Vincent Pol University lecturer Andrzej Pawłowski, PhD, professor at VPU, and a group of employees from the Museum of Polar Research in Puławy took part in a unique expedition to the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. Their destination was the Hornsund Polar Station managed by the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The participants set off on 20 August, spending eight days on board the ship to explore the island once they arrived. We asked professor Pawłowski about his impressions and observations.
Where did the idea to take part in the polar station expedition come from?
– It was a study and training trip organised by the Polar Research Museum, made possible thanks to the support of the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polar Research Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences. We had the opportunity to travel on the ship ‘Horyzont 2’, a training and research vessel of the Maritime University in Gdynia. We sailed for eight days and then visited the Polish station in Hornsund and Svalbard’s capital Longyearbyen. There we visited two major museums: the Museum of the Norwegian Polar Institute and the Museum of the North Pole Expedition.
Then we arrived at the northernmost human settlement, Ny-Ålesund, located at the 79th parallel. It is only 11 degrees from the North Pole. Ny-Ålesund is home to a number of research stations, including German, Chinese and Indian stations. We spent two days there and then returned to Longyearbyen. We also visited what is known as Noah’s Ark, a seed bank where plant seeds from all over the world are stored in permafrost conditions. We were also at Hans Glacier and Lake Revsvatnet, where we had the opportunity to see animals characteristic of the area, such as polar bears, reindeer and many species of birds, from a safe distance. We made international contacts on this trip and I gave a lecture on the Polar Research Museum as a new tourism product. We also visited the Roald Amundsen Memorial – one of the greatest explorers of both poles.
What were the preparations for the trip like?
– The preparations were mainly about content. We developed our exhibition at the Polar Research Museum on the basis of literature and available materials. Each of us had to take care of the equipment ourselves – we asked a Polish company for help, but in the end we tested the outfits ourselves. The most important thing was that they should be lightweight, waterproof and windproof. We were very impressed by the long polar day – the period when the sun does not set below the horizon ended a few days earlier. There was practically 24 hours of daylight. The sun set around midnight and rose again two hours later. It was an extraordinary experience. We also had the opportunity to meet the governor of Svalbard, who flew to us by helicopter. During the cruise, we received safety training, including evacuation to a lifeboat and the donning of special protective suits, the so-called Heli Hansens, which prevent hypothermia. We also participated in a helicopter rescue exercise.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
– Let me start by saying that the food on the ship was excellent and the chef was exceptional (laughs). Some of us were going through seasickness. Eight days of sailing in a closed group, with constant rocking, meant that it was not always possible to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes we only managed to sleep for 2-3 hours. The long day was also a challenge, making it difficult to separate work and rest.
What observations were made during this expedition?
– The main aim was to see how the natural and cultural environment of the Arctic functions and to contrast this with our preparations in the museum. It turned out that our exhibition reflected the atmosphere of these places well. In addition, we observed each other in the conditions of cruising and living in a small, closed group. We also had the opportunity to see what daily life is like in a place as isolated from the world as Longyearbyen.
Did you enjoy the trip?
– Definitely! For all of us, it was the expedition of a lifetime. Those eight days on the ship, the journey to the polar regions and meeting interesting people were an extraordinary experience. For example, we talked to professor Monika Kusiak – the only Pole who has been to Antarctica. We were also accompanied by the youngest Pole to winter in Antarctica – he spent 14 months there, aged just 22. I also had the opportunity to meet the grandson of Professor Alfred Jann, a well-known researcher of the polar regions, associated with Lublin, who infected professor Kazimierz Pękala – the founder of polar science in Lublin – with his passion.
Have you noticed any climate change?
– This has been the subject of many conversations, especially at the Hornsund station. During a trip to the glacier, our guide, dr Jerzy Giżejewski, told us about the progressive retreat of the glacier moraines. We noticed that it was quite warm, around 13-15 degrees Celsius. At the station itself, the temperature was about 3 degrees, with fragments of ice floating in the bay. You can clearly see how the climate is changing. The researchers noted that the extent of the glaciers is shrinking, affecting the polar bear population, which is increasingly moving north. The reindeer population, on the other hand, is growing rapidly – temperature spikes in winter cause snow to melt and freeze quickly, allowing reindeer easier access to food.
Are you planning any further expeditions?
– I would be happy to take part in another expedition if the opportunity arises. Thanks to the support of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, we were able to realise this trip. An expedition to Antarctica would be a dream, albeit an expensive one, but another trip to the Arctic is a very realistic plan. We will see what the future brings.
interviewed by Edyta Pać