The Jan Mayen Expedition

For the second continuous summer, North Sailing has facilitated a voyage to the remote island of Jan Mayen.

 

Led by faculty and graduate students at the University of St Andrews, North Sailing’s expedition ship The Donna Wood set sails June 5 to study the behavior of Northern Bottlenose whales.

 

Just as on regular whale watching tours, sightings were never a guarantee. 

 

But having spent the past two weeks off the coast of Jan Mayen, with researchers and crew working round the clock under the midnight sun, the recent log was almost expected:

 

“The researchers have succeeded in getting a number activities to combine into an ambitious experiment,” writes Captain Christian via the Iridium satellite service. “They have already ascertained that the experiment has yielded a lot of good data.”

 

We wish them fair winds back to Húsavík harbor.

 

 

The view from the wheel at The Donna Wood. © Christian

 

Northern Bottlenose whales off the coast of Jan Mayen. © Christian

 

 

From the remote Jan Mayen island, home to scientists and drift wood. © Christian

 

 

After days and days out on sea, researchers stepped on land. © Christian