In Adalvik Bay

Remains of a British outpost from the second world war on Mt. Darri

Angry Arctic tern in Vigur island

Checking out the seals in Lonafjordur

Enjoying the sunset in Hornvik bay

Walking along Hornbjarg bird cliffs

Walking from Hesteyri to Adalvik

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The weather was excellent in July (and still is) and we did few trips with mostly Icelanders and British people. During a ten day trip all over our home turf, we experienced a lot of things. We went walking, kayaking, horseback riding, sailed across the Arctic circle and saw probably most of the stunning wildlife in Iceland. The highlight was probably humpback whales flapping his fins in front of us (nobody was quick enough with camera!) and two sea eagles sitting in a safe distance from us in one of the fjords. The seals in Lonafjordur were also very nice. Lying and sunbathing on the rocks and very curious about our red sea kayaks.

Thank you all for your great company last month.

First glimpse of Jan Mayen

Camp on the beach

Getting closer to the top of Beerenberg

Walking the crater rim to the King Haakons top of Beerenerg

Jan Erik, John Harald and me on the top. Photo: Dag Andersen

Beginning the long descent

Basecamp at 1300 metres

Champagne and pizza in the swimming pool. The pool is heated with the cooling water from the generators

Fire on the beach close to the old Met station

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Finally back after three weeks of sailing, climbing and skiing. The goal was Jan Mayen on 71 degrees North and to climb its 2277m high volcano, Beerenberg.

We embarked from Isafjordur on the 13th of June and sailed for three days to Jan Mayen. We arrived in perfect weather and the group put up camp on the beach. The day after they continued up to 1300 metres and put up basecamp there for the next few days. Since the crew of Aurora were not guiding this trip, we decided to moved her to Båtvika off the Jan Mayen station (Olonkin City) and meet the eighteen inhabitants on the island. Their main job is to maintain a Loran C station and do meteorological observations. Three guys from the station were planning to go to the top and I decided to go with them the next day. Departure at 01:00 in the morning. There was a "bar night" at the station and somebody handed me a guitar...I went to bed half an hour before departure!

The weather was perfect, dead calm and clear sky. The climb went well and we were at the top in the afternoon. The group in basecamp walked the whole crater rim which had never been done before. I had my skis with me and had a really good run down the mountain. We returned to the station around eight in the evening. There was a little celebration at the station and we had champagne and pizza in the little swimmig pool.

Two days later we sailed back to Dalvik in North Iceland in great wind and picked up another group and headed out again the day after. This time, we landed on the northern side of the island and put up camp at the old meteorological station. In the group were six Norwegians, two Germans and two radio amateurs from the UK and Poland. The radio guys planned to transmit from Jan Mayen over the next days while the rest climbed Beerenberg and did some easy hiking in  the lower mountains. The plan was to climb the mountain from the old met station when weather allowed. Again we were blessed with very nice weather and climbed the mountain during the night and stood on top early in the morning. It was a tired bunch that returned to camp at ten in the morning

We took a rest day the day after and then spent two days exploring the mountains and valleys on the northern part of the island and its rich history of whaling, research and remains from the second world war. Then it was time to set sail again and we returned to Isafjordur early Saturday morning the 6th just in time for a few beers at the bar...!

Thanks to all of you who came on those two trips and also thanks to all at the Jan Mayen station for their support. We´ve already planned two trips next year in June and the first one is fully booked.

Colin Samuels on the top of Beerenberg. Photo: Bjorn Pedersen

Skiing down Beerenberg, Jan Mayen Island. Photo: Bjorn Pedersen

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Tomorrow we´ll begin our sailing voyage to Jan Mayen to ski the volcano Beerenberg (2277m) with a Norwegian group. We´ll return to the town of Dalvik on the north coast of Iceland and pick up another Norwegian group and head out again to the island. We´re looking forward to these expeditions ahead to this island in the middle of the Norwegian Sea.

Until early July we´ll be in scarce email contact but we can be reach on Aurora´s sattelite phone ( 0087 1763 699 855 ). Our email will be checked on regular basis and we´ll try to anwer your questions the best we can.

Play safe and have fun!

Sea kayaking in East Greenland

Our friend and photographer, Thorsten Henn allowed us to show you some images he shot last summer in East Greenland while he was kayaking with his friends. They visited some of the spots we´ll go to in August. As usual, they had perfect weather the whole time. He said that the trip was one of the best thing he´s done in his life, outstanding scenery, crisp air, blues skies, arctic char in the sea to make fresh sushi and great company.

Check the Arctic photo album for more photos.