Underwater light regime is controlled by distribution and optical properties of Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) and particulate matter. Surface waters of the Fram Strait is a region where two contrasting water masses are found. Polar water in the East Greenland Current and Atlantic water in the West Spitsbergen Current differ with regards to temperature, salinity and other properties. We present data on absorption properties of CDOM and particles across the Fram Strait (along 79 °N) putting a special emphasis on a contrast observed in Polar and Atlantic waters in September 2009 and 2010. CDOM absorption in the Polar Water of the East Greenland Current was significantly higher (more than 3-fold) compared to Atlantic Water in the West Spitsbergen Current, with values (at 350 nm) of 0.565 ± 0.100 (in 2009) and 0.458 ± 0.117 (in 2010), and 0.138 ± 0.036 (in 2009) and 0.153 ± 0.039 (in 2010), for Polar and Atlantic waters respectively. At the same time, we observed different pattern in particle absorption