Yesterday started at Tromsø, which is the historical starting point for Arctic expeditions. Did some washing then after lunch did a walking tour of Tromsø: Followed by a visit to the Polar Museum and it's permanent exhibitions on sealing, overwintering, trapping, the stories of famous trappers such as Henry Rudi and Wanny Wolstad, the expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen as well as the cultural history of Svalbard. Tromsø is also known as the 'Paris of the North' - No idea why!! Last night we left for Svalbard so have a full day and two nights at sea. Our sea day today started with an orientation session for the shore landings. Then the proverbial hit the fan. Alice made a message over the PA that some whales had been sighted off the starboard side. A mad rush then ensued to the best vantage points. Humpbacks and minke whales were everywhere. Puffins darted about. Then a huge number of white sided dolphins crashed the party. One of them jumped from the water at least seven times - see pics below. Then the final act was a pair of fin whales (both about the size of a bus) who decided to make an appearance. The party went on for at least ½ an hour. We then headed to Norway’s Nordkapp (North Cape), the northernmost point of Europe’s mainland. At 71’ north The North Cape is a 307-metre-high (1,007 ft) cliff with a large flat plateau on top that extends into the Arctic Ocean. In fact, it is at the point where the Norwegian Sea meets the Barents Sea and the bumping of two oceans (the North Atlantic and the Arctic). On top is a globe made of steel rings which depict the lines of latitude and longitude. The axis of the globe is aligned parallel to the earth’s axis. “This means that its parallels are parallel to the parallels of the earth and that the highest point of the model corresponds to its location on earth” (great trivia fact). For hundreds of years, travellers scaled or sailed around these rocky cliffs, some looking for the Northeast Passage, like English explorers Richard Chancellor and Steven Borough, who coined the name North Cape in 1553. Others were looking for knowledge or solace, or both like Franciscan priest Francesco Negri, who made it there in 1664 and is widely considered to be its first “tourist.” And still others were simply showing off their power and wealth—Emperor Wilhelm of Germany, King Louis XVIII of France, King Oscar of Norway and Sweden, and even King Rama of then-Siam all made pilgrimages to the end of Europe. Tomorrow we reach No Bear Island. BTW special thanks to my good friend Nick Swann for lending me some (well a few!!) of his pics from this morning. I was too busy looking to take any photos. Another BTW have just posted my 100th blog.... So to the 20 readers - hope you have enjoyed them.
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