All In A Day
July 15th, 2011
Rose today on this 4th of July, American Independence Day, to find us in the international waters of the Barent Sea. Today’s wakeup call at 0730 found us at 77 degrees 40 minutes North. We are seeking to make our way back to Murmansk Russia. The waves around us are choppy with a wind at times 14 knots. Fortunately the wind is coming out of the north and is on our backs helping us to make time. It’s foggy out as one looks onto the open waters that we are going through.
As is the case with polar travel in the high arctic, one has to adjust constantly to the ever changing weather and conditions. Such was the case yesterday as our planned helicopter landing to Hooker Island could not come about. Hooker Island, named after Sir. Joesph Hooker a British naturalist who was with captain James Ross in Antarctica, is located on an inlet called Calm Bay and although the bay’s tide lived up to its name, it was too foggy for the helicopter pilot to keep sight of the ship once it got up in the air. We were though able to see from the ship the remains on Hooker Island of a Russian metrological station that was active 1929 to 1963. Now it is a biological station used only during the summer months.
Making the most of our location and conditions, the ship proceeded to the nearby beautiful arctic landmark of Rubini Rock. Rubini Rock was named after an Italian opera singer. This rock of a small island, a huge buttress of basalt, jets straight up above the water and is home to numerous seabirds. Good fortune shone on us and the fog that had given us problems earlier in the day lifted away from this area. The captain was able to approach the rock and angle the ship to several yards off the rock. We were treated to an aerial show. Rubini Rock is home to 15,000 pairs of Brunnich Guillemots, 5,000 pairs of Black-legged Kittiwakes, and numerous Glaucous Gulls. Many newly hatched chicks could be seen as the birds displayed themselves nesting and flying. There was a bedlam of activity as so many birds clamored and claimed their nesting areas throughout the cliffs. The stopover made for wonderful photography. Closing my eye yet taking in the sounds and smells of the place, I was reminded of the large penguin rookeries in Antarctica.
“The Polar Bear is a Noble looking animal and of enormous strength, living bravely and warm amid eternal ice. He is the unrivalled master of existence of this icebound solitude.”
-John Muir-
1881
Following lunch yesterday we continued to traverse the cluster of islands that make up Franz Joesph Land. The sighting of polar bear footprints on the ice ultimately lead us to come upon a mother polar bear and its cub. The cub was estimated to be roughly 6 months of age by our on board marine mammal expert Lynn Woodworth. You could not have scripted a better viewing of this pair as they inquisitively approached our ship and made several passes on both sides of the ship. The situation allowed us a lengthy witness of the mother bear’s care and teaching to her young cub. The pairs walk along the ice flows and their climbing on top of a iceberg will forever be a favourite memory of mine.
Other than when a mother bear is with her cubs, polar bears hunt alone in a life associated with the ice pack. Making their home in the arctic and seeking out its prey of Bearded Seals, Harl Seals, and especially Ringed Seals, polar bears have evolved to perfectly master this remote isolated part of the globe. Being solitary by nature, they perhaps have one of the loneliest lives on the planet. We all left richer having been in their presence.
Making our way South back to Murmansk Russia, our days on this expedition are numbered and coming to an end soon. Yesterday’s full day of viewing seabirds, polar bears, and walruses concluded with a special Russian diner. The night was filled with savory food, singing, and joyous company.
Returning to civilization soon,
Giovanni Savaglio
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