A Visit To The Fascinating Island Of Jan Mayen - Nexta Expeditions
A visit to the fascinating island of Jan Mayen

A visit to the fascinating island of Jan Mayen

After exploring the remote island of Fair Isle, our Atlantic Odyssey voyage once more turned its attentions northwards and left the outer extremities of the UK behind. Our destination was Jan Mayen, a volcanic island situated on the mid-Atlantic ridge just north of 71° (about 550 kilometers north of Iceland and 450 kilometers east of Greenland).

Jan Mayen is reputedly shrouded in mist the vast majority of the time so it was a very pleasant surprise to see the conical crater appearing over the horizon. Over eighty nautical miles away and completely cloud free.

blog-image

Brief history of Jan Mayen

Jan Mayen was recorded in early manuscripts from Norse and Irish travellers but was first occupied in the 17th century by English and Dutch whalers. It was visited infrequently till the 1900’s and then in 1906 Norwegian trappers and hunters inhabited the island seeking the blue Arctic fox for its fur.

In 1921 a meteorological station was established and since then, the island has been continually occupied. It was officially annexed to Norway in 1930 and shortly after was the only part of Norway not under German occupation, despite a number of attempts. Now, it is run by the Norwegian military and supports meteorological science year round.

Landing Båtvika, at the southern part of Jan Mayen

The Zodiacs left the ship and headed towards Båtvika (The Boat Cove), a bay lying on the eastern coast close to the Norwegian base. Even setting off in reasonably calm seas was no guarantee of getting ashore as even a small swell out at seas can dump large waves on the steeply sloping shoreline making for a tricky landing. We need not have worried. An idyllic cove fringed with ash black sand little troubled by the gently lapping water greeted us. Also there to greet us was an assembly of Norwegian base staff eager to welcome us onto and show off their island in the sun.

Volcanic landscape

A steady stream of passengers followed our initial Zodiac disembarking with ease and steadily made their way northwards along the islands only road. Many stopped for some retail therapy at the base shop and nearly all explored the landscape beyond the base. The volcanic history of the island is evident all around and reminded me of islands in the South Shetlands. Jan Mayen can be approximated into two halves. The northern half of the island, Nørd Jan, is where Beerenburg the northernmost active volcano in the world lies. It has a classic ’Mount Fuji’ shape to it and sports a nice caldera when viewed from the satellite imagery. The southern end is no less volcanic but is a confusion of lava flows, striated hillsides and cinder cones.

blog-image

The two sections are separated by a narrow isthmus of land sometimes less than 3 kilometres wide. One of the more magical experiences was when one paused and took in the volume of the kittiwake’s calls echoing from the cliffs above the road. Turning seaward, the beaches were lined with driftwood debris in the form of logs separated from their Siberian loggers and ships flotsam as well as buoys from the fishing industry.

Sailing North

After an uneventful departure, we weighed anchor and departed Jan Mayen under darkening skies with poor weather encroaching from the south. The Plancius worked its way along the spectacular coast of Nørd Jan. Stratified volcanic cliffs could be scoured through binoculars for a myriad of seabirds until our attention was diverted to a pair of humpbacks. Lovely evening light on the summit of Beerenburg dispatched us north in search of the ice.

Best Deals

Related Trips

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

calendar31 May 2025 - 09 Jun 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 2.900 per person
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

calendar27 May 2026 - 05 Jun 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.050 per person
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Summer Solstice - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Summer Solstice

calendar12 Jun 2026 - 21 Jun 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.050 per person

Blog
go-leftgo-right

Peaks, Fjords, and Auroras: 14 East Greenland Attractions - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Peaks, Fjords, and Auroras: 14 East Greenland Attractions

There really aren’t enough superlatives for East Greenland.
What the ice reveals about Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

What the ice reveals about Antarctica

The continent you'll explore during your Antarctica cruise is far more than just an ice-covered land with penguins, whales, and seals. Beneath the thick ice lie hidden freshwater lakes teeming with thousands of microbes, hinting at a diverse array of life. In 2013, a team of researchers obtained the first uncontaminated water sample ever retrieved directly from an Antarctic lake.
Deep Sea Dwellers: 10 Facts about The Antarctic Giant Isopod - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Deep Sea Dwellers: 10 Facts about The Antarctic Giant Isopod

On average, the Giant Antarctic Isopod grows to 9cm (3.5in.) in length. This may not seem very large, but factors including low light levels, freezing cold water, and a lack of oxygen prevent these isopods from growing very large. Other species of isopods, including the Giant Isopod, have been known to grow up to 40 cm (16 inches) in length!
“The polar bear will still be there” - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

“The polar bear will still be there”

For several hours, we had been navigating the pack ice in search of polar bears. Despite numerous binoculars scanning the ice, no bears were visible, and only a few tracks were found. This suggested we might be in an area with fewer bears. Later that morning, we decided to head a few miles east, suspecting a higher bear population there.
Antarctica’s Hourglass Dolphin - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Antarctica’s Hourglass Dolphin

Though hourglass dolphins are especially rare, they’re actually not a threatened or endangered species.
Svalbard’s Texas Bar - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Svalbard’s Texas Bar

Texas Bar is one of the historic areas we visit on certain Svalbard trips, and it always proves to be a cherished landing site among both our guides and guests. This might be surprising, however, given that its name can be a bit misleading.
Harp seals harping on in Greenland - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Harp seals harping on in Greenland

Harp seals are a moderately sized species, typically reaching about 1.6 meters in length and weighing around 130 kilograms. Both males and females are similar in size and weight, with males being only slightly larger. They possess a thick, robust body, a small broad and flat head, short narrow flippers, and a narrow muzzle.
Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea - Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Adélie penguins in the Ross Sea - Antarctica

The Adélie penguin population in the Ross Sea has reached its highest numbers in 30 years, with up to a million breeding pairs during the summer. This accounts for about 38 percent of the entire Antarctic Adélie population.
Seven Facts About Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Penguins - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Seven Facts About Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Penguins

Approximately 50 million years ago, Antarctica was detaching from the vast supercontinent of Gondwana, and penguins were emerging as a distinct species. Initially native to warmer regions, they gradually adapted to the cooling climate of Antarctica as they ventured further south.
The Norse Settlement of Greenland - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Norse Settlement of Greenland

Erik the Red is a significant and vibrant figure in the history of the Norse Vikings. His story is primarily documented in the Icelandic Sagas Huaksbók (14th Century) and Skalhóltsbók (15th Century). These accounts offer slightly different versions of events that occurred 3-400 years earlier. The original saga of Erik the Red is believed to have been written around 1200 A.D., with the Skalhóltsbók version considered closest to the original. Additionally, Flateyjarbók (13th Century), which includes the Saga of the Greenlanders, is a crucial source for understanding the settlement of Greenland and the discovery of Vinland – North America.
The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny

Although the Arctic hare’s stern expression might make it seem like the least amused member of a serious tribunal, this polar animal is actually one of the most charming creatures on the planet – especially when Easter Sunday comes around.
Gough Island: Seabird Capital of the South Atlantic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Gough Island: Seabird Capital of the South Atlantic

Gough Island is a remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic, uninhabited except for a small party of meteorologists and (sometimes) biologists.
What to Expect When Crossing the Drake Passage - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

What to Expect When Crossing the Drake Passage

Positioned between the southern tail of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula's north-sweeping arm is a lively little waterway known as the Drake Passage.
Navigating by touch through the sea ice - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Navigating by touch through the sea ice

Ships are meant to glide effortlessly through calm waters, but our Greenland expedition vessel Ortelius is shuddering and wiggling as it navigates through the calm yet frozen waters between Svalbard and the islands. We’re on the North Atlantic Odyssey, a journey that starts in continental Europe and concludes near the North Pole in Svalbard. Onboard are 115 enthusiastic passengers. Most of them are currently on the outer decks, cameras in hand, captivated by the sea ice.
Cruising Solo: The Benefits of Single-Passenger Polar Travel - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Cruising Solo: The Benefits of Single-Passenger Polar Travel

Traveling is often done with family, friends, or romantic partners. However, the benefits of solo travel, especially in polar regions, deserve more attention.
Spitsbergen: a true polar bear trip - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Spitsbergen: a true polar bear trip

On the third day of our Svalbard cruise, we navigated through the sea ice north of Spitsbergen. The morning greeted us with fog and fragmented ice, but conditions gradually improved. A swarm of black-legged kittiwakes trailed behind us, as our ship stirred the waters, pushing aside ice floes to reveal the tiny dark polar cod beneath.
Why You Should Visit Greenland: 11 Things to See, Do, and Explore - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Why You Should Visit Greenland: 11 Things to See, Do, and Explore

There's nothing quite like witnessing your first Greenland glacier, navigating into the island's largest fjord system (which also happens to be Earth's largest), or observing a humpback whale breach over the dark Greenland Sea.
The Northern Lights dancing across the skies - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Northern Lights dancing across the skies

The Northern Lights typically manifest in a belt with a radius of 2,500 kilometers centered on the magnetic North Pole. This auroral zone spans northern Scandinavia, Iceland, the southern tip of Greenland, and continues over northern Canada, Alaska, and along the northern coast of Siberia.
The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The First Buildings in Antarctica: Borchgrevink’s Historic Huts

Borchgrevink’s huts at Cape Adare hold a significant place in Antarctic history, being the first structures ever built on the continent.
The Return to Franz Josef Land - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Return to Franz Josef Land

As the possibility of international travel slowly returns, we are eagerly awaiting all the great locations, activities, and wildlife we might experience in the coming season. One of the things we’re most excited about is the return of our Franz Josef Land voyages.