Having headed steadily north we finally arrived at the edge of the Arctic pack ice and could begin our Polar bear hunt in earnest. Conditions were calm which was comfortable but resulted in a sea mist that limited visibility significantly.

Being in the ice is always exciting. It is such a foreign environment and threatening to human survival but visually spectacular. Seeing the range of wildlife thriving in a place we can’t survive unaided is inspiring.

We steadily moved through the ice searching for seals and Polar bears which would be hunting them. As visual hunters we were hampered by the poor visibility but the conditions were little hindrance to bears who hunt with their noses.

There were plenty of seabirds to keep me excited and distracted from the cloying cold.

The passing parade of floes with their glowing blues were entrancing and a subject in their own right.

Moving smoothly and silently through the ice the shapes of the floes was constantly changing offering evolving compositions.

While the conditions were challenging in terms of cold and limited visibility it was lovely to finally be properly in the ice. The last time I had been in this type of environment was in the Antarctic in 2015. That had been a life changing trip leaving a persisting ache to return to cold icy places with the stunning wildlife that call them home.

Photos with Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 800mm f6.3 VR S or Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-200mm.