After a 3 weeks successful expedition around the north west corner of Spitzbergen our camera is as loaded of megapixels as our heads of impressions and new experience. Weather changes fast, wind is strong and the trip could have taken a month. By turning night into day (paddling and sleeping when possible…) we managed to cover 550K in 16 days. That including a 30K “kayak hiking”- crossing a glacier with our boats. Here is a taste of the adventure:
14 polarbears… some close to the camp and had to be scared away with flare-guns. These two friendly sweeties were just passing by…
The majestic Mittag Leffner-glacier had to be crossed – or we had to return and paddle 450K back…
12hrs of hard work crossing morains and glacier rivers, to get on to the high point.
Down the Ragnarglacier was like walking the dog.
Rafting down a dirty glacier-river for 6 hrs was much better than to carry all the gear down the moraine (would be a 2 days struggle). And off course we were were dry and comfortable in our suits.
At last we reached the Billefjord and continued the trip.
Great day on the Vestfjorden with the Lofoten Islands in the distance. No need for freeze dried expedition meals on this training trip. The fjord is full of fish dinner was caught as usual.
After climbing the Hamarøy Peak (seen on picture) we entered the kayaks on low tide. 
Blue mussels appeared and we could fill the boats!
Took the chance of not calling the poison-information… Made a nice fire, put the mussels in a big pot with a few cups of white wine and garlic. What a meal! Was watching Per-Thore as he ate like crazy…Hoping… But no, we are both still breathing so mussels seems to be OK.
You always get that stone-age-man-feeling when catching your own food. Unfortunately we cannot expect to live on the land at Spitzbergen.
July 19th we are flying in to Longyearbyen (Spitzbergen) the northernmost town in the world. Ahead of us a 4 weeks journey around the exposed northwest corner passing majestic glaciers and landing on the most remote beaches. The kayaks and will be shipped by boat. The team is Per-Thore Hansen, Hege Hansen, Petter Thorsen and Josh Barns.
Last time we were up here (april 2009) was for another purpose – the NORUK north pole expedition. 4 friends in the team: Bob Russel (adventurer, UK), Ceri Williams (mountain guide and paddler, UK), Per-Thore Hansen (musher, NOR) and myself (skier – testing the thin ice for the boys…). The expedition was cold, fun and successful.
The NORUK-team on the top of the world (April 11. 2009)
Preparations for the Spitzbergen kayak expedition is going well with training trip in Norway, north of the polar circle. Hamarøy is a great place to be. The midnight sun is here now and we have lots of white beaches to land on.
As always, when the expedition is approaching all the small details are on your mind day and night. Even if the planning has been going on for months, suddenly there is so much more to sort out! How much fuel and water and how much toilet paper do one really need for a month?…
