The Lilliehöökfjorden

Overlooking the ice blue waters of the Lilliehöökfjorden inside the Spitsbergen National Park, this retired whalers hut just caught my eye as the only reference I had in this pristine wilderness for the scale of its vastness.

It's hard to imagine the brutality of the livelihoods whalers endured, given it was the most prosperous trade for Svalbard until it ceased after 1770 due to the bowhead whale population collapsing.

Our expedition was very fortunate to witness this breath taking landscape and it's wildlife. Our guide told us the Norwegian Government had declared this particular fjord closed to ships of all sizes from 2025, allowing the wildlife and marine life to reclaim their natural habitat.