Cruise Friday

Overnight we have travelled above the 80^th parallel. An attempt to find pack ice and wildlife in Wood Fiord goes barren.

We are more successful on the east side of Svalbard at famous bird viewing cliffs.

Crossing the channel to other islands in the Archipelago, we sight the first polar bear. When spotted, most likely on the infrared bridge camera, it is 2 miles in front of Resolution. She creeps through the ice to get closer. Eventually we stop in the ice. The sighting delays dinner by a half hour and forces postponement of the daily debrief until tomorrow. We stay locked in the ice near the bear and her two cubs for six hours.

At 11 pm, the ship finally backs a bit to break up the ice and then proceeds to break out of the ice.