Polar Bear Hunt 2015 - Day 15

Expedition Day 10: Alkhornet and Ekmanfjorden
What was planned
What actually happened

This was our last full day of the cruise. We went ashore at Alkhornet to get up close to the reindeer and to look for a fox family that lived nearby. Later we cruised into Ekmanfjorden then crossed over south to moor back at Longyearbyen. Our cruise had come to an end.

Alkhornet

Alkhornet is a wet and fertile plain at the foot of a very tall mountain. We came ashore then walked in a long loop around the rock outcrops. A large herd of reindeer were grazing nearby. They did not seem to notice us as we walked close by.

This was the last expedition for the kayakers. It was also a good opportunity to photograph the operation.
Ron and Janine braving the cold again.
The high mountain peak of Alkhornet.
Reindeer.
As you can see they were not bothered by all these red-coated people.
Plenty of plants and flowers too.
A small stream cut across the plain, surrounded by a mossy bog.
On guard duty. There was a nest nearby.
Long lines of red coats - looking, looking looking.
But no fox could be found.
Reindeer hair.
The last Zodiac to leave the beach.

Video of Julibukta

A video of the reindeer at Alkhornet.

And back to Longyearbyen

We returned to Longyearbyen in the early evening, ready for an early morning departure. Of course, the sky cleared, all the low cloud vanished and we had the brightest sunshine, even at midnight, that we had seen on the whole voyage. Longyearbyen looked almost inviting with its many-coloured buildings and ships in the harbour. We had our lasy opportunity to visit the ship's bar and to listen to Adam play and sing. Then we were ferried ashore, collected our luggage and were soon back at the airport for those typical direction sign photos.

Bare mountains as we approach Longyearbyen.
Geese in flight.
Longyearbyen in the distance - and in bright sunshine.
Adam playing and singing a few final songs.
That's it. Time to leave!

A final Video of Adam

Someone composed new words to the old Eagles song "Hotel California" Here is a video (and the words!.

On a calm rolling ocean,
The wind in my hair,
The smell of the sea breeze,
Rising up through the air,
Up ahead in the distance,
I saw a whale in the lights,
My heart grew heavy,
My sight grew dim,
I had to stop this ship for this sight,
There I stood on the bridge deck,
So I rang the ding-dong bell,
I was saying to myself if this is a blue whale
Then this could be hell,
Then it lifted up its flukes
And the EO pointed the way,
There were voices down the corridor,
I think I heard them say,
Welcome to the MS Expedition,
Such a lovely crew,
Such a lovely crew,
So buy ‘em a brew,
Plenty of cabins on the MS Expedition,
And what time of year,
And what time of year,
Are there polar bears here?
The CEO’s on Planet XY,
Has been driven round the bend,
With help from lots of pretty girls and boys,
She calls “chief experience officers”,
How they sing in the polar bear bar,
Sweet honest sweat,
Some of my singing you will remember,
But most you want to forget,
So I called up the Captain,
Please bring my binoculars,
He said we haven’t seen that blue whale here
Since 1999,
Still those voices were calling,
Over the intercom,
Waking you up in the middle of the night,
Just to hear them say,
Welcome to the MS Expedition,
Such a lovely ship,
Such a lovely ship,
So give the crew a tip,
Living it up on the MS Expedition,
And what time of year,
And what time of year,
Does the sea freeze over here,
Briefings on the monitors,
Champagne with glacial ice,
And we are all naturalists
Of our own device,
And on the stern deck,
They gathered for the barbeque feast,
They were busy grabbing the meats with their steely knives,
They missed the whale beast,
The last thing I remember,
I was running for the bow,
I ended up on my battered back,
To the cabin I was before,
Relax said the purser,
We are programmed you see,
You can swipe out any time you like,
But you can never leave.

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Last updated: 9/12/2015