 Blencathra sailed for Spitsbergen , but was stopped by ice , so she returned to Tromsø . Here she encountered the research ship Princesse Alice , purpose @-@ built for Prince Albert I of Monaco , a leading oceanographer . Bruce was delighted when the Prince invited him to join Princesse Alice on a hydrographic survey around Spitsbergen . The ship sailed up the west coast of the main island of the Spitsbergen group , and visited Adventfjorden and <unk> in the north . During the latter stages of the voyage Bruce was placed in charge of the voyage 's scientific observations . 
