Bowhead Whales in the Arctic OceanI have written before about...

Bowhead Whales in the Arctic Ocean

I have written before about the mystery and romance of the Arctic and the Bowhead’s place in that in a previous post.

A few days ago I finally had an opportunity to see them in the Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land. The Barents Sea population, of which these individuals are a part, is estimated at tens to hundreds so we felt doubly blessed to see more than a dozen of them.

While we saw some mature adults from a distance, all of those that swam close to the ship when we slowed down appeared to be young, lacking the white lower jaw.

I feel genuinely privileged to have seen these animals. To me they are an emblem of the Arctic, being the most ice-adapted of any any whale and playing such a large part in human survival and history.

Data Collection at the North PoleMy first time ever to the North...

Data Collection at the North Pole

My first time ever to the North Pole and the weather was gorgeous! It took several hours of searching with the helicopter to find a suitable spot a few miles from the pole itself, and Lauren had the luck to be along for the hour-long ride.

After enjoying the sunshine and scenery we get down to work, measuring the dimensions and salinity of two ponds. This all went surprisingly well for a first attempt and we learned enough to know what we want to measure next time and how we will include guests in the process.

Sailing to the North Pole is an expedition cruise like no other. It was a special experience, more so than I expected, and I’m really happy that the science went well too! I’ll be back three more times this summer and I can’t wait.

Next stop #NorthPole.

Next stop #NorthPole.; http://flic.kr/p/wgfUHt

The #Arctic is the most beautiful place in the world.

The #Arctic is the most beautiful place in the world.; http://flic.kr/p/viPZ7R

Helicopter operations in the Arctic Ocean

Helicopter operations in the Arctic Ocean; http://flic.kr/p/wf63oZ

I’ve just returned from two weeks of breaking ice in the Arctic...

I’ve just returned from two weeks of breaking ice in the Arctic Ocean. Icebreaking is incredible, helicopters are amazing and we learned a huge amount about observing sea ice and recording data about it.

Midnight sun in Murmansk

Midnight sun in Murmansk; At almost 70°N it is golden hour for hours and hours. http://flic.kr/p/vKndaq