Kangerlussuaq

Greenland at last!!!
We were met at the airport by several members of the Expedition Team from the MS Fram. After a short bus ride through the rocky landscape surrounding Kangerlussuaq we arrived at the pier. A dock in the middle of nowhere!

We were all tired after a long day of travelling. For many of us it was two days to get to Kangerlussuaq. Despite being a little road weary it was quite exciting to see the Fram at anchor in Kangerlussuaq Fjord. Our new home for the next week!
We were introduced to Polar Cirkle boat procedures and life jackets and then whisked to the ship.
Once on the ship we were very efficiently checked in, photographed and then issued ID cards. We were also shown to our cabins. At 20:30 there was a mandatory safety drill after which we were welcomed by the Captain and introduced to some of the key members of the ship's compliment.

Now it is time to kick back, relax and explore Greenland.
Tomorrow's adventures await in Sisimiut!

Itilleq

Warm sunny days + cold ocean temperatures = sea fog. This morning started as a nice sunny day with little wind. As we started the first of our seven bridge tours the wind began to pick up and the seas built. We noticed Fram rocking gently with the motion of the ocean.
At 9:00 the first of seven bridge tours started. It was a real treat to visit the bridge and meet Captain Arnvid Hansen and our Navigation officer Munish Jamwal. The Captain was an excellent host patiently answering all of our questions about the ship and posing with us for photographs.
By the end of the our bridge tours - late in the morning, we were cruising through moderately heavy sea fog.

But by 13:30 as we dropped anchor at Itilleq the fog parted and we headed to shore in our Polar Cirkle boats. The people of Itilleq are gracious hosts inviting us into their homes for coffee and cake.
Last week Team Fram defeated Team Itilleq in our friendly weekly soccer match. A rare occurence. This week they were ready for us.
Team Itilleq 7.
Team Fram 6.
As always, win or lose (mostly lose) it is great fun. Fun for those playing and fun for those cheering.

Ilulissat

Ilulissat is sometimes referred to as the capital of Northern Greenland.
Being well above the Arctic Circle, Ilulissat enjoys the midnight sun from May 21 until July 24 and during the winter the sun does not break the horizon between Dec. 1 and January 12. On January 13 many folks from Ilulissat go to Holms Bakke to see the first sunrise in six weeks.

Ilulissat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (and deservedly so!) and we devote the entire day to our visit to this picturesque community.
Our day in Ilulissat was filled with sunshine. Everyone took full advantage of the glorious weather. Lots of people chose to combine the hike to Icefjord and all of the attendant beautiful icebergs with yet more icebergs via a boat excursion to Icefjord or a helicopter trip to the head of the fjord. After all of that there was still time to explore the town, visit the museum, pet a Greenland puppy or two, inspect fish drying in the wind, go shopping at Pissifik, sample beer brewed locally, or try a cappucino at one of the cafes.

Eqip Sermia

On our way to beautiful Eqip Sermia Glaciar our morning was filled with fantastic scenic cruising and many informative and entertaining lectures.
We arrived at Eqip Sermia at 17:30 but before we went ashore the ship's crew ran a very important drill with the lifeboats. It was interesting to watch the crew run through their paces. It was obvious that they are a well rehearsed team.
At 6pm we loaded the Polar Cirkle boats and headed to shore. Many of us hiked up to a high vantage point where we not only had an excellent view of the glaciar but we could also see the icecap. Down below, Miki Jacobsen entertained us by singing and playing his guitar. Miki is one very talented guy. Not only is he a great musician but his beautiful art work graces many of the walls of the Fram and his bird calls will even fool the Snow Buntings.
By 21:00 hours we were all back on board the ship enjoying a delicious barbeque and an amazing view.

Uummannaq and Ukkusissat

Heart-shaped Uummannaq mountain looms above the town of Uummannaq. Indeed, the word uummannaq is Greenlandic for heart-shaped. Each week we hike right by that impressive piece of rock and head into the ruggged rocky wilderness behind the picturesque community. As we head out of town we pass by many Greenland dogs, one of the oldest and purest dog breeds in the world. And each week 5 or 6 young Greenland dogs choose to accompany us on our hike to Santa's Hut. Without fail they run ahead - showing us the way. If we lag behind, they patiently sit and wait for us to catch up. At Santa's turf hut they either seek shade under the hut or soak up attention from all of the hikers.
After a great day in Uummannaq we turned our bow north to Ukkusissat. One of the many great things about our voyage in Greenland is the unrelenting spectacular scenery. The many large windows on the Fram and especially the Fram's Panorama Lounge allow us to take full avantage of the great views throughout the trip.
Upon arrival in Ukkusissat more than 40 people from town joined us on the ship where they entertained us with folk dancing and singing. On the last dance we were invited to join them on the dance floor. We gamely tried to learn the dance steps without treading on our partner too many times! What fun!!
Afterwards we were invited into the village where we were offered coffee and cake in the community hall.
A perfect end to anothe perfect summer's day in Greenland.

Qeqertarsuaq

The towering cliffs of the Qeqertarsuaq landscape resemble a gigantic multi-layered chocolate cake. They are really impressive and provide a beautiful backdrop to this tiny but beautiful Greenland community.
Our hike in the Valley of the Winds was under clear blue skies. The same chocolate cake stratified cliffs rise high above the trail. Today there was a light wind that was perfect for keeping the mosquitoes at bay.

The scenic cruising after Qeqertarsuaq (on our way to Uummannaq) is always superb with hundreds of icebergs all around. In addition to the statuesque icebergs we had a really fantastic and almost completely unexpected treat. Two Sperm Whales!!! We knew Sperm Whales occured in this region but we certainly were not expecting to see one, nevermind two!!! The ship's officers turned the Fram around so we could get a closer look. We were able to appproach the smaller of the two whales within 100 metres. The behaviour we observed was very typical of Sperm Whales. They took at least 15 ventilations before raising their enormous flukes to start a dive that could easily last more than 30 minutes. Larger, older, male Sperm whales are capable of diving for 90 minutes and as deep as 3000 metres on a single breath of air.

What a stroke of luck for us to see these extraordinary animals!

Sisimiut

Our approach to Sisimiut was through a grey overcast morning but the weather gods continue to smile upon us. Just as we neared the harbour the sun broke through. For the rest of the day we had sunny blue skies. Perfect weather for a stroll in Sisimiut to visit the museum or for one of our excursions such as the historic hike to Tele Island or a short boat ride to visit the ghost town of Asaqutaq just outside of Sismiut.

As a point on interest, Sisimiut means "inhabitants by the fox burrows". One would have to assume that at one time there were plenty of Arctic Foxes near Sisimiut! It was founded in 1756 as a mission and trading post and was called Holsteinborg. Today Sismiut is the 2nd largest town in Greenland supported largely by hunting, fishing and tourism.

Our day in Sismiut ended with a terrific synchronized kayaking demonstration right beside the ship by two Greenlandic kayaking experts. Elias and Emaanooroq showed us many of the 36 different ways to roll a kayak.

Sisimiut in the sunshine puts a smile on everyone's face!!

Ilulissat

Living in Ilulissat means you live with ice. That's not surprising when you live right beside one of the most productive glaciars in the world. The Glaciar Sermeq Kujalleq produces 10% of all the calved glacial ice in Greenland and is the most productive glaciar in the world outside of Antarctica. Sermeq Kujalleq has been studied for over 250 years and has helped us understand climate change and glaciology.

Of course all of that ice effects our day on the Fram in several ways. It obviously poses navigational hazards. When navigating through heavy ice we must reduce our speed. The direct route no longer exists and we must weave our way in, around and through the ice. Heavy ice can cause delays in our scheduled landings and then have a ripple effect making us late for the next landing.

But we wouldn't want a trip to Greenland without ice. It is one of the main things we have come to see. Brash ice. Growlers. Ice floes. Icebergs. Glaciars. For us it is other worldly. Beautiful. For a Greenlander it is a backdrop to every day life.

Equip Sermia

This was the view from deck seven on the stern of the MS Fram where we had a truly amazing barbeque tonight. No wind. No clouds. This photo only shows you a small part of the scene. You are missing the other 245 degrees of an absolutely killer view and you're also missing the steaks and the chicken and the yummy fish burgers and the sausages and the salads and the cakes and...
It was really good. You should have been here.
Our day started out very cool and very overcast. Despite a day spent at sea there was plenty to do.
Our morning was filled with lectures. In the afternoon there were more stimulating talks and a visit from the King of the sea - Neptune. Perhaps it was Neptune that arranged a perfect end to our day.
Looking out the window right now the sun is just sinking behind some low hills. There are icebergs all around. The sea is like glass. Still no clouds in the sky.
Oh heck! It's easier for me to show you than it is to try to describe it in words. It's 23:48. I just ran outside and took the last two photographs.
I hope you make it to one of our barbeques at Eqip Sermia. Perhaps you will have a perfect day just like we did.

Uummannaq and Ukkusissat

Every week we hike into the rugged hills behind the town of Uummannaq. The destination is a modest turf hut where Greenland and Danish children believe Santa Claus lives. The hut was built for a television show that ran in the '80's and '90's. The ever present icebergs in the back ground provide a note of elegance to the austere but beautiful landscape.
In town, children never fail to greet us at the dock. They insist on helping us with our Polar Cirkle boat operations. They are always welcome and are a lot of fun to have around.

Later in the day, at 19:00 we stopped by Ukkusissat. It was a gorgeous summer night. About thirty people from town came to the Fram to entertain us and show us their traditional clothing. Again, lots of children are present and like always, they are pleasure to have around.
After the singing and dancing on board Fram we were invited to the village for coffee and cakes in the Community Hall.

Qeqertarsuaq

Qeqertarsuaq has a history of whaling. The first whalers arrived here in 1773. Last year the International Whaling Commission granted Greenland its first Bowhead Whale quota since 1937. They are allowed two Bowheads each year between 2008 and 2012.
In the spring Qeqertarsuaq whalers successfully landed a Bowhead. It was the 2nd of their alloted four for 2008-09. On National Day - June 21st, the meat was shared with everyone in the community and in many other towns in Greenland.

These days there are few people with the equipment to hunt such a large animal. Seemingly simple things such as turning the whale to get the meat from the entire whale become a big challenge. Bowheads are extremely large and can weigh more than 60 tons.
After the residents of Qeqertarsuaq got as much meat as they could, they decided to try to salvage the skeleton which would eventually be put on display in front of the museum.
The most efficient way of doing that is to let the sea and the denizens of the sea aid in the decomposition.

For the past few weeks the remains of that whale have been floating about 200 metres from where we drop our anchor beside the village. The whale is wrapped in nets and floats are attached to the nets.

Some of us took a trip out to the carcass in our Polar Cirkle boats. There is still one heck of a lot of whale to decompose.

Sisimiut

Today felt more like the Arctic than it has for the past two weeks. There was a real change in the weather with cloudy skies and a bit of a nip to the air. But isn't that part of what we are here for? To experience a bit of Arctic summer. To get an inkling of what it might be like to live here. To see Greenland in the present and try to gain some insight to its past.

Sisimiut is very much a modern day town. A lot of people from smaller villages moved to Sisimiut years ago because of the many benefits of living in a larger community - sometimes abandoning their old homes.
An excursion to the abandoned village of Asaqutaq (a short boat ride form Sisimiut) on a cloudy, chilly Arctic July day is an excursion into the past. It is a ghost town. In 1969 through 71 the 80 or so inhabitants of Asaqutaq moved to Sisimiut. Some of the houses are still in very good condition, obviously still under someone's care. Some of the houses are collapsing. Fishing nets adorn the old fish processing plant.
Today was certainly a day of contrasts. Modern Sisimiut and the ghosts of Asaqutaq.

Itilleq

There was a gentle roll to the sea today. It was the first time we had actually felt the graceful Fram moving when she was underway. There was just enough of a breeze to keep the Northern Fulmars and Glaucous Gulls soaring effortlessly. It was a beautiful morning to be cruising on our way to Itilleq.
We filled the morning by attending lectures and strolling about on deck.
At 13:30 we dropped the anchor. It was a short two minute ride in the Polar Cirkle boats to shore.
Today we met David, a very warm and friendly man that was born and raised in Itilleq. He makes a living and supports his wife and three children mostly by hunting and fishing. There is plenty of game to hunt: caribou, muskox, narwhal, beluga whale and seals. His freezer was full of Arctic Char. He and his family eat what they need but he sells most of what he hunts to markets in nearby Sisimiut and Uummannaq. In the spring he hunts seals using his dogs and dog sled on the ice. We were invited to his home where he served coffee and showed us photos of his family and some of the game he had hunted.
A nice diesel furnace in therliving room supplied heat in the cold weather but he explained that many of the homes used water radiators. For electricity, the town has large diesel powered generators.
Of course, our weekly soccer match of Team Fram vs Itilleq took place today:
Itilleq 4
Team Fram 2

Ilulissat

There are plenty of things to do in the third largest town in Greenland. There are helicopter excursions to one of the world's most productive glaciars - Sermeq Kujalleq. Flying over miles of icebergs and then over the glaciar itself is an experience you will not soon forget.

A short hike through town along a very nicely kept boardwalk will also bring you to the icebergs of Sermeq Kujalleq. The terminus of the glaciar is about 4okm from Ilulissat and Icefjord is just a short 30 minute hike outside of town. The hike takes you to several extraordinary views of the icebergs.
A boat excursion from the Fram will take you to the entrance of Icefjord. Cruising around gigantic icebergs in a small boat is really, really great! From July through September, Humpback whales are frequently seen in Icefjord.

It is not for nothing that Ilulissat is an Unesco world Hertitage Site!