Hornsund, Spitsbergen
Near-vertical layers of red and tan sedimentary rocks and gray peaks form a spectacular backdrop for one of numerous small glaciers flowing into Hornsund on southern Spitsbergen.
The Endeavour arrived in the gorgeous fjord of Hornsund before breakfast. The morning began with beautiful sunny skies, a wind from the west, and a whisk of clouds obscuring a few of the taller peaks. We entered the fjord and anchored on the western, sheltered, side of Burgerbukta, a wonderful bay surrounded by mountains and glaciers on the north side of Hornsund.
All of us rushed through the buffet breakfast in order to go ashore beneath a spectacular 3,000 foot cliff. The Zodiacs negotiated a myriad of rocks to land less than 300 feet from a trappers cabin beneath the cliff. After examining the simple but effective cabin, the group split up to take a longer walk along the shore, take a shorter walk, or just enjoy the beach. Our visit was greeted by numerous birds wheeling about their nests on the cliff and several reindeer at base. During lunch the Endeavour dropped anchor close to the terminus of Samirinbreen, a beautiful glacier carving it’s way down through jagged mountain peaks. Passengers re-entered the Zodiacs for an exciting cruise along the wall of ice that forms the terminus of the glacier. Following the eventful day, guests enjoyed the Lindblad farewell cocktail party and dinner.
The marble cliff that we enjoyed during the morning formed as limestone in a warm shallow sea during the Cambrian period of Earth history (ca. 500 million years ago). This limestone was subsequently buried, recrystallized to marble, then tilted and faulted into the current position. The tilted and faulted beds of this cliff have been faulted over younger rocks to the east. The incredibly beautiful rocks surrounding Hornsund were deposited between the late Proterozoic (ca. 1.6 billion years ago) and mid Tertiary (ca. 25 million years ago). Subsequent to deposition, largely as sea floor sediments, these rocks have been tilted, folded, and faulted at least three times by compressional tectonic forces. One of these deformational events, geologists cannot always be sure of which, tilted the beautiful red layers of sedimentary rock along northwest shore of Samirinbreen (Samarin glacier) to near vertical.
Near-vertical layers of red and tan sedimentary rocks and gray peaks form a spectacular backdrop for one of numerous small glaciers flowing into Hornsund on southern Spitsbergen.
The Endeavour arrived in the gorgeous fjord of Hornsund before breakfast. The morning began with beautiful sunny skies, a wind from the west, and a whisk of clouds obscuring a few of the taller peaks. We entered the fjord and anchored on the western, sheltered, side of Burgerbukta, a wonderful bay surrounded by mountains and glaciers on the north side of Hornsund.
All of us rushed through the buffet breakfast in order to go ashore beneath a spectacular 3,000 foot cliff. The Zodiacs negotiated a myriad of rocks to land less than 300 feet from a trappers cabin beneath the cliff. After examining the simple but effective cabin, the group split up to take a longer walk along the shore, take a shorter walk, or just enjoy the beach. Our visit was greeted by numerous birds wheeling about their nests on the cliff and several reindeer at base. During lunch the Endeavour dropped anchor close to the terminus of Samirinbreen, a beautiful glacier carving it’s way down through jagged mountain peaks. Passengers re-entered the Zodiacs for an exciting cruise along the wall of ice that forms the terminus of the glacier. Following the eventful day, guests enjoyed the Lindblad farewell cocktail party and dinner.
The marble cliff that we enjoyed during the morning formed as limestone in a warm shallow sea during the Cambrian period of Earth history (ca. 500 million years ago). This limestone was subsequently buried, recrystallized to marble, then tilted and faulted into the current position. The tilted and faulted beds of this cliff have been faulted over younger rocks to the east. The incredibly beautiful rocks surrounding Hornsund were deposited between the late Proterozoic (ca. 1.6 billion years ago) and mid Tertiary (ca. 25 million years ago). Subsequent to deposition, largely as sea floor sediments, these rocks have been tilted, folded, and faulted at least three times by compressional tectonic forces. One of these deformational events, geologists cannot always be sure of which, tilted the beautiful red layers of sedimentary rock along northwest shore of Samirinbreen (Samarin glacier) to near vertical.
