Svalbard - a curious polar bear (Throwback post)

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Sunday would turn out to be the real highlight of our trip, with a fabulous sighting of a polar bear. This was our day for cruising along the edge of the pack ice, in the hope of finding a polar bear amongst the floes, for that classic polar bear on the ice opportunity.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Nic sadly wasn't feeling too good, but he hung on in there; after all, you don't want to come all this way and then miss seeing what you came for.


We started off with some harp seals that were having great fun diving around in the water, and of course the usual multitude of sea birds, and then suddenly the shout went up that a bear had been spotted on the ice in the distance.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

The captain gradually moved us in to where it was sleeping on the ice, careful to push his way through the floes without disturbing the bear.

It was slow going, but eventually we pulled up close enough to get a fantastic view of the huge creature. Because it was lying down, you could get a really good look at its enormous paws.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Unfortunately, at this point, Nic
reached the stage where mind over matter was no longer good enough, and he had to give in and return to the cabin.

At least he had seen the bear, and at this stage, being disappointed not to spend longer watching it was not his main concern.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

I stayed on deck, and eventually, the bear decided that it was time to get up and see what was going on. It was inquisitive enough to some right up to the side of the ship and take a sniff. Needless to say, the cameras were working overtime.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard

The bear hung around us for quite a while. At one point it did a wee, and we weren't sure whether perhaps this was meant as a message to us for interrupting its sleep.













After some time, it started to wander a little further away, and the expedition team decided that it was probably time to give the bear back its peace and quiet.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear from the cabin window, Svalbard

I went down to the cabin to check on Nic, and was pleased to find that the worst had passed, and he was feeling a little better.

It occurred to me that the bear was probably on the same side of the ship as our cabin, so he may be able to see it out of the porthole. Sure enough, we took a look, and there was the bear, not far away at all.

Polar Bear from the cabin window, Svalbard

So Nic managed to see the bear from the cabin, and it obligingly came even closer, before heading off across the ice.

Polar Bear from the cabin window, Svalbardcaption

I especially liked watching it jumping from one piece of ice to the next; they look like such lumbering creatures, but they really are quite agile and very fast.

The second, disappearing polar bear, Svalbard

We did spot one more bear later, but it disappeared into the water before we could get close - I just have a photo of its bum as it jumped in.

All in all, even despite Nic not feeling well, today was a good day, and we were all thrilled with our polar bear encounter.

Polar Bear, Svalbard

Polar Bear, Svalbard