In the afternoon, our original plan was to land at Burgerbukta, on the other side of the fjord, but as we approached, it became clear that thick sea ice was blocking our landing site. Always ready to adapt, the Expedition Team turned to a fantastic alternative: Gnålodden. This area, rich in natural and human history, lies beneath towering cliffs that are home to thousands of nesting birds, including kittiwakes and guillemots, whose calls echoed across the landscape. From the shore, we could admire the imposing vertical wall of rock, teeming with life and activity. Nearby, we visited the small hunter’s cabin once inhabited by Wanny Woldstad, the first female trapper to overwinter in Svalbard in the 1930s.

With sunlight casting golden hues on the cliffs, calm conditions, and the sense of wild solitude that only places like Hornsund can offer, the day was a beautiful blend of nature, history, and exploration—a reminder of just how much this Arctic environment has to reveal.