Excursion to the russian settlements on Svalbard

 

Our excursions for the Arctic environmentla pollution course brought us to the main point pollution sources up here: Pyramiden and Barentsburg

 

 

Lenin statue in Pyramiden, and abandoned russian settlement...

... which seems to fall apart

the main problem is still a pollution with PCB

But we also found other sources. the whole vegetable storage halls were filled by leaquing barrels with strange black stuff.

our environmental pollution group

the trip to barentsburg, a still operating russian mining settlement brought us on a tourist ship along Esmarkbreen...

...where we saw some bearded seals

in Barentsburg a nice green cover of plant welcomes us ... probably most invasious

the mining railway in Barentsburg

field work at kapp linee

Our first field trip for Arctic hydrology went to Kapp linee.

A nice stay in an awesome hotel in nowhere and a lot of hiking for measurments and lectures out in the field.

 

polar circel ride to kapp linee

Zodiac ride over lineevatnet

with a beautiful background scenery

And finally a bit hiking

Until we reached the glacier for our group project about the melting history of it

Grumant 2

Back from Tempelfjorden, my father left and the first weekend was used for another trip to Grumant

First possibility to show the new students in my semester one of my favourite places around Longyearbyen. 

first challenge: crossing Longyearelva

On the top of Plateaubeget, awesome weather

Reindeers on an old snow field

and a compass plant

The way down to Björndalen was a bit more fun

Finally: Grumant

exploring the buildings

meeting the locals

and the way back

Kjersti tried different ways to cross rivers with short hiking shoes: jumping, climbing and finally Riley as a ferry

Tempelfjorden 2

Finally i have the opputunitiy to stay for longer than just a few week.

I got a place at the northernmorst University center in Svalbard for Arctic Technology.

But before the courses startetd we used the time for another trip.

Again a father, son, dog trip this time a bit further to tempelfjorden with Roman a new companion

Reindeers at Reveneset

planning the next hike

and we chosed a nice mountain top

everyone enjoyed the view

But the small things are as beautiful as the landscapes (here polar widow)

Tunabreen

through deep meltwater rivers on the way to von Post Breen

Von Post Breen

watching birds at Diabas

hiking trip to Sassendalen

After i came home from my first trip up here. My father got interested, so we came back this year for a father, son, dog trip on Svalbard.

Arrival on Svalbard

Back in Longyearbyen

Adventalen in nice autumn colors

Morpheus

the nice thing about not having a polar dog....a shepperd wants to protect rather than hunt reindeers

so a curious pub cam curiously closer to examine the strange fluffy animal (our dog)

End of Adventalen, even our dog enjoyed the landscape

A cold bath in Adventelva

some Polar bear tracks

Eskerflossen

And Sassendalen as a huge desert

awesome night sky colors of autumn Svalbard

First ice next to Sassenelva

A cosy evening at Sassenfjorden with a warm fire

Morpheus, completely fascinated by the sea. He watched the tides coming and going for hours

Back throug De geerdalen

father, son and dog

Overnight change on the last day, first ice on Adventalen

A new experience for our dog

Back in Longyearbyen: one night at Liv and one night on the Campingplace