It is winter solstice. To celebrate the middle of the polar night, storm is raging again, Vagabond is enveloped in a huge snow flurry. The calm moment only last one day, this was when the helicopter, the 5 crew members, and the 3 Governor's representatives brought us their good wishes, their arms were loaded with many presents (see the picture!). The moon was shining (exactly behind the helicopter!), we could see again the landscape which has been hidden for a long time.

Here is what was read and written on 20th December in our Guest Book: "The Governor of Svalbard and Airlift wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. You are representatives of a new tradition of explorers staying in the polar night in a boat frozen in ice. It is an environmental friendly activity and an important contribution to the tradition of over wintering at Svalbard."

Our best thanks to everyone for all these wonderful attentions.

Advice to children: if the quantity of present is proportional to the size of shoes, you should try the snow shoes!