m/v Ortelius was the surprise and delightful end to this expedition.

Saturday 04. August: Out of the blue came M/V Ortelius and all of a sudden were they taken off the Nordaustlandet and are on their way to Norway!
After having descended from the ice they carried everything over towards the sea and made a camp some 400m from the shoreline. Then the search for transport back to civilization started. This is a very remote area where there are very few ships, and they were about a week early for their scheduled pickup.
After several misses we had the best of luck. OceanWide Expeditions is a fabulous Polar Cruise company who we actually work with. I April next year we will have a cruise and a crossing of South Georgia with them. Now they had their ice-strengthened vessel ship m/v Ortelius in the area. Late Friday they got the message to break camp and be ready from 22:00. They packed everything in a rush and lit a bonfire close to the shore. And like a miracle, at 21:30 Ortelius came gliding into view.
Anne, Vince and Børge were swiftly taken on-board and found them selves all of a sudden on a cruise, showered and enjoying the best of food. They will now round Nordaustlandet, make stop on the other side before visiting Bjørnøya on their way to Kirkenes in Norway. They are scheduled there 9th August.

The route from Kapp Laura in the east to Hinlopen stretet i vest