Our first landing of the trip was at Gravneset that is rated as one of the most beautiful fjords in Svalbard. It is surrounded by tall mountains and glaciers. It’s also one of the largest burial grounds (over 130 graves) in Svalbard dating from the early 1600s to the late 1700s — the whaling period in this area. Much of this area is protected behind fences because over the years (starting in the 1800s), tourists have basically ransacked the place and disturbed the graves. They also took lots of souvenirs, including whale, walrus, and yes, human bones. With Deb’s camera, we were able to get some visibility into the site. We also could see the blubber ovens that are also protected, as well as the former Governor of Svalbard’s cabin for supervision. We had limited areas that we could walk to avoid further damaging the moss tundra that is beyond the sandy beach. We did see a lot of nesting Skuas, Arctic Terns, and Guillemots. It was in the low 40s, but it felt much colder because of the dampness. What is interesting, however, is that the Gulf Stream hits this fjord nearly dead on and, as a consequence, it never freezes. That’s one of the big reasons this area was so popular as a whale processing area. Anyway, this was a great way to start the trip.
I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.
