By Paul Bryers, September 8, 2025

• Cruising through Bering Strait, Alaska, USA and Crossing The International Date Line.

The Bering Strait is a narrow waterway connecting the Pacific Ocean’s Bering Sea with the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea, separating the Russian Chukotka Peninsula from the Seward Peninsula in Alaska, USA. This shallow strait, approximately 85 km wide at its narrowest point, is renowned for its rich marine life and serves as a vital migration corridor for whales and birds.

Our cruise took us through the Diomede Islands, comprising the uninhabited Russian Big Diomede (Tomorrow Island) and the inhabited (~80 souls) American Little Diomede (Yesterday Island), situated in the middle of the Strait, with the International Date Line passing between them.

As we navigate the Islands, the Russian border lies in close proximity, yet remains elusive as the dense fog that pervades this area approximately 90% of the time comes and goes. However, it did lift long enough for us to catch a glimpse of both Tomorrow and Yesterday Islands as well as a yatch that was stalking us.

We crossed the International Date Line for the first time on September 8, 2025, at 12:00 pm, and immediately transitioned to September 9, 2025, at 12:00 pm. Subsequently, we recrossed the Date Line on September 9, 2025 and reverted to September 8, 2025, effectively engaging in ‘time travel’ thanks to HX.

In the second we crossed the Line I managed to get a photo of myself taking a photo of myself – Tomorrow and Yesterday Paul – freaked me out! Must say, I looked pretty good..

We saw a number of birds including my favorite, puffins.

We now head for Nome – hopefully the mist will lift for our final evening at sea.

By Paul Bryers, September 7, 2025

• WHALES!! Cruising through Beaufort Sea, Alaska, USA

We were just cruising along, when, behold, a plethora of humpbacks in a feeding frenzy, surrounded by eager seabirds, sharing in the feast.

What a great spectacle!

By Paul Bryers, September 7, 2025

• Kayaking off Murray Island

One of the challenges of daily posting is the inability to include all photos from guides and guests.

This post is dedicated to the HX Kayak Experience, comprising photos from my own collection, as well as those from guides and guests.

Our lead guide, Juan, kept a tight team together, assisted by Andrew and Clarisa.

Following our safety briefing, we set out on the zodiacs, with the kayaks being launched behind us from the ship and tied to the zodiacs – a formation reminiscent of goslings following mother goose.

Getting into the kayaks from the zodiacs was easy despite a slightly choppy sea.

We then gathered for a group photo, showcasing a cohesive team.

Then we were off paddling, maintaining a safe distance from the shore as it was a bit choppy.

We gathered for individual shots with the ship in the background.

We then ventured a bit further to view the other side of the island.

Then it was back to the zodiacs and return to the mother ship for tea and scones with butter, jam, and clotted cream.

The experience was truly unforgettable.

Special thank you to my kayak partner, Jonas, for his excellent paddling and steering skills.

By Paul Bryers, September 7, 2025

• Kayaking off Murray Island

One of the challenges of daily posting is the inability to include all photos from guides and guests.

This post is dedicated to the HX Kayak Experience, comprising photos from my own collection, as well as those from guides and guests.

Our lead guide, Juan, kept a tight team together, assisted by Andrew and Clarisa.

Following our safety briefing, we set out on the zodiacs, with the kayaks being launched behind us from the ship and tied to the zodiacs – a formation reminiscent of goslings following mother goose.

Getting into the kayaks from the zodiacs was easy despite a slightly choppy sea.

We then gathered for a group photo, showcasing a cohesive team.

Then we were off paddling, maintaining a safe distance from the shore as it was a bit choppy.

We gathered for individual shots with the ship in the background.

We then ventured a bit further to view the other side of the island.

Then it was back to the zodiacs and return to the mother ship for tea and scones with butter, jam, and clotted cream.

The experience was truly unforgettable.

Special thank you to my kayak partner, Jonas, for his excellent paddling and steering skills.

By Paul Bryers, September 5, 2025

• Gordan, Alaska, USA.

We have been navigating towards Nome, Alaska, closely hugging the cold coast to avoid ice and adverse weather about 100 km further North.

Thick mist has reduced visibility, with whispers of polar breath across the otherwise silent waters.

Occasional Nordic sea creatures have emerged, but we have successfully deterred them utilizing our superior theatrical skills, courtesy of the God known as Magnus.

Currently, we are crossing the Canada-USA border.

Our decks are blanketed with snow and ice, with icebergs gently grazing the ship as they melt away. We are nearing the end of our expedition…..

By Paul Bryers, September 4, 2025

• SIGHTING BOWHEAD WHALE!!, Northern Territories, Canada, Cruising Towards Nome.

We caught a brief glimpse of a bowhead whale, also known as the Greenland right whale, Arctic whale, and polar whale.

It is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and is the only living representative of the genus Balaena. It is the only baleen whale endemic to the Arctic and subarctic waters, and is named after its characteristic massive triangular skull (which can be seen in the first photo along with its two flaring nostrils), which it uses to break through Arctic ice.

Bowheads have the largest mouth of any animal representing almost one-third of the length of the body (as can be seen in the borrowed photo), the longest baleen plates with a maximum length of 4 m (13 ft), and may be the longest-lived mammals, with the ability to reach an age of more than 200 years. Fabulous!

Hopefully this is a sign of more whales to come!

By Paul Bryers, Sept 4, 2025

• Smoking Hills, Northern Territories, Canada, Cruising Towards Nome.

Well, I’m severely underwhelmed by Smoking Hills but then who wouldn’t be after ploughing through frozen seas and viewing a polar bear tear apart a seal.

We viewed Smoking Hills from the ship.

The fires result from autoignition of sulfur-rich lignite deposits. Weathering of the coastline of the area leads to the continuous exposure of new mineral deposits from the muds that make up the underlying geology. These are typically colored red when iron-rich.

By Paul Bryers, September 4, 2025

• ICE!! ICE!! Cruising Amundsen Gulf, Nunavut, Arctic Canada.

This morning, we were awakened by the loud sound of ice being crushed against our hull as we slowly entered and maneuvered through the icefield, comprising older ice pushed together by currents and newly forming ice.

The reflections of the sunrise on the ice and waters that our mighty ship had cleared was awesome to behold.

Our robust and reliable ship ploughed through the ice, accompanied by a crackling symphony of popping and banging sounds.