On this year’s study tour to Svalbard, on 4 June, we arrived at two locations where I had pitched my tent with my expedition colleagues back in 1982 – around 44 years ago, at roughly the same time of year (around 10 June). Apart from the fact that in 1982 there was no tourism, as there is now, with over 100,000 visitors a year, and we didn’t encounter a single person for weeks during our expedition back then, the difference caused by climate change was strikingly obvious this time:
Whereas back then, at Alkhornet, we’d had to contend with a high ice edge as we approached in our boat, and the view stretched out over areas still deeply snow-covered and frozen, today we went ashore without an ice edge and continued across snow-free, densely vegetated tundra.
Whereas 44 years ago we encountered neither people nor reindeer there, excursions are now regularly offered from Longyearbyen to Alkhornet, where visitors can observe numerous reindeer up close.
Whereas in Ymer Bay in 1982 the sea ice had only just begun to break up and we were able to walk along the eastern side of the bay right up to the glacier wall, which was many metres high, today we were able to navigate effortlessly in our Zodiacs through open water right up to the glacier, which had retreated considerably and mostly tapered off very gently into the seabed.
Whereas back then we encountered an Arctic bearded seal in Ymer Bay, this time it was a common seal – the same species we’re familiar with from the Wadden Sea…
On our next study tour, we will visit the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica and discuss climate and other changes there. We may also organise other Arctic and Antarctic study tours in the future. Let us know your interest in “Linking Tourism & Conservation” (LT&C) and such tours. Write to: peter.prokosch@gmail.com