Well, since my last post, I’ve been fully outfitted, made all of my preparations… and have actually GONE ON MY ARCTIC EXPEDITION!
Most folks are more interested in the actual trip and what I experienced while in the arctic circle than all of my preparations anyway. So in a multi-part series of posts, I’ll be sharing my most favorite images and observations of my travels in and around Svalbard (Norway) and the Arctic Circle.
I did have some fun trying to pack up all of my cold-weather gear and art supplies, but finally got everything down to a manageable size and packed up!
After a day and a half of travel, I arrived in Longyearbyen, Svalbard which is about 78 degrees (north) and 800 miles from the North Pole. I would spend the next 2 weeks aboard the tall ship Antigua, sailing the arctic circle around Svalbard, soaking in the frozen landscape and painting my abstracts.
Here’s a snapshot of the first glacier we visited… and, after a nice hike, that I actually got to touch!
And here’s me looking (and feeling) pretty darn cold (it was in the teens and 20’s most of the time throughout the Expedition).
Finally, here’s a snapshot of the tall ship Antigua that I spent 2 weeks on, along with 27 other artists, 4 guides and 7 crew!
David Castle Art 
That looks incredibly cold. Can’t wait to see your photos and see my art I’ll receive as a backer!
Yowza. Trip of a lifetime. Looking forward to traveling with you through these posts and seeing your adventures.
I love it. Makes me think of how many expeditions to the Arctic people endured before our modern age of LED lights, Gore-Tex, and microwaves. Your photos make me appreciate some timeless classics though like coffee, for sure. Looking forward to more pics.
This tall ship has not visited Finland. I have made three tall ship posts and not seen it. Here is my latest tall ship post:
Tall ships in Kotka, Finland
I agree that the experience is once in the life time experience.
Happy and safe travels!
That’s fantastic memory you made. What an incredible experience? Living in India, one hardly gets to experience such biting winter’s. The photos are truly stunning.