Fred's Logbook

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Date / Time: 2011-07-02 13:08:21Voyage from: to Bear IslandETA:
Fred's foster-parent:
Name:
Profession:
Nationality:

Fred's vessel:
Vesselname:Hanse Explorer
Callsign:V2E14
Flag: Antigua & Barbuda
IMO No.:9346110
Vesseltype:Expedition Yacht
Length:48
Beam:10,4
Fred-Report:

On the way to our next destination Bear Island, we had wonderful calm seas, it was like navigating on a lake and I am glad that I am not seasick again. So I could enjoy the wonderful scenery and while I was looking out of the bridge window hundreds of white beaked dolphins appeared in front of us. Wohooooo, they coming to our little ship and I ran down to the forecastle, this is the bow of the ship, to get a better view of the dolphins. They like to bow ride and I admired how elegant they are swimming nearby the ship. Now and then they disappeared just to jump few seconds later out of the water. I almost could touch them..... and it seemed to me that they enjoyed very much a bit of our company.







Shortly after lunch we reached Bear Island, a very isolated island in the Barents Sea half way between Norway and Svalbard. The island got her name from the polar bears but nowadays only now and then a polar bear comes so far south reaching the island on a ice floe. It was foggy on approach and we knew that we must be very close to the island as hundreds of Guilimots and Fulmars (birds) were flying around us.







And of course due to the bridge radars Captain Maggi knew which way to go. Suddenly we came out of the fog and we were witness of a dramatic scenery in front of us....steep cliffs, waterfalls, thousands of birds and colourful landscape, pure wild nature. We dropped anchor in a small bay called Soerhamna surrounded by steep cliffs and several small beaches... a very mystic place.
We went on a zodiac cruise among the steep cliffs and into wonderful caves... woohoo, that was really great.












After the cruising we went out for fishing, I heard that this is the best place for cod fishing.... last year they caught over 250kg of fish.... I bet we can do better this time :))))




Photos

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