Day four of The Arctic Circle autumn expedition. We left the Lilliehöök fjord and sailed south through Krossfjorden and around Kapp Mitra to Diesetsletta, a 16 km long coastal plain just below the Seven Glaciers. In October the sun takes its time setting, painting the sky and land a riot of sublime colors. Luckily the waves and tide were in our favor and we landed the zodiac boats in the mouth of a gentle and welcoming Diesetelva river. A hut called Laksebu from the 1920s stands overlooking the beach, bones of whale and reindeer are scattered about. Behind the hut a long expansive plain roamed with a large herd of Svalbard reindeer, even a baby was spotted.

This plain and river (and a nearby lake) were named after Norways first (officially recognized) female botanist Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen (whose first married name was Dieset). She was a remarkable woman who conducted research in Svalbard during multiple expeditions and helped pioneer conservation efforts there and in mainland Norway.