Expedition diary
08.08.2009Today journey starts for two of us (older Józef is already at Svalbard). We board the plane in Gdansk. We are to have two changes: in Copenhagen and Oslo, we take a little advantage of that and spend some time in Copenhagen city, the weather is great!
09.08.2009Our plane reach Longyearbyen. First problem - our boat's engine is broken, we need to repair it or find another one fast or we won't be able to do any science.
10.08.2009Still no engine... There is nothing more to do, but search for one.
11.08.2009Finally, with a help form our friend from UNIS, we find small, 25hp engine to borrow. It's not much but it works. It is late, so we decide to try it tomorrow.
12.08.2009We buy gas and try new engine. Although its little power it works really great - we will be able to get in every sample-point we planned. We also meet with a friend from Poland, Kasia.
13.08.2009Here we go... We can start collecting samples. The weather is good, so we go on the sea and quickly reach Diabas Oden. After collecting sample on low water, we go for a small walk, drink hot tea and return to Longyearbyen.
14.08.2009We pack food for 2 days and go on sea. Today we managed to do two points close to each other, Cap Starostin and Immer Bukta. We eat dinner and sleep in old Russian hut.
15.08.2009Breakfast by the shore, and then we cross the fiord. After collecting samples from Erdman Flya, Józef lost his cell phone. It may bring troubles, we lost some useful contacts with that phone... We cross the fiord again and look around for a while in abandoned city in Colsbay.
16.08.2009Another busy day, as we go to the Piramiden we collect samples from two points and do some sightseeing in the city. In the way back the weather changes, it gets windy so the boat goes slower. Polish ship Oceania arrived.
17.08.2009We pack some staff on the Oceania, and meet with friends who are on board. Later we take a walk around Longyearbyen.
18.08.2009We go on the sea, but it is to windy, so after 15 minutes we decide to go back, bad luck today.
19.08.2009It is still windy today, but we want to take samples anyway. We could get only to Revneset because of weather, and on way back wind pushed us to Grumanndbyen, so we can collect samples also from there. Way back take little bit longer than expected because of the wind.
20.08.2009Adventure day. We cross the fiord and land on the east side of Nordfjorden entrance. Quick jump across the fjord and we reach Bohemanflya - old coal mine. What's interesting miners didn't hava to dig as coal is on the ground level. There is even black beach made from those fossil remains of anxient forest.
To that point everything is perfect. After finishing all work by the shore we pack rubber boat and head to Longyearbyen. Couple minutes later the bottom of boat broke, so whole deck is filled with water. One person have to hold gas tank as it's willing to leave us, what would not be fun. We are too heavy for our engine so it generates almost no speed. Fortunately we somehow managed to get to Longyearbyen, but it looks like the end of our scientific activity.
To that point everything is perfect. After finishing all work by the shore we pack rubber boat and head to Longyearbyen. Couple minutes later the bottom of boat broke, so whole deck is filled with water. One person have to hold gas tank as it's willing to leave us, what would not be fun. We are too heavy for our engine so it generates almost no speed. Fortunately we somehow managed to get to Longyearbyen, but it looks like the end of our scientific activity.
21.08.2009We pack almost everything, tomorrow Polish scientific vessel will be in city.
22.08.2009Samples and rubber boat are packed on Horyzont.
23.08.2009Just a lazy day...
24.08.2009And this is our last day here, tomorrow our plane leaves, we pack our things and just wait...
25.08.2009Well, that is the end, we all board on a plane and go back home.