As we sailed around the northern coast of Spitsbergen Island we encountered this beautiful vista of pack ice. Collections of floes similar to this one were known as the "white scourge" and were a major hindrance to the progress of polar travelers for centuries. With individual floes ranging from hamster-sized to whale -sized, early explorers were always at its mercy. Not until the latter part of the 20th century were ships constructed that were capable of sailing in all parts of the Arctic Ocean. The Caledonian Star's ice strengthening and experienced officers allow us to penetrate the pack ice in safety, greatly expanding our travel options and getting us closer to the wildlife of the region. Note the polar bear in the bottom left corner, for scale.