Return of Sunlight, Well Sort of (Dec. 2011)

Exams, coursework and end of semester parties complete, there was indeed a hint of sadness around UNIS as everybody packed up and left for home at Christmas.   For me (and quite a few others) the Christmas holiday was just a welcome short break from the polar night on Svalbard until semester two began.  Unlike studying back in the UK where travelling home consists of a day on trains and waiting at train stations (and a costa coffee or two) travelling to and from Svalbard provided the perfect platform for some adventure on Norway’s mainland…

On the way home Kirsteen and I spent three days in Oslo, enjoying the bright yet overcast sky and the Norwegian pancakes and ginger bread sticks at the many Christmas markets.  It was a great opportunity to buy Christmas presents to accompany the “Longyearbyen 78^o 13N” badges (the must have souvenir from Svalbard).  

Hotel outside of Oslo, next to Holmenkollen Ski Jump

Holmenkollen ski Jump, unfortunately there was no snow so I couldn’t ski down it!

Christmas market Oslo city centre

Royal Palace, Oslo

The man himself J

After a relaxing month off for Christmas split between Wales, England and Scotland it was time to return to UNIS for semester two!  On the way back to Svalbard Tromso (northern Norway) was selected as the chosen stop over destination.  We spent two nights there and met up with Mathias, a friend from last semester who showed us around the town.  In the evening we met up with Carl and Jordan, students who we knew from SAMS, Scotland and whom were the first students from SAMS to come to UNIS.  Carl is now completing a master program at the University of Tromso and Jordan, who was in Tromso for a research cruise to Svalbard, has just started a PhD at the University of Quebec, Canada.  I wonder what I will be doing after my B Sc?!

Tromso Island

Mack Beer, the best beer to drink on Svalbard

What About the Snow?

Having returned back to Svalbard January 8^th ready for the spring semester at UNIS, often reported as being the best semester my hopes were held high for lots of high octane fun in the snow.  I wasn’t the only one either judging by the number of skis and snowboards on the luggage carrousel upon arrival at Longyearbyen airport.  However Mother Nature seems to have other ideas!

Up until two weeks ago there was adequate snow for ski lessons (given by very patient Norwegian friends) and for me to decide that it would be a great idea to purchase a snowmobile (more about that in future posts no doubt).  Instead January temperatures have being over 10 degrees Celsius above average (taken since 1920) and in comparison to last year there has being up to 30 degrees C of separation.  Rather bizarrely Longyearbyen was the warmest city by 4 degrees C in the whole of Norway last weekend!

With the abnormally high temperatures came extraordinarily high, record breaking rainfall.  Within 24hrs over the last weekend in January 25.9 millimetres of rainfall was recorded at the airport, the usual rainfall for the entire month is only 15 millimetres! 

Of course warm temperatures and high rainfall had many drawbacks, not least destroying the possibility of improving my skiing techniques (mainly standing up) and playing on my new snowmobile but it also triggered a number of avalanches in the area!   Luckily nobody was caught up in any of them however the footbridge used daily by students on commute to UNIS was wiped out by a potentially fatal slab avalanche.  On the up side we had free bus travel back and forth to UNIS from Nybyen for several days, on the down side however we now have an extended walk to UNIS now that our bridge has being destroyed.

Spring Semester, UNIS 2012!

Okay, after a nice long Christmas break back home in Wales and in Scotland, and indeed an even longer break from writing blog entries (my apologies) it is now time to update on recent events here in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.

Dark Season Blues Festival

The World's Northern Most Blues Festival was once again hosted here in Longyearbyen earlier in October (http://www.svalbardblues.com/en/).  The event ran over four days with concerts taking place at UNIS, Kroa, Barents pub, Svalbar, Karlsberger pub amongst others and Huset (the old culture house).  I only went on the Friday evening to Kroa as it was quite expensive (well for a typical student budget anyway) to attend.  The music was really good and there was a very nice chilled atmosphere.

If there are any students reading this whom are considering attending UNIS in the coming years I would fully recommend volunteering at the festival, perks include free entry to all concerts and a free t-shirt (I know that this is enough of an incentive for most)!  Information will become available at UNIS giving you plenty of chance to sign up!  I certainly regretted not volunteering :(

ICEBREAKER Party 2011

Last weekend UNIS played host to what was claimed to be the "Greatest Party" ever to reach Svalbard (reliable source, 2011).  The 2011 Icebreaker is designed to get everybody mixing and making new friends whilst of course have a good time with the cheapest beers on Svalbard and a very tasty three course meal.  This years theme was everything marine.  There were some interesting outfits including disposed rubbish, algae sp. and surprise surprise there were a few pirates in attendance too!

First snow 27-09-11

Only a few days before the start of October and already we’ve had our first covering of snow on the ground and surrounding mountains!  Feels very much like it should be Christmas soon.

Field excursions to Barentsburg and Pyramiden

The ‘Pollution in the Arctic’ module that I am taking at UNIS included trips to both Pyramiden (completely deserted Russian settlement) and Barentsburg (very small population of approximately 250 Russians and Ukrainians).  Both places have an interesting history which instead of 'copying' and 'pasting' from Wikipedia I suggest you take a look at these links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barentsburg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramiden

Both trips were about two hours away from Longyearbyen by boat, which at times got very interesting when faced with unsettled seas! Barentsburg and Pyramiden were very similar in terms of architecture and the facilities such as theatres and sports centres that they had.  Pyramiden however differed in that the town as a whole was more worn with neglect and also damaged from a severe flood in 2005. 

The first five photos were taken in Barentsburg and the rest are from Pyramiden.  I hope that these images give you an insight into these settlements as they are today and perhaps as they would have been as thriving settlements not too many years ago.

We were accompanied by a film crew who were making a documentary on UNIS students and what it is like to study in the Arctic.

Flood damage from 2005.  The football grounds now form part of the modified river flow running directly through the town.

Remains of demolished industrial buildings in the foreground and the coal mine in the background.  Some may question why Pyramiden was evacuated so abruptly yet there was enough time to destroy evidence of its industrious past.

Hut constructed entirely of beer bottles from the Soviet era.

Ghostly pictures of a building that was possibly associated with the mining activities in Pyramiden.