Bear Islands and Sydkap
This morning we wake up to views of huge ice bergs passing by our balcony.
I visit the breakfast buffet in Swan Restaurant this morning. I forgot to get a photo of the made-to-order omelette, which was delicious.
Breakfast buffet in Swan Restaurant
This morning at 7:45 we take a Zodiac ride over to Bear Island. Our Zodiac driver, Linn, is also the ship’s photographer/videographer and we sailed with her in 2023 on SH Diana. She is an excellent photographer and we can’t wait to see all the pictures of terrain and wildlife she has taken on this trip to Iceland and Greenland. Swan Hellenic makes all Linn’s photos and videos available through a QR code at the end of the trip.
Linn is our Zodiac driver for today
On the way to Bear Island, we pass some amazing rock formations.
Rock formations
We reach the wet landing site on Bear Island.
Zodiac landing on Bear Island
We hike up a very muddy, rocky “path” to a somewhat level spot.
Hiking through the mucky, rocky terrain
Along the way, we see some beautiful flowers growing in the marshy environment. It is amazing that anything can grow in such conditions.
Flora
We decided not to make the full hike up the steep, rocky terrain to the highest point. However, many did. There are expedition “guards” posted along the ridge armed with rifles to keep an eye out for polar bears. Guests are instructed to leave their life vest on in case we need to make a hasty evacuation due to bear sightings. No bears in sight today. However, we did see several musk oxen.
Rocky terrain for serious hikers
We get a nice photo on Bear Island thanks to another guest willing to take our picture.
A photo op on Bear Island
After about an hour on the island, we return to SH Vega. There is always a zodiac waiting nearby for guests who might want to head back to the ship before the last scheduled zodiac departure.
Rejoining SH Vega
This morning, we are treated to another lecture with Arielle Montgomery on why the world’s superpowers are racing to control Greenland. Ms. Montgomery is a well-known expert on all things Greenland, a fact made even more impressive when we hear she is a fellow Texan from Houston!
Lecture by Arielle
This evening, after the daily recap and briefing, we have been invited to join Expedition Leader, Nicki D’Souza, and her husband, Alex D’Souza, Assistant Expedition Leader, for dinner in Swan Restaurant.
Nicki D’Souza
We had an excellent meal and enjoyed our conversation with Nicki and Alex. We have sailed with both of them in the past on other cruise lines.
Swan Restaurant Deck 4
After our amazing meal and lively conversation, we head back to our suite to rest for tomorrow morning when SH Vega will sail through Storfjord and Nørrefjord.
