Svalbard’s Photographic Bonanza

We’d spent the day at 80.7 degrees north, forging a path along the edge of the sea ice on our ice-strengthened ship. As we zig-zagged through the maze of ice, we scanned continuously for the icon of the Arctic – the polar bear. The broken and jagged ice makes it incredibly tricky to spot bears as there are so many places for them to hide. Despite what people may think, bears are most definitely not white and their cream colouration makes it easier to spot them in a completely white world.

There were plenty of signs of bears. Tracks meandered across this vast icy wilderness, but alas they kept themselves hidden. After refuelling our bodies with the delightful cooking from our talented chef, I was sat in the bridge scanning for any signs of life. Suddenly, well over a kilometre away, a cream-coloured form caught my eye. Could it be? ‘Christian, Beau, I think I have something.’ I called. ‘I think it’s a bear. It is a bear!’ was the response from our expedition leader, Christian. 

Within 10-minutes everybody was kitted up, all dressed in our survival suits. Our life jackets fitted and cameras at the ready. Our two Zodiacs were already in the water, we boarded and set off after the largest land-based (ironic for an officially-classed marine mammal) predator on Earth. Seeing a polar bear is always memorable, it is always an honour. This was to be an encounter like no other.

Our primary concern was to not disturb the bear and so we kept our distance, photographing this magnificent animal in its snow-laden surrounds. By working closely with Christian and Beau, we agreed we would travel along the coastline and allow the bear to come to us of its own accord. With our Zodiac’s bows parked on the edge of the ice, we waited. Then an ear appeared, within only a second or two, we could see the whole bear. It was walking right toward us. The next five minutes were among the most jaw-droppingly spectacular, magical and emotional of my life. I’m sure I can say it was the same for the entire group. 

Not only did we all capture some remarkable imagery, but we were privileged to an encounter that we could have only ever dreamt of. The bear was not at all bothered by our presence, it walked right along the shore allowing us this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Everyone was grinning from ear to ear, even our guides Christian and Beau were smiling. Leaving the bear to wander ever northwards, seemingly intent on reaching the sea ice, we headed back to our vessel, the M/S Stockholm.

This photo expedition only has a maximum of 11 guests and we work directly with the expedition team and the ship’s crew to create a tailored experience in this Arctic wilderness. Of course, polar bears are only a tiny part of small ship expedition in Svalbard. We were treated to some exceptional landscape photography, unbelievable moments with walrus and we had a lot of fun photographing the hardy birdlife that calls this area home for the ‘summer’ months.

So if, like me, you love wild places, wildlife and small groups, this is the ultimate wildlife photography tour. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. In fact, none of us wanted to leave the Stockholm. The ship became a home from home and the crew were all our family for the time we were there. I implore you to join me and the crew in 2025 as we enjoy another expedition to the high Arctic in search of solitude, incredible wildlife and epic vistas.

 

All our small ship charters are operated in accordance with AECO guidelines. We follow strict wildlife guidelines including the non-disturbance principle. Our photos shows a variety of images taken with different cameras, lenses, and zooms. Depending on the lens used, objects may appear closer.

Find out more about our Svalbard Photo Expedition or contact our friendly team to book.