Arctic Expedition, Day 4 : A Sudden Change of Plan Due to Bad Weather Leading Us to A Huge Polar Bear Feeding on a Seal Carcass

The initial plan was to head towards the Seven Islands (Sjuøyane), located at the far north of Spitsbergen, and make a landing. However, due to very bad weather and foggy conditions, the expedition leader decided to abandon this plan and proceed towards deeper pack ice earlier than intended. This decision was made because poor weather limits visibility and scouting capabilities prior to shore landings. In polar bear territory, that is a big "no go."

As we approached the edge of the pack ice, the scouting team spotted another polar bear. They said it looked big. This was our fifth polar bear sighting of the trip, but the excitement and thrill only kept increasing with each encounter. If we hadn’t changed the plan for the Seven Islands, we would have missed this incredible sighting.

Additionally, the captain told me that it was entirely by chance he had taken this route towards the pack ice, as another vessel was already drifting along the regular route he usually takes. He rarely comes by this area. In any case, we all got pretty lucky that day.

We could see it was a huge female resting on the ice sheet. Even from a distance, I could make out her massive body and powerful legs. She was built like a tank. It was probably the biggest polar bear we had seen on this trip.

The huge female we spotted on the pack ice

When you observe a polar bear up close, the first thing that strikes you is its enormous size. Polar bears are considered much stronger than even Siberian tigers due to their much larger size, greater muscle mass, and superior physical strength. Adult male polar bears can weigh up to 800 kg and stand over 10 feet tall on their hind legs, while Siberian tigers typically reach up to 350 kg. This size difference directly translates into greater strength for the polar bear. It is said that a polar bear's paw swipe can exert a force upwards of 8,500 kg-meter per second. These attributes make the polar bear extremely dangerous to encounter in the wild.

Our expedition lead told us an amazing story about a polar bear’s incredible endurance. This particular polar bear swam nonstop for 700 kilometers over 10 days. Imagine that - day after day, it kept swimming through icy Arctic waters without stopping. It had lost 22% of its body fat in the process. This shows how strong and determined polar bears are when it comes to surviving in their harsh environment.

Since we were in deep pack ice, the Svalbard regulation of maintaining a 500-meter distance from wild polar bears was no longer applicable. That said, it didn’t mean we could do whatever we wanted. The captain slowly maneuvered the ship as close as possible to the bear, ensuring she was neither alarmed nor disturbed. Respect for wildlife remains an important aspect of Arctic expeditions.

I'm not exaggerating. It felt as if I had been teleported into a BBC documentary. Without joking, I could almost hear David Attenborough’s unmistakable voice in my ears, narrating the magical scene before me. A bit later, I spotted some traces of blood a few yards from the bear and followed them with my binoculars. They led me to what looked like a beluga carcass, which was later confirmed to be a dead seal the bear had hunted recently. She stood up, walked majestically towards the carcass, picked it up, and dragged it further away from us to protect her hard-earned kill. I was sure she didn’t appreciate our presence that much. Maybe she thought we were there to steal her food.

The polar bear dragging the carcass away

She started feeding again, and almost every time she took a bite, she looked at us to make sure we were keeping our distance. There are certain moments when the concept of time completely fades away, and this was one such spectacle. We spent almost three or four hours observing this polar bear, though it felt like only 30 minutes. Time seemed to shrink and dissolve.

We left her in peace to feed and continued into deeper pack ice. Even the captain, who has sailed multiple times into this region, told me personally that he still can’t understand how these polar bears manage to call this place home. They not only live here; they thrive. They are expert hunters. Only a creature with a remarkable drive to survive can endure a place like this, and that is exactly what God has created. There was absolutely nothing here except ice and ocean.

My respect for wildlife, especially polar bears, increased many times over. To live and even to hunt in this vast Arctic emptiness was beyond comprehension.