Day 1 - Ymerbukta and Sten de Geerfjellet
Sailing and zodiac pictures from Spitsbergen. We set forth from Longyearbyen on the tall ship Noordelicht in good weather in late April 2023. However cloudy skies set in as we got to our first berth at Ymerbukta (Ymer Bay) west of Longyearbyen. We had easterling then Westerlies then Northerlies as we got blown off a few cols by 30 - 60 kt winds. Esmarkmorenen - Ramsfjelldalen - Col Sten de Geerfjellet then retreat
Overnight we switched berths from Ymerbukta to Tryghammna.
Day 2 - Protektorbreen- Lagmanstoppen
It was minus 15 on our tour up the Protektor Glacier via Protektorbreen then off the Lagmanstoppen col. We had sweet views to the Forlundset to W, Gronfjordien to S and multiple glaciers including Harrietbreen to N. It was simply atrocious wind-packed snow so we bailed and skied out
Day 3 - St Johns Fjord - Ankerbreen - Lowzowfjellet
Today was a bluebird, still day. After climbing the Ankerbreen Glacier we got to the ridgelined peak of Lowzowfjella. Picking one of many paths we skied down really good snow with a view of the summits and icefields. We then had SE and SW runs followed by a run all the way to the water with amost no wind and pretty good snow for a 1500m+ Day. What a gorgeous place on a gorgeous day
Day 4 - Prins Karl Forlund - Grimaldibukta
The next day we moved over to Prins Karl Forlund Island and berthed at Grimaldibukta but not before starting the morning off with crows nest climbs.
The day started cold and clear but was forecasted to go grey. We toured up to and skied Bouréeffjellet then over to Fallbreen. Instead of continuing to Rudmoserfjellet we then descended an arm of Veslefingeren and back to the boat to wait out incoming weather
Day 5 - Grey day on St Johns Fjord - Holmesletfjella
Not much to say today. We got out of Prins Karl Forlund as winds were forecasted to pickup and sailed east back again to St Johns Fjord for sheltered waters. It was warm. It was gray. We did get some decent skiing but it was very Whistler!
Day 6 - Barentsburg
On our 6th (and final) day skiing off the Noordelicht we overnighted at Barentsburg after a long evening partially under beam reach sail and partially under motor from St John's Fjord to Gronfjordien.
Barentsburg is a coal company town only 37kms from Longyearbyen but may be a world away contrasting the upkeep of both towns. The population is approximately 450 people of whom you typically only see half due to the shifts being day/night and are Russian and Ukrainian.
We skied the Gronsfjordienfjellet with a donut hole of nice weather and the skies closed around us as we dropped back to town.
