HIGHLIGHTS
- Look
forward to magnificent scenery on the northernmost islands of the planet
- Enjoy
planned landings at four Arctic islands: Iceland, Grimsey, Jan Mayen
and Spitsbergen
- Sail
past the ragged cliffs of the Icelandic western and northern coasts,
including planned visits at the famed “Iceland in
miniature”, Snaefellness and the little Vigur island in the
middle of the large fjord,
Ísafjarðardjúp
- Make
calls on the enigmatic island of Jan Mayen and the glaciated islands of
Svalbard
- Scout
for sea mammals and seal-hunting polar bears on the pack ice
- Enjoy
the immense beauty of Svalbard on this high Arctic adventure voyage
among whales, walruses and millions of sea birds
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
ITINERARY
DAY
1: EMBARK OCEAN ATLANTIC IN REYKJAVÍK
Our
journey begins in Iceland where MV Ocean Atlantic is moored in
Reykjavik. Boarding is in the afternoon, where the cabins are
designated. After the mandatory security review and drill, we set our
course towards Icelands west coast.
DAY
2: ICELAND’S WEST COAST WITH SNAEFELLNESS. LANDING WITH
ZODIAC BOATS.
In
the morning, we sail along the 100-kilometer long peninsula
Snaefellsnes, which with its dramatic cliff coast, hardened lava
floods, sandy beaches and volcanic peaks, is a picture of Iceland in
mini-format.
We
round the nest on the peninsula and can enjoy the view of the nearly
1,500-meter-high snow-covered volcano
Snæfellsjökull, which was the center of Jules Vernes
novel "The journey to the center of the earth". The volcano with the
almost perfect cone shape and the surrounding area became in 2001 the
Snæfellsjökull National Park. We will
make a landing at Snaefellsnes. In the
afternoon we will pass Iceland’s westernmost point and the
huge bird cliffs of Latraberg.
DAY
3: NORTHERN ICELAND'S RUGGED COAST WITH VIGUR ISLAND
In
the morning, we sail into Isafjardardjúp, and take a walk on
the island of Vigur at the mouth of Hestfjördur to enjoy the
view of the steep mountains and see the terrific aerobatics of the
Arctic Terns. A local
guide will take us on a walk around the island, and coffee and light
refreshments will be served in the local café.
Around
lunch, we leave Isafjardardjúp and sail towards the West
Fjords, which always offer one unforgettable experience after another.
We finish the day sailing along the coast of Hornstrandir, the
northernmost part of the West Fjords. From here, there are only 300
kilometers to the eastern coast of Greenland. In 1975 the area was
converted into nature reserves, and currently has some of the strictest
rules to protect the peculiar and fragile nature. Along the coast,
there are good opportunities to see whales and seals, and the
mountainside is alive with the rich bird life. We continue as we pass
Hornvik Bay, which is considered one of the most beautiful places in
Iceland, where we can see two of the largest bird cliffs in Europe
where millions of seabirds breed.
DAY
4: THE ARCTIC CIRCLE AT GRIMSEY
In
the morning, we will have arrived at the island of Grimsey, which is
located about 40 kilometers from the mainland and is the only part of
Iceland, with an Arctic designation. The Polar circle crosses the
island at 66 ° 33 'N, and gives the island one full day of
24-hour sunlight every year in June.
Over
100 inhabitants reside in the little rocky island, all living close to
the harbor in the only city in the island. The fishing banks in the
surrounding seas make the economy flourish, the port is expanded, and
there is a small airport with daily flights to the mainland and the
school for the children. The island has been inhabited right back from
the settlement of Iceland and is mentioned in the sagas as an important
land, rich in fish and birds.
The
seabirds far exceed the number of inhabitants on Grímsey,
and bird cries can be heard 24 hours a day over the bright Arctic
summer. Up to 36 different species breed on the island and have their
nests on the rocks. One of Iceland's largest tern colonies is here, and
it is said that the runway must be cleared for terns before the
aircraft can land. We’ll
make landing by Zodiacs during the morning to experience the local life
and explore the island's bird life.
DAY
5: ENJOY LECTURES ONBOARD EN ROUTE TO JAN MAYEN ISLAND
During
our voyage our lecturers onboard will make inspiring and enriching
presentations about both Iceland’s history and about nature,
wildlife and climatology.
DAY
6: WE MAKE A SHORE LANDING BY ZODIACS ON JAN MAYEN, AT THE FOOT OF THE
2200 METER BEERENBERG VOLCANO
Listen
to a lecture from our experienced expedition staff, see a film about
Arctic nature – or go out on deck to catch glimpses of
migrating birds and hopefully some whales.
Approximately
in the middle of the North Atlantic lies the enigmatic volcanic island
of Jan Mayen. And if not exactly in the middle, at least it is located
precisely on the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the reason for its volcanic
existence. And enigmatic it is, not only because of its isolation but
also due to the almost perpetual clouds and fog that hovers above it.
Jan Mayen belongs to Norway, and the mountain Beerenberg is one of the
higher of Norway’s 300 summits above 2,000 meters.
The island
is inhabited by only 18 persons, running the meteorological station and
the Norwegian Defense. We will try to go ashore at the narrowest part
of the island, from either south or north, depending on the prevailing
wind and surf. The volcanic origin is visible all over with cinder
cones, lava flows and the Mount Fuji-like appearance of Beerenberg
looming above. After a pleasant stroll on the narrow isthmus we board
the Zodiacs and Ocean Atlantic to continue our voyage north.
DAY
7: AT THE SEA TOWARDS SVALBARD LOOKING FOR SEABIRDS, DOLPHINS AND WHALES
Listen
to a lecture from our experienced expedition staff, see a film about
Arctic nature – or go out on deck to catch glimpses of
migrating birds and hopefully some whales.
DAY
8: SVALBARD IN SIGHT. EVENING CALL IN BEAUTIFUL BELLSUND
We
are getting closer towards the islands of Svalbard, and it should be
possible to spot the largest island, Spitsbergen during the afternoon. Our route
for this day and next depends much on weather conditions. Not least the
pack ice coming from Arctic Sea as well as from calving glaciers, and
solid winter sea ice. Our vessel has an ice class of 1B and the Captain
should be able to safely approach the edge of the ice to give us the
opportunity to spot our first polar bear, hunting for seals. The west
coast enjoys the warmer water coming up through the Atlantic, so winter
ice should now have melted. This allows us to enter the southern fjord
of Bellsund on this first taste of Svalbard exploration.
Bellsund
has some of the richest coal layers in Svalbard, and Svea Mine, far
into the fjord, was formerly one of the biggest communities on the
island. But prices went down, and the coal mine is currently being
dismantled. We will
stay in the fjord entrance and make landings at the Vårsol
Bay. The biggest attraction here is the little auk cliff. Tundra is
richly fertilized by hundreds of thousands of little auks, which the
Svalbard reindeer love to graze. We will go for a nice walk along the
beach – and spot remains from early industrial eras. During the
night the ship will sail north along the coast of Spitsbergen.
DAY
9: NY ÅLESUND, KONGSFJORDEN AND BLOMSTRANDHALVØYA
During
the ‘night’ (what is night, when the sun never
sets?), we have passed Prins Karls Forland and have arrived in the
magnificent Kongsfjord. Our visit to Svalbard is in the early summer
and this is both the challenge and gift of this special voyage. Winter
ice will possibly block the inner waters of many fjords, but this will
give us the best opportunities to observe the omnipresent –
but still elusive – polar bear, hunting for seals in its
prime habitat. At this time of the year, the migrating birds have just
arrived. They are all eager to settle and feed to get the best start
for the coming hectic summer months.
Our first
landing will be at Ny Ålesund. This settlement is in fact
further north than Longyearbyen, making it THE northernmost town.
But… is a group of scientific stations, a post office and a
single shop open for a few hours a real town? You will have to judge
for yourself. The setting is nice, the scientific projects are very
interesting, and so is the town history. The Captain will try to get
alongside, so we can enjoy an easy walk through the area. Continuing
our exploration of Kongsfjorden, Ocean Atlantic will anchor behind
Blomstrand Peninsula. As we will immediately see, the name is a bit
misleading. Blomstrand is now an island - the Blomstrand Glacier has
receded, revealing a shallow water strait. We will cruise through this
on our Zodiacs and make a landing on the island.
DAY
10: PRINCE KARLS FORLAND WITH HERDS OF WALRUSES AROUND POOLEPYNTEN AND
THE ICEFJORD
During
the night we have entered Forlandssundet, that separates Prince Karls
Forland from Spitsbergen. Our destination is Poole-pynten (Poolepoint),
a small headland named after the British whaler Jonas Poole. Today the
area is inhabited by herds of walruses who can be seen (and smelled!)
from a distance. The large mammals flaunt their tusks and whiskers, as
well as their considerable bulk.
After
the visit, we are southbound towards the entrance to the Icefjord. On our way
towards Longyearbyen as we cruise through the Icefjord, we hope to get
our last glimpses of wildlife as well as the truly unique landscapes of
Svalbard.
DAY
11: LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN. DISEMBARKATION
Early
in the morning the ship has returned to Longyearbyen. After breakfast
and farewell greetings to the expedition team and crew, disembarkation
will take place. Please note
that all the outings and landings rely on weather, sea and ice
conditions being favorable both for the ship to access the areas, as
for the zodiacs and kayaks to maneuver under adequate conditions,
ensuring the safety of all our passengers and staff.
For
this reason, during moments of harsh weather and throughout the entire
trip, Ocean Atlantic has excellent public areas, such as
wellness/sauna, restaurant, bar and a library for our passengers to
spend their spare time. Our ship is staffed by experts in the
field who will also share great lectures along the way, ranging from
exploration history to biology, geology, ice and wildlife.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
INCLUSIONS
- Charter
flight Longyearbyen-Oslo
- 11-day/10-night
cruise with Ocean Atlantic in a shared outside/inside double cabin with
private bathroom/toilet in the category chosen
- English-speaking
expedition team
- Nature
hikes and Zodiac cruises per itinerary
- Near-port
town walks with the expedition team
- Information
briefings and lectures by expedition team
- Full
board on ship
- Free
coffee, tea and afternoon snacks on the ship
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Taxes,
tariffs and AECO fees
- Special
photo workshop
- Welcome
and farewell cocktails
- Digital
visual journal link after voyage, including voyage log, gallery,
species list and more!
EXCLUSIONS
- Hotel
accommodation in Longyearbyen.
- Travel
insurance.
- Cancellation
insurance.
- Extra
excursions and activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Single
room supplement.
- Meals
not on board the ship.
- Beverages
(other than coffee and tea).
- Tips
for the crew (we recommend USD 14 per person per day).
- Personal
expenses.
- Anything
not mentioned under 'Price includes'.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Boat
Trips
- Bus
Excursions
- Kayaking
- USD 235
- Photography
- Wildlife
Observations
- Zodiac
Cruises