Home again on the tail of three magical Arctic voyages aboard Polar Pioneer, exploring Svalbard and East Greenland. While every voyage sees a keen focus on wildlife—that dream of seeing the mighty polar bear, King of the Arctic—Svalbard and East Greenland are crowns crammed with all kinds of precious gems, from the large to the tiny. Here below are some of the wonders I love about the high north. I hope you’ll enjoy them too. — Robyn Mundy
ROCK
Gateau Point, Scoresbysund, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
Bjørneøer (Bear Islands), Ø Fjord, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
Lake Noa, Blomsterbugten, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
ICE
Kongsbreen, Svalbard ©Robyn Mundy
Kapp Stewart, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
Røde Fjord, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
TUNDRA
Broad-leaved willow herb ©Robyn Mundy
Mouse-ear chickweed ©Robyn Mundy
Snow buttercups ©Robyn Mundy
Purple Mountain Saxifrage ©Robyn Mundy
Arctic cotton grass ©Robyn Mundy
Tundra reflections ©Robyn Mundy
WILDLIFE
Arctic fox in summer coat, Ytre Norskøya, Svalbard ©Robyn Mundy
Muskox, Harefjord, East Greenland ©Robyn Mundy
Svalbard reindeer, Kap Lee, Svalbard ©Robyn Mundy
Polar bear, Kvitøya, Svalbard ©Robyn Mundy
ALONG WITH A TRIBUTE
…to MV Polar Pioneer, our ice-strengthened Russian workhorse that makes it all happen year after year. For those of us who have been working with her since her maiden voyage in 2000, it is bound to be a sad farewell this time next year, the Arctic 2019 season being her final with Aurora Expeditions before she steams away toward shiny new adventures.
MV Polar Pioneer ©Robyn Mundy
writing the wild
Hi Robyn
I just finished listening to your wonderful podcast with Richard F on Conversations and it prompted me to look you up.
I have spent most of my life on the land in Central Queensland … I’m now nearing 60 , and have since for ever wanted to visit the Antarctic .
I am strong fit and healthy and would love to go down any way other than on a tourist boat.
Could you point me in the right direction of how best I could do this ?
Warmest regards and thank you for sharing your story with us . Sandy Hoelscher
0439 844 957
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Hi Robyn
Your blog notification came in just a day or two before I left for Germany, so I didn’t have time to reply. Thank you for mentioning me to Howard. Will see what happens.
Your photos are lovely !
I can’t image you saying goodbye to Polar Pioneer. It has featured so strongly for both you and Gary over the years, and I am sure you have some amazing memories. But there is the GM to look forward to and I am sure that will be equally exciting.
Germany and Italy were interesting. The Dolomites are quite spectacular.
I am still catching up on sleep, which is where I should be now.
Take care
Fond wishes
Vi
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Hi Vi
Thanks for checking in. Were you happy with your photographic progress in Germany?
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Great to read your newsletter and see the pictures I have just returned from a world tour leaving Brisbane and retired on the 22nd September Did visit Rekjavik, then Nanortalik and Qaqortoq south wester Greenland narelle
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Hi Narelle
Nice to hear from you—congrats on your retirement and excellent to hear you are enjoying some exciting new travels! 👌🌞
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beautiful pictures! i like that you saved the polar bear for last. 🙂
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Thank you, RP! It’s nice to reconnect with you. 👌
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Thanks for sharing your fabulous photos Robyn… love the ice and the geology, but the amazing brilliance of the colours in the tundra plants really do remind me of gems. Love to you and Gary.. all the best, Marg.
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Hey Marg
I have this vision of you on the tundra on your hands and knees soaking up that wonderful flora. We often have three walking groups: the long walkers, the medium walkers and the ‘dawdlers’. I often lead the dawdlers because we do love to spend time amongst the flowers. The Arctic flora has been a growing love of mine over these years. Thanks for checking in!
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Spectacular photos Robyn. I love the colours of the ice and the patterns on the rock are amazing. The little fox is cute too!
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Thank you, Sue! I hope you are enjoying the discoveries of your new home. We are just down the road in Hobart.
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Thank you for sharing your beautiful images. I’m already yearning to return!
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You MUST return to Arctic. I often think of your beautiful Arctic fox photos…
Greetings to you in your own beautiful corner of the planet.
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Enjoyed the photos Robyn, there is certainly a difference in the weather, and the amount of snow and ice to our trip 10 years ago. Looked positively balmy. Judith & David (Augusta)
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Dear Robyn and Gary,
Loved your wonderful photos. Ed and I fondly remember our Svalbard trip on PP with Amy, Dave and Gary. I think you joined for the next trip. J and E
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Greetings, J and E,
Somehow the polar regions find their way into your heart and stay there. It’s brilliant that the four of you did that trip on PP together.
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Beautiful photos, Robyn. Love them. My favourites: the fox, the bear, the iceberg blues…
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Thank you, Amanda. I, too, find it pretty hard to go past an Arctic Fox 🦊
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