Polar bears had always been the drawcard for our Arctic trip out of Svalbard. I had enjoyed exploring Longyearbyen and the unscheduled extra day we had due to technical issues with our ship had been an excellent opportunity to see more. Once finally on board the Polar Front it felt like the expedition had finally began. It was made clear that we were focused on hunting Polar bear, specifically on ice, so we headed North toward the pack ice. We encountered some stunning landscapes and wildlife en route but as the pack ice appeared everything slowed and concentration levels ramped as we entered hunting mode.

Conditions were extremely challenging for the first 2 days with a constant sea mist severely constraining visibility. It’s almost impossible to see white bears on ice when hidden in fog so unsurprisingly we saw none. I was more than happy with the passing parade of alcids and fulmars. Being up in the ice is stunning. Such a harsh but beautiful environment. Separated from our technology, our lives would end in minutes but the wildlife thrive in it making them seem all the more remarkable.  The cold mist really soaked in despite being well layered so episodic trips indoors for coffee were needed and made a warm shower at the end of the day was very welcome. 

Finally the mist lifted and we could see far enough to search effectively. We passed a floe with the remains of a ringed seal being tidied up by Ivory and Glaucous gulls so we knew that bears were in the vicinity. One was seen stalking a bearded seal resting on the ice. It was like watching a nature documentary live, missing only David Attenborough’s narration. The bear swam slowly toward the seal, following the scent and episodically popping its head up out of the water after diving under floes to approach the seal. The hunt was unsuccessful with the seal sensing something and slipping off the floe to trail the bear in the water where it’s manoeuvrability gave it the upper hand.  

The young female bear hauled herself out on the ice and approached the ship offering us some excellent opportunities for photos before continuing on her way to hunt again.

The mood on the boat was euphoric after the frustrating stress of trying to find bears in a fog. 

Polar bear photos with Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 800mm f6.3 VR S, ice floe photo with iPhone 14Pro