Sailing Spitsbergen

Longyearbyen – gateway to the High Arctic

Almost every voyage begins in Longyearbyen on Isfjorden, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen and one of the northernmost settlements in the world. The former coal-mining town at 78 degrees North is now the starting point for a sailing holiday and an expedition cruise alike; deep in the mountain lies the global seed vault. From the fjord the Arctic backdrop opens at once, a scene of tundra, jagged ranges and the first glacier tongues reaching down to the water.

Ny-Ålesund and the Kongsfjord

Further north lies Ny-Ålesund, the northernmost year-round settlement on earth and today an international research station. From here Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile set out for the North Pole; the airship mooring mast still stands. The Kongsfjord behind it is framed by mighty glaciers, where kittiwakes and seals gather in one of the densest wildlife spectacles in Spitsbergen.

North-west coast, fjords and the pack-ice edge

The north of Spitsbergen is the realm of the pack ice. In Raudfjorden glaciers calve straight into narrow bays lined with reddish rock; the bird cliffs hold tens of thousands of little auks and guillemots, while walrus colonies haul out on the skerries. At the ice edge, where open sea gives way to pack ice, you have the best chance of watching a polar bear hunt. From May into August the midnight sun stands over this scene around the clock.

Bear Island and the approach from Tromsø

Many expeditions set out from Tromsø in northern Norway and cross the Barents Sea to Spitsbergen. Halfway lies Bear Island, whose steep cliffs rank among the largest seabird colonies in the North Atlantic – a first taste of the archipelago’s wildlife.

All the way to the North Pole

From Longyearbyen a few voyages press further north aboard an icebreaking expedition vessel, through ever-thicker pack ice to the geographic North Pole at 90 degrees North. It is the most uncompromising form of Arctic cruise – Spitsbergen as a springboard into the eternal ice.

Which ship for Spitsbergen?

Spitsbergen is expedition country – here ice class, small guest numbers and experienced guides are what count. All of these voyages are arranged and booked through ivent-sailing:

• Sailing cruise aboard a tall ship (the schooner Meander) – a small party under sail, close to the water, anchoring in fjords no large ship reaches. The most authentic Spitsbergen experience.
• Boutique cruise (Le Commandant Charcot, Le Lyrial, L’Austral, Le Bellot, Le Champlain, Le Lapérouse) – French expedition ships with ice class, fine cuisine and Zodiac landings; Le Commandant Charcot sails as an icebreaker all the way to the North Pole.
• Ultra-luxury cruise (Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, Silver Cloud) – suite-based expedition at the highest level of service, with an expedition team, into the ice zone.

So the photographer who wants to glide quietly under sail through the fjords finds a ship, as does the guest who wishes to experience the High Arctic as an ultra-luxury cruise to the Pole – from the quiet schooner passage to the utmost luxury.