"Northernmost civilian settlement on Earth" Ny-Ålesund by fred98115

Once a coal mining settlement, Ny Alesund today is a research center with 30 year-rounder and 130 summer only residents. This is a hard place to reach, and is best done by boat in the summer. We were fortunate enough to be on a Holland America Line cruise that visited. The ship anchored in the bay and we went ashore in tenders to walk about the town. The protocol was that we had ship's personnel stationed to keep us on the road through town, not passing the polar bear signs, taking only pictures and leaving only footprints. This is a fragile place.

Town with water conduit

This is a harsh land with tundra, permafrost, and glaciers. We were fortunate to visit under good skies during the sunny period - the sun does not dip below the horizon for four months. Still it was clear from the construction of practical buildings and water conduits above ground that life can be tough. Ny Alesund is at the end of the Kongsfjorden. The Krone Glacier flows into the fjord.

Magdalena Bay

Magdalena Bay is nearby as is the Polar Ice Sheet. We were fortunate that the Prinsendam went to both locations. Our cruise had an Arctic geologist onboard who gave lectures on what was in view. Magdalena Bay illustrated the extensive abating of Lilliehook Glacier. The Polar Ice Sheet has also thinned. Polar bears, which are numerous, are the mine canary of the Arctic and their existence is threatened by receding ice.

• Pros:Pristine conditions
• Cons:Very hard to get to with limited access
• In a nutshell:As close to being an Arctic explorer as city boys can be