Svalbard in the Spring

We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. – Confucious

Bryan Holliday, one of the naturalists on our recent journey to Svalbard, referenced this quote over dinner and it resonated with me. I thought that I would start with this as it has been on my mind a lot since our amazing discussion over a wonderful meal. In some respects, perhaps, as I have grappled with my diagnosis, I have been sorting what to do with this next chapter of my life. This journey to Svalbard and the next as well were part of sorting that out.

But first, a little bit about Bryan. He was a middle school teacher and photographer who decided to start living his real life one day after finding himself staring out the window of his classroom realizing he was in the wrong place. Bryan’s photographs are some of the most beautiful images you may have the privilege to see. His award winning image of the redwing blackbird’s morning breath is striking. Bryan is a gentle and humble human-being who may be one of the kindest people that you will ever meet. And, I am better for the experience to have shared a meal with him.

Now, for the journey

The objective was walruses, and walrus achievement, unlocked! But, the experience was so much more. Anne and I set out from Pittsburgh for Svalbard, the northernmost Norwegian archipelago on April 29th with the specific intention of being there as early in the spring as we could go. We wanted to see walruses, yes and polar bears. But, we also wanted to experience the polar region in as true a form as possible before the sun and spring has made it seem that this place is like any other northern place we’ve ever been.

We were on the National Geographic Resolution, again, the same ship that we crossed the Northwest Passage on in 2024. It is a Polar Class 5 ship with the capability of crashing through ice more than 1.2 meters thick, and we did indeed crash through some ice. The captain took us a few miles north of 80 degrees latitude, the furthest north we’ve ever been. We went looking for the elusive polar bears on the sea ice, breaking through the pack ice searching their natural habitat. While on our journey across the Northwest Passage we encountered the edges of the pack ice, on this trip we went right up to the largest floes on the Arctic Ocean, some measuring 25 miles across, and we skirted in between looking for seals and bears along the way.

We managed to find two very healthy bears along the way, one who seemed very sleepy and one who was modestly curious. Both, thankfully, seemed to have been well-fed and happily comfortable on the ice as they should be. The sleepy bear was a male, and, much to the surprise of the naturalist crew on board, the curious one was a female who the naturalists believe was a well-fed mom-to-be who likely will be giving birth to a few cubs later this year in December.

In addition to the bears, we had encounters with lots of walruses, some Svalbard reindeer, kitiwakes, ivory gulls, eiders, guillimottes and more. Throughout the journey, I also had the opportunity to work on my photography. It still needs some work. But, I’m getting better. I’m most proud of the pictures of the kitiwakes. For the first time, I’ve been able to capture birds in flight AND separate them from their background.

But, what about all those questions you were asking?

This trip was also a good chance for me to start to try to answer some of those questions I laid out in my earlier post as well. Did I answer them? Well, probably not entirely, but perhaps I got a little bit of clarity. Things are just harder than they used to be and than they ~should~ be, I guess.

For example, “Boy, is my camera heavy!” I brought along a monopod to put my camera on, and I have to admit that I haven’t yet mastered how to use it. I never seem to have it at the right height, and carrying the camera around with it attached is awkward. And, yeah, it adds its own extra weight. But, holding the camera up, especially with the long lens is hard for any length of time. So, I have to pick my shots. But, it makes me appreciate just looking and taking in the experience. We don’t always have to make the picture. It’s actually the experience that matters, not the photograph.

Transiting through airports, carrying a backpack is fine…unless you have to wait in a long line. Whew. Standing in a long line can be exhausting. I think I’ve always taken for granted how “easy” standing can be. Take it from me. It’s not. All that said, I’m grateful I can still do it. So, I take breaks. All this gives me a new appreciation for a different pace of things. How many years have I raced through airports at top speed, impatient to get from point A to point B? I have probably not even been cognizant of how hard it might be from some people to do the same. Take a moment the next time and pause when you might be frustrated with the pace of things and breathe. You’ll get there in due time. And, if you don’t, guess what? The world doesn’t end.

So, what’s next?

We’ve returned to the states to pick up mom to take her on the trip of her lifetime, off to explore the British Isles for the next few weeks. She said last night, “I’m so excited, kind of like I am waiting for the first day of school. Everything will be new to me.”

This is exactly the way I think that we should treat every day – through a child’s eyes. Each day is a new experience. Each day is a gift. We should unwrap it slowly, experiencing whatever it has to offer with a little bit of wonder. It may not always be what we want, but it will be new. Each day will offer a new set of challenges and things to learn. Each day will offer new ways to grow. It will be hard in new ways, but we will be better for accepting it as it comes versus trying to make it into something it is not.