Diving in just two meters of water in a lagoon, the heavy rain above was still audible.
When we looked up the usual ribbon pattern of gentle sunlit waves had been transformed into this rapidly changing, bubbling, sliding, swelling, hypnotic surface.
Such sights on an average day would be enough to write home about, but on a Pristine Seas expedition with National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala, they are “merely” an awe-inspiring backdrop for the search to locate and identify all the many sea creatures inhabiting a part of the ocean virtually untouched by human activity.
Enric and team have now returned from their latest journey: an exploration of the Russian Arctic archipelago of Franz Josef Land, where they shared the waters with thousands of walruses, and the land with dozens of polar bears.
Here at National Geographic headquarters they will be presenting their preliminary findings today. But you don’t need to wait for a final report to experience their journey. Follow the adventure as it occurred and was chronicled in words and stunning photos in their updates from the field.