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2011-05-12 Isbjörn och blöta hundar
This trip is very flexible, the main thing is to be out "exploring" Spitsbergen. If possible it would be interesting to get to the southern most point, to see the different areas all the way from the north. The glaciers here in the south have the last couple of years been surging a lot so it is too dangerous to travel on them, therefore I need sea ice to get to the south. The seaice can disappear very quickly depending on weather and winds. My plan is to go as far south as I can get and then back, do it as quick as I can, to be depending on the ice as short time as possible.
Today we headed off early, I wanted to go 60-70 kilometers. After approx. 20 km we reached huge piles of ice, some meters high, blocking the way out from the mountain side. I parked the sledge and dogs, took my skiing poles and gun to go and check what was behind all that ice. I found that there was still ice for us to continue, but a bit tricky to get pass all the huge amounts of ice piles laying on the ice. When I turned around I saw a polar bear coming around a big block of ice. I walked as fast as I could towards the dogs, watching what the bear was up to. After a little while he started moving away, heading for the bay we just passed, puh! It is amazing how fast they move when just walking!
When the dogs and I continued we didn't get far before next surprise. The sledge had been parked on land but when we headed out on the ice again the two first dogs got on it, the next two got a bit wet when the cracked ice moved under them and the last two dogs went down in the water, but got up fast. I pulled the break on the sledge, but it was difficult to turn back. I just had to follow the dogs and hope I wouldn't get wet! It went well and we could continue.
When I started to relax thinking that the ice was quite good we came to a dead end. Suddenly no more ice right from the mountain side and as far south as I could see. There was no way we could continue. We stopped, felt the ice moving up and down and heard all the noise it made.
Nothing else to do then to turn back. Went 6-7 km back to get solid ground under the tent. The rest of the day I relaxed and watched the ice intense to see if I could spot any more bears. It was a beautiful evening!
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