Life in the Arctic is unexpectedly varied and delightful. The historic whaling stations dating back thousands of years, the enormous colonies of seabirds and the scarcity of the vegetation are easily comprehended, the undersea diversity and the frequent sightings of walruses, whales, reindeer, seals and polar bears are more surprising. There are no trees but the ground is fertile with shrubs, berries, arctic flowers and – if you look at the right time – poking out from a berry bush a face with black eyes, white-tipped big ears and a red coat, the Arctic fox. Myriad of seabirds screech all around you and the sky and the sea are shining blue.

If you decide to take on one of the cold-water diving charters you can expect a plethora of sea creatures hiding in the kelp walls or gliding right by you in the open blue. Dive under small grounded icebergs and experience the incredible light reflected through ice. There are various itineraries in different lengths that explore the wonders of Iceland, Jan Mayen, Spitsbergen and Greenland. Diving itineraries are limited to just a few a year, so please book early.