Newcastle Herald AAP Into the Wild

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INTOTHE A seo expedition to the islonds of northern Norwoy is on exhiloroting odventu re, writes RODERICK El M E, cautiously exit the inflatable boat. time, we land on the pebbly beach, our guides already well ahead of us, scouting for sightings of the world's largest terrestria I carnivore.

The island of Spitsbergen, north of Norway, is one of just a handf ul of the remain ing polar bear hot spots in the world.

With a world population of this majestic mammal possibly as low as 20,000, there is a real urgency among adventure travellers to see this creature in its native habitat. e

Ten at a

the animal," says Sue Werner, deputy exoedition leader of Aurora.

Clutching loaded rifles, our guides are 100 metres ahead of us making sure we don't surprise any unseen or sleeping beasts.

Regulations require guides to carry loaded rif les and f lare guns, but in over a decade of operation, Aurora's expedition staff have only ever f ired two warning shots; a testament to good planning, careful observation and prompt action. "lf we sight a bear while we're on land, our f irst call is to get everyone back on the Zodiacs Iinf latable boats] while the guides monitor

"lf a curious animal approaches within 200 metres or so we f ire a flare with a loud bang, but of course we never land if a bear is sighted beforehand."

Our exped ition, Aurora's circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, is an outstanding success with almost 20 sightings so far, including three mother bears and cubs feeding on the last morsels of a whale carcass.

The wildlife sightings extend to Arctic fox, walrus, reindeer, seals and a myriad seabirds

wheeling and squealing overhead.

On one occasion. we entertain several thousand tiny guillemots gathered around us with whistles. lt's hilarious when the entire throng whistles back on cue.

Humpback, minke, fin and even blue whales

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are regularly sighted in these frigid waters.

During the closing stages ofthe 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, explorerstook balloons, airships and aircraft to Spitsbergen to

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take advantage of the high latitude to launch exoeditions to the North Pole.

Byrd, Amundsen and Nobile were among them and the first definite attainment of the North Pole was made in 1926 by the airship Norge after it left the scientif ic outpost of Nylesund, the world's most northerly permanent

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settlement.

There is a little known Australian connection with Spitsbergen too. ,

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chicks that topple from the crowded ledges.

Bears also occasionally wander in when slippery bearded or ringed seals are scarce on the ice.

Our vessel, the 71-metre Polar Pioneer, may be at the smaller end of the world's growing

Sydney-based Aurora Expeditions (auroraexpeditions.com.au; 1800 537 688) operates voyages of between 1 1 and 1 4 days to Spitsbergen in July and August each year aboard the 54-passenger Polar Pioneer.

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expedition f leet, but she's

twin share.

I Thai Airways (thaiairways.com.au) flies 40 times a week f rom Australia to Bangkok including twice daily from Sydney, with daily non-stop connections to 13 major cities in Europe, including Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.

--

Antarctic.

5pitsbergen (meaning "sharp peaks" in Dutch) is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, 1800 kilometres north across the Barents Sea from Norway.

At the dizzying latitude of 80 degrees Svalbard, by rights, should be encased in ice but the warm Gulf Stream currents create an unusually temperate climate and summer air temperatures as high as 10 degrees are possible.

The landscape is bleak and rocky and characterised by vast glaciers, but embellished here and there with patches of rich green thanks to bird droppings beneath the towering cliffs.

Foxes scamper about feeding on the many

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Fares start at $7550 a person.

In 1928, the Adelaide-born adventurer

Captain George Hubert Wilkins and US pilot Lieutenant Ben Eielson completed the f irst ever trans-polar f light.

After taking off f rom Barrow, Alaska, 20 hours later the pair landed their singleengine Lockheed Vega amid a f ierce snowstorm near Green Harbour (Grnfjorden) to the west of Longyearbyen.

For this feat and his previous work, he was knighted and known thereafter as 5ir Hubert Wilkins.

Later that year, Wilkins and Eielson went south to conduct the first flights over the

No oroblem forthe Polor Pioneer,

left, which is smoll enough to occess inlets where wolrus crowd or o mother polor beor ond cubs olov.

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tough little

customer.

Although not an icebreaker in the strictest through light sheet ice

Larger ships impose higher demands on the patience of passengers, the environment and seldom offer such enriching enhancements as sea kayaking, extended hikes, camping or even scuba diving under the ice.

Yet 5pitsbergen is by no means the end or the beginning of Arctic adventure oossibilities. lceland and Greenland also offer greater scope to extend your northern experience with exciting volcanic action and Inuit

sense, she's sliced

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beyond 81 degrees and bumped small bergs

By the time we return to Longyearbyen for the busy turnaround day, we have ticked off all but a couple of species of rare whale, and have made almost 20 polar bear sightings, some at less than 100 metres.

The terms "life changing" and "experiential" are all too often tossed about to describe

aside with ease.

Built in Finland for Russia in 1982, she's comfortable, capable and an ideal vessel for the task.

There are numerous ship operators venturing into this far north wildlife wonderland, but few as well equipped and caoable as Aurora's Polar Pioneer.

Unlike some Antarctic oceans, the icy seas are not usually rough, so a vessel like this can capitalise on its small footprint and gain access to every nook and cranny around the coast, slicing through thin ice when required.

mediocre vacations.

The entrancing polar regions are where these voyages began and Spitsbergen is at the

heart of it. l'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

The writer was a guest of Aurora

AAP

Expeditions.

GREAT OCEAN ROAD TOUR Depafting NewCaStl0 (wit pick ups throush roArbury) 3rd April, 2011 o B days at $1 ,845p/p t.s Paffamatta/WOllOng0[g rwitn pick ups throush to uladula) 24th March ,2011 . 8 days at $'1 ,845p/p

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Tour Includes: The Great 0cean Boad, | 2 Apostles, Phillip lsland Nature Park, Ferry from Queensclitf to Sorrento, Arthur's Seat Lo0kout, Ballarat War memorial & Sovereign Hill, Melbourne sights, Queen Victoria Markets, National Sports Museum, Eureka Tower, Werribee Mansion & Rose Gardens, Colonial Tram Car Restaurant, Geelong & Bellarine Peninsula, Winery visit and more! (as per itinerary)

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