Scotland to Svalbard

Day 1: Embarkation, Aberdeen

Set sail north from Aberdeen this afternoon.

Day 2: Shetlands

At Fair Isle, in the Shetlands, the roughly seventy inhabitants (renowned for their knitwear) welcome you for a walk to the local bird observatory. This location is a haven for sea birds, though you may also spot grey seals.

Days 3-4: Jan Mayen Marine Life

You sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, 300 nautical miles northeast of Iceland. Your two days at sea do not pass idly, however. Keep a close lookout for any spouts of water from the surrounding seas, heralding the arrival of a minke, fin, orca, or blue whale.

Day 5: Snow-Capped Seaside Volcano

Jan Mayen is a stark volcanic island crowned by the snow-capped summit of Mt. Beerenberg. From the slopes of this imposing 2,300-meter-high (7,545 feet) volcano, broken glaciers grasp out into the frigid sea. With permission from the Norwegian authorities, you can now visit the weather station. You can also walk to the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station amid the thick moss beds of this stark volcanic landscape.

Days 6-8: Under the Midnight Sun

Basking in the midnight sun, you sail north along the edge of the sea ice in search of bowhead whales, harp seals, polar bears, and a variety of seabirds. You then change direction after about 79° north, cutting west to the rocky edges of the continental shelf of west Spitsbergen. Here you have a good chance of seeing fin whales and – near the glacial mouths of the gaping Spitsbergen fjords – surfacing minke whales.

Day 9: Walrus Watching

The wildlife objective today is walrus watching in Forlandsundet. In the evening you can also land at Alkhornet, a seabird colony under which you might find reindeer and Arctic foxes moving along the slopes.

Day 10: Disembarkation, Longyearbyen

Disembark in Longyearbyen this morning.