The rumbling noise makes me stop in place and shiver. The shaking of the ground, and the tsunami-like wave that follows. Another piece of the glacier has calved and dropped into the ocean. 

I am told that glaciers are retreating as such fast pace, that we are sailing in uncharted waters. The map makers can’t keep up. My gps is showing that we are currently on ice. 

Arctic sea ice has decreased by 75% in the past 40 years. Climate models predict that Arctic will be ice free in the summers by the end of the century.

But why do we care? Arctic is so far away, it doesn’t affect our daily lives. Oh, but to witness the beauty of these landscapes, it wouldn’t just make you fall in love with them, it would evoke a sense of awareness and respect for such vast frozen land. A fragile landscape that is disappearing, yet is so necessary for Earth’s survival.

Far in the north, the Island of Svalbard is the fastest warming place on Earth, as much as six times faster than the global average.

Around a quarter of Earth’s warming is attributed to the loss of sea ice. Along with the melting of snow on the surrounding land, together they account for as much as 40% loss in planet’s reflectivity. 

The Arctic plays a very central role in the Earth’s climate. Ice-free summers in the Arctic could reshape the entire planet, influencing major atmospheric and oceanic events.

As the world keeps busy with its wars and borders, our polar regions melt in front of our eyes. I am fortunate to witness the beauty of the Arctic before it is too late. A place where Sky and the ocean blend into whiteness, and there is no sense of distance or scale. A story without a beginning or an end. As I capture these disappearing landscapes, I start bidding farewell to the magical ice crystals that keep the planet in check.