Two Girls From Texas in a Car: CRUISING AT THE NORTH POLE AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD

SVALBARD

Known as the "Land of the Cold Coasts", Svalbard consists of the Arctic Ocean islands of Spitsbergen (where we left for our cruise ), Nordaustlandet,Edgeoya,Barentsoya,Prins Karls Forland and several smaller ones.

Headed out to board the Ocean Nova - our home for a week.

The archipelago lies 400 miles nort of the mainland. It was first mentioned in an Icelandic document in 1194. Glaciers calve noisily into the sea from their huge walls of ice.

Svalbard was placed under Norwegian sovereignty in 1925, and in 1935 the Soviet Union became a party to the treaty to share in the local coal mining rights.

LONGYEARBYEN

Everyone runs in to a reindeer when out for a stroll in Longyearbyn.....

The capital of Svalbard is named after the American, J.M.Longyear, who opend the first mine on Svalbard in 1906. It now has a population of 2,000. This is the Northernmost city. The main industry was coal mining.

Only 100 employees will be left by 2017 compared to 400 in 2012. Operations in Mine 7 are still continuing in spite of the fact that future prospects look very uncertain for coal in Norway. Hopefully tourism and research will suppy the area with job prospects.

NOT THE KIND OF MERCHANDISE ONE SEES IN DALLAS IN JUNE, OR ACTUALLY EVER!!!

POLAR BEAR

The largest of the bear species. It can reach 9 feet in length. In winter the fur is Snow White, in summer creamier.

POLAR BIRDS

The polar seagull, guillemot,kittiwake,fulmar, puffin, and little auk.

WALRUS

Since the 1950's the walrus has been a protected species and stocks have increased. It is particulaarly prevalent on the island of Moffen.

ARCTIC FOX

Very hardy animal. The fur is brown in the summer and white in the winter.

BELUGA WHALE

They are whitish in color and the head sticks out. They weigh 2,600-3,500 pounds.

They can dive 1,000's of feet in to the water, however they have to surface every 20 minutes to get air.

BLUE WHALE

This guy would never pose for me......

The largest animal - 98 feet and 173 tons. Before whaling became popular it almost drove them to extinction. At one time the world population was 239,000. In 1966 there were 5,000-10,000. The were no longer allowed to be hunted. Now the population is around 25,000.

These are not animails....this is MONA AND LYNN....

ARCTIC SEAL

They are know as the bearded seal, or ice seals. They are earless with thick blubber to keep them warm in the arctic. They have a keen sense of vision.

ARCTIC PLUNGE...THE WATER WAS 18 DEGREES, AND ALL THEY WON WAS A T-SHIRT!!

AND THOSE THAT JUDGED THE ARCTIC PLUNGERS.....

BARENTSBURG

Small Russian community is also preparing itself for the post-coal age.

They are trying to become a tourist destination for Arctic travellers. This was an island that where we stopped to see traditional Russian dancing.

SOME SCENES FROM THE SHIP, AND PEOPLE WE MET.....

WAITING FOR THE PASSENGERS TO GET ON THE ZODIAC TO TOUR...

ALICE, OUR SWEET CHINESE GUIDE.....

HAULING IN THE KAYACKS....

A BARBEQUE ON THE DECK WITH JOHN AND METTE...They were part of a group in 1997 that won the Nobel Peace Prize with their work around the world in land mines.