Sea Spirit Arctic Cruise Excursions #7 and #8: Kittiwakes, Walruses and Polar Bears

http://www.TravelsWithSheila.com It was an action filled day beginning with a shore landing on Barentsoya. Divided into groups as usual, passengers began walking up from the beach to see colonies of nesting Kittiwakes in the cliffs. Approximately 4,000-5,000 nesting PAIRS of birds were flying all over the place, fighting, looking for nest building buildings, sitting on eggs. while we tired to evade bird poop falling from the sky. (Alfred Hitchcock could have used this location for "The Birds." Can you imagine 10,000 birds flying at poor Tippi?) The next excursion was supposed to be a shore landing on Dolerittneset on Edgeoya but there was too much ice; instead, a 9:00p Zodiac cruise. Walrus bones were visible along the shore from the 1700s when they were hunted and a group of Walrus lay in a huddle, doing what Walrus do best, sleeping! All Zodiacs did at least 2-3 slow motors by the Walrus before a Polar Bear was spotted a short distance away. Expedition Leader Woody thought the bear limped and may have been injured. Today was a stellar cruise day...