Sailing Cruise in Spitzbergen
Duration: 12 days
Embarking/Disembarking : Longyearbyen
Price : € 3 400
This is an easy coastal cruise, open to everybody, where we will discover the west coast of Spitzbergen, to the north and very close to the Arctic sea ice if the ice conditions permit.
A guaranteed change of scenery ! You will arrive by plane in Longyearbyen, a small town located in the heart of our navigation zone, and you will be immediately immersed in the atmosphere of the Far North : here polar bears are omnipresent and it is obligatory to be armed with a rifle as soon as you diverge from the village streets.
We are not very far from the North Pole as Longyearbyen is at 78 degrees north latitude. Here during the summer, the sun stays very high in the sky even at midnight, and sunglasses are needed in the middle of the night.
One of the objectives of this cruise is of course to go in search of the bears for observation and amazement, but the Spitzbergen has many other assets. First of all, other animals that are easier to observe, such as walrus colonies that sleep on the beaches, reindeer, snow foxes, and of course whales that are very populous in this area. But also, the beluga whales that hunt in pods (small groups) at the bottom of a bay offer an incredible spectacle.
Then the hikes, because we will be in a mooring every night, or in a small village like Barentsburg or Ny Alesund, and there are plenty of opportunities to go for a hike.
Finally, landscapes, huge glaciers, and ice navigation are all opportunities to bring back magical memories.
Danskoya anchorage, the danish island
Highlights of the Spitzbergen Cruise
- Easy sailing with beautiful moorings, beautiful walks.
- Approaching sublime glaciers.
- Observing polar bears.
- Watching the ubiquitous whales.
- Enjoying the sun that never sets and seeing the ice take on magical hues.
Typical route
This is an indicative route, which we will adapt according to the weather and your wishes, but overall, if the ice conditions allow, it is interesting to navigate as far north as possible, near the latitude 80 degrees North.
You will be used to looking for whales, and also bears, which can be found everywhere.
Day 1
Longyearbyen and Tryghamna
Boarding at Longyearbyen (usually the night before), aboard TARKA.
You will first get to know the crew, the sailboat and its equipment, then we will do some safety exercises and some basic manoeuvres to familiarize everyone with the boat and the sails.
We will then depart in the early afternoon to the first anchorage, which is a few hours from Longyearbyen, in Tryghamna Bay.
For those interested, disembark with the dinghy for a small hike the same evening or the next morning.
Day 2
Navigation to the North
We will cast off during the day to leave Tryghamna and Icefjord and sail north along the Prince Karl Island, towards Ny Alesund. If the wind is strong we will take the opportunity to navigate as far north as possible, even if we spend the night sailing. This will be an opportunity for you to participate in night sailing (in broad daylight!) if you wish. Otherwise, we will stop for the night in a beautiful anchorage before resuming our progress to the North the next day.
Day 3
Bay of the Cross
Sailing to the Bay of the Cross which we will discover in depth as far as the impressive Lilliehookbreen, an 8 km glacier. Depending on the conditions, we will head to the Magdalenfjord that evening.
Days 4 to 5
Magdalenfjord and the North West Islands
We will discover the Magdalen Fjord, a beautiful site with slender peaks and numerous glaciers emerging from these protected dark waters.
This area, very frequented by whalers since the 16th century, has many vestiges of their passages.
We will sail towards different places whose names hold the vestiges of past visitors : Danish Island, Amsterdam Island.
Days 6 to 9
Spitzbergen North Shore
We will then follow the north coast of the archipelago, a totally isolated and uninhabited area. This part of the stay is a unique opportunity to observe wildlife with frequent sightings of reindeers and seals, and also of polar bears, the lords of the region.
If possible, we will sail to the Monaco Glacier, which stretches for several kilometres. A moment of magical contemplation facing this grandiose nature.
Days 10 to 11
Navigation to the South and Ny Alesund
Spectacular sailing down the west coast through the canals of Mushamna.
We will disembark for a visit ashore to Ny Alesund, the northernmost village on the planet and its international research centre, then descend to the Icefjord along Prince Karl Island, where walruses sometimes land.
Day 12
Barentsburg
Last stop in Barentsburg. Short visit to this very atypical Russian enclave and our last anchorage before returning to Longyearbyen Bay.
Back to Longyearbyen.