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Elysium Artists for the Arctic

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VIRTUAL EXPLORATIONS > ARCHIVED EXPLORATIONS > ELYSIUM ARTISTS FOR THE ARCTIC
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  • Part 1: The Epic Begins

  • Part 2: The Team Has Assembled

  • Part 3: First Day on the Ice

  • Part 4: Morning with the Moon and Sun

  • Part 5: The Most Stunning Landscape Available on Earth

  • Part 6: Eighty-one Degrees

  • Part 7: About Those Bears

  • Part 8: Sailing Through the Ice Pack

  • Part 9: Three Amazing Artists

  • Part 10: He Walked Right Up to the Ship...

  • Part 11: Updates from September 5

  • Part 12: Updates from September 6

  • Part 13: Wednesday Evening, September 9

  • Part 14: Sunset in Greenland

  • Part 15: Saturday Night with David Doubilet and Jen Hayes

  • Part 16: An Image That Will Forever Be Impressed Upon Our Collective Memories
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  • Part 17: Farewell to a Successful Journey

Part 6: Eight-One Degrees

Posted: Thursday, September 3, 2015
GPS Coordinates to Phipps Island: 79.8168368, 11.4784887
We are now at the northern most point of our trip so far — eighty-one degrees — the Seven Islands Group (or Sjuøyane in Norwegian). We steamed to the south side of Phipps Island (Phippsoya) to a desolate bay and nature has greeted us with walrus galore in the water. They look so comical bobbing up and down in turn, approaching the boat with child-like curiosity — then turning over and disappearing with a wave of their rear flippers.
Walrus by Michael AW
The decision was made not to land but to cruise along the shoreline as close as we could — pole cameras at the ready to get that much sought after shot of walrus underwater. We listened to the scientist Cabell Davis about the geology and the habits of the residents of this dreary but wildly beautiful place. Everyone wanted to keep exploring despite the wind and snow and are we glad we did. A POLAR BEAR walking along the beach! It was from a considerable distance and those with long lenses got a reasonable shot of what looked like a female — alone and looking a little on the light side weight-wise. You could not imagine where she would get her food — the walrus once grown is too tough. It would have to be the calves that would be on her menu. The guide got us as close as possible and then she lay down and it was explained she could stay there for days if she wanted to! Apparently they can swim 621 mile (1000 km) but only if well-fed. With the weather closing in and fingers beginning to freeze, we headed back to the ship and a warm lunch before the swell of the ocean became too much. Back on board some of the girls were lining up for a sharpie pen “tattoo” of a walrus or a polar bear by one of our resident artists, Toby. We felt a little more connected to these amazing animals here at eighty-one degrees.

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