I Embarked on a Voyage Around One of the Most Isolated Regions on Earth — Encountering Polar Bears, Seals, and Glaciers Along the Way

On the second day of my Arctic adventure, I found myself kayaking beside Lilliehöökbreen, one of Svalbard's longest glaciers, stretching nearly 14 miles. As I gazed at the mirror-like water, something round and steel-gray emerged briefly before disappearing again. Initially, I thought it was a rock, but the stillness of the water told a different story — no waves disturbed my steady kayak. Suddenly, it leaped into view again, and I locked eyes with a curious ringed seal. We sat in silence while the seal circled us, intrigued by our presence in its domain. After a few moments, it lost interest and swam off toward a distant ice ridge.

The opportunity to encounter this charming seal up close was made possible by an Aurora Expeditions cruise. I was aboard the Sylvia Earle, following the Svalbard in Depth itinerary, a 15-day journey that navigates the Norwegian high Arctic archipelago in search of whales, seals, and walruses, as well as excursions onto pack ice in one of the planet's most isolated regions.

“Svalbard is an enchanting place,” remarks expedition leader Howard Whelan, the founding editor of Australian Geographic. “It’s almost beyond imagination. It has a subtle charm that takes time to absorb, but it leaves a mark on everyone. The fact that we operate in such an environment is thrilling, as it’s an experience few get in their everyday lives.”

Well, unless your everyday life includes watching polar bear cubs playfully tussle on the gentle slope of a mountain, or seeing a cluster of eight walruses huddled together on drifting ice to keep warm. When I wasn't observing seals from my kayak, I was with fellow passengers, attending scientific presentations or taking Zodiac cruises to view wildlife (or watching safely from the ship, keeping a respectful distance from the bears).

The Sylvia Earle served as a cozy home base. Standing eight decks tall and accommodating just 132 passengers, I never felt cramped or overwhelmed by crowds. It features two restaurants, two bars, a 24-hour gym, two hot tubs, a saltwater pool, a library, a science center, a lecture hall, and a mud room for storing wet gear like expedition jackets and waterproof pants in personal lockers. Being one of Aurora’s latest ships, built in 2022, it incorporates cutting-edge technology for its passenger vessels: The Earle boasts an X-bow design that slices through water and ice, pushing it aside instead of bouncing the ship’s front. This design minimizes noise for wildlife and enhances fuel efficiency while ensuring smoother navigation.

And that’s fortunate, as the weather can shift rapidly in the high Arctic. On one outing — a landing on snow-capped Kvitøya (the island where Swedish explorer Salomon August Andrée and his balloon crew met their fate in 1897) — fog enveloped us the moment we set foot on land. It was a brief stop, racing through snow to reach Andrée’s historical monument and then promptly back to the Zodiacs. By the time we returned to shore, the Sylvia Earle had vanished into the dense fog. Thankfully, the X-bow and extendable stabilizers kept us steady and comfortable, shielding us from the choppy seas outside once we were back aboard.

All the passengers spent some moments that day contemplating how quickly the Arctic landscape transforms, and the inherent dangers that past explorers faced. We were there to discover a new corner of the world, but safely aboard a ship, not trudging across shifting ice that could unexpectedly push you back while you try to move forward. The Arctic is stunning, yet it can also be unpredictable and harsh.

Later in the journey, we climbed back into the kayaks — this time to glide alongside the Alkefjellet bird cliffs, where thousands of Brunnich’s guillemots nest. The current was powerful, allowing us to mostly drift. The birds swooped and soared, gliding at eye level past our kayaks before rising back up into the sky to check us out. The atmosphere was surreal, akin to being enveloped in a starling’s murmuration.

Then, with the flap of a guillemot's wings, the weather shifted, and we found ourselves paddling through a blustery squall. As we forged ahead, snow and spray whipped our faces from the choppy waves, and I finally began to grasp the experiences of historic polar explorers like Andrée. The allure of the Arctic goes beyond just polar bears and walruses. It’s a yearning for adventure, to witness the world in all its vividness and forms, to confront an approaching squall and come out on the other side, knowing you've achieved something that few will ever experience.

Until September 30, 2024, travelers booking with Aurora Expeditions can enjoy up to 20 percent off Arctic and Antarctic itineraries for 2025, along with an air credit of $2,000 for all Antarctica sailings in 2024 and 2025, or $1,500 for all Arctic journeys in 2025.