Svalbard

A young polar bear takes a nap on the snow, Svalbard.

For me, among the most spectacular sights in the Arctic are calving glaciers. Here, large chunks of the terminal face of Lilliehöökbreen in Spitsbergen fall into the sea, startling a flock of Kittiwakes into flight.
The sound is immense, and always reaches you a second or two after the initial impact.

A shapely iceberg floats in front of the glacier front it recently calved from in Svalbard.

A pair of reindeer spar near Alkhornet

A young male reindeer challenges the photographer in Svalbard.

A kittiwake rests on a tiny piece of brash ice in Svalbard.

Walrus aren't very confident on land - they're far too heavy and awkward to move well. In the water, it's a different story, and their curiosity will sometimes bring them very close to visiting zodiacs.

An Arctic Tern prepares to lift off from a tiny chunk of ice in Svalbard.