Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island

22 September 2018

After the spectacular northern lights showing, the Ocean Nova sets sail heading out of Scoresby Sund to the open sea and then down the southern coast to Steward Island. Unfortunately even though she is a very good ice breaker, the Ocean Nova has no stabilisers and it is a very uncomfortable night for those of us who get sea sick. I could probably sleep if it is an even rocking but the motion of this ship is very uneven, rolling in different directions and with a corkscrew motion thrown in for good measure.

I get almost no sleep and even though we have a ‘sleep in’ this morning (8.00 breakfast) it is still far too soon for me. Two of the group won the chance to do the wake-up call this morning so we are woken with music ‘Here comes the Sun’ and a ‘radio announcer’ duet, including birthday wishes to Laurie.

This boat and crew have never been down this far before so the morning really is an expedition out in the zodiacs, with some seeking out good landing spots for this afternoon. It is snowing as we are out on the sea with the glacier towering above us. We again hear the sound and see the splash and wave of an iceberg calving off but miss the actual event.

Polar bears are spotted on the hills on the other side of the bay so we speed over to see if we can find them also. It is very difficult to get a good viewing in 2m swells as we bounce up and down. The first one is sitting on the snow and I don’t see it properly until I look at my camera later on. The second one is travelling over the rocks on the hillside and is much easier to see. We are absolutely amazed at how fast it is able to travel on that terrain (and it isn’t running). We have trouble keeping up with it in the zodiac and get an appreciation of what supreme predators they are.

On the way back to the ship we view 4 houses (originally built for hunting) on the edge of Steward Island. It looks extremely desolate, especially with a dusting of snow and more snow coming down. Lauritz starts singing Christmas songs for us. Despite all our layers, the cold is seeping in and we are pleased to be back at the ship for lunch and for a warm up.

After lunch there is a last landing for the trip – on Steward Island. I am feeling unwell (mostly from lack of sleep) and decide that it will be best if I forgo the trip this afternoon to catch up on some sleep so that I can last out the rest of our travels. I’d did get some sleep but not nearly as much as I’d hoped for as the shore visit was a perimeter landing with not a great deal to see so people came back after 1.5 hours. Still it was good to get a sleep top up, have time for a shower and last washing.

We have a pre-departure briefing at 5.00 to update us on the procedure and timings for heading back to Reykjavík tomorrow. We can’t believe a week has gone so quickly. At 6.30 we have Captains Farewell Cocktails in the lounge followed by dinner. It is our final evening on board and some people have gone totally over the top with their outfits a couple of evening dresses and even a tiara for one of the Chinese women. Most of us though have our cleanest top on!

Fortified by the bubbles earlier on, the Chinese (and Austrian) groups were drinking copious quantities of wine and started circling the dining room toasting everyone at every table – and sometimes skulling an entire glass of wine in the process. The volume in the room got louder and louder. There was a cake for Laurie’s birthday and very loud renditions of happy birthday.

Several of us escape the noise to head up early to the lounge where photographer Kyle has promised us a slide show with pictures from our trip. It is a very good slide show with a mixture of video footage and stills all blended together into themed sections that really do capture the essence of our trip – it was wonderful. It was only short and then the volume in the room dialled up again with more toasting and then dancing. At one point we were all roped into a ‘congo’ line around the room – until we came to a standstill because there was no more room for anyone to move.

Thankfully we were rescued from what could have become a very messy evening by the Aurora starting an early showing, so many of us raced up onto the top deck to watch the northern lights and a beautiful moon coming up as well. I was really happy that we could go up there early without having to be woken from sleep; it took a little while to get going but then the sky lit up with shimmering, dancing wisps and bands of green with flashes of purples shining through as well – it was magical!! Even the brightness of the full moon cannot dim this display. And a fitting finish to a fantastic trip.

The photos below are taken by Siggy – my camera couldn’t take anything like as good photos as these.

We have to travel back to our starting point overnight and the ship is rocking already by the time I go to bed. I decide not to risk it and take half a sleeping tablet to make sure I get a good night’s sleep.

 

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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