Jewels Of The Arctic Expedition Report
August 22 - September 5, 2014
In August and September 2014 I co-led a photographic expedition to Greenland and Svalbard aboard the expedition ship ‘Polar Pioneer’. We set sail from Isafjordur in Iceland and sailed across the Denmark Strait where explored the incredibly wild and rugged East Coast of Greenland. We navigated many of the fjords, encountering incredible icebergs the size of city blocks as well as rugged mountains that plunged steeply into the dark arctic waters. We then sailed across the Greenland sea and explored the amazing glaciers and arctic landscape of Svalbard before docking in Longyearbyen where we concluded our voyage. This expedition combined the very best of Greenland and Svalbard and provided us with truly amazing photographic opportunities - The 'Jewels of the Arctic'. Spitsbergen’s rugged northwest coast comprises mountains, tundra and fjords. Greenland’s remote east coast shows off the immensity of the icecap, fantastic icebergs and massive granite spires rising over 1000 metres above the fjords. The arctic landscape is one of untold splendour and beauty and this expedition was designed to maximise the photography opportunities. The expedition was for a strictly limited number of 50 participants plus leaders and expedition guide. We utilised the ice hardened expedition ship ‘Polar Pioneer’ with a highly experienced crew in order to ensure we could get as close as possible to big ice and place us in the best locations for making photographs. Our expedition ship was equipped with sufficient zodiacs and crew for all photographers to be shooting simultaneously with plenty of room to spare for our camera equipment. The expedition offered a complete Arctic experience for photography: tundra walks amidst reindeer and exquisite dwarf vegetation, zodiac cruises near icebergs and calving glacier fronts, hikes to breathtaking mountain vistas and warm welcomes into indigenous communities. We saw and photographed reindeer, Musk Ox, countless sea and land birds, walrus, seals, and whales amongst the breathtaking arctic landscapes.
