Eqip Sermia

Our day was filled with stimulating lectures while we cruised through ice-laden waters on the way to Eqip Sermia. It seemed like we had already put in a full day when we dropped anchor at 17:30, but the best was yet to come.

On shore we spread out to various points on land where the Fram's Expedition staff was waiting. Many of us chose a rather difficult hike up the mountain. Our efforts were worth it! We arrived breathless and sweating to one of the most spectacular views you can imagine. Before us lay the incredible glaciar Eqip Sermia. In the distance we could also see the Greenland Ice-cap. Way down below were our friends and fellow travellers from the Fram looking like tiny blue ants.
Back on board the ship at 21:30 it was time to watch our talented crew from the galley demonstate their ice carving and food sculting skills.
At 22:30 Rasmus Lyberth the talented Greenland folk singer gave us a concert that many of us will not forget.

Uummannaq and Ukkusissat

Our boat trip to the desert just outside of Uummannaq was about sunshine, relaxation, fun, hiking, picnicing, iron, sulphur, salt, icebergs, waterfalls, 1200 metre cliffs, fabulous scenery, photography, light, colour, texture, Arctic dipping and a dried fish head.
The excursion to the desert is just as much about the journey there and back as it is about the desert itself. The boat ride is along some of the most beautiful scenery in Greenland and with weather conditions such as we had yesterday – very relaxing with plenty of stellar photo opportunities.
The desert is different from the surrounding landscape in every way. The geology is different. The colours are different, the textures are different. The landscape is yellow, red, brown and white due to the iron, sulphur, quartz and salt content. It is quite striking.

Later in the evening we welcomed the people of Ukkusissat on board the Fram. It was a delight to be entertained by them with singing and folk dancing. We learned all about traditional Greenlandic clothing and marveled at the workmanship involved.
Afterwards we headed to shore in the Polar Cirkle boats. We were treated to a surprise outdoor concert just in front of the town hall by the famous Greenlandic singer Rasmus Lyberth. The entire village was in attendance. It was plain to see that everyone in Ukkusissat is a big fan of Rasmus Lyberth.

Oh… you’re probably wondering about “Arctic Dipping” and a dried fish head. On our excursion to the desert some of our group went for an Arctic skinny dip and on our picnic lunch stop we found a dried fish head. Species unidentified.

Qeqertarsuaq

Sunny skies again! Two icons of Greenland were very much in evidence today as we hiked through town and on out to the Valley of the Winds.

1. The Greenland Dog
2. Niviarsiaq or Broad-leaf Fireweed.

The Greenland Dog is one of the oldest and purest dog breeds in the world. In Greenland it is forbidden to breed Greenland Dogs with other breeds. They are working dogs, able of surviving the harshest Arctic conditions and are very powerful, capable of pulling one and a half times their own weight over great distances. Greenland Dogs have a strong pack mentality. In any group of working dogs there is a clear hirearchy which all dogs respect. To make a pet of a Greenland Dog you need to establish exactly who the dominant animal is. You, or, your dog. Hiking high on the beach just outside of town we passed by several groups of Greenland Dogs. The puppies are free to roam around, but the adults are not permitted to run loose. As tempting as it was to stay and play with the puppies and to photograph grounded icebergs along the dark sandy beach, the volcanic landscape of The Valley of the Winds beckoned. Beautiful warm brown cliffs rose to our left and in the distance ahead of us. The cliffs have a stratified terraced look which is a result of different periods of volcanic activity. The warm red layers are a result of high iron content and oxidization.
Greenland’s national flower, Niviarsiaq (which means young woman in Greenlandic) is now in full bloom. Niviarsiaq is also known as Broadleaf Fireweed, Dwarf Fireweed and River Beauty. It is a member of the evening-primrose family.

Sisimiut

Warm sunny days in cold water regions sometimes contrive to produce sea fog. Those were the conditions we met first thing this morning. As we approached Sisimiut the sun burned through the fog. We ended up having the warmest day so far this summer with temperatures reaching a scorching 18˚C. People were walking about town in short sleeves!

Heat, energy and power seemed to be the theme for the day. On our hike to Tele Island we walked past huge oil storage tanks. The main heating source for the homes and various buildings in Sismiut is from oil delivered from the oil tanks by truck.

The sounds of a working helicopter provided a constant backdrop to our hike around the island.

A hydroelectric power station is being built just outside of town. You can see some of the new hydro towers high up the mountain. The helicopter was carrying parts and supplies to the workers at the top. This power station is scheduled for completion towards the end of 2009 and it will start producing environmentally sound energy for the town in 2010.

Kangerlussuaq

Touch down! Greenland and Kangerlussuaq at last. It feels remote. The surrounding landscape is rocky, rugged and treeless. Walking across the tarmac of Kangerlussuaq airport one gets the feeling of being in a wilderness region.
The ship’s Expedition Team greeted us inside the airport and then escorted us to the waiting buses that would take us where the MS Fram lay at anchor. After a short 15 minute bus ride to the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord and a quick introduction to life jackets and Polar Cirkle boat procedures we were finally whisked to the ship.
For most of us everything shipside is a new experience. Photos are taken and I.D. cards are issued. Credit cards are registered at reception. People are signing up for excursions. Our luggage is delivered to our cabins. Learning the layout of the ship is a fun challenge that we all enjoy. Where’s the dining room? The bar? Can we find our way back to our cabin again?
At 20:30 there is a compulsory abandon ship drill. It is plain to see that the entire ship’s compliment is well rehearsed in emergency procedures.
At 9pm we all meet in the Observation lounge on deck seven to meet the Captain and other ship’s officers and the Expedition Team.
Phew! What a long day. But now we can kick back and relax in our new home for the next week.

I’m sure our cabin was just down this corridor…

Itilleq

When one walks around small towns in Greenland such as Itilleq, it is very evident that hunting and fishing are a big part of life. On many front porches you can see large racks of reindeer antlers. The two sets of reindeer skulls and antlers you see in the first photograph were found on the beach.

Wander a little further and discover a house with part of a beautiful walrus skull lying on the porch - right beside the skis and the laundry. On other porches are muskox skulls replete with large curving horns. Still other houses have various sorts of fish hanging to dry in the wind.

In the small harbour small boats come in with the daily catch. In the third photograph you can see a basket of Spotted Wolf Eels and Halibut that were just caught in nearby waters.

Today many of the men had gone out hunting seals. We thought that with so many of the Itilleq soccer team out hunting that this would be a perfect opportunity for Team Fram to steal a win in the weekly soccer match.

Nope. We lose again. Itilleq 4 - Team Fram 1.

Ilulissat

Not for nothing is Ilulissat Greenland's most popular tourist destination. Just behind the town lies Ilulissat Icefjord and not far up the fjord lies the ice machine, the glaciar Serme Kujalleq. Sermeq Kujalleq is one of the most active glaciers in the world. Each year over 35 cubic kilometres of ice calve from the glaciar making it the most active glaciar in North America. It is this phenomenal flow of ice that makes Ilulissat a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Many of us saw Icefjord and the spectacular icebergs in two ways during our stay in Ilulissat. There is a very easy hike from town that ends with a really amazing view of the icebergs grounded near the end of the fjord. The other option is to take one of the boat excursions to see the icebergs from the water. Both options are highly recommended. On the boat excursion we even saw two humpback whales!!!

Qullissat and Eqip Sermia

Neptune has been smiling upon us with all of this favorable weather. At 7:30 we landed at the abandoned coal mining town of Qullissat. It was an eerie feeling to wander around all of the abandoned homes, most of which are still in terrific condition. It's almost as if everyone walked away just yesterday. In it's heyday, Qullissat was the largest town in Greenland. However the coal mine was not profitable and was closed down in 1972. Rising majestically behind Qullissat are the most stupendous cliffs. Once again the scenery is breathtaking.

At 17:30 we landed just across the bay from Glaciar Eqip Sermia. there was a lot of calving happening this evening. Constant cracking and booming sounds accompanied our time on shore. At one point very large waves washed high onto the beach as a result of a large calving. Those of us that climbed up the mountain were treated to amazing views of the glaciar, icecap and of course, the MS Fram.

Uummannaq and Ukkusissat

Another perfect day in an Arctic wonderland. If this keeps up we're going to be running out of sun screen. Once again; blue skies and windless glass-calm seas. Of course we are not the only animals that love windless, warm sunny days... we might run out of mosquito repellant soon too. But that is hardly a complaint. Cameras were constantly clicking on our hike to Santa's hut and on our boat excursions to the desert.
The scenery here is big. It's stunning. The fjords are filled with icebergs of all shapes and sizes. The fjord cliff sides rise steeply out of the sea and are wonderful warm tones; browns, reds, and yellows punctuated with stripes of deeper browns and blacks. A day like today sends the serious photographers into spasms of ecstasy. But whether you are a photographer or not, it puts a smile on your face.

Around 20:30 many of the people from the village of Ukkusissat joined us on the Fram. It was a real treat to be entertained with their singing, square dancing and traditional drum playing. We also all admired the handiwork in their traditional clothing.
By 22:00 it was time to say goodbye to everyone from Ukkusissat and prepare for our next adventure. In the morning: Qullissat an abandoned coal mining town. And in the evening: The glaciar Eqip Sermia followed by a barbeque. Stay tuned!

Qeqertarsuaq

Walking around Qeqertarsuaq one of the first things you notice are the bright colours of the houses and various other buildings. The official government buildings are actually colour coded. Water and electricity buildings are always blue. Hospitals are yellow. Administrative buildings (including schools) are red. And the houses? The houses seem to be just about every colour in the rainbow!
Once again our morning started off cloudy but the skies turned to brilliant sunshine by noon. Weatherwise, today was a carbon copy of our visit here one week ago. A perfect day for a hike in the The Valley of the Winds.

By 16:00 everyone was back on the ship. We lifted anchor and headed into the sheltered waters of Qeqertarsuup Tunua (Disko Bay in English).

Many people headed to the lecture halls for informative talks by Axel, Jean Louis and Andy in German, French and English respectively. Later, in the early evening it was time to bask in the glorious sunshine and join the Expedition Team on the bow deck to look for wildlife and admire the hundreds of icebergs. At times it seemed there was a conveyor belt of ice going by the ship.

Sisimiut

The sun broke out of the clouds this morning to welcome us to the small harbour in Sisimiut. The air was fresh and brisk today with new snow on the mountain tops and hillsides. The warming rays of the sun were most welcome.

Sisimiut is the second largest city in Greenland with almost 6,000 people. This region has been inhabited for approximately 4,500 years. It is also 75km north of the Arctic Circle making Sisimiut part of "the real Greenland" according to some local Greenlanders.

It was a beautiful day to go on a boat excursion or on one of the historic hikes on offer from the Fram. In the second photo you can see grassy hummocks which are the remains of habitations from 1650 to approximately 1800.

In the third photo the pile of rocks in the lower left corner are an ancient grave. It was possible to look between the rocks and see old human bones inside the grave.



Immediately outside of the dock there was a group of five or six Greenlanders selling whale meat on the side of the road. It was another reminder of the importance of subsistence hunting and fishing for the local population.

Kangerlussuaq

Kangerlussuaq the town, has the same name as Kangerlussuaq the fjord, upon which it is situated. The name is almost as long as the 185km long fjord.
Our plane touched down at 15:30 at the former American military base built during WWII and which was known as Bluie West Eight. Now the base belongs to Denmark and is a fairly busy international airport.
After a short 15 minute bus ride we arrived at the head of the fjord where the MS Fram lay at anchor. After a quick introduction to donning life jackets and Polar Cirkle boat procedures, we were whisked to the ship.
At 20:30 we had a compulsory safety drill which was followed by an introduction to the Captain and other officers of the ship and the Expediton Team.
It was a long day for us but sailing out Kangerlussuaq Fjord on calm seas was a spectacular way to end our day and to begin our journey in Greenland.

Itilleq

We arrived at our last port of call in our amazing journey of West Greenland around 1pm. Once on shore we were invited into people's homes for kaffemik - a chance to have coffee and cakes and to socialze with the locals. This afforded us a great opportunity to talk to the people of Itilleq and gain insight as to what life in an isolated Greenlandic community is really like.

Many of us wandered by the cemetery and to a scenic lookout where we could see the entire village and the Fram anchored nearby.

The weekly soccer game of Itilleq versus Team Fram was an extra spirited match today. Not only did Team Fram lose once again but we suffered a couple of injuries with our players hobbling back to the ship!

We said goodbye to Itilleq at about 17:00 and set our course for Kangerlusuuaq. As we got under way a very heavy sea fog set in. During the Captain's dinner visibility was reduced to less than 100 metres. But the fog didn't last and we ended our day with a beautiful scenic cruise up Kangerlusuuaq Fjord

Ilulissat

In Ilulissat there is something for everyone. Restaurants, gift shops, cafes, helicopter excursions to the glacier Sermeq Kujalleq, boat trips to Ice Fjord and hikes to Sermermiut.
Despite the rain that fell around mid-day everyone got out on their excursions.

The views at Sermermiut were spectacular. A river of ice stretched as far as the eye could see. Sermec Kujalleq glaciar moves 19 metres a day. Witnessing all of the ice at Sermermiut it seemed more like the glaciar had moved 19 kilometres!

By 6:30 we were all back aboard the Fram. There were still lots of activities planned on board the ship. A charity auction and the crew show.
Tomorrow’s destination: Itilleq