Sisimiut

At 10:45 we dropped anchor just off shore from Sisimiut. Another ship, the Bremen, was tied up at the only available space along the pier. At 11:00, first off the ship were those of us going to the ghost town of Asaqutaq. Shortly thereafter our Polar Cirkle boat operations began. It was a quick ride to shore and a beautiful partially cloudy day to explore Sisimiut.
When exploring Greenland there are constant reminders that this is still very much a hunting and fishing society. Just outside of the dock area were three Greenlanders selling cariboo meat. Hunting season for cariboo and muskox begins in August. Piles of cariboo meat were placed neatly on flattened cardboard boxes on the side of the road. Just along the sea wall there were two fresh cariboo hides.
Just after our historic hikes to Tele island began at 15:00, the Bremen set sail and the Fram moved to the pier. It was a great day for a hike and our World of Greenland guides, Christina and Jorn educated us on the early Dorset and Thule societies that first occupied the area. Our hike took us by the local kayaking club where young Greenlanders are keeping the art of building Greenland style kayaks alive. Just before we left the dock at 18:00 we were treated to a kayaking demonstration. The two kayakers were obviously very skilled.
What a great way to start our travels in Greenland

Kangerlussuaq

Touchdown - Kangerlussuaq! Greenland at last. The journey we had all been dreaming about was beginning in earnest. As we entered the airport terminal we were greeted by the expedition team from the MS Fram. In short order we were escorted to the buses that would take us to the ship. A fifteen minute ride through barren rolling hills terminated at a small dock that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. The excitement mounted in anticipation of boarding the Fram. Our new home for the next two weeks lay at anchor just 1km off shore. But first, on shore side, we were given a brief introduction to life jackets (it seemed like fighting an octopus with all of those straps!) and Polar Cirkle boat procedures.
Once onboard we were very efficiently checked in, photographed, issued ID cards and shown to our cabins. Later, when we arrived to our buffet dinner, it was very obvious that we were not going to lose weight on this trip!!
At 22:30 we took part in a mandatory drill which was followed by a welcome from the Captain and an introduction to the ship’s officer’s and expedition team.

Whew! What a long day!

Itilleq

It was a beautiful day to cruise south to Itilleq. Our morning was filled with lectures and bridge tours. Captain Arnvid Hansen was a very entertaining host. It was great to see the auto pilot system, radar screens, computers, communication station, fire station and all of the other sophisticated equipment on the bridge. It was fascinating to learn that the steering control for the Fram was not a great wheel like one might expect. No. To steer the Fram there is a tiny 10cm joy stick, just like the ones used in video games!
At 13:30 we arrived in Itilleq. We dispersed through town and went to our various rendezvous for a kaffemik. Each of us was given a colour coded ticket to join a local person in their home for coffee and cake. The coloured tickets ensured we went to the right house!
Coffee and cake. Caffeine and calories. Just what we needed for the soccer match that started at 15:00. It was an excellent game with the result being a tie.
Perhaps next week we should drink just a little more coffee.
By 17:00 we were all once again comfortably ensconced in the Fram.
Our evening was completed with a farewell dinner and a very warm speech from the Captain.
What a fantastic trip this has been!

Uummannaq and Illorsuit

The weather continues to be tailor made for adventures in Greenland. It was another cool sunny day. Absolutely perfect for our hike that started at Santa's summer home and ended in Uummannaq. We posed for a group picture at Santa's small green turf hut and then headed across the barren landscape that surrounds Uummannaq. A long line of blue jackets stretched across the rocky landscape as we followed the pink dots that marked the trail to town.
On the edge of town we were greeted by Greenland dogs. On some of the houses there were Harp Seal skins hanging on racks for stretching and drying. On other houses there were muskox skulls and caribou antlers. Greenland style dog sleds parked in the front yard for the summer were a common sight.
After the hike we had time to return to the ship for a scrumptious buffet lunch and explore Uummannaq on our own.
At 14:30 we lifted anchor and headed to our next stop for the day: Illorsuit. Illorsuit is the smallest community we visit and today was the only time the Fram stopped there. It was a special occasion. Today was their 150th anniversary. We invited the people from Illorsuit to the ship where they entertained us with singing and dancing. They also put on a small Greenlandic Fashion show modelling traditional clothes for us. The intricate workmanship in the clothing was very impressive.
At about 21:00 we headed to shore in our Polar Cirkle boats. It was a wonderful experience to explore Illorsuit and interact with the local people. A few small kids followed us while we wandered along the beach. A small dance floor and band stand had been set up for the evenings celebrations. There was more singing and dancing and plenty of opportunity to wander about the little village.
Clearly this was a hunting and fishing community. There were two minke whale skeletons lying on the far end of the beach at the edge of the village. The whales had been butchered cleanly and the meat distributed to everyone. Many houses had whale meat and fish drying on the front porch - right next to the laundry!
A crowd of children helped us with our life jackets and waved goodbye as the last Polar Cirkle boat left shore at 23:00.
We will all go home with very fond memories of our evening in Illorsuit.

Qeqertarsuaq

It is always very special to have our first day with ice. Lots of ice. Stately icebergs were our constant escorts. The approach to Qeqertarsuaq was quite dramatic with rocky shoals on both sides of the ship. We carefully and slowly navigated through the narrow entrance to our anchorage spot beneath the beautiful stratified cliffs that provide an impressive and extremely beautiful backdrop to the small community.
We dropped anchor at 9:00. Soon we boarded the Polar Cirkle boats and headed to shore to start our hike to The Valley of The winds. A short walk through town lead us to a beautiful dark sandy beach. Greenland dogs lay snoozing in the warm morning sun. A handful of small fishing boats were pulled up beyond the high tide line. There were large icebergs quite close to shore. Small bergy bits had washed onto the beach. We were warned to avoid going right down to the water's edge as large waves from collapsing icebergs were always a hazard.
Our hike terminated at a beautiful waterfall. It was a perfect place to catch our breath, relax and enjoy the majestic scenery.
By 12:30 most of us were back to the ship for lunch. There was still plenty of time for us to eat and then explore Qeqertarsuaq on our own.
At 15:30 the last boat left shore. Soon we lifted anchor and headed north once again.
It was a perfect evening for scenic cruising. Not a breath of wind. Plenty of blue sky and sunshine. And hundreds of icebergs.
Tomorrow: Uummannaq and Ukkusissat.

Sisimiut

Fog bound. It's a weird feeling to be cruising in the fog when you realize that the ship's officers are 100% reliant on electronic gear such as radar, GPS and Loran-c. As a brand new state of the art expedition cruise vessel, the Fram is equipped with an impressive array of navigational aids. This morning our visibility was cut to less than 100 metres at times. The seas were calm. There was next to no wind. We were wrapped in a dense sea fog.
Just before 11:00 we turned the ship's bow towards Sisimiut. As we got closer to shore the fog began to lift. Soon we were under clear blue skies once again!
Many of us went on a boat excursion to the abandoned village of Asaqutaq. En route we saw a humpback whale! It is prime season for viewing whales in Greenland particularly Humpback whales. The whales are here for one reason - to eat. Just outside Sisimiut harbour in the peak of summer, Humpbacks are a daily occurrence.
Whatever we chose to do today, whether it was the historic hike to Tele Island, a boat excursion or explore town on our own, we had a perfect day for it.

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.