Kangerlussuaq

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

Our charter Greenland Air jet touched down in Kangerlussuaq at approximately 15:40.  

Kang’ is very near the Arctic Circle but we stepped off the plane into 17˚C and brilliant sunshine.  On our way here we flew over the second largest ice sheet in the world.  It was a stunning view of the Greenland Icecap!  With more than 2.6 million km³ of ice in Greenland and this far north, one would expect Greenland to be a lot colder. When we get back home how will we explain our tanned faces? But hey! Nobody is complaining.    In the summer Kangerlussuaq is the warmest inhabited place in Greenland.  In the winter it one of the coldest inhabited place.

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

It was a short walk across the tarmac and into the small airport. The Expedition Team from the ship was there to greet us and to escort us to three waiting motor coaches. After a short twenty minute ride we arrived at a remote, but busy pier.   There was a freighter loading and offloading containers  and was anchored not far from Fram.

At the pier we were each issued a lifejacket and shown how to put them on. We hopped in the Polar Cirkel boats and enjoyed  a short ride to the ship.  Once on the ship we were issued ID cards and then shown to our cabins.

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

  

At 18:10 we all took part in a mandatory safety drill outside, in the warm sunshine on deck 5.  It was quite interesting to observe the demonstration for donning the exposure suit and life vest.

Right after the drill it was time for a delicious buffet dinner. By the time we finished dinner and returned to our cabins our luggage had been delivered.

  

At 20:30 we were invited to the Observation Lounge for the Captain's welcome cocktail.  The Captain gave a speech and then introduced us to key members of all of the departments of the ship.  The Expedition Leader, Anja Erdmann, then took over and introduced the members of her team.

  

It is a gorgeous evening to sail down the long and very beautiful Kangerlussuaq fjord. It will take about 9 hours for Fram to travel the length of this, the third largest fjord in Greenland.  

It has been a very long day for all of us but now we can all relax and let our Greenlandic adventure unfold.

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer