Today wasn’t supposed to happen. We were meant to be enjoying a sea day, and instead we are loitering in Greenland for one extra day before we situate ourselves for…

Today’s Daily Program: We awaken near Terrassevig, deep in Scoresby Sound, curious as to what Ponant can possibly add to an already-stellar expedition cruise. Greenland is known for its stunning…

Today’s Daily Program: An announcement in French drives us from our slumber. We catch the word ‘baleen’ – whale – and we hesitate, but then David delivers the English translation…

“I always get the shakes before a drop.” – Opening line of Starship Troopers We never sleep well, the night before a big landing. Every bump and creak seems some…

Today’s Daily Program: We set the clocks back last night, gaining us an extra hour’s sleep. What bliss. We’ll get one more, too, and then no more time zone changes…

Today’s Daily Program: What’s the best way to celebrate a full circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, plus an epic series of landings, zodiac cruises and wildlife spottings? You might be tempted to…

Today’s Daily Program: We awaken to more stellar weather, and an even better view: It’s hard to believe that we’ve already crested the halfway mark of this trip, if not…

Today’s Daily Program: We are woken by David’s dulcet tones once more: “It’s 7 am, and we have more bears off to port… four bears, including a mother and her…

This post contains photos of dead and dismembered animals. “Svalbard is the realm of silence, ice and light.” – Fridtjof Nansen We awaken to the cliffs and glaciers of Alkefjellet…