... try and find us

The wind had completely eased, and all was calm in Longyearbyen. After the recent bouncing around at anchor, long, hot showers were very welcome indeed! We then entertained the Aussies, Brian and Denise, from the Boreal Willow 2 . They had been anchored in the harbour since we first met them on our arrival in Svalbard. They were heading for Greenland, but the ice was being slow to clear and was holding them up. Of course, guess who had forgotten to buy potatoes? Back to the shop we went. And, naturally, while we were there, all sorts of other goodies somehow found their way into our basket. It’s amazing how easily that happens! A well-stocked snack drawer (and the hot drinks drawer, above) is important for crew morale. The crew from the Garcia next door came over to check out our new Garcia. In return, we were given a tour of their enormous yacht, which could comfortably accommodate ten people. They were running Boreal Adventure Sailing trips, with ten-day adventures around Svalba...

Myrca's log, date 12 July 2026. Our position, Skansbukta 78° 31.769' N 16° 01.437' E The rain has set in but it is time to go. It was pouring with rain, windy and foggy, so we had a late start to the day. Despite the miserable weather, it couldn't dampen the spirits of the happy football fans as we departed the wonderfully odd Barentsburg and headed further into Isfjorden, looking for some shelter from the wind. Fortunately, the wind was in a favourable direction, so we managed to pull out a sail and, for a couple of glorious hours, had the engine switched off. We sailed along with the wind behind us while the rain poured down around us. We ended up very wet, but running with the wind made us surprisingly speedy, and despite our late start we were anchored by 18:30. Soggy but happy at the helm. Skansbukta was a stunning anchorage, surrounded by bird cliffs and backed by a beautiful, long glacial valley. The scenery was spectacular, although the wind certainly...

Myrca's log, date 10 July 2026. Our position, Farmhamna 78° 20.199' N 12° 51.298' E Beluga, Whitecaps and Polar Bear Beach Intimidating ... even from a distance We did a loop out to get closer to the glacier before heading into the wild, raging sea. The wind was on the nose and the sea was decidedly bumpy, but, as usual, there were birds, birds, birds . The fulmars seemed particularly keen to cruise around and alongside the boat, effortlessly gliding on the wind. They are wonderful to watch—but getting a decent photograph of one is another matter entirely! Just as you get the camera ready, off they glide. Then we came upon something rather more exciting: a pod of around 30 beluga whales , with a lone minke whale feeding along the shore. Hey ... bergy bits don't spout water! They're belugas! They don't photograph well but they are fun to watch The belugas are such extraordinary creatures. With their rounded, stubby heads and almost pear...

Myrca's log, date 7 July 2026. Our position, Fjortende Juilbukta 79° 07.017' N 11° 52.697' E Cod, Glaciers and a Farewell from the Walrus Another glorious, sunshiny day brought a visit from the Sysselmester , the Governor of Svalbard's representatives. They came aboard for a document check to make sure all our permits were in order. They were wonderfully friendly chaps who were spending the summer living in a cabin in Magdalenefjord. Presenting our passports and gun registration to the authorities. What a great job to have! Avid fishermen themselves, they gave us some excellent tips on how to catch Arctic cod. We needed to find somewhere where the sea floor dropped away steeply, then cast our lines in at around 80 metres. Drop the line all the way to the bottom, jiggle it a little and wait. Simple. We studied the charts and identified a couple of promising cod-catching locations along our route. It seemed almost too easy. Before we left, a couple of w...