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.
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To Longyearbyen... This morning, we took a bus to the Oslo airport and boarded a flight up to Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean! I was so excited to get up to the high Arctic and embark on our voyage aboard the National Geographic Explorer. I took a bit of fine Norwegian chocolate on the plane, but I opted out of the many salty black licorice treats that are so popular there!
In fact, Longyearbyen has the northernmost airport (permanent, with regularly scheduled flights) in the world. The city boasts many "northernmost" records: post office, church, restaurant, blues festival, cinema etc... In the winter, the region is cloaked in darkness day and night and temperatures are often below zero, but this time of year, the town is bathed in sunlight at all hours and temperatures range in the 30-50 degrees F. The climate in Svalbard is moderated by the warm North Atlantic current that continues the Gulf Stream northeast. We visited the Svalbard Museum and got introduced to the local arctic ecology, as well as the human history of the region. Though there were no indigenous people in Svalbard. In 1596, Dutch expedition led by Wilhelm Barentsz arrived in Svalbard and named the region "Spitsbergen," a name that meant "sharp, pointed mountains." Today, Spitsbergen is the name of the largest island. During the 400 years after its discovery, Svalbard was a whaling and hunting ground for the Dutch, English, Russian Pomors, and Norwegians. Whales, walruses, arctic fox, and polar bears were hunted in large numbers. Longyearbyen has been used as a whaling base, a mining town, a polar research outpost and, most recently, an Arctic tourism destination. The homes are almost exclusively owned by companies, which provide housing to workers and their families. On the bus, Ellen and I sat near a Lindblad Expeditions legend, a very sweet (and sharp!) elderly woman named Grace. She has been on over 30 voyages all over the world with the company! She was familiar with the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship and after congratulating us for being there told us, "Don't pretend to know anything about polar bears. It really detracts from the experience of others." Ha! We assured her we wouldn't. Exploring the Explorer... Finally time to board the ship and begin exploring our new home. Our teacher cabin was quite comfortable: two attached staterooms, a single and a double, and a bathroom with walk-in shower. We began unpacking our gear and settling into our shipboard home. Karen, our naturalist mentor, gave us a tour of the ship and I quickly began to memorize the stairways. Everyone gathered in the lounge for staff and crew introductions, as well as a mandatory lifeboat drill. We had to learn what do in case of an emergency. We had not even left port yet and Captain Oliver Kruess spotted a walrus and calf swimming near the ship. I quickly grabbed my camera and headed out on deck to check it out! Leaving Port... I was stunned by the silvery light as we pulled out of Longyearbyen. The pointed peaks seemed to glow in the afternoon sun. We set sail for Hornsund, the southernmost major fjord along the main island of Spitsbergen. We were treated to some gorgeous scenery. We cruised up close to our first tidewater glacier, ones that terminate in the sea.
I can already tell that my fellow Fellows Ellen and Aimee and I are going to be lifelong friends and professional colleagues. I know we have an incredible adventure ahead of us, and I cannot think of anyone better to share it with. We enjoyed the first of many sumptuous meals this evening. During this and other meals, us teacher fellows tried to separate and dine with different guests. What a well-travelled and interesting group! Unfortunately, I did not get any sleep. I am not sure if I was still on Hawaii time or perhaps coursing with adrenaline, but I was up writing and wandering the ship most of the night. I saw the midnight sun, and the 1am sun, and the 2am sun, and the...well, you get the idea. Looking forward to the journey ahead...let's explore the Land of the Ice Bears! All photographs by Cristina Veresan unless otherwise indicated.
When I got the call from National Geographic back in February that I had been chosen as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, it was quite a shock. I was congratulated on my selection and informed I would be exploring "the land of the ice bears." Wow, I thought, I am going to the Arctic! Then, "You will be on an expedition of Svalbard in June." After saying thank you repeatedly, crying uncontrollably and finally hanging up the phone, I looked at my laptop in front of me and promptly googled "Svalbard." Svalbard is an archipelago that has been part of the Kingdom of Norway since 1925, and the islands are about halfway between continental Norway and the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard compares in size to the state of West Virginia or the country of Scotland. About 60% of Svalbard is covered in ice, but there are areas of low-lying and very well-adapted vegetation. In fact, I can expect to see some exotic Arctic flowers since it will be the summer season.
During my summer expedition, I can expect variable temperatures ranging from 30-50°F and a lot of daylight! Though some areas are untouched wildness, Svalbard has been used over the years by hunters, fishers, mining companies, and scientists and actually has the northernmost permanent settlements in the world. This year, on account of my commitment to helping students understand the world we live in, I have been selected as a National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions Grosvenor Teacher Fellow. The fellowship program is named for National Geographic Society Chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor. Only 25 teachers from the US and Canada were chosen for this honor, and I am proud to be the only Fellow selected from Hawaii in the fellowship's eight year history. All the Grosvenor Teacher Fellows get the chance to participate in an expedition aboard the National Geographic Explorer somewhere in the world, and my particular expedition will be of Arctic Svalbard from June 7th-16th. I am so excited to experience the Arctic wilderness!
In April, all of this year’s Grosvenor Teacher Fellows travelled to Washington, D.C. for a professional development workshop at National Geographic Headquarters. The three-day training was a chance to develop a collegial network among the fellows and to learn about expedition gear, photography, and outreach planning through hands-on sessions. We also had the opportunity to meet Lindblad Expeditions President Sven Lindblad, along with National Geographic’s Gilbert Grosvenor himself. My expedition will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime voyage of discovery. In less than two weeks, I will travel to Arctic Svalbard and board the National Geographic Explorer. I will have a chance to learn from experts including National Geographic photographers and Lindblad Expeditions naturalists. I will leave the tropics and enter a foreign landscape of pack ice and glaciers, and I will most likely observe wildlife such as walrus, reindeer, and polar bears in their natural habitat. My new parka, knee-high rubber boots and all manner of silk, wool, and fleece layers are already packed. I have been learning how to use my camera's settings in order to best document my experience. And I have been reading all I can about Svalbard natural and cultural history. Embarking on this Arctic adventure is such a thrill, and I cannot wait to share it with students, other teachers, and my community. I will be bringing back to Hawaii knowledge about a wholly different part of the world and no doubt a greater understanding of how we are all connected. |
AuthorThis blog contains occasional dispatches from my science classroom and professional learning experiences. Thank you for reading! Archives
October 2024
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Cristina Veresan
Science Educator |
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