Svalbard 2011

Projet Polaria 1 | Du 14/07/2011 au 11/08/2011 (29 jours)

14/07/2011 | Grenoble - Paris

• The weather was quite bad for a 14th of July.
• It could have thought it was a bad sign.
• But I thought instead: “<i>Great, Mr weather is preparing me for Norway and Spitzbergen!</i>”
• Charlotte was sad to se me leave… But, as I knew I would come back, I wasn't sad myself.
• Few people in the train, but many bags.
• Then I arrived in Paris, and spent an very (very) active afternoon with Loïc… Laying on the sofa, watchting the Tour de France…
• A last drink with Sophie.
• And it was time to go to sleep. My last night for 4 weeks…

15/07/2011 | Paris - Oslo Gardermoen Airport - Tromsø

• If you know a few about Lene Marlin, you'll certainly appreciate the name given to this day.
• I woke up carefully to avoid waking up Loïc…
• … But it didn't work as I excepted it to work (i.e. Loïc woke up too).
• I took my breakfast in the suburban train.
• Then, began the long waiting day… I waited in CDG Airport, I waited in the plane, I waited in Oslo Airport, then I waited again in the plane…
• Some hours after, I finally reached Tromsø.
• Home sweet home.
• As everything was ready, I could took some rest, before to really begin the adventure…

16/07/2011 | Tromsø - Harstad - Sortland - Stø - Nyksund

• The sun was shining for this first morning in Norway.
• As I knew I didn't know when my next shower would be, I enjoyed this one.
• Then, I took the express boat to Harstad.
• Everything was so well planed, that it was almost too easy!
• When I arrived in Stø, it began to rain…
• … I, nevertheless, began to walk.
• The hike was supposed to be easy, but, with my so heavy bag, I didn't find it so…
• Step after step, I reached Nyksund, without having found a great place to sleep.
• I finally found a great field in front of the sea.
• I drank and eat.
• Then went to sleep.
• I was cold and felt alone… Well, I was just a bit tired…

17/07/2011 | Nyksund - Stø

• The sun has woken me up, and everything has suddendly become easy…
• 2:30 in the morning. The sun, the sea. A dream…
• The morning, I first search for some water.
• Then began to hike to Stø, not through the shore line, but through the moutain path.
• It was quite difficult with my home on my back!
• Nobody on the road…
• Nobody neither on the beach I slept-on!

18/07/2011 | Stø - Sortland - Hennes

• Midnight facing the sun…
• A peaceful moment before to fall in the depth of sleep.
• The morning after, from one end of the road to another, I left Stø to Hennes.
• Event if I can't say Hennes is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, I felt so calm there, that I said mylself I would certainly choose this way of life one day.

19/07/2011 | Hennes - Møysalen

• I woke up hearing to the sound of the rain.
• I was scared the weather was too bad to climb to Møysalen.
• But, hopefuly, we left!
• The hike began under the rain.
• Then, we had fog.
• Then, a lot of wind.
• We weren't sure we could reach the top…
• … But, slowly, the sky became blue.
• And we were able to finish the hike!
• Møysalen, 1262 moh.
• Wonderful & awesome!
• Back to the campsite, I noticed somthing strange with my tent…
• … Actually, on of the hoops was broken!
• I could have panicked, got angry or scared…
• … But I said myself I'd better have a good meal first.
• Then, I looked for a solution to my problem.
• Of course, I didn't have to appropriate tool, so it failed.
• I could have panicked again, got angry again or scared again…
• … But I said myself I'd better have a good night first.
• Thus, I went to sleep…

20/07/2011 | Hennes - Sortland - Risøyhamn - Bleik

• Transit day under a dark sky.
• I started the “Mac Gyver Operation” to fix my tent.
• You'll find the result in the Goodies section.
• When in Bleik, I was too tired to hike to Stave.
• So, I decided to camp in Bleik's campsite.
• Wild beach, white sand, and the ocean.
• The light was wonderful (= I took a lot of pictures).

21/07/2011 | Bleik - Stave

• After a long and good night, I felt OK to reach Stave from Bleik.
• At first, everything was perfect.
• But, the more I walked, the more I found it was difficult to see and follow the marks…
• … Until I couldn't see it anymore.
• I stopped.
• Have a look to the right. Have a look to the left.
• Then I realize I was lost.
• I decided to follow my instinct, in walked straight in the middle of nowhere.
• … It wasn't definitely the shortest way.
• But, the most important is I finally managed to reach Stave.
• How hungry I was!!!
• As the weather conditions weren't ideal, and as I was a bit tired, I decided not to go back to Bleik by foot.
• I began to wait for the bus, but quickly was fed-up with it.
• So, I decided to inch hike… And Grand'ma mamie Olga (almost 107 years old) caught me.
• A (very) brief discussion in norwegian later, I was proud to be able to tell and understand some words!!!

22/07/2011 | Bleik - Andenes - Gryllefjord - Torsken - Finnsnes - Tromsø

• In every trip, you normally have the “chance” to experiment (at least) ONE very bad day…
• This is the day!
• Everything began by an uncomfortable tent-packing under rain and wind, after a too short night.
• I suffered headache and sore throat, and my entire body felt tired, tired, tired…
• The 8:55 to Andenes didn't linked with the 9 o'clock ferry to Gryllefjord… So, I had to run with the 20 kilos on my back to catch it (… it left approximately 30 seconds after I got in).
• So, I arrived in Gryllefjord, were the bus (actually, the only bus of the day… I learned it after) was scheduled BEFORE the ferry accost… So logical…
• Hopefully, the Tourist Information gave me precious piece of information: “<i>Of course, you can go to Mefjorvaer: you just have to take the 17:30 bus to Finnsness</i>”… But forgot to mention that the bus stop was in Torsken, 7 kilometers away!!!
• Hopefully again, I realized it before 17:30, so giving me enough time to reach Torsken.
• I first tried to get there by foot. But, I quickly realize it was defintely not a good idea (regarding my tiredness and the climbing road).
• So, I decided to wait for the next ferry to inch hike.
• And if you don't understand why I had to wait for the next ferry to inch hike, it's because you've never been to Gryllefjord. End of the road, end of the world: nobody driving on the road unless a ferry has arrived!!!
• So I waited.
• A bit.
• A lot.
• So much that I had time to prepare a great sign, with my two possible destinations: Torsken or Mefjordvaer.
• Of course, when the ferry arrived, nobody caught me… !!!
• So, the only way to reach Torsken was to walk.
• Half the way, I had the chance to get picked by a nice Norvegian.
• Then, in Torksen, I had to wait for the bus… Under the rain, of course.
• I decided to sleep in Finnsnes, cause it was too complicated to reach Mefjordvaer…
• But, I finally stopped in Tromsø !!! …
• … Where, after 5 last kilometers walking, I put my tent on the top of Fjellheisen.
• Paradise after hell.

23/07/2011 | Tromsø

• Back to Tromsø.
• After a great night and a great shower, I went to the Polarmuseet.
• Artic story.
• Damned, the building was so hot! I couldn't stay inside.
• Far away from the crowdy downtown, I took time to walk in sleeping districts.

24/07/2011 | Tromsø

• Visiting Tromsø without going to Polaria, is as strange as visiting Paris without going to the Eiffel Tower.
• It was nearly the same than last year, but with many (many) more people.
• When I got fed-up with tourists, I decided to have a breath in Prestvannet.
• Lake, birds, calm, and only norvegian people.
• To end up with this day, an almost midnight sun on the Ishavskatedralen.

25/07/2011 | Tromsø

• This was a long rainy day.
• Heavy rain.
• Just on time to let me wash my clothes.
• Just on time to charge my batteries.

26/07/2011 | Tromsø - Longyearbyen

• I opened my eyes on a very special day.
• The sun was shining, a chance to dry my tent.
• Then, I reached the airport.
• Some great remembers, walikng in the terminal (Cf. Norway 2010).
• When boarding time arrived, I felt as happy as the happiest man in the World.
• After an half an hour flight, Spitzbergen reached from the sea.
• So wonderfull…
• I realized I had the chance to live one of my dreams, something I was preparing for one entire year.
• While landing, I was amazed by the ice on the Adventfjorden…
• At this time, I hadn't realized yet that those ice conditions would be a “little” troublesome for the rest of the trip.

27/07/2011 | Longyearbyen

• Longyearbyen Camping is really cheaper than a hotel.
• But, it has a major disadvantage: it's 5 kilometers away from “down-town”
• Considering I went forth and back twice, you might realize how walking was pre-eminent for me this day.
• Hopefully, I also did some dogsledding… on wheels!
• You'll see, in the the trips to come, that it wasn't an accident if decided to do so.
• A really fun moment…

28/07/2011 | Longyearbyen

• Last day on my own.
• I decided to go hiking on a glacier…. With a guide and a gun, of course.
• It was nice, even if we didn't see anything because of the fog.
• Then, time for a great meal with GNGL team.
• And time had come to wait for my trip-mates.
• … To be continued …

29/07/2011 | Longyearbyen - Pyramiden

• … Let's continue…
• When all of us were arrived, we went on a short brieffing.
• Too much ice in Kongsfjorden to get there.
• It's unusual. Those conditions happen maybe every ten years…
• Arctic is the king.
• So, we had to change all of our plans.
• As compensation, we had a spectacular midnight sun.
• Mist, yachts and ice.
• …
• After a short “night”, time had come to get-up for a very (very) long day.
• We were 10 minutes late to see the Polar Bear walking next to the campsite.
• So, no picture to show.
• Then, we had to prepare and load the stuff for the trip.
• Niklas the sailor, sailed bravely through the ice, and left-us in Pyramiden.
• Walking in this almost abandonned town was a strange sensation.
• Go, midnight!!!

30/07/2011 | Pyramiden - Billefjord - Brucebyen (base camp n°1

• … Hungry were we, so we had diner.
• We were supposed to cross the fjord to find a place for our first campsite.
• After an express meal, we loaded the kayaks…
• … And began to sail!
• Don't trust the rest of the group if they say I'm not good at piloting kayak. I'm the best (they're just jalous).
• When the ideal location were found, we could establish our first base camp.
• But no time to sleep yet: I had to watch over polar bears!
• Finally, four hours sleeping…
• … Then the second day of this day started.
• Short hike to Nordenskiöldbreen.

31/07/2011 | Brucebyen (base camp n°1 - Billefjord - Kapp Ekholm (base camp n°2)

• Back to kayaks!
• Ebb tide, wind in the back… Everything was easy.
• We paddled, paddled, paddled, …
• … Then the weather became bad, the wind turned.
• So, we had to stop.
• Welcome to Kapp Ekholm!!!

01/08/2011 | Kapp Ekholm (base camp n°2) - Billefjord - Phantomodden (base camp n°3)

• As expected, the turn of duty was cold… and long!
• But the morning after, the sun was back.
• So we went pddling.
• … Until we got hungry…
• … Then weren't able to move anymore.
• Too much wind after chinese noddles.
• So we went hiking to see birds…
• I missed a 400mm lens!

02/08/2011 | Phantomodden (base camp n°3) - Billefjord - Phantomodden (base camp n°3 bis)

• The day of our fantastic World Record…
• First, the sea was calm and flat.
• So we loaded the kayaks, and began to paddle.
• … 5 minutes…
• Then the wind began to blow really strong…
• Huge waves…
• So we had to a aground the coast…
• … as quick as possible!
• 711
• 711? The distance, in meters, we paddle this day.
• Never seen since GNGL exists.
• It's amazing to notice that this ridiculous record maybe saved our lives…
• … If we would have crossed the fjord, we would have certain met the polar bear who attacked an english camp in Templefjord…

03/08/2011 | Phantomodden (base camp n°3 bis)

• Wait.
• Wait and hope for a better weather.
• Writting my name on a burning wooden board.
• Reading a 15 days old paper.
• Walking on a scrre.
• Taking picture, half naked on the beach… As if it was hot (but it wasn't).
• …
• Castaways in Phantomodden.
• On a hugly beach, in a desert.
• Castaways in Spitzbergen.
• …
• Considering we had to reach Longyearbyen before next summer (…), a repatriation was decided.

04/08/2011 | Phantomodden (base camp n°3 bis) - Longyearbyen

• You may think you're seeing nearly the pictures day after day…
• It's just because we stayed in the same place day after day!
• But you certainly notice that, hopefully, the light was always different.
• After 3 days in Phantomodden, time for repatriation.
• Back to Longyearbyen.
• I could write a book on my thoughts this day…
• I would just say a was the most difficult moment of the trip…
• For an obscur reason, if I had the choice, I would have decided to stay on this beach. And wait, again and again…

05/08/2011 | Longyearbyen - Ymerbukta

• Nothing better than a great sleep to be on a good mood.
• Direction Ymerbukta, where we “borrowed” the basecamp and the kayaks of antoher GNGL group.
• Great sun, no wind, quiet sea…
• … The perfect weather to go seal-hunting.
• We were lucky to see one easily, sleeping on the ice.
• Closer than you could ever dream to be!
• Then, a fantastic view of the glaciers around.
• A postcard of Spitzbergen.

06/08/2011 | Ymerbukta

• The last turn of duty of the trip, under the midnight sun.
• After a small kayak trip, we walked to Trygghamna.
• Around us, reindeers, arctic fox and birds. Lot of birds! A
• Ahhhhhh, Trygghamna…
• A fjord, a mountain, a glacier, the sun through the clouds… Wonderful!

07/08/2011 | Ymerbukta - Barentsburg

• In the early morning, foxy the arctic fox came to visit us.
• Wonderful moment, while the rest of the team was sleeping.
• After 2 days in paradise, time was come to leave.
• On the way back to Longyearbyen, a short stop in Barentsburg.
• Russian city again, but with inhabitants (contrary to Pyramiden).
• Spitzbergen paradox: coal mines in the magnificience of nature… Human nature is strange.

08/08/2011 | Longyearbyen

• Longyearbyen.
• Again…
• The road between city-center and the airport.
• The coal power-plant.
• Fortunately, wilderness is only few meters away.
• Fossils on the moraine.
• Strong wind.
• Again and again.
• Then, for the last evening with David, restaurant
• Pepper steak!!!

09/08/2011 | Longyearbyen

• Unfortunately, no bird flying above Bjørndalen.
• Maybe was it too early.
• Then… Just waiting for the time to carry us to the night.

10/08/2011 | Longyearbyen

• Last day in Spitzbergen.
• Ideal weather to visit the Svalbard museum.
• I ate a yogurt…
• … You may think it's nothing special, but it becomes after more than 15 days without having this chance.
• Then, it wa time to pack the tent for a last time.
• I was both sad and happy…

11/08/2011 | Longyearbyen - Oslo Gardermoen Airport - Paris - Grenoble

• Only two hours sleeping.
• Spitzbergen was so sad I left, that it made the sky rain.
• Not enough time to turn back, I was in Oslo.
• Then Paris.
• Time to say goodbye to my trip friends.
• A few hours after, Lyon.
• … 28 the days, 4 weeks, 1 month… But, as usual, the longuest moment was this last and boring straight line. The last minutes before I see MY mountains.
• Grenoble.