Page 36 - 2003 SVALBARD, NORWAY

Sea kayaking lessons were next on our agenda because the

Expedition Leader announced that we would never find more
perfect conditions for indulging. It didn’t sound too complicated

so we signed up to go. Our rain suits and Wellys once again were
perfect. The kayaks are large yellow inflatable craft which are

virtually unsinkable unless you do stupid things like getting too
close to a bergie bit that rolls or run aground too close to shore.
They have the most efficient and easy way of getting folks into the

kayaks too. There is a platform placed near shore which is about a
foot submerged. The kayaks are slid over the platform and the

paddlers climb in from the Zodiacs quite easily with the crew and
guides keeping the kayaks from slipping away from the awkward

and slow.

What a super experience it was too--paddling around in the
beautiful bay surrounded by mountains with great white clouds
radiating out from their peaks, deep blue sky overhead, bergie bits

and growlers floating all around. The water was so smooth it
looked like liquid silver rolling away from the “prow” of the kayak.

We could hear the roar of waterfalls coming off the tidal glaciers
as they tumbled in icefalls from the mountains’ steep sides. There

were black guillemots bobbing along beside us as well.

The quiet was so captivating too because you could almost feel
like you were enjoying the bay by yourself. A good laugh was had
when Kay tried to point out something interesting dead ahead and

Lois could not find it. Finally, after many explanations and
directions, she saw it-- was a very large cruise ship which was in

the channel out in the middle part of Hornsund Fjord (it could not
have come into the area where we were trying our paddles).

Another wonderful sight was the patterning of the remaining
snow in the bowls of the cliffs and peaks we were seeing as we

floated along. The streaks of snow looked like lightning bolts