Smeerenburg & Virgohamna - Classic Sailing

September 26.
Smeerenburg & Virgohamna
Position at 8 o'clock: 79°44' N 011°01' E
Temperature: 1,5 °C – low clouds and a bit of rain – Wind force 2, West
After a quiet night we woke up near Amsterdamøya, our first goal was Smeerenburg (Blubber
town), the most famous whaling station. Around 400 years ago about 200 men lived here, not only
the whalers but also merchants and traders. In its heyday, the whaling station consisted of around
19 buildings. Most of the houses had floors as well as fireplaces, so the living conditions must have
been quite good. The area between the houses was paved, and there were ditches to get rid of
rain‐ and melt water. Fresh water supply came from the lagoon and Smeerenburg was accessible
from three sides, East, South & West. Whales were harpooned and dragged to the shore, then
processed. Whale oil was used as lamp oil, to produce soap, for tanning leather and to refine
sulfur. Also the baleens were commonly used. When you heat them, you can bend and shape it in
any form.
The winter of 1633/34, seven Dutch men overwintered and survived, but the next winter the
second attempt was less successful, all died with the horrible pains of scurvy.

In the second half of the 17th century, Smeerenburgs days as a
whaling station drew to an end. The whales deserted the fjords
and the station fell into disuse. The ovens were dismantled and
whatever useful material this produced was taken away. In 1906
the Dutch naval ship HMS Friesland excavated the old whalers
graves and constructed a mass grave and a memorial here, for this
new grave and the deceased, which says: "HMS Friesland repaired
these graves in 1906 on order of the queen of the Netherlands"
(“Hr. Ms. Friesland herstelde deze graven in 1906 op last van de
Koningin der Nederlanden”).
In the afternoon we landed at the other site of Danskegattet in Virgohamna. The place was named
after Andrées steamship and transport vessel, the Virgo. All the areas with cultural remains in
Virgohamna are protected. To disembark here, one must have written permission from the
Governor of Svalbard. Per ship, only three groups of twelve people can apply for a permission.
Virgohamna is only a small place but full of history. It started in 1636 when the 'Harlinger kokerij'
was founded, due to lack of space in Smeerenburg. It contained two warehouses and three
dwellings each with a living room, bedroom and attic.
260 years later Virgohamna became the first stop for
Nansen after he got the FRAM out of the ice. At the
same time and location the Swede Salomon August
Andreé waited for 'favourable winds' to fly to the North
Pole with his balloon Örnen (the eagle). But a few years
earlier in 1888 the Englishman Arnold Pike had a house
prefabricated in Norway because he wanted to spend
the winter in Spitsbergen (his house was moved to
Barentsburg in 1925.) This house was also used by
Andrée & Wellman. The American journalist Wellman
established a base for his expedition furthest west in the
bay in 1906.
He constructed a gigantic hangar to house his airship
America, a dwelling for himself and a hydrogen plant.
Wellman also used the base in 1907 and 1909, and
attempted several unsuccessful flights. He no doubt had
plans to return, but with the news that Cook had
conquered the North Pole, he gave up the plan for ever.
With the Dinghy we also went to visit a colony of
harbour seals.

September 27.
Prins Karls Foreland – Poolepynten & Trygghamna
Position at 8 o'clock: 79°11' N 011°53' E
Temperature: 3°C ‐ low clouds – Windforce 1‐2, North
It becomes more obvious that the days are becoming shorter and wintertime is close by, since the
trip started the nights last two hours longer. The fog and the low standing sun made the morning
walk on Poolepynten a mystic one. The driftwood, the walrus skeleton, the vegetation covered
whale vertebrate disks and also for some of us alive minke whales. The mood for a swim was rising
due to the whales and when Michelle pointed out that when the polar plunge would take place
here, it would be in the Arctic Ocean instead of in some fjord.
These four brave men took the challenge and ran screaming from the beach into the water.

What more to wish for....?
Back on board, warm again after a strong drink, the anchor was
lifted and we aimed for Alkhornet for the evening walk. Not
anymore protected from the westerly swell by Prins Karls Forland,
the ship started to roll. Luckily we turned East soon and the waves
came from the back which was more comfortable. The fog started
to disappear and when the sun came through a fog bow became
visible and the cameras could stay on as soon afterwards the sailing
vessel Noorderlicht passed by. When at Alkhornet we saw a
speedboat at the designated landing site, but that did not bother us
as much as the fact that those people seemed to be hunting. Not a
good spot to take a walk…. So we went further into Trygghamna and
made a fabulous landing near Harrietbreen: the sun was settling
and the sky became orange with still stripes of fog, a small lake in
front of the glacier, a photographers Walhalla.
As the icing on the cake, shortly before midnight....
It started! Northern Lights!!! And she danced.
Was it a sign when we had passed the ship before?

September 28.
Nordenskjöldbreen & Pyramiden
Position at 8 o'clock: 78°40' N 016°51' E
Temperature: 0 °C – Clear sky – No wind
Still dreaming, because of the northern lights we enjoyed breakfast showing the framed results of
last night.
The ship was repositioned a little closer to the Nordenskjöld‐glacier. At a distance of 580 meter
from the glacier front (thanks to the radar), Joachim, Michelle and Ronald calculated the height of
the lowest point. It turned out to be 50 meters still! Who would have thought that.... We all got
the opportunity to get a closer look from the dinghy. And when you see this massive wall of ice
from such a low angle, you feel even smaller. With all its cracks, lines, arcades and different shades
of white & blue, again we could not stop photographing.

At the other side of the fjord, we could see the Pyramid shaped mountain and the village of
Pyramiden, our next stop. The Russian mining town Pyramiden was abandoned in 1998, the last
ton of coal you'll find in a lorry next to the city's welcome sign. After Russia fell apart, there was
not enough money to maintain both Barentsburg and Pyramiden. Due to the warm gulfstream
along the west of Spitsbergen, Barentsburg (and also Longyearbyen) are longer navigable. Another
reason to close down the mine in Pyramiden is a flight accident one year earlier, in which 300
people, all families were killed. It is very special to walk in a ghost town, you can still feel the pride
of the people that had lived there. With its lovely boulevard, beautiful architecture, heated
walkways, enhanced with grass imported from Siberia and flower beds in front of the houses. Now
kittiwakes live in the window frames, their noise instead of playing children. Once it had more than
1000 inhabitants, living in freedom, far away from the general director in Barentsburg. As in any
Sovjet town, a statue of Lenin, a cultural centre and good sports facilities were present. Matches
between the local towns were highlights.
A surprise when we came back to the ship, all tables were set. Captains dinner!
It started with a drink and speech of captain Joachim, then we got to know the best side of the
service crew. No complains about the food and
service we had before on this trip, but this was
absolutely superb!
Unfortunately this also meant the end of the trip for
the most of us. Michael, Stephan, Bernard, Cees, Jaap,
Mariet & Frans could join one day more.
Having our last drink together, Bram came in and rang
the bell. Northern Lights again, and this time even
better!

September 29.
Longyearbyen, Diabasodden & sailing
Position at 8 o'clock: 78°14' N 15°36' E
Temperature: 3 °C – Overcast – No wind
Breakfast at 8 o’clock was a
special one as some of us had
already have to leave the ship.
On the quay after unloading
the luggage from the vessel it
became an emotional goodbye
as it was our best trip ever.
However for few of us it was
not over yet, we left port and
headed for Diabasodden.
Bernard prepared us for what
to expect with a lecture on the
geology of Spitsbergen. On
shore we walked over the wet
but due to the frost crunchy
tundra towards the waterfall
Hyperittfossen. It makes a nice
cut through the diabas rocks with their basalt like columnar structure which creates good photo
opportunities. In the afternoon more of such opportunities arose when we could raise all the sails
and went sailing through Sassenfjorden. Longyearbyen was
not possible to reach on sail due to the prevailing wind so
during our final diner we were accompanied by the, after 8
days so familiar, rumble of the engine. Thanks a lot all for
even a better trip ever…..
And the snow came down.....

September 30.
Longyearbyen
Position at 8 o'clock: 78°14' N 15°36' E
Temperature: 3 °C – Overcast – No wind
After a final, good Antigua‐style breakfast it was finally time to say goodbye during the morning.
Hard to believe that the trip had come to an end and that so much beautiful arctic experience
could fit into our photographs!
Many of us knew already now that this was not our last visit to the arctic.
23. September 2011 Photography Arjan
24. September 2011 Amundsen (on land) Michelle
24. September 2011 Geese research in Ny Ålesund Ronald
24. September 2011 Sailing
25. September 2011 Polar bears Michelle
25. September 2011 Photography Arjan
26. September 2011 Smeerenburg (on land) Ronald
26. September 2011 Early whaling history Michelle
26. September 2011 Sailing
27. September 2011 Animals we have seen Ronald
27. September 2011 Photography Arjan
28. September 2011 Photography presentation All of us
29. September 2011 Sailing

Triplog is written by Michelle van Dijk and Ronald Visser.
Photographs by Arjan Bronkhorst.
The s/v Antigua will continue to sail in Spitsbergen’s waters in the years to come; the other sailing
ships of the Tallship Company fleet, Mare Frisium, Artemis, Elisabeth and Atlantis, sail the North
Sea, the Baltic Sea, the IJsselmeer and the Canary Islands.
More information:
Classic Sailing
Parton Vrane, Portscahto,
Cornwall TR2 5ET
skippers@classic‐sailing.co.uk
http://www.classic‐sailing.co.uk
01872 58 00 22

BIRDS
ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Arctic skua Stercorarius parasiticus x x x x x
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea x x
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis x
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle x
Brent Goose Branta bernicla
Brunich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia
Common Eider Somateria mollissima x X x
Common Guillemot Uria aalge
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis X X x x x
Glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus x
Great black-backed
Gull
Larus marinus
Great skua Stercorarius skua x
Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea
King Eider Somateria spectabilis
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla x x x x x
Little Auk Alle alle
Long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis x
Long-tailed skua Stercorarius longicaudus
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus x
Pomarine skua Stercorarius pomarinus
Puffin Fratercula arctica
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima x x x x
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red-throated diver Gavia stellata
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Ross’ Gull Rhodostethia rosea
Sabine’s gull Larus sabini
Sanderling Calidris alba
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis x
Svalbard Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus hyperboreus x
Turnstone Arenaria interpres

SEA- AND LAND MAMMALS
ENGLISH Scientific 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus
Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus
Beluga Dephinapterus leucas
Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus
Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiopsis truncatus
Bowhead Whale Balaena mysticetus
Common /Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina X X X
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus
Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus
Harbor Porpoise Phocaena phocaena
Harp Seal Pagophilus groenlandicus X
Hooded Seal Cystophora cristata
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae
Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melaena
Mink Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata X
Narwhal Monodon monoceros
Northern Bottlenose Whale Hyperoodon ampullatus
Orca (Killer Whale) Orcinus orca
Polar Bear Ursus maritimus X
Ringed Seal Phoca hispida
Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus
Sei Whale Balaenoptera borealis
Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus
Svalbard Reindeer Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus X X X X
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus
White-beaked Dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris