The Arctic beauty of Bockfjorden
Located in northwestern Spitsbergen, in an area known as Haakon VII Land between Kongsfjorden and Woodfjorden, the landing site of Bockfjorden is one of several scenic fjords we occasionally visit during our Svalbard voyages. Bockfjorden was named after Franz-Karl von Bock, an Arctic explorer, and features an inactive volcano known as Sverrefjellet on its western side. Standing 507 meters (1,663 feet) above sea level, Sverrefjellet is not only impossible to miss but bears the regal name of a medieval Norwegian king, Sverre Sigurdsson.
Bockfjorden’s wildlife, hot springs, and volcano
Though we reserve Bockfjorden as an alternate landing site, if you visit it you stand a fair chance of seeing Svalbard’s typical animal attractions: polar bears, several species of whale, and numerous seabirds. Even so, many expedition guides and visitors agree the area’s hot springs as well as its proximity to Sverrefjellet, Svalbard’s only volcano, are in fact its prime attractions.
