Part II- Svalbard, The Arctic: Exploring Glaciers around Longyearbyen, My First Walrus Sighting & Walking Up-close With A Wild Reindeer

Day 2 & 3

Over the next couple of days, I took several zodiac trips to explore the nearby glaciers and search for wildlife, especially walruses and whales.

Heading into the sea to look for wildlife & glaciers

Heading into the arctic sea near Longyearbyen

Walruses are big marine mammals that live in the Arctic. They stand out because of their long, ivory tusks, thick brown skin, and bushy whiskers. These animals spend a lot of time in the shallow Arctic waters, where they dig in the sea floor for clams and other small creatures. Their sensitive whiskers help them find food underwater.

Walruses are very social and often gather in large groups, sometimes hundreds strong. They are usually calm but can get aggressive, particularly males during mating season or mothers protecting their calves.

First Walrus Sighting

On the first trip, someone on the boat suddenly shouted, “Walrus!” Usually, walruses are seen resting on sea ice or onshore, but this time the walrus was several kilometres out in deep water, diving and hunting for food. It was exciting to see one so far from land.

Our first walrus sighting

Glaciers Around Longyearbyen

The glaciers near Longyearbyen were formed over thousands of years. Every winter, snow piled up and didn’t fully melt in the summer. Over time, the weight of the snow pressed the layers underneath into solid ice. This ice slowly built up and began to move downhill, creating the large glaciers we see today.

What’s interesting is that some of these glaciers are made of both frozen ice and softer, slightly melting ice. This mix happens because of the pressure from all the ice on top. As the glacier moves forward, it cuts into the land, dragging rocks and soil with it, shaping the valley below.

Some of the glaciers here are also known as “surge glaciers.” Most of the time they move slowly, but every few decades, they suddenly speed up and flow forward fast—sometimes several meters a day. Scientists still don’t fully understand why this happens.

Sadly, like glaciers all over the world, those near Longyearbyen are melting more quickly because of climate change. The Arctic is warming faster than other places, which causes the ice to shrink and break apart. This affects not just the land and the animals that live here, but also adds more freshwater to the ocean, which can raise sea levels over time.

Even though these glaciers are huge and powerful, they are also delicate and changing quickly.

Walrus Romance

Later, far off across the frozen expanse, we spotted two walruses - just these two, utterly alone in this stark icy landscape. With no other creatures in sight, the sense of solitude was profound. Watching their gentle interactions, it felt as though we were witnessing a private moment. The pair appeared to be courting, almost like they were on a date in nature’s most exclusive setting. Wanting to respect their privacy, we quietly left the romancing couple in peace. 

Even in summer, chunks of ice can be seen floating quietly off Svalbard’s coast. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of the ice actually rises above the water, most of the mass remains hidden beneath the surface. This happens because ice is slightly less dense than seawater, causing typically just about one-tenth of the ice to be visible above the waterline, while the rest sits submerged.

Sailing through these icy waters was an experience so pure, it defies easy description. The word ''Silence'' doesn’t quite capture it. This was something that went much deeper. The stillness was broken only by the sound of our boat’s hull gently scratching against the floating sea ice. The sea itself was so impossibly calm, it felt more like gliding across a glassy lake than the open ocean. It was a moment where the boundaries between water, ice, and sky seemed to blur, and the sense of isolation from civilisation was profound.

Later that day, as I wandered through the quiet streets of Longyearbyen, I was unexpectedly greeted by a reindeer calmly grazing just a few feet from the road. Intrigued, I decided to follow it carefully, making sure not to scare it off. Eventually, I sat down right beside it on the road, as it happily feasted on the lush Arctic grass.