Norway Coast Cruise - Svartisen Glacier - March 19th 2010

Out at sea for breakfast but interestingly hilly islands started to appear on the starboard horizon as we finished. As we approached land, the scenery became spectacular & kept this up all the long way up the zigzagging fjords to the Svartisen Glacier & during which, we crossed the Arctic Circle (but we have a very long way further North to go). I searched in vain for words to describe the nature of this land & scenery, as "magical" does not really cut it.

Landfall island

Village & Horseman

Horseman

Reflexions

Nearly there

On the way, there were quite a number of little settlements but this is still an area with little more than one person per square kilometre. Everything was snow-covered. At sea, the sky was overcast as it remained all day) but there was a quite ferocious wind, which gradually died down as we sailed between the islands & into the mainland. It was clearly below freezing but the wind chill meant it seemed positively warm by comparison when one was out of the wind. The glacier did not disappoint. A large ribbon of ice descends from the ice sheet covering this part of Norway & the crevasses show up as a delicate turquoise (which apparently looks black further out to sea, hence the name).

Svartisen Glacier

Nearer

Much nearer

Looking back

The ship slowly turned round & made its way back to the sea by a different more northely route towards Svolvaer. We were in & out of the restaurant for cocoa, lunch & tea but principally, to warm up between landscape viewing sessions.

We went to bed early at 2130 but at about 2330, the tannoy announced that the Northern Lights were faintly visible from the 'front' of the ship. We got hastily up & put on more clothes than usual, which was just as well, as it was very cold & blowing. They were indeed visible: a large green lump to starboard & two thinner lines stretching above the moon but my camera is not up to taking a photo of them. Mission (to a certain extent) accomplished.