned to lean over the bulwarks, cameras and binoculars in hand. Although a long way off, she could be clearly seen through binoculars . . .
