We are about to check out and board the Rembrandt van Rijn. On Oceanwide Expeditions I read that the s / v ‘Rembrandt van Rijn’ was built at the beginning of the last century as a Haring logger. The ship was rebuilt in 1994 in the Netherlands into a three-masted passenger schooner and has previously sailed on Spitsbergen (1994 – 1996) and the Galapagos (1998 – 2001). The ship was completely rebuilt and renovated in 2011. And now it is sailing again on Spitsbergen.
It had been over a week since we arrived on this beautiful island. After celebrating Easter at the Sámi for a week, we arrived on this special island. We already know a lot more about the island. We visited the various museums, but of course also did some fanatical work. We went inland for three days with 25 dogs.
Dog sledding on Spitsbergen
We had done it before; dogsledding. Two days in Alta, then we fell off and our dogs ran away. Hopefully we had some nicer dogs this time. The first day we visited an ice cave, not very special and not very big, but still wonderful when you realize that you are walking a few meters under the ice. It was smooth and very dark. Unfortunately, no beautiful sun rays through the ice, which gives you a blue glow. A quick lunch and then getting the dogs ready for the trip to our cabin for the night. That was an interesting trip, where we didn’t keep it all dry. On Svalbard it is now starting to get warm, causing the ice to melt. This creates small water pools. We were just too late when our dogs slumped through the ice and the sled after it. I could just walk on dry land, but Yuri’s feet were wet. Quickly to the cabin to warm up. That took another hour. And of course the dogs got attention first because what had they done well. After the run, they have to rest for two hours before they are allowed to eat. We had prepared delicious meat with dog chunks for them. They loved it. And then it was time to go in, have a nice chat with our fellow travelers and eat delicious lasagna. One by one we fell asleep, but because of the snoring I hardly slept. Unfortunately. After the run, they have to rest for two hours before they are allowed to eat. We had prepared delicious meat with dog chunks for them. They loved it. And then it was time to go in, have a nice chat with our fellow travelers and eat delicious lasagna. One by one we fell asleep, but because of the snoring I hardly slept. Unfortunately. After the run, they have to rest for two hours before being allowed to eat. We had prepared delicious meat with dog chunks for them. They loved it. And then it was time to go in, have a nice chat with our fellow travelers and eat delicious lasagna. One by one we fell asleep, but because of the snoring I hardly slept. Unfortunately.
The next day did not go without problems either. The dogs felt like running again, we could hardly stop them. But here too were quite a few holes in the ice. Fortunately we could maneuver around it well. Due to the bad conditions of the ice we could not go to the frozen waterfall, but all the more time we had for the sauna and the dogs at our second cabin. A much more luxurious cabin than the first. That was not necessary, but the sauna was more than welcome.
And the third day we went back to Longyearbyen. This time I have not kept it dry. The dogs did their best but because some snow had fallen the hole was not visible. Me and Desmond had to walk through the ice quite a bit. I now know what ice cream sticks are. Back at the Green Dogs we said goodbye to the dogs. In the evening we all decided to have a drink at Carslberger Pub where our guide Jan works.
Visiting Mine Three
On Monday we visited Mine number 3. A mine that has not been used since 1996, but was abandoned immediately at the time. All tools and equipment are still there. They could no longer use them in other mines. We got a tour here where we were told everything about working in a mine. Very interesting and fun to watch. The Dutch also had a mine here, in Barentsburg, where we have of course also been.
With the snowmobile to Barentsburg
You have to overcome fears, right? I really am a huge scaredy cat. I find almost everything scary in advance, but once I do it it is one hundred percent not too bad. Or maybe fifty percent, but it’s almost always not that bad. I was quite scared to drive a snowmobile. It’s quite a big thing and it seems to be tough. Well I knew that. I type this with enormous muscle pain. We got a good briefing before we left and driving such a thing is actually not that difficult. However, the conditions of the snow and ice are not great at the moment. There has been a lot of rain, thaw, snow has fallen and it has started to freeze again. This has created all kinds of bumps so you have to keep a good grip. After half an hour my hands were already hurting from squeezing, even though we were only going about 40 km an hour.
But oh how beautiful it was. And I’m talking about Spitsbergen. What a beautiful white landscape. As if you are driving through a desert of soft ice cream, one white top even more beautiful than the other. Magnificent! We saw many reindeer and were very lucky with the weather because the sun was shining and the sky was radiant blue. Until we ended up in the river bed. Our guide assumed it was too wet there and started riding the slope of the mountain. This means that we continuously had to hang to the right, which is going to hurt your hands because you have to stop the scooter, otherwise it will drive down. In addition, we had an enormous crosswind which did not make it any easier. I have been cursing quite a few times, in my helmet.
But there we were: Barentsburg!
Barentsburg
Barentsburg , also called ‘Barentsburg’ (without ‘z’), is the only Russian town on the island of Spitsbergen on the Grønfjord (side fjord of the Isfjord) and is the largest town on the island after Longyearbyen. In the 1990s there were between 1,100 and 1,450 inhabitants, which had decreased to 939 inhabitants in 1999 and now it has about 500 inhabitants. The population consists largely of Russians and Ukrainians. The site is centered on the coal mine of the Russian company Trust Arktikoegol. Recently, as in Longyearbyen, the focus is more on tourism, because mining is no longer profitable.
The name Barentsburg – without z – was given in 1924, by the management of the NV Nederlandsche Spitsbergen Compagnie(Nespico) from Rotterdam, to the Dutch mining settlement that previously was simply named after the fjord where it was located, Green Harbor. The new name was a tribute to the Dutch navigator Willem Barentsz who discovered Spitsbergen in 1596.
It’s not a ghost town like Pyramiden, but it’s not very alive either. There is 1 school for the 60 children who live there. Most people also work in the mine or in tourism. There is also a souvenir shop and a post office. There are three flats where the people live and in 1 flat they also have a supermarket. This supermarket is supplemented with products once a month. Fruits and vegetables are quickly gone, so they can only use them for a few days a month.
We had a delicious lunch here, were able to enter the town for a short time (too short) and then jumped back on the snowmobile.
The way back
In a word; fantastic! Our guides learned from another guide that we were fine through the riverbed and what a relief that was. No wind, no steep wall. So we could drive fast across the plain and enjoy the breathtaking view. What did I enjoy. I also felt better on the scooter and therefore had more time to enjoy the surroundings at all. And I did. Magnificent! I can’t wait for the views we’ll see from the boat.
So now checked out and almost ready to go. But before that time (we embark at 4 p.m.) first eat fries with blue cheese and mushrooms at the Svalbar. They are really FANTASTIC!
So much for another update. For the next 8 days we will probably have no internet and therefore no updates.
