Simmer dim, the non-quite darkness of the arctic summer nights

Stricktly speaking, the Sun only remains above the horizon in summer nights north of the Arctic Circle (66º N), for some weeks, until the Pole - for some months.

Nordkapp, Norway, 71º N - the most visited.

But sun-enlightened nights can be enjoyed since about 60º N latitude for a short period - the well-known Simmer Dim, visible in the Orkney, Shetland and Faröe islands, or anywhere by that latitude.

Fishing through the dimmed night, Orkney islands, 59º N.

In June, for example, the sun is above the horizon for over 18 hours, rising at 4 a.m. But it is still twilight for much of the night, as the sun only dips just below the horizon.
This period of not-quite darkness is known as the ‘simmer dim’, and some can't get asleep.

Dimmed twilight in the Shetlands by the end of June- a large festival usually takes place to celebrate those sleepless nights.

Kulusuk, Greeland, 65º N.

Deep night, Jan Mayen, 71º N.

Ny Ålesund, Svalbard islands, 79º N.

Lofoten, Norway, 67-68º N.

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, one of the most appreciated by cruise ship travellers, 78ºN.

And to help through the night...

They say it has the exact colour of the summer twilight.

Akureyri, Iceland's second:- cafés and a botanic garden

The first time I ever red the name of Akureyri was in a Tintin (Hergé's comic hero) adventure, "The Shooting Star":

Akureyri was a main setting, the dock was even roughly depicted:

But I could not guess then what a remote northern location that was.

Akureyri is in fact an important port and fisheries centre in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest town, in an area that has been settled from the 9th century.

Population: ~18 000
Coordinates: 65°41′ N, 18°06′ W

Akureyri is at the end of the Eyjafjördur, the longest fjord in the island, and is surrounded by mountains reaching 1500 m. The Arctic Circle in only 60 km north of Akureyri but  the climate is generally mild, with summer temperatures up to 25°C and winter temperatures in average around 0˚C.

The seafront old wooden houses.

Innbærinn, the old town.

The climate in Akureyri is relatively mild due to geographical factors, and the city's ice-free harbor in the Eyjafjördur has played a significant role in its history.

Akureyri city center, Hafnarstræti - the main street.

'Bláa Kannan' coffee house, right in the center.

The 'Blaa Kannan', in Hafnarstræti.

Windows of 'Blaa Kannan'

Shops in Hafnarstræti include Eymundsson bookstore:

Eymundsson book store, one of the town's places of culture.

The Turninn kiosk, a distinctive landmark.

Old Akureyri

The core of the town's character can be found in the Old Town of Akureyri - called Innbærinn.

Akureyri theater, a beautiful wooden building, built in 1906.

Several old timber houses participate in the town's relaxed atmosphere.

Aðalstræti 16

The docks

During the summer there are several festivals in Akureyri and its surroundings - as the medieval festival held every summer at Gásir, or the Akureyri Music Festival, for example. Akureyri has one of the largest libraries in the country. And besides a robust cultural scene, the town also has reputable restaurants, like RUB 23:

RUB 23, on Kaupvangsstræti

Another is the Bryggjan, by the fjord's waters, on Strandgata, the harbour promenade:

Bryggjan, a wooden house built in 1878.

The building's history is an inherent part of  Akureyri, being the oldest house on the harbour promenade.


The Botanical Gardens

Lystigarður Akureyrar, in the vicinity of Akureyri, are the most northerly botanical gardens in the world. Located about 45 feet above the waters of the Eyjafjörður and just about 50 km south of the Arctic Circle .

Founded in 1910, it's the first public park in Iceland. Besides being a place of peace and tranquility, the garden has been testing shrubs, trees and other plants surviving conditions at the edge of the Arctic.

Delphinium, in several varieties

Kaffi Björk

This recently built café displays a large window with a wooden frame that mirrors the tree trunks in the garden.

Large cruise ships became frequent visitors in the harbour - visiting the city and its fabulous surroundigns, like the fjord, the mountains and the famous Goðafoss
waterfall.

The town seems so small in comparison...

Goðafoss waterfall 

Antarctic base "Dumont d'Urville" - a bit of Europe at 66°39′ S

The Dumont d'Urville Antarctic Base is a French scientific station located in on Île des Pétrels, in Adélie Land ("Terre d'Adélie").

Coordinates: 66° 39′ S, 140° 0′ E
Occupation: 30-120 scientists

Dumont D'Urville station opened on 1956, to serve as center for French scientific research during the Antarctic International Geophysical Year 1957/1958. The station has remained in active use ever since.

It is operated by the "Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor", a joint operation of French public and private agencies.

The station allows 30-40 people to come ashore at one time. Often, strong katabatic winds prevent landings, either by Zodiac or by helicopter.
The station can accommodate from 30 in winter to 120 during the summer.

The station plan

Dumont D'Urville station looks like a chaotic collection of cheap prefab metallic containers, most in orange to red tones.

It's frequently not inviting outside...

The Meteo Station

Inside the Meteo unit

The accomodation, unit 42 ('dortoir')

'Biomar', the marine biological lab

Le Séjour is the most demanded unit in the base; it contains the kitchen, the large room where the crew daily gathers for the meals, for parties and dancing or playing games (ping pong, snooker); Le Séjour also has a library with over 7 000 books, the video room and the café-bar.

'Le Séjour', an ugly box outside but nevertheless the best place in town.

The dining rooom.

The café-bar.

'Le Salon', the resting room.

For a good start of the day, nothing better, especially if you are French.

Le Séjour on an early summer day (starts from 25th December), under the 24h sun.

Another popular unit is the Radio / Post office, always busy with lots of mail in and out:

L'Astrolabe, the most welcome visit:

The icebreaker ship L'Astrolabe carries supplies and personnel to the station from the port of Hobart, Tasmania. It does 5 round-trips between November and March.

Compared to others, this is not the most spectacular or good looking station in Antarctica; it has no historic buildings or fabulous surroundings of mountains and glaciers. But it does provide comfort for scientists and support for he explorers of the huge iced continent, and it is a welcome human home in a remote, ruthless, desolate territory.