Page 43 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL9

 Polar Bear No. 1 was spotted on an iceberg.ship’s zodiacs. The only wildlife we saw were some species of sea birds – black-legged kittiwakes, black guillemots, glaucous gulls, and barnacle geese. We waited patiently in anticipation of spotting mammals such as polar bear, walrus, Arctic fox, and Svalbard reindeer, which were our main filming targets on this expedition.On the third day as the Quest was cruising along the eastern coast of the island of Nordaustlandet passing the ice wall of the enormous Austfonna glacier which is more than 100 km long, the ship’s bridge announced that a polar bear was spotted on an iceberg ahead. Commotion ensued on the bow of the ship as the passengers with their cameras ready rushed to find the best spot to photograph the first polar bear of the trip. It was a young male bear living on an iceberg waiting for the surrounding sea to freeze in a month so that he can move on the pack ice toPolar Bear No. 8 walked down to the beach looking curiously at our approaching zodiac.Elite+ 41