The good news is we’re off on our adventure, and the better news is that I’ve seen a polar bear. She just looked like a vanilla-colored speck through my binoculars, but I saw her! She’d just taken down a reindeer and was focused on the task of filling her tummy. Luckily, this ship is also equipped with high powered viewing scopes we can all use to see distant things.
I’m wearing two sets of wool long johns, a fleece outer layer, two pairs of thick wool socks, a balaclava, a cashmere scarf, a cozy hat, and waterproof down mittens with thin glove liners. The cruise line supplied every passenger with this ultra-cozy parka and waterproof boots. It is a bit tough to walk in all this paraphernalia, but we’re toasty warm.
Polar Bears are awe-inspiring creatures but also some pretty scary animals. Before they load us into the zodiacs to go ashore, several members of the expedition crew have already scouted the area to be sure there are no polar bears in the area. They stake out a perimeter that we have to stay inside of and have look-outs stationed at the edge who are equipped with riffles.
A passenger asked why they don’t use rubber bullets, and we were told the government requires them to use real bullets. The goal is to see the bears but not impact their habitat or threaten their lives.
While they were scouting an area for us to come ashore yesterday, one of the scouting zodiacs got attacked by a huge Walrus, so the ship has moved on to a new location where we can spot more wildlife.
It’s daylight 24/7 up here in Svalbard, Northernmost Norway. So, while many of you were treated to a fabulous viewing of the Northern Lights, we saw nothing of it.
That’s it for my minimal wifi ability today!
Thanks for reading!
