Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland V8

12– 24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8
The Albatros
THE THREE
ARCTIC
ISLANDS
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

The Albatros
Editor-in-Chief:
Staff Writers:
Layout & Design:
Expedition Leader:
Assistant Expedition Leader:
Shop Manager:
Expedition Photographer:
Zodiac Master:
Kayak Master:
Rifle Master:
Expedition Guide/Lecturer:
Front Cover Image:
Back Cover Image:
Photography Contributors:
Yeti (Jes Gravgaard)
Steve Egan
Yeti and Gaby Pilson
Lars Maltha Rasmussen
Barbara Post
Ted Creek
Nadine Smith
Yuri Choufour
Steve Traynor
Slava Nikitin
Yeti ( Jes Gravgaard)
Isabelle Howells
Rashidah Lim
Wan Meng Chieh
Aviaaja Schluter
Yeti Gravgaard
Cao Jianxi
James Floyd
Emil Maltha Rasmussen
Lars Maltha Rasmussen
Ny-Ålesund © Gaby Pilson
Renato Granieri Photography
Gaby Pilson
Yuri Choufour
© Gaby Pilson
12-24 July, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 8

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Voyage
By the Numbers
Day 1: Into the wild
The Seven Sisters of Szczecin
The King of the Arctic
Day 2: The Cross Road Fjord
Day 3: Southern Svalbard
Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts
Day 4: Hornsund
Day 5: Crossing the Continental shelf
Day 6: Sea Ice
Day 7: At Sea
Day 8: At Sea
Day 9:Nansens Fjord
Day 10: Kangerdlugssoaq
Day11: Isafjordur
Polar Diplomacy
A Brief History of the Zodiac
Day 12: Flatey
Day 13: The final Day
A Final Note
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

The Voyage
Page 4
The following map traces the approximate route that the M/V Ocean Atlantic took during our
voyage From Svalbard to via Greenland . You can find more information about our day to day
activities, landings, and excursions on the following pages. We hope that this magazine serves as a
reminder of all of the wonderful memories you made while experiencing the Arctic with us at
Albatros Expeditions.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufour
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

By the Numbers…
Page 5
Voyage Statistics:
Northernmost Point: 79 o 07.554’N, 11 o 48.352’E
Total Distance Travelled: 945 nautical miles
Excursion Locations:
Longyearbyen:
Ny-Ålesund:
14 Julibukta:
Bamsebu:
Camp Millar:
Hornesund:
Greenland Sea:
Greenland Sea:
Greenland Sea:
Denmark Strait:
Nansens Fjord:
Isafjordur:
Flatey:
Reykjavik:
78 o 12.651’N, 15 o 32.408’E
78 o 56.057’N, 11 o 59.759’E
79 o 07.554’N, 11 o 48.352’E
77 º 44.173’N, 14 º 20.382’E
77 º 33.476’N, 14 º 05.334’E
77 º 02.641’N, 16 º 28.460’E
76 º 59.253’N, 01 º 45.075’E
74 º 20.567’N, 09 º 10.215’E
70 º 22.478’N, 18 º 23.884’E
69 º 39.962’N, 19 º 22.674’W
68 º 18.306’N, 29 º 39.674’W
66 º 06.030’N, 23 º 04.721`W
65 º 22.054’N, 22 º 57.579`W
64 º 14.600’N, 21 º 94.426`W
© Yuri Choufour
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 1: Into the Wild
12 July 2019 - Embarkation Day
Page 6
From the Voyage Log
As our flights touched down on the runway in
Longyearbyen, we were treated to delightful views of
the Arctic landscape that will become our playground
for the next week. Weary from our early morning
flights, yet excited for the adventure to come, we
immediately journeyed into town for some quick city
exploration inLongyearbyen.
The story of Longyearbyen is short, but industrial,
although it didn’t start out that way. As the history
books tell us, the notion of Longyearbyen as a
potential settlement first came about when John
Munro Longyear was on an arctic cruise with his
family in 1903. While sailing around the many fjords
that make Svalbard the picturesque landscape we
know and love, Longyear spotted some potential coal
mining opportunities in Isfjord. By 1906, he began his
mining operations in what was then known as
Longyear City.
© Yuri Choufour
Once we got our fill of the shopping and walking
opportunities in Longyearbyen, we headed off to
the pier to finally embark on our new home, the
M/V Ocean Atlantic, via a short, but exciting zodiac
ride - our first of many on this expedition. After the
hotel check-in process was complete, we were
treated to a scrumptious afternoon tea, before our
mandatory safety drill in the late afternoon. Soon
enough, we were casting away the bowlines,
heading away from our safe harbour, and
journeying out to sea, intrue expedition style.
After our safety drill, we had an opportunity to
wander around the ship and acquaint ourselves
with our new home. Before long, however, we
gathered up in the Viking Lounge yet again for an
introductory briefing with Expedition Leader Lars
Maltha Rasmussen and his 16 expedition staff
members.
© Yuri Choufour
Although coal mining is no longer as abundant as it
once was in Svalbard, it has forever left its mark on
the region, least of all by creating the small, but
bustling settlement of Longyearbyen. These days,
however, Longyearbyen is a centre for international
science efforts, tourism, and conservation, and, most
importantly for us: the starting point on our journey.
As we’re on an expedition, we know full well that
there are no guarantees. We are at the mercy of the
weather, the wildlife, and the landscape of this cold
and often inhospitable place. But, as explorers know
all too well, we can only ever experience true
beauty in nature when we are brave enough to seek
it out amongst the mountains and the seas in the
world’s most remote places. It is with that
sentiment in mind that we venture away from
Longyearbyen and north, to the future and all the
wonders itholds.
“
We can only ever experience true
beauty in nature when we are
brave enough to seek it out…
”
© Yuri Choufour
12-24 July, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 8

The Seven Sisters of Szczecin
David MacDonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide
M/V Ocean Atlantic was launched in 1986 as the
last-built of the ‘Shoshtakovich’ class of icestrengthened
passenger vessels, alongside six sister
ships, together known as the “Seven Sisters of
Szczecin.
Her original name was Konstantin Chernenko
(Константин Черненко), after the President of the
USSR (1984-1985). She was renamed Russ (Русс) in
1989, and spent much of her life working in the
Russian Far East.
She was purchased by Albatros Expeditions and
completely refitted in 2017. She is now a 200-
passenger expedition vessel and is one of the
strongest polar cruise ships afloat. Here are some
fun facts about the “Seven Sisters”:
• All seven ships were built by Stocnia Szczecinska
shipyard inSzczecin, Poland between 1979-1986
• Main engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6LZ40 total power
12800 kW, giving a maximum speed of 18 knots
• Most of the class have one bow thruster (736 kW)
and one stern thruster (426 kW); however, two
ships, including ours, built in 1986, have two stern
thrusters, each of 426 kW
• Feature Siemens stabilisers for seaworthiness
• Although built as ferries, they have a
strengthened car deck for transport of tanks
• Two of them had diving chambers
• MV Mikhail Sholokov had hull demagnetising
Page 7
equipment so itcould operate inminefields
• All of these ships have been scrapped except ours
and Konstantin Simonov –now Ocean Endeavour
Our ship has had a complex history:
1986-1987 In Baltictraffic, then Vladivostok to
Japan & S Korea
1989 renamed to Russ
1997-1999 In traffic Stockholm-Riga; 2000
Odessa-Haifa; 2002 back to
Vladivostok transporting cars from
Japan
2007 Sold to Sea Ferry Shipping inMajuro
and renamed 2010 to Atlantic;
renovations inItaly and intraffic
Stockholm-Helsinki-St.Petersburg
during summer and laid up (October
2010) inSt Petersburg
2012 Sold to ISP inMiami and renamed to
Ocean Atlantic under Marshall
Islands flag
2013 Used as a hotel ship inthe German
bight wind farm project
2015-2017 Laid up inHelsingborg and taken to
Gdansk in Poland, where totally
refitted
2017 Chartered to Quark Expeditions
2017-present Chartered to Albatros Expeditions.
© Renato Granieri Photography
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

The King of the Arctic
Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide
Polar bears are the veritable king of the Arctic, despite their often elusive nature in front of human visitors.
But, despite their cute, cuddly, and charismatic appearance, polar bears are fantastically well-adapted to live
in their harsh Arctic landscape. Here are some great fun facts about polar bears:
1
Although those cute and cuddly little polar
bear cubs look shiny and white in photos, polar
bears are actually black! Polar bears have black
skin with a thick coat of transparent fur rather
than the white fur and skin we’ve always
imagined. The black skin helps the bear absorb
sunlight and retain heat in cold arctic
conditions. Polar bear fur contains no white
pigment and simply appears white because of
how sunlight is reflected off of the bear. This
fur is critical for a polar bear, as it allows them
to hunt while staying well-camouflaged among
snowdrifts.
3
Polar bears are patient hunters. Instead of
chasing prey, they sit and wait for hours or
days at seal breathing holes in the ice until the
opportune moment arises. Seals surface every
five to fifteen minutes at these breathing
holes, so polar bears need to be ready at a
moment’s notice. Luckily, polar bears can use
their acute sense of smell to stalk prey without
expending too much energy. Polar bears will
sniff out a seal from up to a mile away and
through the sea ice, so they can sit and wait by
the right breathing hole. These bears show us
that laziness can, indeed, be a virtue.
Page 8
2
These
graceful bears can be difficult to study in
the wild, as harsh conditions and remote
locales conspire against scientists. Fortunately,
scientists have developed a new technique
that allows them to extract DNA from polar
bear footprints. Using just two tiny samples of
snow from a polar bear footprint, scientists in
Svalbard were able to extract DNA from the
bear and its most recent seal-based meal. The
scientific community hopes that this new
technique can help contribute to research on
polar bears and help make tracking and
monitoring the animals more accurate and
efficient.
© Renato Granieri Photography
12-24 July, 2019
© Renato Granieri Photography
4
After
a long winter in a snow den, polar bear
mothers emerge from their winter homes into
the spring sunshine with up to three cubs.
Although cubs emerge from the den about the
size of a small dog, when they are born, they’re
just 30cm (1ft) long and weigh only 450g (1lb).
Newborn polar bear cubs are blind, toothless
and completely dependent on mum for food
and warmth. They nurse on their mother’s milk
(which is nearly 30% fat!) to help them grow
quickly. Polar bear cubs will continue nursing
for nearly two years until they’re ready to start
hunting and eating seals alongside their
mothers.
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 2: The Cross Road Fjord
13July 2019 – Ny Ålesund & 14 th of July Glaciar
In a perfectly calm conditions we landed by zodiac
at Ny Ålesund and walked up to the main town. We
started our first landing with a Group picture at
Yellow River Chinese Research Station . Later on
The party split into various groups, one heading
past Roald Amundsen’s bust towards the old
mooring mast for his North Pole expedition with it
NORGE in 1926. And the other group headed
towards the dog kennel looking for wildlife, spotting
some barnacle geese with young and purple
sandpiper on display. Arctic terns nested very close
to (and even on) the road.
From the Voyage Log
© Yuri Choufur
Page 9
© Yuri Choufur
© Yuri Choufur
The groups were split in two. Half of the group went on
a short hike and had the opportunity to see some arctic
reindeers, arctic fox, and Barnacle goose.
The other group enjoyed a zodiac cruise along the bird
cliffs, where the black Guillemots and the puffins were
beautifully arranged breeding or nesting in their perfect
habitat. There were also few Northern fulmars roaming
above us all along the cruise until we reached the
landing site to swap the group's activities.
After have spending a wonderful day full of excitement
in the arctic wilderness, we all came back to the ship to
a lovely afternoon tea followed by the daily recap and
introduction the day after program.
Everyone also visited the well-stocked shop where
there was a brisk trade in souvenirs, clothing and
soft toys. Postcards (and stamps) were also
popular, with the added option of posting them
from the most northerly post offices in the world.
The museum opposite the shop had excellent
displays about the history of the town.
© Yuri
©
Choufour
Yuri Choufur
12-24 July, 2019
© Yuri Choufur
“
Upon the side of the hill, a mile to
the westwards of road, I set up a
Crosse, with a writing upon it,
signifying the Day of My arrival first
in this land
”
Martin Corway
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 3: Southern Svalbard
14 July 2019 – Bamsebu & Camp Miller
From the Voyage Log
Page 10
In the morning we landed at the beach of Bamsebu
situated in the Van Keulenfjord, where there is a
small robust and well preserved hut left from the
time the Ingvald Svendsen used it as a whaling station
in the 1930s. The rich and varied vegetation of
standout with grass, saxifrage heath, wetland and
large patches of moss. Horrifying remains of
Svendsen and his men’s ruthless slaughtering of, an
estimated number of 550 Beluga whales, are left
behind in near the beach in large piles along with a
rusty anchor and an upside down wooden boat. They
caught these whales in groups using a large net and a
row boat with three pairs of ores . During the walk we
were lucky to see the furry skeletal remains of a
recently dead polar bear as well as a curious young
arctic fox playing around on the beach. A few pinkfooted
geese were grassing at the mountain foot
while an Arctic skua glided across the sky above our
heads. During our cruise we spotted two harbor seals
in the process of changing their fur that were resting
on rocks near the shore.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufour
We watched spellbound as clouds of Little Auks
dashed from their Cliffside nesting hides in a
cacophony of shrieking cries. This was deafening &
mesmerizing at the same time, a truly miraculous
spectacle to be privy to & one of the more
wonderful experiences of a visit to these Arctic
realms. From behind a screen of boulders we could
quietly watch a pack of reindeers enjoying the arctic
plants among the large patches of moss.
Unfortunately, the wind speed rapidly increased and
as the safety of our guests is our main priority, we
decided to cancel the landing for the last two
groups of guests. Our captain repositioned the ship
to cover the escorting zodiacs from the raging waves
and safely transferred our guests from shore back
on board.
Many thanks must go to our Captain and Zodiac
drivers' skills for successfully completing
the operation as the sea state had become most
challenging.
In the afternoon we explored the area around the
abandoned gold mining site, Camp Millar, with a
beautiful view over Vårsolbukta. Only a few mine
carts and a mine shaft are left behind as evidence of
the English mining company NEC’s busy digging that
turned out to be a fruitless project, as no gold were
ever discovered. It does however remain a gold mine
for wildlife watchers with a magnificent little auk
population dwelling among the rocks on the cliff side.
The large bird colony draws hungry arctic foxes to the
area, which we were lucky to spot one sniffing
around.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yeti
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts
Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide
Glaciers have, quite literally, shaped our world. Without glaciers, the rolling hills and wide valleys we know
today would look very different, but it turns out that these icy giants have a much longer and more storied
history than many of us would initially suspect. Here are some of the best fun facts about glaciers:
2
4
© Renato Granieri Photography
Glaciers are formed by snowflakes. Although it’s
crazy to think that a tiny snowflake can create
something as large as a glacier, without snow,
glaciers would never exist in the first place. To
form a glacier, massive amounts of snow must
accumulate and persist in a single location all
year-long for hundreds, if not thousands of
years. During this time, the individual snowflakes
found in the snowpack change in a process
known as snowflake metamorphosis, where
individual ice grains fuse together and get bigger
and air bubbles get smaller. Once the icepack
builds up enough mass to start flowing downhill,
then voila! We have a glacier.
© Renato Granieri Photography
Page 11
1
Not just anything can be a glacier. In fact, there’s
a size requirement that a piece of ice has to
meet to become a glacier. Anything considered a
glacier must be at least 0.1 km 2 (nearly 25 acres)
in area to be worthy of the name. Although
there’s a minimum size requirement to be
considered a glacier, there’s no upper limit to
glacierhood. The longest glacier on earth is the
Lambert Glacier of Antarctica, which measures
out to some 434 km (270 mi) long. The world’s
largest non-polar glacier is the Fedchenko
Glacier of Tajikistan, which measures a
respectable 77km (48mi) long.
3
© Renato Granieri Photography
Glaciers are found all over the world, not just in
the polar regions. While the majority of glaciers
and glacial ice is concentrated in high northern
and southern latitudes, glaciers are found even
near the equator, such as on Mount Kilimanjaro
in Tanzania and in the mountains of Ecuador.
That being said, about half of the world’s
200,000 glaciers are found in one place: Alaska.
There, glaciers cover a whopping 72,500 km 2
(28,000 mi 2 ) of the US state’s total area. That’s a
lot of ice.
Glaciers are basically really, really, really slow-moving rivers. To be considered a glacier, a large mass of ice
must be physically moving downhill. This movement downhill is driven by gravity and is the main reason
why glaciers also act as major agents of erosion. Since glaciers move downhill, they often remove and
transport large boulders and chunks of rock, depositing them much further downhill then where they
started.
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 4: Hornsund
15 July 2019 – Bautaen & Calving ice cliff
Page 12
From the Voyage Log
The margins of the glaciers are mostly dead ice and
have more rock debris, giving them a dirty
appearance. However, the central (active) parts of
the glaciers consist of beautiful blue-whiteice.
Returning to the ship for lunch, we then headed out
of the fjord into the open sea and set course
westwards towards Greenland.
© Yuri Choufour
© Gaby Pilson
© James Floyd
In overcast, but calm sea conditions, we entered
Hornsund and slowly cruised around some of the arms
of the fjord looking at the scenery and searching for
wildlife. The massive horn-shaped mountains which
flank the entrance to the fjord clearly indicate the
origin of the ‘Hornsund’ name.
Once we reached Burgebukta at the head of the main
fjord we anchored and launched 12 zodiacs. Splitting
into two groups, we set off to cruise towards the two
large glaciers of Storbreen and Hornbreen. As we
threaded our way through the brash ice and
approached the ice cliffs, we observed groups of
kittiwakes perched on every large bergy bit of floating
ice. Occasional ivory gulls were also spotted on the
moraine.
©
Yuri
Yuri
Choufour
Choufour
By late afternoon, we were approaching the edge of
the shallow Svalbard underwater platform where
the where we hoped we might encounter whales.
We were amply rewarded by excellent sightings of
Minke, Sperm and Humpback whales. The latter
included a mother and calf who delighted us with
extended displays of feeding activity and flipper
slapping. The ship slowed down so that we could
enjoy this amazing spectacle.
Later, after dinner, we encountered a large pod of
white-sided dolphins which we were able to stay
with for a while, watching their graceful proposing
feeding activity with some even jumping completely
out of the water.
© Yuri Coufour
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufour
Both glaciers have several obvious medial moraines
forming long sinuous stripes of dark rock debris,
formed by the merging of lateral moraines from
tributary glaciers.
© Yuri Choufour
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 5: Crossing the Continental Shelf
16 July 2019 – Steve Egan From the Voyage Log
Page 13
We awoke to very calm conditions at sea, sailing
away from Svalbard, enjoying the luxury of a
little extra sleep, courteous of a ship’s clock
change. Steaming backwards in time, ever
westward towards Greenland, a blackout
onboard just as breakfast was announced
quietened the normal hum of generators and
our first meal of the day taken as we floated
peacefully somewhere out inthe North Atlantic.
Still buoyed by the fantastic afternoon of whale
sightings yesterday, Isabelle chimed in with an
enlightening presentation on ‘Whale
Identification’, introducing us to some helpful
hints on spotting & recognising which species
we may be witnessing when we encounter
these amazing creatures out here on the open
ocean. Some of us took the opportunity to join
Rashidah’s ‘Stretch Class’ to loosen up limbs
and get the blood flowing, preparing ourselves
for some time on the fresh outer decks in
search of wildlifethat we hoped to see.
The Captain, Bridge officers & Expedition Team
pored over ice maps, sea charts and radar with
intent to create an ideal onward passage yet
find any sea creatures that might be sheltering
in its midst. Sea birds fluttered by, unusually at
home in this watery desert. Slipping into the
Greenland sea as we sailed along the icy edge,
our Expedition leader decided to change things
up & ask our Captain & navigation officers to
steer our good ship into the ice floes & find us a
suitably atmospheric setting for a dip into the
freezing waters – Polar Plunge time! As we
edged inside the floating ice barrier, we spied
harp seals in small groups moving through the
open leads & Bearded seals were also sighted
lounging on ice. We found just the right place
for those mad enough to want to test their
resolve by jumping in.
© Yuri Choufour
M/V Ocean Atlantic was fast approaching a
steep gradient in the ocean floor below us,
promising rich upwellings of nutrients
attracting oceanic life such as Isabelle had just
discussed. We too, were looking forward to
enjoying a nutritious lunch onboard and an
afternoon program of various adventures.
The retreating winter sea-ice was then
encountered earlier than expected, so we
skirted her patchy boundary, leading us to turn
south, parallel to Greenland's coastline yet still
hundreds of miles offshore. Beneath our vessel
the fractured mid-Atlantic ridge buckled, down
on the ocean floor thousands of metres below.
We were hoping to venture more deeply into
the icy realm around us in search of wildlife.
12-24 July, 2019
© Yuri Choufour
Brave souls draped in bath robes stretched &
psyched themselves up to rock tunes playing in
the mudroom. The outer decks thronged with
onlookers toting cameras and there was a
palpable buzz about the ship as one by one,
guests flung themselves recklessly or more
daintily edged themselves into the sub zero
liquid from the gangway. A bit crazy for sure,
but also a lot of fun! Hot chocolate with Baileys
Irish Cream was a welcome reward for the
plungers, happily provided by our most
hospitable Hotel team. Our ships photographer
Yuri captured great images of the swimmers
from a floating zodiac.
As the evening approached, we enjoyed an
interesting brief including footage of calving
glaciers, the poignant story of the extinct Great
Auk and a preview of tomorrows activities. A
social dinner was followed by some rather
excellent Karaoke voices in the Theatre, echoing
throughout the hallways & into our dreams.
Volume 1, Issue 8

Day 6: Sea Ice
17 July 2019 – Isabelle Howells
Page 14
© Yuri Choufur
The day started for many in a most pleasant way, as
people drifted out of breakfast and into the Viking
Theatre tea cup in hand. Yuri presented a talk –
Photography 101 in which we learned about many of
the fundamental basics, and not so basics of
photography. Not only did we learn about shutter
speed, ISO and aperture, but also the specifics of
expedition photography and how to make the most
out of your camera whatever weather the Arctic
throws at you.
The day was mild and a bit foggy but many people
were enjoying time out on deck watching the sea ice
drift past. Mid morning our expedition guide Yeti held
a lecture about the birds of the Arctic, in which guests
learned how to better identify some of the many birds
that can be found in Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland.
We were told about the startling ways in which the
climate crisis is changing the migration patterns of
birds.
After lunch assistant expedition leader Barbara did a
fascinating talk on the subject of sea ice. We could
see from ice charts how there is less and less ice from
year to year and how rapidly the Arcticischanging.
After learning so many interesting facts about the ice
we have been passing these days, it was very clear
how lucky we are to be able to see it.
We had an amazing surprise in the afternoon when
the expedition leader announced we were going to
stop the ship and take a zodiac trip to land on the sea
ice, a first inthe Arctic for Ocean Atlantic!
Once the guide team had established a safe patch of
ice to land on, we zipped through the mystical light
(the fog with the sun shining through) to join them.
The front of the zodiac boats mounted onto the ice to
allow guests to get out in small groups, take photos
and experience the unique moment of standing on a
floating piece of sea ice.
We returned to the ship in very high spirits and
warmed up with a hot drink. We listened to a briefing
and recap of the day, in which we learned about a
photography contest and we heard from Avi about a
popular Greenlandic myth “The Mother of the Sea”.
After dinner we were able to relax in front of a film
and treated to popcorn.
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

Day 7: All at Sea
18 July 2019 – Isabelle Howells
Today was a true sea day. The exciting thing about this
voyage is that we are able to visit three different
countries, but that does mean we have to move fast to
get there!
Expedition guide Avi started the day with a lecture
introducing Greenland. The country is very unusual in
many ways and we learned some fascinating facts. Did
you know it’s the largest island in the world? Or that
size-wise itwould fit inside China four times?
Later in the morning, geologist James talked to us
about “Greenland the frozen archipelago”, which
prepared us further for our arrival tomorrow by
teaching us how goods are transported through the
country as well as a very interesting part about what
Greenland would look like if all of the ice were to melt.
A trip like this shows us endless evidence of a
worryingly warming climate.
Photo
© Yuri Choufur
© Yuri Choufour
After lunch, Isabelle gave a lecture about the history of
whaling in the Arctic. From its beginnings in Svalbard
in the early 1600s, demolishing the local whale
population, to modern day commercial whaling that
takes place in Iceland, Norway and Japan. We heard
how by taking responsibility with our consumer
choices, we can eventually end commercial whaling.
Page 15
From the Voyage Log
© Yuri Choufur
Photo
We were treated to an account by Slava of the race to
the North Pole, led by the famous Norwegian explorer,
Roald Amundsen. After a failed attempt to reach the
Pole in small airplanes, Amundsen commissioned an
enormous air ship named Norge to be built. In 1926
they left Ny-Alesund (in fact we saw the mast it was
tied to when we were there a few days ago!), drifted
over the North Pole before touching down soon after
inAlaska.
This was followed by our daily afternoon tea, which
seems to be more and more fabulous each day!
In the evening briefing, Lars informed us about
tomorrow’s program, before we heard a bit from Yeti
about the 7 seasons he spent living at the Danish
research station in the National Park of North East
Greenland – what an adventure he had! This was
followed by a short film he had made of the wildlife in
the area, we had the chance to admire footage of
Arctic wolves and hares, a variety of birds and some
beautiful polar bears.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufur © Yeti
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 8: At Sea
19 July 2019 – Aviaaja Schlüter
From the Voyage Log
Page 16
Most of us were sound asleep on board the
M/V Ocean Atlantic last night while the Bridge
was buzzing with people. For several hours the
Captain and the officers tried to push through
the ice that was covering the entrance to the
fjord of Ittoqqortoomiit.
Thick, heavy fog combined with the solid
masses of ice created a dangerous and
impossible obstacle for our ship.
With great sadness the decision was made to
go further South along the coast of East
Greenland in search of an ice-free fjord with
safer waters. As the real expeditioners of the
past centuries has discovered long before us;
Nature is an impressive opponent whose
powers cannot be challenged without great
consequences. As safety is always our first
priority on board the M/V Ocean Atlantic we
have now experienced first-hand how an Arctic
expedition can change course very quickly. The
rough East Greenlandic coast has been
especially challenging this season due to the
high amount of ice in the whole of the North
Atlantic.
With a new exciting destination ahead of us we
gained another day at sea with a full activity
program.
Already from the morning did we enjoy the
fascinating polar stories from Jim. It seemed
like a whole other world when he in details
described how it was to overwinter on the
Antarctic Peninsula on the Chinese Great Wall
Station at King George Island. Even the
intriguing traverse plowing through kilometers
of ice-cold desert made us shiver inthe seats.
12-24 July, 2019
Photo
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufur
Next polar story came from our Expedition
Leader, Lars, who taught us more about the
amazing migration of the Arctic tern. His field
studies in Greenland gave us a better
understanding of this uniquebird.
With all this new wisdom in our minds we
ventured out on deck at lunch time for a
wonderful open-air barbecue.
The skilled chefs had prepared a symphony of
salads, delicious grilled meat, freshly made
garlic breads, and even a whole ice cream bar.
With the view of the blue ocean, a breeze of
fresh air, we gathered together and had a blast
of a feast on deck.
© Yuri Choufur
In the afternoon Yeti gave us a very personal
account of his many years of working in the
Northeast Greenland. Combined with his skilled
photographs it was a true adventure that came
alive in front of our eyes. Close encounters with
Arctic wildlife, thousands of kilometers of
dogsledding, a fair bit of coffee, and lots of
snow and ice coloured our view as we took in
his stories.
To keep the spirit high we dove straight into a
Dumpling Party in the Bistro. With big smiles
and busy hands our lovely guests helped us
creating beautiful dumplings that we could
enjoy later for dinner.
Speaking of dinner an early appetizer came
from James as he gave us a new insight into the
creation and formation of glaciers. Rivers of ice,
powers of nature, and even a brief stop at the
last Ice Age, James covered itall.
As the day slowly ticks away and night gets
closer, we can now all see how a change of
plans doesn’t mean less fun on board the M/V
Ocean Atlantic.
Volume 1, Issue 8

Page 17
DAY 9: Nansen Fjord
20 July 2019 – Steve Egan
I awoke at 4am, the excitement of approaching this
most hidden of jewels on the seldom explored
Greenland coast was simply too much to stay in
bed. Up high, above the mist, rocky ridges of razorbacked
mountains echoed out across the distant
horizon - an immensely rugged, raw & wild land lay
before us. The morning sun backlit the peaks as far
as the eye could see towards the interior. A sea fog
hung between the arms of the entrance of this lost
fjord, beckoning us into its mystery, silently
cautioning us of the folly to hasten into this calving
ground of icebergs, many the size of buildings, an
artist's exhibition of colour & shape, sculptured by
the Great Hand.
© Yuri Chufour
From the Voyage Log
For a few moments, we gazed at a ridgeline that
promised a good leg stretch & lookout over the
massive glacier, seven miles wide, towering above the
fjord arms head.
And then, all of a sudden, one of the rocks moved
before us. A large honey-coloured boulder raised itself
up from the earth upon four furry pillars, lifted its
sizeable snout to the sky to ‘read’ our scent & to our
unbelieving eyes, began to lope down the slope in our
direction. ‘We’ve got a Bear, a Polar Bear’ came the
clearly excited call on the radio from our Expedition
Leader Lars. Wow! Our first bear of the journey &
what a gorgeously big & healthy bear it was!
Identifiably female due to a more feminine gait,
posture & demeanor & also a lack of guard hairs on
the trailing edge of her giant forelegs – she was just
the most beautiful bear anyone could hope to witness
in the wilderness. How lucky were we! All zodiacs
were lowered immediately & all guests joined us on
the water at a good distance to respect this Queen of
the Arctic, stranded ashore with the retreat of her icy
banquet table, the seasonal sea ice that fingers this
frozen fjord in winter. We watched, enchanted,
engaged & completely immersed in her every move as
she wandered about the shoreline, gazed across the
watery glacial milk at us, or simply lay down to rest.
Named for the heroic explorer Nansen, first to
cross the Greenland Icecap, Nobel Prize
laureate, commissioner of the ship that would
carry the first men to the Southern Pole - this
place had a lot to live up to. Everyone was
sleeping, bar the Captain & his navigation
officers, staring intently into the whiteness,
ushering us safely through the labyrinth of
frozen floating shapes. Hooded seals, all blotchy
& blubbery, appeared momentarily as the veil
shifted, revealing life among the ice. Body
temperatures the same as ours had me
wondering how miraculous that they thrive in
such an extreme world as this.
The ship slowly began to awaken as MV Ocean
Atlantic slipped into a side branch of the fjord.
Our Expedition team were in lookout positions,
binoculars raised & keenly eyeing potential
landing sites; all of us would very much
welcome a chance to step ashore after the few
days sailing from Spitsbergen. Zodiacs were
lowered for a scout party & we approached the
shoreline, brightly lit by the warm rising sun.
12-24 July, 2019
© Yuri Chufour
© Yuri
©
Choufour
After lunch we repositioned the ship deeper Yuri into Choufur view
of the incredible edifice of ice, corrupted into a jumbled
maze of twisted blocks at the fjords main glacial front. A
split landing & zodiac cruise soon heard words ring out
‘Polar Bear in the water!’. A guest had seen a swimming
bear & we gathered at a safe distance to see the aquatic
‘Sea Bear’ (Ursus maritimus) at home in its most natural
of poses, standing aloft a slice of floating berg. Shaking
off excess moisture our bear generously offered endless
photographic moments to capture this unique
experience we would never forget! What an incredible
day to be alive!
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 10: Kangerdlugssuaq
21 July 2019 – James Floyd
From the Voyage Log
Page 18
Numerous large rounded erratic blocks of
Archaen gneiss, over 1000 million years old,
are samples of the surrounding bedrock,
brought here by the glaciers during the last Ice
Age.
© Yuri Choufur
We awoke inside Kangerdlugssuaq Fjord to
brilliant sunshine and very calm waters.
Surrounding us on three sides were magnificent
mountains leading down to an archipelago of
small . rounded glaciated islands. The scout
zodiac went out and reported good landing
conditions in the area of an abandoned settlement
which still had the ruins of several wooden huts
and other domestic remains.
This area is the site of the Skaergaard Intrusion,
discovered in 1931 and now regarded as the type
example of a layered basic igneous body. Since
then, and despite its remote location, Skaergaard
has been intensively studied by geologists and is
probably one of the best researched intrusions of
its type in the world.
Guests landed by zodiac and, with almost 100%
exposure, were able to examine the welldeveloped
fine-scale stratification within the 55
million year old gabbro rock. Several younger
basalt dykes cut through the main intrusion
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Choufur
© Yuri Choufur
© Yuri Choufur
The flora in the area was also remarkably
luxuriant, probably a result of human activity
such as small-scale whaling. Mountain sorrel,
saxifrages and several species of dwarf willow
and birch were prominent.
© Yuri Choufur
© Yuri Choufour
The flora in the area was also remarkably
luxuriant, probably a result of human activity
such as small-scale whaling. Mountain sorrel,
saxifrages and several species of dwarf willow
and birch were prominent.
After lunch we set sail for Iceland and the last
stop on our Three Arctic Islands odyssey.
Around 2100 hours, we gathered on the aft deck
to mark our crossing of the Arctic Circle. The
Captain sounded the ship’s horn at the
appropriate moment and the Hotel staff
provided glasses of mulled red wine. Everyone
had a merry time as we celebrated and
photographed a special event at sea. The
Expedition Team even marked the occasion by
appearing on deck wearing their yellow hard
hats, just in case we hit the line with a bump!
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 11: Isafjordur
22 July 2019 – Emil Maltha Rasmussen
12-24 July, 2019
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Coufour
During our guided tour through the city we saw
several recently renovated wooden houses that were
build in the early 1800s. Each of these old houses had
the year they were built displayed on their wall and
were often named after the original builder. Because it
is a small town people often have versatile roles and
multiple jobs, therefore it is not uncommon for the
locals to both be fishermen, working in local stores as
well as undertake carpentry or mechanical projects in
their spare time.
Because Isafjordur has always been a fishing hub the
locals love eating fish. This was evident as we could
spot several wooden sheds next to the small wooden
houses that are used for drying fish. Dried fish are
considered to be a delicacy by the locals and when
we ended our walk by the maritime museum we had
a chance to taste fermented shark. The shark is
prepared by digging a whole in which it is stored for
about four months before it is air dried this process
gives it a unique taste of ammonia. It is
recommended that you clear out the aftertaste of the
shark with a big shot of the local brandy aquavit. We
also tasted dried cod, which were more popular than
the shark.
Page 19
From the Voyage Log
We arrived in Isafjordur which is a small town in
Northeastern Iceland with approximately 2700
inhabitants. The city was originally established as a
trading outpost monopoly by Danish merchants in
late 1700, but later become an important fishing hub
for the nearest smaller towns in the municipality.
Isafjordur is the largest town in a municipality with
five other small towns. The smallest towns only
revolves around fishing, while the economy in
Isafjordur is mainly focused on the service industry
along with a few local bakeries, fishing stores, a
microbrewery and a local businesses that produces
conveyer belts and other equipment especially built
© Gaby Pilson
© James Floyd
for the large fishing vessels that process the caught
fish on the ships nowadays rather than in factories in
Isafjordur.
© Yuri Choufour
The weather was extraordinary with sunshine
throughout the day. We therefore saw many of the
locals enjoy themselves outside that are faced with
some of the harshest weather in Iceland during the
rest of the years. It was clear that our local tour
guide knew most of the people she met when we
strolled through the town. The town is a vibrant hub
for artists and musicians and therefore have many
visitors from other parts of Iceland coming to
Isafjordur to attend the music festival during Easter.
Because of the rich local culture the population in
the city has started increasing once again for the
past four years after a long period of decline.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Coufour
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 12: Flatey
23 July 2019 – Emil Maltha Rasmussen
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Coufour
Page 20
From the Voyage Log
In the morning we landed on the small island Flatey.
Only four people reside on the island year-round.
These people area two elderly couples aged about
90. The rest of the inhabitants are mostly local
Icelandics that spend their holiday on the island.
Transportation to and from the island is convenient
as a small ferry arrives at the pier of the island once
per day. Wooden buildings and a wooden church
are located in the small town. The ceiling of the
church had beautiful paintings made by a local
Icelandic artists. The island is also home to a small
population of domestic goats grassing around the
little town.
© Gaby Pilson
© James Floyd
Flatey is a breeding ground for the artic terns, hence
we were able to spot a large number of newly hatchet
young arctic terns sitting on the coastal rocks and
practicing their newly obtained flying abilities.
Additionally we saw groups of red necked phalaropes,
ringed plowers, common snipe and an Oyster Catcher
along with several other species. During an extended
zodiac cruise back to the ship we saw the nesting
grounds of the national bird of island, the Puffins as
well a Kittywake colony on a small cliff.
© Yuri Choufour
© Yuri Coufour
We were lucky to spot a breaching humpback whale
from the ships. It put on an extraordinary show by
breaching about ten times in near proximity to the
ship. The joyful whale even seemed to be following
the ship alongside for a while and it was excited to try
to spot its white fins shining through the water
surface before itcame up to take another breath.
© Yuri Coufour
In the afternoon we visited Grundarfjord which is a
small village with frequent visits from tourists due to
the beautiful mountains surrounding the city. When
we arrived at the pier, we saw some of the local
children enjoying themselves by swimming and
playing in the harbour in wetsuits. We visited some
of the local stores with souvenirs and some even sold
handcrafted Icelandic wool sweaters.
© Yuri Coufour
Despite the luck we had had with wildlife and
weather throughout the trip it seemed we had not
run out as we finished our trip with an interrupted
by a pack of orcas surfing in the waves off the coast.
The whales were spy jumping and slapping the
water surface with their waves, it was a truly
© Yuri Choufour
extraordinary sight.
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

Polar Diplomacy
Thomas Bauer, Lecturer (Historian) & Expedition Guide
The polar regions of the high Arctic and the Antarctic
are some of the least explored parts of our planet
Earth. Compared to the rest of the world, these
regions have seen relatively few human inhabitants
and their ecology is dominated by snow, ice and
wind. The main inhabitants of these regions are polar
bears, walrus, seals, whales, birds and reindeer in the
high Arctic; and penguins, whales, seals and large
flying seabirds, such as the wandering albatross, in
Antarctica.
The Svalbard Treaty
The Svalbard (formerly known as Spitsbergen)
archipelago and the Antarctic continent have one
important commonality: they have never had a
permanent human population. From this fact arose
the interesting question of who owns these lands of
ice and snow?
In Svalbard this issue was settled on 9 February 1920
when the Treaty Relating to Spitsbergen (Svalbard)
Page 21
was signed in Paris. The archipelago had previous
been declared terra nullius or “no-man’s-land”
because no country had laid claim to it. The Treaty
recognized the sovereignty of Norway over all of
Svalbard but at the same time declared that nationals
of all the other signatory countries (USA, UK with its
dominions, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands and Sweden) would have equal rights to
those of Norwegians to carry out commercial or
mining operations around the archipelago.
The Treaty also specified that this was to be a region
of peace where, according to Article 9: ‘Norway
undertakes not to create nor to allow the
establishment of any naval base in the territorial
waters of Svalbard’. Thus, was created the first
agreement between states to allow several countries
to enjoy the privilege of using existing resources in
Svalbard while at the same time maintaining the
region as a place of peace.
© Renato Granieri Photography
© Gaby Pilson
© Renato Granieri Photography
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

A Brief History of the Zodiac
Steve Traynor, Zodiac Master
Page 22
In expedition cruising, the most important tool we use is the Zodiac inflatable boat. These manoeuvrable,
reliable, robust vessels are the workhorse of the expedition cruise industry, from the north of Svalbard to
the southern end of the Antarctic Peninsula. They have a long history – as you can see from the stages
below, many differentinventions needed to come together to create the craft we use today.
© Renato Granieri Photography
1838 Charles Goodyear (USA) discovered the process for vulcanising rubber (a US patent was granted
in 1844) – this process is used for hardening and strengthening rubber.
1843 Goodyear’s process was stolen by Thomas Hancock (UK) using the process of reverse
engineering; less controversially, Hancock invented the “masticator” –a machine for re-using
rubber scraps – this made the rubber industry much more efficient.
1845 The first successful inflatable boat (Halkett boat) was designed by Lieutenant Peter Halkett
(UK), specifically for Arctic operations. Halkett Boats were used by the Orcadian explorer, John
Rae, in his successful expedition to discover the fate of the Franklin Expedition.
1866 Four men made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Britain on a three -
tube inflatable raft.
1896 The original Zodiac company was founded by Maurice Mallet (France) to produce airships.
1909 The first outboard motor was invented by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1912 The loss of the Titanic and subsequent shipping losses during World War 1 proved the need for
inflatable rafts for use as supplementary lifeboats.
1919 RFD firm (UK) and the Zodiac company (France) started building inflatable boats.
1934 The airship company, Zodiac, invented the inflatable kayak and catamaran
1942 The Marine Raiders – an elite unit of the US Marine Corps – used inflatable boats to carry out
raids and landings in the Pacific theatre.
1950 Alain Bombard first combined the outboard engine, a rigid floor and an inflatable boat (built by
the Zodiac company).
1952 Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic Ocean with his inflatable; after this, his good friend, the
famous diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau, started using them.
1960 Zodiac licensed production to a dozen companies in other countries because of their lack of
manufacturing capacity in France.
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

DAY 13: Home Again
24 July 2019 - Reykjavik
After last night’s end-of-voyage festivities, we
awoke much too early for our final morning on the
Ocean Atlantic. As the Ocean Atlantic pulled into its
anchorage in Reykjavik, we started the process of
leaving behind the ship and the people we’ve come
to know so well over the past 12 days.
Our bags were packed and stowed in the corridors,
ready for our early-morning busses and flights back
to Copenhagen, and everywhere in between. After
12 whole days immersed in the landscapes and
amongst the wildlife of the Arctic, it was time to
return home or to wherever our life’s journeys
bring us.
And so – farewell, adieu, and goodbye. Together we
have visited and incredible and vast wilderness. We
have experienced magnificent mountain vistas,
seen icebergs roll and crack, felt the power of the
elements and seen how quickly they can change.
We enjoyed wonder food and comfortable
surroundings aboard the Ocean Atlantic. We
Page 23
From the Voyage Log
boarded zodiacs and cruised through icy fjords at
the end of the Earth. We have shared unique
moments, held engaging conversations, and
laughed together over beers and coffees. We’ve
made new friends and experienced the power of
expeditionary travel.
We hope the expedition team has helped make this
the trip of a lifetime - one that will persist in your
memories for weeks, months, and years, to come.
Although we must say good-bye to these places we
have come to know and love, it is a fond farewell as
we are all true ambassadors for the Arctic and all
the beauty itholds.
On behalf of Albatros Expeditions, our captain and
crew, the expedition team, and everyone else who
helped make this journey a resounding success, it
has been a pleasure travelling with you. We hope
that you will come back and experience these
wonderful places with us once again!
© Yuri Coufour
© Yuri Choufour
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8

A Final Note…
Page 24
As any good expedition comes to a close, many of us experience the
effervescent excitement that comes when we immerse ourselves
completely in an adventure. Although we all came into this voyage with
our own expectations and personal motivations, on the ship, we quickly
learned that the best plan is the one that we end up doing.
While weather and the landscape
can conspire against us in the
northern latitudes, the right mindset
can make all of the difference.
Wind, rain, sleet, and snow make
no difference when we come
prepared for an adventure and all
the excitement it holds. Whether
you saw what you came for or you
experienced something else
entirely, when you set out on an
expedition, you come for the
mountains and the wildlife, but
stay for people and places you
meet along the way.
Although we all eventually have to
leave behind our beloved Ocean
Atlantic, there are always a few
things we can take home from an
expedition:
• An acceptance and
embracement of adversity and
uncertainty when the natural
world alters our plans.
• A fondness for the wild and a
strong desire to keep remote
natural locations as beautiful
and free as they can be.
• An insatiable interest in learning
more about the people, places,
and cultures in some of the
most remote parts of the world.
As you unpack you bags, you may
find souvenirs and keepsakes from
your journey. Your camera may be
filled with countless photos,
however blurry, of the many
animals and mountains that have
crossed our paths. At the end of
the day, however, what matters
most is the experience of, the
journey to, and the memories of
these wild and wonderful places.
Best wishes from all of us on the
expedition team as you continue
on with your adventures!
Lars Maltha Rasmussen
Expedition Leader
Barbara Post
Assistant Expedition Leader
Thank you for experiencing the Arctic with us at Albatros
Expeditions. We hope to see you aboard the Ocean Atlantic
again in the future!
Ted Creek
Assistant Expedition Leader
12-24 July, 2019
Volume 1, Issue 8