• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Popular Cruising

The Leader in VIDEO Cruise Reviews

  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • Lines and Ships
  • Destinations
  • Tips
  • Shop
  • About

Silver Explorer Arctic Adventure – Day 3

July 4, 2015 by Aaron Saunders

Alone On Bear Island

Why should you take an expedition cruise with Silversea? Moments like this. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Saturday, July 4, 2015
We’re alone at the ends of the earth.
Silversea Expeditions’ Silver Explorer dropped anchor off Sorhamna, Bear Island this morning shortly before 7 a.m., resting in the shadow of the island’s towering cliff faces that have remained unchanged for centuries.
Technically part of Norway and the Svalbard Archipelago, you’ll have to really hunt to find Bear Island – or Bjørnøya in Norwegian – on a map. It’s but a mere speck halfway between Svalbard and Norway’s North Cape. Latitude-wise, it clocks in roughly halfway up Greenland, at latitude 74°N. That puts it farther north than Barrow, Alaska (71°N) and just behind Ellesmere Island in Canada’s High Arctic at 83°N.

Good Morning, Bear Island! Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Good Morning, Bear Island! Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Lowering the Zodiac rafts into the water at 0730 hours. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Lowering the Zodiac rafts into the water at 0730 hours. Photo © 2015 Aaron Saunders

Bear Island was first discovered (bumbled upon, really) in 1596 by William Barents and Jacob van Heemskerk. As uncomplicated as its discovery, it was so named because both men saw a polar bear swimming nearby. Early polar exploration didn’t leave a lot of time for creative thinking; everyone was too busy trying to not freeze to death

… Click Here to Continue Post

The post Silver Explorer Arctic Adventure – Day 3 appeared first on From The Deck Chair.

Filed Under: Cruise Reviews, From the Deck Chair, Ocean Cruising

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search Posts

Follow Popular Cruising

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
become a patreon

Footer

Follow Popular Cruising

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
become a patreon

Additional Links

  • Support Us on Patreon
  • Advertise with Us
  • Disclosure Policy

Search