SPITSBERGEN CRUISE. With Blue Planet Expeditions. There s always more to see. Expeditions

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1 SPITSBERGEN CRUISE With Blue Planet Expeditions Expeditions There s always more to see

2 Contents Svalbard Map Itinerary MS Freya Travel Information What to take Dates & Prices Expedition Leader Contact Details Dear Traveller, Blue Planet Expeditions specialises in small ship expedition cruises around the world. Our aim is to provide passengers with the best opportunities to experience close encounters with wildlife, admire and explore magnificent landscapes, and experience the culture and history of our destinations. All while enjoying comfort, great food and a casual small group setting aboard our vessels. If you are interested in expedition-style travel with a strong conservation bias, excellent photographic opportunities, and uncompromising commitment to providing the fullest experience of destinations, then we encourage you to consider travelling with us. The Blue Planet Expeditions team welcomes you aboard our latest expedition to the magnificent Svalbard archipelago for the 2016 summer season. We will be chartering the MS Freya for the first time on this cruise, a new ship but owned by one of Svalbard's most experienced operators. Enjoy reading about this expedition and feel free to contact us with any questions. Warmest Regards R.Pilkington Expeditions Rupert Pilkington Msc. Director & Expedition Leader Dan Loveridge Director

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4 Svalbard Svalbard is located in the European High Arctic, between 74 and 81 degrees north, and is approximately 600 nautical miles from the North Pole. The names Svalbard and Spitsbergen are often thought to be interchangeable, but Svalbard refers to the entire archipelago, while Spitsbergen is the largest island. The name Spitsbergen literally translates into pointed mountains, which describes the appearance of the island from the sea. Svalbard s has a population of approximately 2700, the majority of whom live in Longyearbyen, which is the main town. There are three other settlements in Svalbard, all of which are on Spitsbergen. Svalbard did not belong to any country prior to the Svalbard treaty, in 1920, when it became part of Norway. It is administered by a governor, or Sysselmannen. Svalbard was discovered by Dutch Explorer Wilem Barentsz, in 1596, and from the early 17 th century it was heavily exploited for whales and walrus for a period of some 200 years. Russians began trapping polar bears and Arctic foxes in the later 17 th century, and although the Russians had very little presence in Svalbard from the early 19 th century, trapping was continued by Norwegians after Svalbard fell under the administration of Norway, which was also when the era of coal mining began.

5 The climate of Svalbard is characteristic of the maritime High Arctic. In the north of Svalbard, sea-ice is contiguous to the Arctic ocean and North Pole in the winter, but the waters to the south and west of Spitsbergen are navigable for most of the year. The summers are short, but the sun is visible above the horizon from mid April until mid August. Mean summer temperatures are 4 to 6 Celcius. Two thirds of Svalbard is protected by national parks and nature reserves. Much of the landscape is comprised of rock and ice, but a significant amount is tundra, supporting low, middle and high Arctic vegetation. 165 species of plants have been found in the summer. There are 12 species of whale, 5 species of seal, polar bears and walrus, Arctic fox, Svalbard reindeer and the sibling vole. While 163 species of birds have been found in Svalbard only 20 to 30 species regularly nest there. At such high latitude, avian species diversity is low, but they are found in huge numbers. The polar bears in Svalbard are part of the Barent s Sea Population, which includes Franz Josef Land, and accounts for some 3000 animals. Polar bears can be found on land in Svalbard during the summer, while in winter they spend most of their time on the sea ice, hunting seals.

6 Itinerary Important reminder: While on an expedition the unexpected is to be expected this is part of the excitement that only expedition style travel can offer. When operating in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow for the sea, and the weather to guide the itinerary details. The above route is a tentative outline of what you ll experience on this voyage; but please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. LONGYEARBYEN Day 1 - The ship will depart in the afternoon, allowing people to fly from Oslo on the same day, if they wish. Anyone who opts to spend the previous night in Longyearbyen will be provided transport from their hotel to the ship. Day 2-9 During our trip, we will try to see as much as possible of Svalbard within the framework of a very flexible itinerary, given variability in the weather and the movements of sea-ice. We will constantly be on the lookout for wildlife, and will spend as much time as possible in the pack-ice looking for polar bears, walrus, bearded seals, and beluga. We will visit some of Svalbard s most impressive tidewater glaciers, walrus haul outs and its seabird rookeries, where we will see guillemots, razorbill's, puffins and kittiwakes. We will also deploy Zodiacs as often as possible, for more detailed exploration and for going ashore, to walk, study the diverse tundra flora and to look for reindeer and Arctic foxes. Our expert guides will be with our guests all the time, providing information, interpreting what we see in the field and making sure that whatever we do is safe and sustainable. We will have a broad range of lectures on offer and we will have a democratic approach to making the most of specific conditions and wildlife viewing opportunities. If we have an option to accommodate something unforeseen, we will not try to fulfil an itinerary at the expense of an extraordinary experience. Day 10 We disembark the vessel in the morning, in Longyearbyen. Guests departing Svalbard the same day will be taken to the airport for the afternoon flight to Oslo.

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8 MS FREYA

9 Dimensions Built : 1981 Conversion: 2015 Length: 45.5m Beam: 10.5m Draft 3.7m Gross Tonnage: 605 Main Engine: 1300hp Top Speed: 11 knots Cruising Speed: 10 knots Flag: Swedish Guides: 2-3 Equipment: 2 x Inflatables Cabins: 4 x Twin En-suite 2 x Twin En-suite, bunk beds 1 x Twin shared facilities

10 Travel Information Flight Information - Our Svalbard trips begin and end in Longyearbyen, which is served by daily flights from Oslo, with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). The cost of return flights from London to Longyearbyen via Oslo is between 500 and 700 Pounds Sterling. Our embarkation time in Svalbard presently allows for travel from London the same day, for those wishing to avoid the higher costs of spending a night in Oslo. Adventure travel - By its very nature adventure travel involves an element of the unexpected. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable and itineraries may be altered. To get the most out of your adventure it is important that you are flexible, positive and eager. Although there is no commitment to extended walking on this journey we do have an active schedule. During our time on land our days may include climbing to the summit of a small hill or walking along shorelines. The fitter you are he more this will enhance your experience. Hotels - The Radisson Blu hotel at Gardermoen (Oslo) Airport is an option. For those staying in Oslo itself, the Airport Express train runs between the airport and city centre every 10 minutes, with a journey time of around 20 minutes. There are a number of hotels in Longyearbyen, which are likely to have limited availability during the summer months. Please contact us for further information about getting to and from Svalbard, accommodation en route and peripheral travel in Norway.

11 What to take This list is not comprehensive however we can answer specific questions about clothing and equipment at any time. Please note that while it can be quite warm in the sun it will be significantly cooler when exposed to the wind. Outdoor and casual clothing is appropriate at all times aboard the ship, and any slacks, cotton shirts, house shoes etc, are at guests discretion. Note: bring soft travel bags, not rigid suitcases if possible. Weatherproof gear Warm gloves and hat/balaclava Warm clothes (fibre pile jackets and pants) - several Thermal underwear - several Warm socks (fibre pile or wool) - several Hiking shoes/boots Gaiters (optional) Warm slippers Personal toiletries (inc. personal medicine) Seasick pills or ear patches Sunglasses and sun cream Small rucksack for shore parties Camera with enough batteries. Binoculars Electrical adapters for European standard sockets. Expedition Gear Chosen by Experts Click here. Hat Sunglasses Waterproof Jacket Sweater Gloves Waterproof Trousers Hiking boots

12 Rates & Dates Dates: 24 Jul to 02 August 2016 Rates (Per Person): USD $8990 Our trips do not include the following: Travel to and from Svalbard Hotel accommodation en route Travel insurance, including cancellation and interruption insurance Personal expenditures Alcoholic beverages onboard ship Souvenirs Visas, if required (visas are not required for most nationalities)

13 Expedition Leader RUPERT PILKINGTON Rupert is a wildlife management specialist and expedition travel guide with a particular interest in large mammals and the preservation of their wild habitats. Originally from Scotland, his formal education culminated in a master's degree in Rural and Regional Resources Planning, from Aberdeen University. During five seasons as a wildlife technician with the US National Park Service, he developed a special interest in bears while working in the bear management program in Alaska's Denali National Park. Rupert emigrated to Canada in 1997, where he worked initially as a bear/human conflict management specialist, and in the Eastern Slopes Grizzly Bear Study, in Banff National Park. He has lectured and taught courses and programs on bear biology, wildlife management and safety, and ecology, for a variety of universities, companies, and vocational study facilities. Rupert spends part of the summers working as a guide and lecturer for Zegrahm Expeditions in Svalbard, Greenland and the eastern Canadian Arctic and sub- Arctic. He has also done extensive guiding and lecturing work in Alaska, British Columbia, Norway and the Russian Far East, and each autumn, he teaches courses on polar bear biology and conservation at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, at Churchill, Manitoba.

14 Expeditions Blue Planet Expeditions Ltd 45 John Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW163AD, UK Phone: +44 (0) Company number: