It's almost never a good sign when a tour operator changes ships a month before the voyage. When I heard this, I was reminded of the character Bricktop from the movie Snatch when he said: "I lose all bets at the bookies. You can't change fighters at the last minute!" Guys - you can't change ships at the last minute! However, I am very glad they did because it changed the trip in an amazing way. Before I explain this further, let's talk a little about Svalbard and why I wanted to visit in the first place.

Svalbard is an Norwegian archipelago but it's not the same as the Norwegian mainland. Following WW1 in 1920, the Treaty of Versailles was signed after which Norway said: Hey guys, what about this little archipelago called Spitsbergen? (Svalbard's previous name). Furthermore, they added: Why don't we take control of it but we'll let any signers of the Treaty of Versailles enter without a visa, nobody is allowed any military presence plus you can mine coal and fish as much as you want. What do you think? Long story short, everyone agreed and soon thereafter the treaty of Spitsbergen was signed.

Today, there are about 2200 people from more than 50 different countries living in non-Shengen zone Svalbard. When I was there, the King of Norway happened to also be in town to ceremonially close the last operating coal mine, good old number 7. I will skip the very interesting, yet irrelevant history of Svalbard and get back to the details of my voyage.

Polar Bears! Ever since my visits to see the grizzly bears in Katmai, Alaska I have wanted to meet their arctic cousins live and in person. Most everyone comes here to see them and they even have a stuffed one sitting atop the luggage conveyor belt at the Svalbard airport in case visitors are unsuccessful at seeing a live one. As I do on every trip, I manage my expectations because this is nature and not amazon.com. In addition to polar bears, I had hopes to see walruses and puffins (Mylène's favorite breakfast cereal) and I have always wanted to see an arctic fox.

The first surprise was the replacement ship. I don't really know much about the previous one other than the owner was in financial difficulties so the tour company preemptively went with Plan B.

The Kvitungen—Norwegian for “baby seal”—is a true Arctic workhorse. With a crew of eight and space for just twelve passengers in bunk beds, this compact icebreaker was originally built for crabbing and sealing during the harsh and totally dark Arctic winter. Its 3.5-meter (3.8 yards) draft and reinforced hull allow it to slice through pack ice effortlessly, like a warm knife through butter. Better yet, its shallow draft let us navigate into remote, ice-choked waters—vastly improving our chances of encountering Arctic wildlife up close. Conversely, the 180+ passenger luxury cruise ships can't do this plus very few of their passengers have a 1200mm photographic reach. Perhaps this is why they have the stuffed polar bear at the airport.

During 2024, the Norwegian government enacted a new law that complicates things for the tourism industry up here. Neither people nor ships can approach a polar bear within 500 meters (547 yards) between March 1st and June 30th. These regulations are aimed at protecting polar bear habitats and ensuring they can hunt, rest, and care for their cubs without disturbance.

One notable exception to this law is if you are over 500 meters away and a polar bear then approaches your vessel, then that is not a violation. And as luck would have it, that exactly what happened to us on the second day of the trip!

When I travel for photography, I don't need luxury - just the opportunity to be put in front of wildlife and have at it. But, after the day is done, it's always great to enjoy a good meal and the Kvitungen's chef did not disappoint. In Norse mythology, Thor is the god of thunder, storms, strength, and protection. During my trip, Thor was the Norse god of our galley. Having been the chef at the Norwegian embassy in Rome, he dazzled us with world-class cuisine from his compact 8 sq meter (90 sq ft) galley.

Here's a 10 second video of some Norwegian salmon on his grill.

One important point that I have yet to mention - during June, Svalbard has sunlight 24 hours a day and this was my first time in an arctic summer. It was easier to adjust than I anticipated and just had to remember to look at my watch to go to bed. Furthermore, since this is a commercial fishing vessel and not a luxury cruise ship, there was no alcohol on board. I like a glass of wine now and again but I wouldn't have had a drink on a trip like this because if a polar bear is spotted, you can get a knock on the door at literally any hour of the night or day and I don't shoot while drinking.

As a young lad I remember reading about ships that could sail through ice and they are aptly named ice breakers. One of the most unforgettable experiences from this trip was the sight - but more the sound - of The Kvitungen making its way through the pack ice. Here's a 30 second video of the hull of the ship as it punches through the ice one arctic morning.

I try to be a keen observer which helps me spot unique compositions and I noticed something interesting happening when we were breaking through the ice. The sea birds went crazy! Apparently, there are lots of fish who seek refuge under the pack ice and when we broke up the ice, it was like a dinner bell to them! Below, an ivory gull lands on the ice to enjoy her snack.

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There's so much to share that I have decided to make this my first blog with part one and part two. However, before I wrap this issue up I want to share some seal images with you...enjoy!

In the last image above, a polar bear enjoys eats the seal she just caught while an ivory gull is first in line for the scraps. This image was captured from in excess of 800 meters with a 1680mm focal length from the deck of the ship.

In the next issue of the Tripod Traveler: Where Ice Meets Life: Arctic Wildlife in Svalbard - Part Two, I will show you more polar bears, birds, arctic landscapes, abstract imagery, walruses and the elusive arctic fox!