Norway’s Svalbard Islands rise upward from the Arctic Ocean, about halfway between the North Pole and the Norwegian mainland. If you dream of a getaway that involves unspoiled Arctic wilderness rather than warm tropical waters, a trip to Svalbard is definitely for you.
Diving Norway’s Svalbard Islands: What to Expect
When planning a trip to Svalbard, you might wonder whether this is a journey you can undertake on your own, without support from a liveaboard. While it is possible to go diving at Svalbard on your own, there is really no supportive infrastructure there. Boat rentals are available as are cabin and cottage rentals; you can even rent scuba gear from Svalbard’s Longyearbyen Dykkerklubb. This private dive club does not accommodate visitors in other ways; they strongly recommend you get a guide or go with a liveaboard. There are a few different liveaboard companies that offer trips to the Svalbard Islands.
The Arctic Ocean poses extreme challenges; even though the seas around Svalbard are at the tip of the Gulf Stream and are normally ice-free and relatively warm when compared with other arctic areas, temperatures are frigid. Don’t let this frighten you though; because of the cold temperatures, visibility is incredible. To top it off, summertime visitors benefit from daylight diving 24 hours per day!
Local marine life is abundant, particularly once you get away from the settlements and out into remote areas. Deep kelp forests teem with fish, invertebrates, and crustaceans, and passing icebergs sculpted by wind and waves impart a magical feel. Divers frequently encounter some of the biggest marine mammals on the planet, including blue whales, narwhales, humpback whales, white belugas, and roving pods of orcas. Seals and walruses are encountered with regularity, and polar bears are often nearby; these bears are best viewed from the safety of the boat as they are massive predators with strong instinctive prey drives.
The liveaboards that travel to the Svalbard region are sometimes for scuba divers only; other trips combine additional adventures with diving and are open to non-divers. Most of the dive sites you’ll visit are relatively shallow, with maximum depths between 10 and 20 meters.
Svalbard Islands Travel Basics
The Svalbard Islands are off the beaten path, but they are not inaccessible. While there is no regular boat transportation between the Norwegian mainland and Svalbard, flights arrive in Longyearbyean, which is Svalbard’s main town, nearly every day. Almost all of these flights are via Tromsø or Oslo. There are no roads connecting the settlements. In winter, people travel via snowmobile or dogsled; in summer, travel is mostly via boat.
From a travel point of view, this chain of breathtaking Norwegian islands is definitely one of the most remote destinations the world has to offer. For divers, this beautifully remote outpost offers the opportunity for unparalleled adventure and an opportunity to spend time diving with sea creatures that are rarely encountered elsewhere. So consider packing your drysuit, brushing up on your underwater photography skills, and heading to Svalbard. This is one trip you’ll remember fondly for a lifetime.