Day 8: Gåshamna and Treskelen
| Date: | 08.07.2025 |
| Position: | 76°56.7’N / 015°48.9’E |
| Wind: | S2 |
| Weather: | Fog |
| Air Temperature: | +7 |
Before sailing into the southernmost fjord, Hornsund visibility around the ship was good, but Hornsund itself looked very foggy. Our destination was a place called Gåshamna, but we were soon distracted by a young humpback whale feeding right in front of the ship.It was curious and came so close that we could see the entire body, including the striking white flippers, beneath the water. It was foraging in very shallow waters, which meant the fluke was lifted many times, giving a clear view of its underside— a key feature for identifying individual whales.
At Gåshamna, as usual, we split into three groups. The long hikers made their way far up the mountain, climbing a scree slope. As they ascended, the fog began to roll in again, and by the time they reached the highest point, visibility was gone. The medium and leisure groups stayed near some whale bones and then hiked up to get a better view of the bird cliffs.
After lunch, Plancius sailed past Samarinbreen, a stunning glacier front with some fast ice still clinging on.
At 15:30, we landed at Treskelen, a small spit on the opposite side of Hornsund fjord. We came ashore on a pebbled beach with snow-covered ground just above it. The long hikers explored the spit for a view from its tip, while the medium hikers were lucky enough to spot lakes with red-throated divers. The leisure group got down on all fours to examine lichen, plants, and fossils in detail.
