By Paul Bryers
Kirkenes Snow Hotel. Not sure I see the point….
I had a go at Dog sleighing. The dogs, including puppies, were lovely and very lively and boisterous. They loved me…
A short but pleasant sleigh ride around the frozen fjord; the fjord ice was just beginning to melt.
By Paul Bryers
Last night, we made stops in Rørvik and Brønnøsund, Sandnessjøen and Nessa in the early hours. At approximately 07.40, we crossed the Arctic Circle, marked by a small globe. The weather was overcast, but presented a lovely landscape of cloud-topped mountains.
Following our passage across the Arctic Circle at 7.40 am this morning, we visited Ornes, a location of exceptional beauty.
Due to unfavorable weather conditions this morning, we performed the ice sacrifice to the Sea God, which proved worthwhile as the sun emerged and clear blue skies appeared.
Evening photographs taken around the Lofoten area.
By Paul Bryers
Following overnight visits to Florø and Maløy, the ship has arrived in Torvik, its first daylight port. However, passengers are not allowed to disembark due to the short 10-minute stop. The weather is beautiful and the scenery is stunning.
Following our visit to Torvik, we sailed towards Ålesund for a 20-minute stop and then proceeded to Urke in the impressive Hjørundfjorden.
En route, we passed waterfalls, green mountains reaching up to 5000 ft with snow-capped peaks.
A short yet steep hike afforded us a breathtaking view of the fjord and our ship, MS Richard With.
The day’s events culminated in a 2-hour stop at Ålesund (our second visit of the day). In contrast to my previous visit last August on MS Trollfjord, I did not disembark.
It was an excellent day.
By Paul Bryers, September 4, 2025
– Forward Ice Coverage Cruising Towards Nome
I’ve checked the ice conditions for the rest of our route through to Nome. It looks like we might have some more ice although I would doubt it will be as dense as this morning.
By Paul Bryers, September 1, 2025
– Cruising Findlayson Islands to Murray Island, Nunavut, Arctic Canada
Well what a lovely surprise!
After a beautiful sunset, the stars – 1000’s of them, carpeting the sky in a banner of jewels – were revealed.
And then! A major sun storm delivers to us the Northern Lights, while looking South! Quite delightful…..the colors dancing upon the horizon, changing and moving in a fallen curtain….
By Paul Bryers, September 1, 2025
The Captain has taken us to the uninhabited island of Ungahitak in the Finlayson Islands, a surprising detour.
Basking in sunlight, the island’s rocky shores are a sight to behold. We launched the zodiacs and went forth into the unknown – the spirit of Scotland leading our hearts and minds.
We ascended to a high point and were rewarded with breathtaking views.
The island offered us abundant ground life – sunburst lichen and others – as well as skeletons and antlers from eons ago; a treasure trove of Arctic delights.
By Paul Bryers, August 30, 2025
We made it safely into Cambridge Bay. I see what the Captain meant about a tricky port to navigate – he was literally weaving our 21,761 tonne ship between the guidance bouys. Way to go Captain Aron Håpoldøy!
However, so far, the storm has been moderate and we are pretty much sheltered in the bay – maybe it will become more severe later. I hope so….
Because of the wind and waves, we were not allowed to go ashore in the Zodiacs. I got my nails done instead – my first manicure!
Before and after…..
In the meantime here is a wee poem…
Cambridge Bay Storm
The wind whispers promise on the Arctic shore, while white horses rise from the blue bay floor.
Harbor boats lie moored and bob,
Water swallows land, yet resilience guides us through life’s ebbs and flows.
And in the wind, a quiet strength prevails, a timeless hymn of northern days that never fail.
Rooted, yet free in nature’s grasp, a storm-bound traveler on icebound land, transformed.
By Paul Bryers, August 30, 2025
We were meant to stop and do landings/hike at Jenny Lind Island, named for the Swedish born opera singer, Jenny Lind. You may recall that the character Jenny Lind featured in the movie The Greatest Showman, where she sang the beautiful song “Never Enough” (https://youtu.be/kUkRoIMyqFo?si=YUHFZeT9h4ssaK53)
However, due to approaching severe weather (Force 10 gale) we are now racing straight for the shelter of Cambridge Bay.
Winds:
– 48–55 knots
– 55–63 mph
– 89–102 km/h
– 24.5–28.4 m/s
Waves:
– 29–41 ft
– 9–12.5 m
The problem with Cambridge Bay is the entry is very narrow and it’s difficult to get in esp. in a storm. So we have a small window to gain entry to the safety of the port.
How exciting! Hopefully a more interesting post for you guys later today.
By Paul Bryers, August 27, 2025
The Bellot Strait, separating Somerset Island from the Boothia Peninsula, is notable for its narrow width of approximately 1 km (~ 0.6 miles) at its narrowest point, and potential patches of hazardous ice.
The Strait is also known for strong currents and whirlpools resulting from the narrow passage and tidal level differences on either side. This is considered one of the best Straits in the world.
We entered carefully, with a slight swagger, a little arrogance but assured in our hull.
Yikey! An alert was issued for a polar bear and our hardy guides set out on the zodiacs.
The image of the bear is out of focus; however, I believe it was indeed a bear.
The rest of the transit was uneventful……
…. but finished in a glorious and intense sunset.
Cruising South on Price Regent Inlet, Arctic Canada
By Paul Bryers, August 27, 2025
A moderate to rough sea was experienced overnight and early this morning, with wave heights reaching 3-4 meters (~10-13 feet). Outlook, fair.
Do I sound like the BBC Radio Fishing Forecast?
The stability of HX’s vessels in adverse sea conditions is consistently impressive.
In the early hours, it was fascinating to observe icebergs being tossed about and fragmented by the swell.
Current conditions are calmer, with the few remaining icebergs relatively stable. One iceberg appeared as just a thin line on the horizon, although it was probably severnal if not 10’s of meters high.
As we approached Fort Ross, there was an alert for a Musk Ox and another polar bear. While dots could be observed through bins, they were, I think, just rocks.
The land has now flattened out considerably and looks a bit like sand dunes. The water is turquoise, similar to the color of the waters off the West Coast of Scotland but even colder. Which reminds me, an Arctic Plunge is still ahead of us! Yikes!
See The World! 