Faroes, Jan Mayen, Bear Island, & Spitsbergen

Itinerary

Day 1: Oban / Embark

Embark at Oban, a small and cozy harbor town in west Scotland. From Glasgow take the train, a marvelous journey through one of the most scenic parts of Scotland. The channels between the Scottish islands offer excellent possibilities to spot minke whales (a small baleen whale), white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises. Several other cetaceans, including orcas (killer whales), are also native to these waters.

Day 2: North Rona and Sula Sgeir Islands

Out in the Atlantic to the north-west of Scotland lie the tiny islands of North Rona and Sula Sgeir. You land on North Rona to see the seabird colonies and the grey seals. The island was inhabited in the 18th century and some remains are still visible: leach's petrels can be heard calling from their nesting burrows in the ruined walls of a small church in the ‘village.' Sula Sgeir is the last island in Britain on which Gannets are harvested annually. There will be spectacular views of its cliffs as you sail around.

Day 3: Thorshavn / Saksun / Streymoy

Today you arrive at Thorshavn, the capital and cultural center of the Faroes. Here, you are free to shop, to visit the museum or just wander at will. In the harbor the small Faroese boats are a reminder of the Viking origins of the islanders. You may walk an exciting two hours across the hills to Kirkjubøer where you will find a medieval cathedral. In the early evening you may land at Saksun, tucked away at the head of a fjord which was once a superb natural harbor. Today the bay is full of sand and you can only enter by zodiac at high tide. At Saksun is a Natural Heritage Museum. Continuing along the north side of Streymoy you pass huge seabird colonies.

Days 4-5: At Sea

Sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, situated 300 nautical miles north-east of Iceland. During your two days at sea there will be plenty of time to watch for the blow of a minke, fin or blue whale, which could herald a rewarding encounter with these gentle giants. Perhaps you might run into a pod of orcas, which can often be quite curious about boats.

Day 6: Jan Mayen / Koksletta

Jan Mayen is a volcanic island of breathtaking beauty and mystique, dominated by Mt Beerenberg. From the slopes of the 2300m volcano, impressive glaciers spill into the sea. Until recently, the island was off-limits as it is a military base, and was rarely visited by tourists, but with permission from the Norwegian authorities you may to visit the weather station. You will also walk across the island to Kvalrossbukta to look at the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station and a substantial colony of fulmars. You also plan to sail by Koksletta where thousands of little auks and Brünnich's guillemots breed close to a glacier, watched over by piratical glaucous gulls.

Days 7-8: At Sea

Spend two days at sea, looking out for whales, dolphins and seals and a variety of seabirds.

Day 9: Bear Island / Tunheim / Spitsbergen

At Bear Island, you visit the remains of a whaling station active from 1905-1908 in Kvalrossbukta. Arctic skuas and great skuas can be seen during a walk across the desolate hills and tundra. The weather will decide whether you then sail along the west coast, where you can observe one of the largest seabird colonies in the North Atlantic teeming with little auks, Brünnich’s guillemots, common guillemots and kittiwakes. Alternatively, you will sail along the east coast to visit Tunheim, an abandoned mining settlement. When you approach the sea-ice at the southern tip of Spitsbergen, we may also encounter molting harp seals.

Day 10: Spitsbergen

Depending on the position of the sea-ice, you cruise the maze of fjords in the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, which is ringed by towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1,431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name ‘Spitsbergen’ - pointed mountains - to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area as well as spectacular scenery and abundant and varied arctic wildlife. You have very good chances of seeing seals and with a little luck, the very symbol of the Arctic—polar bears. You may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give you an insight into their research projects. Behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting little auks.

Day 11: Ahlstrandhalvøya / Recherchefjord or Midterhuken

Today you land at Kapp Toscana on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjord, where piles of Beluga skeletons are a reminder of the 20th century exploitation of these small white whales. Numbers are now recovering and there is a good chance of spotting small groups in the area. We then move to Recherchefjord, where a walk on the fragile tundra which backs the fjord may yield sightings of Reindeer and where we visit the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station at Lagerneset. Alternatively, you may land at Midterhuken to explore the remains of 17th century English whaling sites. The weather will determine which good options will be chosen in this area.

Day 12: Longyearbyen / Disembark

Disembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward to home. Alternatively, you may stay on the ship and continue your voyage to North Spitsbergen.

Trip Details

Ship	Grigoriy Mikheev/Aleksey Maryshev
Highlights	Basic Russian research vessel, fairly active program and good guides; passengers are mostly from Europe.
Trip Notes	This voyage operates aboard the Grigoriy Mikheev.Included: All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea; All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac; Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff; Transfers and baggage handling between the hotels, airports and ship only for those passengers on the group flights in Longyearbyen – Spitsbergen; Transfers and baggage handling between ship and airport after arrival of the ship in the morning in Keflavik – Iceland ( not v.v. between airport and ship); All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; Comprehensive pre-departure material. Not Included: Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post land arrangements; transfers to / from the vessel outside Spitsbergen; passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided); fuel surcharge ($15 per person, per night).Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change.
Payment Policy	A deposit of 10% per person is required to confirm your reservation. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Payment Methods: Deposit: credit cards are accepted (VISA, MC, AMEX, Discover). Final payment: check or wire.WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS FOR FINAL PAYMENT.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-06-04	2008-06-15	+

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