SVALBARD 2010

During July and August Will rejoined Dolphin in order to try and build on the achievements of 2009. There was little ice this year and Dolphin was able to sail along the North Coast of North East Land and reach Storoya. Returning to Norway via the Hinlopen Straights and Hell Sound a circumnavigation of Svalbard was completed. Twenty polar bears were seen and over 400 walrus. The passage back to Norway was slow. Dolphin was pushed East towards Russia and had to beat into F8 winds whilst crossing the Barents Sea, eventually reaching Hammerfest. Arriving in a colourful Norwegian town was visually striking after six weeks of wilderness and sea. A log of the voyage will follow.