Arctic - Hamburgbukta, Virgohamna, and Smeerenburg

As we continued our Arctic exploration circumnavigating Svalbard, the first stop was the moss and lichen-covered Hamburgbukta, a bay with a narrow and shallow entrance. I did not get to go ashore, but it was beautiful even from a distance. After lunch we did a zodiac ride to the historic Virgohamna that was the launching point of many expeditions to the North Pole. There were many adorable harbor seals all around the bay. We then visited the Dutch whaling station of Smeerenburg on Amsterdamøya Island where we got relatively close to a herd of walruses sunning themselves on the sandy beach. This amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience was everything I hoped it would be and more... The walruses were piled one on top of the other, which I expected, but they also did cute things like playing with their tails and rolling out of the sea, which was a surprise! Listening to their grunts and taking a whiff of their strong "perfume" were also very memorable :) Truly an unforgettable day that was one of the highlights of the entire trip!!