Inside an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 'polar 耐える' 巡航する to the 最高の，を越す of the world: Traveller films a voyage around the remote Svalbard 群島 (with an onboard sauna and hot tub keeping her toasty)

• e-mail

Travel writer Jo Kessel filmed the ultimate polar 耐える 巡航する 船内に Hurtigruten 探検隊／遠征隊s' (HX) 220-乗客 探検隊／遠征隊 ship MS Spitsbergen. The film shows what 探検隊／遠征隊 life is like, with 乗客s 調査するing on foot and in inflatable zodiac boats as they scout for 野性生物 and glaciers. 加える, there's 排除的 （映画の）フィート数 of Jo 存在 attacked by an 北極の tern, kayaking at the North 政治家's ice 辛勝する／優位 and finding one very 井戸／弁護士席-fed polar 耐える.

There are many animals most of us will only ever 推定する／予想する to see in a David Attenborough?文書の, like tigers, gorillas and 海洋 life from the depths of the ocean.?

For me, polar 耐えるs were 堅固に on that 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）, but then I learned of an 探検隊／遠征隊 voyage operated by the Norwegian 巡航する line Hurtigruten 探検隊／遠征隊s. One of its 旅程s circumnavigates Norway's northern 群島 of Svalbard, home to polar 耐えるs.?

And with the sighting of one 事実上 保証（人）d, it was too exciting an 適切な時期 to 行方不明になる.

The rugged, remote Svalbard wilderness sits halfway between Norway and the North 政治家. The 巡航する sails roundtrip from its 資本／首都 Longyearbyen, the world's most northern town, which is a three-hour flight from Oslo. This is where I 会合，会う the 220-乗客 MS Spitsbergen, my home for the next ten days.

Travel writer Jo Kessel, pictured, filmed 'the ultimate polar 耐える 巡航する' 船内に Hurtigruten's 220-乗客 探検隊／遠征隊 ship MS Spitsbergen

Jo's 巡航する circumnavigated the northern Norwegian 群島 of Svalbard, home to thousands of polar 耐えるs?

The ビデオ begins with expeditioners 野性生物-spotting on the ship's 最高の，を越す deck, dressed in special 探検隊／遠征隊 jackets. Many have brought along some serious paparazzi-style 道具 - telephoto レンズs, telescopic binoculars and the like ? which makes my iPhone seem woefully 不十分な.

On board is an 探検隊／遠征隊 team of guides specialising in the 地域's 野性生物, 地質学 and history.?

At an introductory 会合, they try to manage our 期待s by showing us a photo of three very distant polar 耐えるs. 'If we're lucky,' they say, 'this is about as の近くに to the 耐えるs as we'll get.'?

We're reminded that polar 耐えるs are dangerous predators, the world's largest terrestrial carnivore with 最高の，を越す 速度(を上げる）s of 25mph. 'Our 職業 as your guides is to NOT get too の近くに,' says the 探検隊／遠征隊 leader. We're reminded that contrary to popular belief, polar 耐えるs are in fact yellow, so it's best to be on the 警戒／見張り for distant yellow blobs as …に反対するd to white.

The ビデオ, however, starts with birds. They live in 植民地s with thousands of them teetering on 狭くする cliff ledges, many with chicks waiting to 育てる／巣立つ. First, it's guillemots; then kittiwakes. They're teeny, but their cacophony is deafening. We're 警告するd to keep mouths 堅固に shut should we look up!

This is the perfect 追跡（する）ing ground for 北極の foxes and, unbelievably, I film one with a kittiwake in its mouth.?

But if this is hard to watch then the （映画の）フィート数 that follows is even harder.?

It features an 北極の tern, the world's longest 移住する bird, which makes the mammoth 旅行 from Antarctica to the 北極の every year.?

It's also one of the world's most 積極的な birds during nesting season.?

They 急襲する and つつく／ペック at 明白な 脅しs (humans 含むd) and we're advised to raise an arm with a の近くにd 握りこぶし should one approach.?

The camera is rolling when an 北極の tern makes a beeline for my 長，率いる. It looks scarier than it feels and, even though its sharp beak pierces my gloves, it's hard to have anything but 賞賛 for a bird that defends its young so ひどく.

'The rugged, remote Svalbard wilderness sits halfway between Norway and the North 政治家,' explains Jo. 'The 巡航する sails roundtrip from its 資本／首都, Longyearbyen, the world's most northern town'

The camera is rolling when an 北極の tern attacks Jo's 長，率いる, as seen above

Using a 地図／計画する to 論証する where polar 耐えるs are 設立する, Jo tells her テレビ視聴者s that they can 'pop up anywhere on Svalbard'?

Jo 述べるs 'a mad 緊急発進する to reach 最高の，を越す deck' when a message on the ship's loudspeaker 発表するs 'there's a polar 耐える starboard on the beach' (pictured)

Up next is the ship.?

My 小型の-控訴 is beautifully decorated in light, Nordic pine and everywhere on MS Spitsbergen comes with a 見解（をとる）, from the sauna to the gym, and from the hot tubs and lounges to the science lab, where 見本s can be put under the microscope to gen up on the flora and fauna.

Wherever we go we're …を伴ってd by guides 武装した with ライフル銃／探して盗むs and ゆらめくs to use as a last 訴える手段／行楽地 should a polar 耐える take us by surprise.?

A few days in and we see 調印（する）s, reindeer (an indigenous 産む／飼育する to Svalbard) and walruses, but still no distant yellow blob. While polar 耐えるs can pop up anywhere on Svalbard ? they number around two thousand ? we're told that more of them live in the east and the best chance of seeing one might be after we've 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd the 最高の，を越す of the 群島.

But suddenly a message にわか景気s on the loudspeaker: 'There's a polar 耐える starboard, on the beach.'?

Cue a mad 緊急発進する to reach 最高の，を越す deck for a better look. And there it is - a big, fat, proud, fluffy yellow male, feeding on the carcass of a walrus that has washed up on shore.?

We're taken out in zodiac boats so that we can get closer and the real-life 見解／翻訳／版 of what we 証言，証人／目撃する （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s any 文書の 手渡すs-負かす／撃墜する.?

With a belly 十分な of walrus the polar 耐える struts along the beach, 匂いをかぐing at the earth and 空気／公表する as it 捜し出すs 避難所, 結局 settling on a 塚 of snow up the hill where he burrows himself in for a snooze. It's 肌-tingling stuff.

Jo's ビデオ begins with 野性生物-spotting on the ship's 最高の，を越す deck

To celebrate crossing the 80th 平行の North, the Captain 注ぐs ice 負かす／撃墜する 乗客s' necks

The 'Polar 急落（する），激減（する）' - a 下落する that 伴う／関わるs 完全にする submersion in the frigid 北極の Ocean

Eight polar 耐えるs are spotted during our 巡航する (though I'm asleep for several of these sightings!) but there's more to the voyage than 野性生物.?

Other adventures 含む wilderness 引き上げ（る）s and crossing the 80th 平行の North.?

Not many people ever do this and, to celebrate, the Captain 注ぐs ice 負かす／撃墜する our necks. 恐れる not - this is optional. Then there's the 'Polar 急落（する），激減（する）' - a 下落する that 伴う／関わるs 完全にする submersion in the 氷点の 北極の Ocean. Am I up to the challenge? Watch the ビデオ to find out!

Perhaps the biggest thrill is reaching the ice 辛勝する／優位 of the North 政治家.?

From here the ship can sail no その上の without getting 罠にかける.?

We can, however, paddle.?

A kayaking excursion leads us along 狭くする channels that have formed at the 辛勝する／優位 of the ice pack and sees us 粉砕するing and bashing at the ice to carve a path through.

It's 手渡すs-負かす／撃墜する the most memorable kayak I'm ever likely to experience, with nothing but this 広大な sheet of floating ice separating me from the North 政治家.

'Everywhere on MS Spitsbergen comes with a 見解（をとる）,' Jo 令状s, 含むing the above dining room

Pictured: Jo tries the sauna onboard the ship, which also features a gym and several hot tubs

The ship 誇るs a science lab 'where 見本s can be put under the microscope to gem up on flora and fauna'

Jo says her 小型の-控訴, pictured, is 'beautifully decorated in light, Nordic pine'

It's a 冷静な／正味の, active 巡航する and we 絶えず need to 燃料再補給する.?

Happily cuisine on board is exceptional ? pack elasticated trousers.?

Cocktails are good too and the 'Norwegian Negroni' is a tasty, bittersweet warmer-upper.

It's refreshing to be so far from civilisation.?

Only twice do we see other people.?

Once is at the 科学の 研究 centre in NY Alesund (全住民 30), which has the most northern 地位，任命する office in the world. And the other is the 北極の outpost 資本／首都 Longyearbyen, which is 井戸／弁護士席 価値（がある） a pre or 地位，任命する-巡航する 夜通し stay. Be sure to try the 13-course tasting menu at Norwegian restaurant Huset. 成分s are 地元で sourced and delicious, 含むing sea urchin soup with fermented honey.

This is an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 巡航する to the 最高の，を越す of the world, where the 野性生物 and wilderness is on another level. But the proof of 気候 change is everywhere. The ice is melting, the glaciers are 退却／保養地ing and polar 耐えるs have started a new 傾向 of eating reindeer when they can't find 調印（する）s. World leaders should be brought here to shock them into 活動／戦闘.?

At the moment polar 耐える numbers are 比較して stable so my advice is this - if you'd like to see a polar 耐える in the wild, go now, before it's too late.

For more ビデオs from Jo, visit her YouTube channel?Go With Jo.?

MS SPITSBERGEN, SVALBARD AND POLAR BEARS BY THE NUMBERS?

MS Spitsbergen has 102 cabins

MS Spitsbergen has 102 cabins and can sleep 220 乗客s.

It has eight decks and is 330ft (100.54m) long.

The Svalbard 群島 is composed of nine main islands and several smaller ones. It lies 中途の between the northern coast of Norway and the North 政治家.

Two thousand to 3,000 polar 耐えるs are thought to live in the 群島.

Their life （期間が）わたる is 15 to 18 years.

Their 最高の，を越す 速度(を上げる） is 25mph (40kph).

Male polar 耐えるs can 重さを計る as much as ten men and are twice the size of 女性（の） polar 耐えるs.

A 妊娠している 女性（の） eats a lot of food, 伸び（る）ing around 440lb (200kg) - often more than 二塁打ing her 団体／死体 負わせる.

Adult males typically 重さを計る 880 ? 1,320lb (400-600kg).