2028-6 | ISBJORN | Spitsbergen Adventure Cruise 2
Price for this passage is pending but will be available shortly, stay tuned!
There are lifetime memories - And then there are generational memories. Long after we've crossed our last bar, our descendants will still talk about the things we did on this expedition. Svalbard is the perfect wilderness, full of icebergs, glaciers, whales, walrus and polar bears. And it won’t last forever. The Arctic is changing fast, and will soon be gone forever. Svalbard is also a goldmine for history buffs. The cold and dry climate have preserved the past incredibly well, and we might find relics and remains from its rich whaling and exploration history. The archipelago is immense, and we have a thousand great options for where to go and what to see. The route shown on the chart is but one of those options, going for the mythical 80 degrees North! The weather and ice will have the final say, but there are no wrong answers. The isolation and constant midnight sunlight might make us forget time completely and truly live in the moment. It might be two o’clock in the morning, and we might be oblivious to that fact - hiking to the top of a hill in our shirtsleeves wearing sunscreen and sunglasses. The weather can be all over the place. We might indeed get warm days, but we can also get freezing temperatures and snow. So pack warm clothes! This trip will be sailed with two 59 North staff members, and only 4 paying crew. ISBJØRN sailed an Adventure trip on Svalbard with DELOS in 2018! Check out their youtube series about it here! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lasyFyLD7e0]
SAILING STAFF
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The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
July 9, 2028
Crew arrive to ISBJØRN at 1300 in Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen. ISBJØRN orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard ISBJØRN.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard ISBJØRN by the skipper.
July 11, 2028
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
July 23, 2028
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart ISBJØRN from Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Longyearbyen
Weather conditions
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
WOMEN BUNKS GUARANTEED
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"Wow! Andy, Mia, and the team run an extraordinary offshore program for new and experienced sailors alike. Their deep and wide-ranging knowledge of sailing provides anyone an opportunity to learn. The memory of sailing with 20+ knots of wind under a full moon across 8-10' seas is one I will carry with me forever."
"I’ve sailed with 59º North four times—each has been a unique and gratifying experience. Sailing with like-minded folks, captained by the best in the biz, in well-maintained vessels has been the highlight of my 40-year sailing career. I’ve learned so much about sailing and myself on my 59º North adventures."
"The experience was more than I hoped for in every way. I felt completely at home on the open water in our mighty vessel and with a wonderful crew that quickly became family. All of the staff at 59º North were kind, professional, fun, knowledgeable, and friendly. I will be back!"
"In 11 days on the North Sea with a crew of 9 women, 59 feet of boat, 1350nm, and two episodes of heaving-to, we gained experience that would take years to acquire alone. The mentorship, leadership, training, and kindness from the crew at 59º North helped us become better sailors by leaps and bounds. Sharing this journey with sailors from around the world was pure joy, and every passage with 59º North is a legacy of knowledge we benefit from."
"The trip delivered on all my expectations and more. I wanted to experience sailing beyond my current boundaries, apply my skills, and learn from those around me. I felt able to embrace the whole experience because we had an excellent 59º North team that shaped us into a great crew on a well-prepared boat. If you are seeking ocean wisdom, you could not be in better hands."
"Sailing on ISBJØRN with Captain Naxo during the Sail Training Camp was an incredible experience. His ability to adapt his teaching to each person's skill level built confidence throughout the crew and turned us into a cohesive team. I wholeheartedly recommend 59º North and Captain Naxo."
"This was my second trip with 59º North, my first being a fantastic heavy weather crossing of the Irish Sea on ISBJØRN. I signed up for the Canary Islands to Caribbean trip, thrilled to be chosen as crew. The attention to detail in equipment, vessels, and crew at 59º North is world class, making ocean sailing both safe and unforgettable. I will definitely be sailing again with 59º North."
THE BOAT
S&S Swan 48
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ISBJØRN
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ISBJØRN is the "OG" 59º North boat, the classic S&S Swan 48 that we started the business with back in 2015. She's considered an all-time great ocean cruising boat - built like a tank in Finland to the highest standards and with a modern but conservative hull shape making for fast & comfortable passages offshore in any weather. ISBJØRN sails with 5 crew plus a Skipper, and each person has their own dedicated sea berth & storage locker.