Finnmark And Arrival In Svalbard (Spitsbergen), 2002

by John July 25, 2002

As I write this we are anchored in a small harbour formed by an old moraine, on the west coast of Spitsbergen, about a mile from the snout of a glacier. It is very different than Greenland in that the glaciers are much less active (smaller ice cap) and so we can get a lot [...]

Our Furthest North 2002

by John September 5, 2002

We last wrote from the west coast of Spitsbergen. From there we continued north visiting several anchorages, the most interesting being Virgohamna from where André left on his fatal attempt to reach the North Pole in a balloon. The dry Svalbard climate has preserved the remains of this expedition, and the slightly later Wellman attempt, [...]

Champagne And Polar Bears: Romance In The Arctic

by Phyllis May 19, 2007
The research station built by the Swedes for the International Geophysical year of 1957/58 on Nordaustlandet, Svalbard.

Approaching the lee shore of Nordaustlandet (the uninhabited—or so we thought—icecap-domed island separated from Spitsbergen by Hinlopen Strait) in a building gale in early August of 2002, was intimidating to say the least.

Questions About Sailing In Svalbard (Spitsbergen)

by Phyllis February 19, 2010

We have incorporated all questions and answers about sailing in Svalbard into the recently released 2010 Edition of the Norwegian Cruising Guide.