Spitsbergen - Norway - 2015
Spitsbergen Island is the biggest island in the Svalbard Archipelago.
About 1000km north of the Norwegian mainland, Svalbard is part of Norway.
Spitsbergen means pointed mountain peaks. They are prominent on this island.
It is the 36th largest island in the world.
We went on 2 Arctic cruises - 20 days in total.
Bamsebu
We visited Bourbonhamma Bay which was named by the French Prince of Bourbon, who helped chart this area from his yacht, Fleur de Lys, in 1891.
There was a well-maintained hut, Bamsebu (home of the bear), at our landing site.
Notice the spikes on the door and walls to deter bears.
I have seen larger spikes on buildings in Asia to deter elephants.
The area is littered with bones of more than a 1000 belugas.
Van Mijenfjord - Camp Millar
This was our last zodiac landing on this first cruise.
The Northern Exploration Company of England (NEC), in 1910, searched for gold deposits in the boundary zone
between the metamorphic basementand sedimentary cover rocks.
Like other ventures in this area they were unsuccessful.
The rocky slopes above the richly vegetated area are home to thousands of little auks.
The remains of an arctic fox trap.
Some of the original mining equipment and gold mine remains.
Kongsfjorden (Kings Fjord) - Ny Alesund (New Alesund)
Ny Alesund (New Alesund), at latitude 78deg 55min N, claims to be the most northerly permanent settlement in the world.
It is 9km south of the 79 deg N parallel of latitude and 1231km (740 miles) from the North Pole.
Originally a coal mining settlement it is now an international research village with over 150 scientists in summer and more than 30 year round.
Ny-Ålesund is host to fifteen permanent research stations run by agencies from eleven countries.
In addition there are several institutions which carry out permanent research without having established their own stations.
Most research is centered around environmental and earth sciences, taking advantage of the town's latitude,
close access to pristine nature and relatively mild climate.
The old railway engine and coal wagons used from 1917 to 1958 are still here.
The Post Office
The mast that moored the airships used in the 1926 and 1928, Norge and Italia expeditions in the North Pole area.
Some pictures that were in the display centre ...
The most northerly public toilets in the world!!
Kongsfjorden (Kings Fjord) - Ny London (New London)
Ny London was the site of a marble mining quarry between 1910 and 1920 by Ernest Mansfield of the Northern Exploration Company.
Considerable money was invested in the plant, but the venture failed as the marble was of poor quality and cracked easily.
Glacial scratches on rocks
You can see NyAlesund across the fjord
Spitsbergen Island is the biggest island in the Svalbard Archipelago.
About 1000km north of the Norwegian mainland, Svalbard is part of Norway.
Spitsbergen means pointed mountain peaks. They are prominent on this island.
It is the 36th largest island in the world.
We went on 2 Arctic cruises - 20 days in total.
Bamsebu
We visited Bourbonhamma Bay which was named by the French Prince of Bourbon, who helped chart this area from his yacht, Fleur de Lys, in 1891.
There was a well-maintained hut, Bamsebu (home of the bear), at our landing site.
Notice the spikes on the door and walls to deter bears.
I have seen larger spikes on buildings in Asia to deter elephants.
The area is littered with bones of more than a 1000 belugas.
Van Mijenfjord - Camp Millar
This was our last zodiac landing on this first cruise.
The Northern Exploration Company of England (NEC), in 1910, searched for gold deposits in the boundary zone
between the metamorphic basementand sedimentary cover rocks.
Like other ventures in this area they were unsuccessful.
The rocky slopes above the richly vegetated area are home to thousands of little auks.
The remains of an arctic fox trap.
Some of the original mining equipment and gold mine remains.
Kongsfjorden (Kings Fjord) - Ny Alesund (New Alesund)
Ny Alesund (New Alesund), at latitude 78deg 55min N, claims to be the most northerly permanent settlement in the world.
It is 9km south of the 79 deg N parallel of latitude and 1231km (740 miles) from the North Pole.
Originally a coal mining settlement it is now an international research village with over 150 scientists in summer and more than 30 year round.
Ny-Ålesund is host to fifteen permanent research stations run by agencies from eleven countries.
In addition there are several institutions which carry out permanent research without having established their own stations.
Most research is centered around environmental and earth sciences, taking advantage of the town's latitude,
close access to pristine nature and relatively mild climate.
The old railway engine and coal wagons used from 1917 to 1958 are still here.
The Post Office
The mast that moored the airships used in the 1926 and 1928, Norge and Italia expeditions in the North Pole area.
Some pictures that were in the display centre ...
The most northerly public toilets in the world!!
Kongsfjorden (Kings Fjord) - Ny London (New London)
Ny London was the site of a marble mining quarry between 1910 and 1920 by Ernest Mansfield of the Northern Exploration Company.
Considerable money was invested in the plant, but the venture failed as the marble was of poor quality and cracked easily.
Glacial scratches on rocks
You can see NyAlesund across the fjord
