Safety Tips in Arctic

I stayed in Kiruna and wanted to see the northern lights. all over the city there is advertising for the Aurora Skystation in Abisko. I have just got back to Kiruna from a trip to the Abisko Skystation, and I want to tell you all not to waste your money.

We paid over 1600kr (about US$235) each for this tour from Kiruna. The operator of the transportation, Kiruna Safaris, just hired a minibus, and loaded eight people onto it, and drove to Abisko and back. At Abisko we were simply given the standard treatment at the Aurora Skystation which actually costs only 495kr: see http://www.auroraskystation.se/nightvisit/. So we paid the tour operator Kiruna Safaris over 1100kr each for the privilege of going in a minibus shared between eight, and a soggy sandwich, when a /taxi/ would have been marginally cheaper! At the skystation itself, we expected something more than the cold sandwich and tiny kindergarten style 'exhibition'. We were not treated very well, as there were others who paid more money to have dinner there. we were 'hidden' behind a curtain so as not to disturb them. I'm not sure how tourism in Sweden is regulated but I am thinking about making a complaint.

So, let our wasted money (the better part of $1000 between the three of us for four hours) at least serve some benefit for other travellers out there. Stay away from Kiruna Safaris, and dont take tours starting in Kiruna to Abisko. If you want to see the lights, our driver admitted that the bottom of the ski slope within Kiruna is quite a good place - you dont need to go to Abisko.

Here's hoping!

At first I could not believe it, but it definitely is true:

Polar Bears are an acute danger in Svalbard - and even in settlements like Longyearbyen you are not safe! There is a warning out that you should always carry a rifle when leaving the settlement - and that is no joke at all! All over you can hear about encounters with polar bears - and many times they are fatal! To the people - not to the bears!

Everyone knows that the Arctic is beyond freezing cold. White out conditions can cause huge problems for a person even if the person is only walking across town for 15 minutes. The term white out strongly applies to the Arctic because when storms hit not only do they bring minus 70 degree winds but they cause a white out scene that is out of this world. You cant see 1 foot in front of your face and it can be extremely dangerous not to mention out on the land which can turn fatal in an instant. I remember walking home after playing basketball at night and a white out condition came out of nowhere, I spent 35 minutes struggling to make it home (usually a 5 minute walk) against the wind and snow. I actually went up to the wrong house and didnt realize it was the wrong house until I wiped snow of off the side of the house and realized that my house was a different color ! I didnt even know it was the wrong house because I couldnt see 2 feet in front of my face. Land trips can turn fatal if you are not with a local and you must have a GPS system because you lose sight of the town after 5 minutes on a skidoo. Overall, be extremely careful and make sure people know where you are and going at all times during storms.

Here is some advice for those who might be tempted to go to Tiksi.

1) Fly with the Pevek–avia company from Moscow.
2) Do not go there until July 1.
3) Book a room at the Moryak hotel.
4) Do not take old dollar bills with you: in Tiksi, they are afraid and reluctant to exchange them for roubles.
5) Make sure your papers are in order, for
Tiksi is in a border zone.

Be careful when you take a walk outside the large villages

Polar-bears might look cute in the Zoo - but here they are absolutely dangerous

and during the winter they also sometimes come down to the villages at night

Take care of the environment!!!
Compared to the continents the human destroyment is still very limited. But especially tourist often forget or don't know that the nature is extremely fragile. It takes much longer to recover, so even vegetal waste can take years to be neutralised. Pic: a place with extreme waste is the left russian settlement of Grumantbyen.

There's really nobody who wants to hurt you. The only danger are the polar bears. 2 years ago 2 student were killed by a polar bear only 1 km away from Longyearbyen. They were not carrying a rifle. But nowhere it is so easy to get one. You can wander into the shop and rent one, crazy! However it's not very wise (but I did it...) to do so. Best is to have a guide with you.
Another Danger: the weather, it can really change from blue sky to complete fog in 1 minute. Be aware!
The water is lethal because it is so cold, always wear a protection suit.
Pic: this is the brochure, that you receive when boarding onto the airplane to svalbard.

Summer: be prepared for lack of sleep during the long days under the Midnight Sun. I can fondly remember fishing the Blackstone and Ogilvie rivers in broad daylight at 2:00 AM!

Insects: Mosquitoes and blackflies can be a problem early in the season- May, June, July. After August is the most comfortable time to travel. Bring lots of insect repellant.
Fuel: Scarce and expensive on the Dempster. Gas available at Dawson, Eagle Plains, Fort Macpherson, Inuvik.
Wildlife: Bears (blacks and Grizzlies) can be a problem along the Dempster, especially near their berry patches in july and August, although I never saw or encountered any. I did see several moose and lots of Arctic foxes.

Water: for the most part it is safe to drink from most streams, but to be sure always boil beforehand.

Auto Problems: Carry a couple of spare tires-you are travelling on gravel highway- smooth in most areas allows speeds of 50-60 mph. Slow down when approaching other traffic to reduce dust and flying stones. Those brave enough to travel in winter shoud be prepared for the most severe winter conditions.

The picture shows the Dempster at the crossing of the Arctic Circle with the Richardson Mountains in the background. Some of the very small spruce trees in this area are hundreds of years old even though they are only a few inches high!