Sorgfjord

As ships moor or anchor, Zodiacs tender you to the shore(line), depending on conditions.

Svalbard is the Norwegian name for this archipelago, which includes Bear Island and Jan Mayen, though it is usually called Spitsbergen. Almost as large as the Republic of Ireland, Spitsbergen has a population of 3,500 in five settlements yet remains virtually unspoilt wilderness today.

This is a true High Arctic archipelago, shaped by rugged mountains, sweeping tundra, ice caps and glaciers, only 600 miles from the North Pole.

Whalers and trappers were once drawn by the abundant wildlife; discerning visitors now come for huge Arctic seabird colonies and the chance to enjoy and photograph Walrus, Reindeer, Arctic Fox and, of course, Polar Bear.

In most Svalbard buildings, including some hotels and shops, shoes are expected to be removed before entering. Public buildings make this clear, with a prominent shoe rack covered in dirty walking boots at the entrance.

The Norwegian krone (NOK) is the currency, including in the Russian settlements.

Norwegian is the official language, while Russian is spoken in Barentsburg. Almost everyone working in the tourist industry speaks English.

Svalbard has a top-class Internet connection because NASA rents bulk capacity on undersea fiber optic cables laid along the seabed to mainland Norway for its Svalbard experiments.

Norwegian and Russian public holidays apply in their respective settlements, alongside a few local festivals of interest:

• At the end of January, Polar Jazz is a 4-5 day festival of jazz, blues and bluegrass.
• Sunfest Week falls around March 8th and celebrates the end of the polar night.
• The Blues Festival comes at the end of October, an appropriately blues-themed marking of winter’s approach.
• KunstPause Svalbard is staged around 14 November, when the polar night begins, as an arts festival.