Fjords and Icebergs

In Longyearbyen I boarded a ship that would sail around Svalbard and into the Arctic Ocean over the course of ten days. The ship was designed around expeditions for adventure tourism, I guess you might say. There are cabins as you might expect, as well as a dining room, lecture theater, a couple of bars with observation decks, a sauna, gym, and jacuzzi. And on the rear of the ship is a ‘marina’ with about 15 or so zodiac boats for going ashore or cruising for wildlife. I had never been on a cruise ship, or any ship at sea for that matter and didn’t know whether or not I would suffer from sea-sickness.

As the ship left Longyearbyen, it headed south as there was apparently bad weather to the north. The next day we were in a fjord in an area called Burgerbukta. It was raining and the seas were a bit choppy, but there was a zodiac excursion to see some icebergs and whatnot. So, off we went to suit up with rain-proof outer layers and life-jackets and hopped into the little zodiacs from doorways on the sides of the ship. We bounced around the waves to see a few icebergs. The image below shows the ship in the distance behind an iceberg.

This was a bit of a learning experience for me and I don’t think I got great photos on this first zodiac excursion. First of all, with the rain and chop it was difficult to focus on any subject for more than a second, much less compose a shot. You needed to learn how to see your compositions coming and then hit it when they got into view. Secondly, on my first zodiac cruise, I was learning how and when I could move or stand up and spent a lot of time not really knowing what to do. I eventually got better at this and I think I got better photos on later excursions. And lastly, my gloves quickly soaked up the rain and seas and my hands got cold. I solved this by purchasing some waterproof gloves in the ship’s shop for when the zodiac was moving and splashing and then had to remove them to take photos.

I did manage to see some distant mountains catching light with some ice in the water. So, I shot at this a few times and got a nice sea bird in the photo (there was an abundance of sea birds). I won’t say that this shot was carefully composed, but rather it was a hasty that looks cool, roughly frame, and click, click, click, click, …‘. I was with-it enough to leave room to crop as none of my photos had straight horizons.

An obvious photo that I saw many get was this iceberg with the mountain in the mist in the distance. The overlapping shapes work well together. This photo sums up the gloomy day for me I think. I was at once overwhelmed with the seascapes, off-balance in a bouncing boat, and in a mayhem of long-lenses swinging around in every direction. I was also distracted by feeling some guilt for being on this personal expedition.

Iceberg image linked from Flickr

Below is a small waterfall that I had high expectations for photographically. I am not sure it delivered, but I did very much enjoy seeing it. As the ice melts, it seeps down into the spongy tundra and eventually hits the permafrost and runs down the slope where it finally emerges again like a mountain spring and finds its way to the sea.

I skipped dining on this evening as I wasn’t really hungry and went to think about the day and what I wanted from this journey. I absorbed these events and was better prepared for the next day with better expectations and a better attitude. And I began to focus on experiencing and enjoying the wonder of being in this far-off place. I was also beginning to get to know the others on this photographic expedition and started enjoying the camaraderie. My roommate turned out to be a really nice guy and we had no trouble sharing a cabin. And finally, I determined that sea-sickness would not be a problem for me.

Things were looking up even if the weather stayed a bit foggy and rainy. And everyone was talking about polar bears and when we would get to see them. There might be one in the image below.

29 thoughts on “Fjords and Icebergs”

  1. I think I can see that polar bear.

    It looks cold, stark, gloomy, but beautiful in its own way. I think that would be a blast to be out on one of those zodiac boats, although I can understand your difficulty getting level horizons.

    And yes, you should feel guilty. For not taking me along with you.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It wasn’t as cold as I had planned on it being, but the sea water was very cold. I would probably have had more fun on that zodiac ride if I was wasn’t trying to protect thousands of dollars of camera equipment from sea water splashes. I did have a water-proof backpack purchased specifically for this, but it was a pain in the butt managing in a crowded boat.

      I thought about asking you to go as I figured you could probably do a good seal impersonation to attract the polar bears.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I’ve heard that water and camera equipment do not go well together.

        I wouldn’t like being in a boat that’s crowded. I like to have some elbow room.

        I can do an excellent seal impersonation if you dangle a small fish over my head.

        Liked by 2 people

            1. You can’t leave, but you can stand out on the deck on a starry night and have a wonderful view of the ocean. But when on land, you don’t have to worry about hitting an iceberg and drowning or hitting rough waves and getting thrown overboard, so I will probably stay on land. 😊

              Liked by 1 person

  2. Your images turned out well! As I read your story I kept wondering how you protected your camera from the rain? I would have been so stressed out having my camera in and around all that water lol.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I grew up on the coast but don’t have a lot of boat experience. I got more adjusted to the boats as the trip went on and I think I got some nice photos. I only have about 4500 photos to sort through so it shouldn’t take too long.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Great photos. Icebergs, seabirds, and waterfalls!

    I am glad you were able to have some time to ponder about what you wanted on the trip and then fully enjoy it! Along with the bonus of making friendships.

    Are you sure there is a polar bear in that last photo?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks. I hope the photos get better as I post additional blogs. I was thinking or hoping this would be enough content to make a calendar this year.

      There might be a polar bear in that photo. Most of the boulders are gray and polar bears are yellowish-white.

      Liked by 1 person

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