Hiking the Arctic Desert It is hard not to mark this day with lasts: Oh, this is our last hike, our last lunch, our last reindeer, etc...But it is a fact that this is our last full day in Svalbard. And I am not ready to leave. This windy morning, the ship entered Bellsund and was finally able to find a suitable anchoring spot so we could go ashore. The staff reported not often landing in this particular place, but I think it was a happy accident. The scenery was breathtaking. Ellen, Aimee, and I had a good long hike in this Arctic desert, and for a last hike, it was amazing.
Guests were piling into Zodiacs and heading back to the ship. As Karen kept watch on the hill for bears, Brian finally got his interviews with Aimee and myself. We had to duck down to get out of the whipping wind. Before he could complete Ellen's interview, Karen announced we had better get going. I think Ellen was relieved! Below is the segment of the VER about the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship that Brian filmed today. It was difficult to be articulate in a spontaneous interview out in the cold, but I was excited to share my appreciation for the program! Last night on the Explorer... In some ways, Svalbard is exactly as I had pictured and imagined, but my experience has no doubt been full of lovely surprises. Over 60% of the archipelago is glacier-covered, and I certainly have seen plenty of ice in various forms. However, I have also hiked on the spongy green tundra dotted with colorful wildflowers. Svalbard's geology is also quite varied and has rich occurrences of fossils; in fact, there is bedrock from almost every geologic period present here. I was prepared for the cold temperatures but taken aback by the dryness of this climate. People generally associate deserts with heat, but this region is technically an Arctic desert due to lack of precipitation. Arctic deserts are defined as being located above 75 degrees north latitude and receiving less that 10 inches of precipitation annually, an amount comparable to the Sahara. Tonight was also the last nightly recap in the lounge. Lucio explained the disembarkation procedures in detail before our last delicious sit down dinner. People used the shared computers to upload photos from yesterday's polar plunge and share photos for a guest slideshow. Tonight, we enjoyed a bit of social time in the lounge with crew and guests. Aimee, Ellen and I spent time packing and reviewing our journals and photos. Tomorrow our voyage ends where it begins back in Longyearbyen, where the ship will dock and we will disembark. My Lindblad-National Geographic expedition is coming to an end. However, my missions of incorporating all my new learning into my curriculum and of sharing my Arctic story with as wide an audience as possible is just beginning. All photographs by Cristina Veresan unless otherwise indicated.
Read the Lindblad Naturalist Daily Expedition Report (DER) here.
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A Very Wet Hike Overnight, our ship had begun to retrace its path along the southern coast back to Longyearbyen, and in fine weather, we were able to make a landing after breakfast at Ardalsnuten. This morning's hike made it clear why every staff member I talked to pre voyage stated the most essential piece of expedition gear in two words: rubber boots. Knee high rubber boots are so important because when we go ashore, we travel by Zodiac boats; when we jump out of the boats, it's often into about six inches of frigid Arctic water! Today's hiking conditions were also particularly soggy, and on our long hike, Ellen and I were both thankful we had our rubber boots and waterproof pants. Temperatures had warmed, and there was lots of sunshine and plenty of meltwater. On our wet walk we encountered many bones of the great whales: ribs, vertebrae, and a moss-covered skull. The bones were settled on what was once a beach terrace but is now far from the current shoreline. The earth is slowly rebounding from when it was covered by ice. Svalbard's land, remember, was shaped by glacial activity. This area used to be an important area for early hunters, and we saw a weathered trapper's cabin that had a decrepit beauty. We saw lots of piles of reindeer scat but only a few actual reindeer. I had hoped we would be approached by reindeer, for I have not yet had a close encounter. A Polar Plunge!
Climate Change in the Arctic Lindblad Expeditions provides guests high quality, engaging interpretation through its naturalist staff during voyages. Additionally, they invite a Global Perspectives Guest Speaker familiar with the region to explore with guests and provide informal and formal commentary. On our expedition, we were fortunate to have polar ecologist Dr. Andrew Clarke with us to share insight into climate change and its impacts in the polar regions. This afternoon, as we cruised across Storfjorden, headed for the southernmost tip of Spitsbergen, Dr. Clarke gave a compelling lecture in the lounge. He made sure to distinguish between climate and weather at the start of his talk. Weather refers to short term conditions while climate reflects the long term average conditions for a region. Simply put: climate is what you expect, weather is what you get. Dr. Clarke outlined how our modern climate is not what we would expect. That is, our global climate is experiencing a pronounced warming trend beyond the range of natural variability. Sea levels have risen in the last century. And the scientific consensus is that the major cause is an increase in atmospheric CO2, predominantly due to the burning of fossil fuels. Climate change is real; let's not debate it's existence, let's work on solutions. The effects of climate change in the Arctic are quite dramatic. Data presented indicated that the Arctic is warming rapidly, ice is forming later and melting faster, and the melting surface layer of the permafrost is getting deeper. I thought of the underweight polar bear we had seen. The glacier calving we witnessed. The tidewater glaciers with newly exposed land beneath them, evidence of retreating. This Arctic ecosystem is threatened, and I have a newfound sense of urgency to protect it. I have observed evidence of climate change in Hawaii and now more evidence on the other side of the world. Global change is truly an issue that connects us all. But combating it can, too! Fin Whales Later in the afternoon, the weather turned cold and the wind picked up a bit. Just before our evening recap, two fin whales were spotted and the captain positioned the ship closer to them. The two whales were feeding and surfaced periodically to breathe. There's something so powerful about being in the presence of great whales. So much of the animal is unseen under the surface but you can sense it's immensity. It was difficult to get a great photograph, but the experience is unforgettable and, like many times on this voyage, I just tried to be fully present and enjoy the moment. I was one level up from the bow and it was fun to watch everyone move from port to starboard and back again, shutters clicking, as the whales silently repositioned themselves underwater. Yes, the wind has picked up and we are getting a lot of ocean motion tonight. After another fabulous dinner, everyone gathered in the lounge for a preview of our Video Expedition Report (VER). On each Lindblad Expeditions voyage, an expert videographer shoots the amazing moments along the way and by the end of the expedition, presents a complete, edited short documentary VER. Talented artist and adventurer Brian Christensen joined us on our Svalbard expedition and created our VER. As I expected, he beautifully captured the stunning scenery, documented diverse wildlife, and conducted interviews with guests and naturalists. Goodbye to another awesome day in Svalbard! All photographs by Cristina Veresan unless otherwise indicated.
Read the Lindblad Naturalist Daily Expedition Report (DER) here. First full day begins...
After breakfast, everyone gathered in the lounge. Before an important briefing by expedition leader Bud Lehnhausen, us Grosvenor Teacher Fellows were given a chance to introduce ourselves. When I addressed the guests, I explained the purpose of the GTF program and I made it clear "we are teachers, but we are here to learn." Bud delivered his briefing on Svalbard rules and regulations. Then, Lucio, the Assistant Expedition Leader, explained zodiac operations and the protocol for shore excursions. Naturalist Jason Kelley also shared information about Polar Bear Safety. The takeaway message: Bears will kill you; we do NOT want to see bears when we are on land, only from the ship! All the naturalist guides carry flares and a rifle as polar bear deterrents when they are leading groups of hikers. The ship was at the entrance of the southernmost fjord system along the west side of Spitsbergen known as Hornsund. The plan was to go ashore in the afternoon but the staff had to determine the best spot based on wind conditions and snowfall. We navigated the fjords and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery! Our first polar bear... Animals in the Arctic are quite spread out and, at all times in the bridge, naturalists and crew members are constantly scanning for wildlife. When Bud comes over the intercom and reports that a swimming polar bear has been spotted, the ship buzzes with excitement as people gather extra layers, binoculars, and cameras. We all scrambled to the deck to get a look at the ice bear/isbjørn (Ursus maritimus). The latin name translates to "sea bear" and the animal is actually classified as a marine mammal. Polar bears are excellent swimmers and swims of over 400 miles have been recorded. Unfortunately, due to climate change melting ice, longer swims might be becoming more common. We could just see the snout poking out of the surface but could imagine the large, paddle-like paws surging underwater and propelling it forward. We were able to see the bear in the water and then track it as it left the sea and walked along the shore. According to the naturalists, this bear was an older but underweight male and he was most likely quite hungry. This would be a very dangerous bear to encounter! At one point, the bear began eating seaweed that was piled on the beach. To see this large carnivorous bear foraging seaweed was quite a sad moment. Polar bears usually hunt seals from fast ice (sea ice attached to land), and there is no fast ice in Hornsund at this time of year. Observing this bear was witnessing a very tangible negative effect of climate change. Without ice from which to hunt, the ice bears go hungry. After lunch it was decided we would anchor and be able to take Zodiacs ashore for hiking. A good landing spot had been identified and naturalists scanned the area carefully to make sure no polar bears were present. Getting ready for an excursion is quite the ordeal! First, I had to put on a base layer of long underwear. Then, I add some thermal pants and a lightweight fleece shirt. Two pairs of thick socks for warmth. Next, I don a down parka and knee-high rubber boots. And I can't forget the accessories: a neck gaiter, hat, gloves, and shades! Our first landing... We were stoked about our first chance to hike on the tundra and explore life on land. Wearing all our layers and carrying cameras with fully-charged batteries, we boarded Zodiac boats that would carry us to to shore at Gnålodden. Our time ashore was amazing. We walked the rocky shoreline and took in the dramatic Hornsund scenery with Jason as our guide. Once we got up onto the green tundra, I felt the ground sponge beneath my feet. I knew that only the top layer was thawed and below it was the permanently frozen permafrost layer. Tiny, low-growing plants, lichen and moss were growing everywhere--even bare rock--and the purple saxifrage was in bloom! Ellen noticed that my purple parka was the same color of the flowers. An arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) appeared before our group, and we were able to watch it start feeding on part of a bird carcass. I was surprised how mangy it looked-- its bright white coat was so patchy. Jason told me that it was in the process of losing its thick winter coat. We also got to stand at the bottom of the large seabird colony that Gnålodden is known for. The air at the top of the cliff was thick with black-legged kittiwakes and thick-billed murres and the noise coming from the birds was deafening. In fact, the noise is how the cliffs get there name: “gnål” means “nagging” in Norwegian. The Arctic fox is adapted to feed on birds during the summer, and he obviously had many a meal in his future!
The evening brought a lovely welcome reception hosted by Captain Kruess and, unfortunately, another sleepless night! Perhaps the midnight sun is upsetting my system. I can only imagine how much sleep I would get during the polar night in winter. All photographs by Cristina Veresan unless otherwise indicated.
Read the Lindblad Naturalist Daily Expedition Report (DER) for yesterday and today here. |
AuthorThis blog contains occasional dispatches from my science classroom and professional learning experiences. Thank you for reading! Archives
December 2021
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Cristina Veresan
Science Educator |
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