The Bearded Seal – A New Favourite
- Svalbard Photography Expedition
- How to Get to Svalbard (and what to do once you are there)
- Svalbard Photography Tour
- A Snowmobile Trip to East Svalbard
- Svalbard Photography Expedition on the M/V Freya
- Landscapes of Svalbard
- Harp Seals in the Sea Mist
- Falling in Love with the Arctic Walrus
- The Bearded Seal - A New Favourite
- Minke Whale Surprise
- Polar Bears (a.k.a. pixel bears)
- The Birds of Svalbard
- Reflections on Our Trip to Svalbard (and Svalbard Departure Tips)
My first bearded seal sighting was pure luck — and honestly, a little accidental. I was on the wrong side of the ship, scanning for a walrus, when a seal popped its head up out of the water. I assumed it was the walrus I was looking for, but later, when reviewing my photos, I realised it was actually a bearded seal. The photo itself… let’s just say you could mistake it for the Loch Ness Monster. But still — a new species for the list!
Luckily, a few days later, we hit the jackpot. On the second-to-last day, we found two very patient bearded seals hauled out on the ice. And they were basking in perfect golden light. They looked like bloated balloons with teeny-tiny T-Rex flippers, with oddly red fur on their faces.
Fun Facts About Bearded Seals:
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Bearded seals are named for their long, thick whiskers, which they use to detect prey like clams and bottom-dwelling fish on the muddy seafloor.
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They are one of the largest Arctic seals, weighing up to 400 kilograms (about 880 pounds).
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Their reddish faces come from rooting around in iron-rich sediments, especially in spring and summer when feeding is intense.
Next up — A Surprise Minke Whale
