Nothing But Blue Skies From Now On

Blue skies smiling at me.  Nothing but blue skies do I see.  Or so sings Willy Nelson.  We can only hope for more blue skies like today. 

This is the way to kick off a trip.  This morning, bright and early, we cruised through a rather thick sea fog.  Fog often collects when warm summer air meets cold ocean air on wind free days.  And just as often the fog is confined to the sea. That is exactly what happened today.  When we approached Sisimiut the fog parted in a rather dramatic fashion revealing the picturesque town.  It was almost as if we had planned it.

Shortly after 11:00 the 1st Polar Cirkle boats headed to the pier.  The 1st people off the ship today were those going on the long hike to the top of Palaasip Qaqqa mountain.  I climbed up Palaasip Qaqqa a couple of weeks ago and I can tell you that it's a fairly tough hike and I can also tell you the stupendous view from the top is worth the effort.  The 1st image shows the view of Sismiut (you can see the entire town) and the 2nd photo is of the hardy gang that made it to the top.

A lot of people also went on a guided hike to Tele Island where we saw the ruins from Thule people dating back to about 1650.  There are also a couple of Thule graves which look very much like stone cairns.  In one of the graves you can see the bones of the person that was buried there.  The graves are very typical of that time period.  They are built close to the ocean with a view of the sea.  People were not buried in a prone position but rather more in a foetal position.

There were many jellyfish visible today.  Most of them were Lion's Mane jellyfish.  There was a Sherlock Holmes story entitled, The Adventure of the Lion's Mane  where a professor is killed by the sting of this jellyfish.  The sting can be painful but it is not enough to kill someone.  Lion's Manes are the largest species of jellyfish.  I photographed this one when I was standing on the dock.  It was just beneath the surface.

Well, just as Willie sings it, let's hope that there is "nothing but blue skies from now on".

When You First Touched Greenland

Let’s talk about your vacation in Greenland for just a moment.

This photograph represents a very special moment in time. It’s the moment you first touched Greenland.  You must have been excited.  This is a big trip to a very exotic destination.  Perhaps you had been dreaming about going to Greenland a for a very long time. And now the dream has become reality.

You had a hundred questions going through your mind: 

What will the people in Greenland be like?  

What will the landscape look like? 

You were curious about the ship, the food, your cabin, the people working on the ship. 

You asked yourself, “will I get sea sick? Will it be really cold?  Will I see an iceberg?”

Now the great mystery of your vacation is being unravelled moment by moment. 

When you arrived at the Kangerlussuaq airport you were greeted by members of the expedition team.  Outside there were three buses waiting to take you to the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord.  After a twenty minute ride through the rugged hills paralleling the fjord the bus crested a hill and there lay MS Fram!  Another wave of excitement flooded through you.

Now it was time to put on a life jacket and your first ride in a Polar Cirkle boat. You checked in on deck three, were issued I.D. cards and escorted to your cabin.  Now there was time to investigate your new home.  Soon there were lots of lost people wandering about!

At 20:30 everyone attended a compulsory safety drill. Right after the drill we met the Captain in the Observation Lounge on deck seven.  The Captain gave a welcome speech and introduced some of the officers and the Expedition Team.

The moment you first touched Greenland was very special, but the most special moment will be when you are touched by Greenland.

There Aren't Any Vuvuzela's Here.

We had plenty to do in the morning and afternoon while we headed south on our way to Itilleq.  There was a full plate of lectures in German, English and Danish.  There were briefings about the plan for tomorrow.  You could take a stroll on deck, go to the gym, have a sauna, enjoy the Observation lounge on deck seven or just do nothing at all.  

We dropped anchor at 15:30.  By 16:00 just everyone was on shore.  A crowd was beginning to gather around the soccer field in anticipation of the weekly match between Fram and Itilleq.

It's not South Africa and it's not the World Cup but here in Itilleq the beautiful game unites the world in an unlikely a place.  Today we had people from 15 different countries having a huge amount of fun playing and watching a soccer match on a small sandy pitch in the heart of the village.  The same field where a Polar Bear was shot just two months ago by the former Prime Minister of Greenland.  

It would be difficult to imagine a more diverse group of people. There are no millionaire spoiled athletes here.   Just everyone having fun.  No one cares who you are, or what you do, or even if it's the first time you ever kicked a ball.  Just play. Have fun.

As usual the Fram side was badly trounced.  We lost 10-4.  It turns out that soccer is a popular game in Greenland.

The crowd cheered between mouthfuls of hot coffee and delicious cakes served along the sidelines. There were no vuvuzela's here.  Just lots of cheering and clapping.

Before, after, or even during the match, there was lots of opportunity to wander around the village.  There were a few hand made crafts for sale in "the pink house".  

At 17:45 it was time for the last boat to head back to the ship.  

Right now the sky has cleared up once again.  There is a fog bank off to the starboard side.  It looks like it will be a really nice evening for cruising up Kangerlussuaq Fjord.  If it is a clear night, it will be spectacular.

The Hallelujah Icebergs Of Ilulissat

There are about four thousand dogs in Ilulissat.  There might be more dogs than people. Indeed, many settlements in Greenland have more dogs than people.  And the dogs are all the same breed.  Greenland dogs.   For the most part they live outdoors their entire lives.  Sometimes they have rudimentary shelter.  Sometimes not.  They are tough working dogs. They seem friendly enough.  Maybe some of them are friendly but petting them is sort of like playing Russian roulette.  "Don't pet the dogs" is the standard advice.  Yes, it may be wagging it's tail and looking very cute and coy with a "come pet me" wriggling body posture.  You might be fine for awhile.  If you are a dog person and can't resist, pet the puppies.

Our day was spent in Ilulissat.  Just about everyone saw the Ice Fjord (also called Kangia ).  Many people saw the fjord and the crazy amount of ice from the air.  Others saw it from the sea and still others from shore.  Today it was even more spectacular than the last time we were there.  The sea was like a perfect mirror.  You couldn't tell where the sky stopped and the water began.  Did anyone see James Cameron's movie Avatar?   The ice reminded me of the Hallelujah floating mountains in Avatar.  I know I am a bit of a geek at times but geek or not, the vista of ice was truly other worldly.  The reflections were so perfect it seemed like the gigantic icebergs were floating in the air.

The View Without A Window

I was in my cabin this afternoon admiring the view.  I don't have a window but the view is excellent.  The ship has a bow camera which is broadcast live in all cabins.  It is also broadcast on the internet. It's great.  In some ways it's better than a real window.  I don't even have to get out of bed to admire the view.  I just grab the remote and turn on my "window".  The first image is a photograph of my view.

And the view was fantastic as we plied our way through ice-laden waters on our way to Glacier Eqip Sermia. 

I arrived on the bow deck just as King Neptune arrived.  What a happy coincidence.  Neptune was on board to baptize everyone that crossed the Arctic Circle on this voyage.  In the photo my friend Ilja is being baptized by having ice-cold water poured down the back of his neck.  Ilja is a member of the expedition team and lectures on the politics of Greenland. I believe that he is a bit of a masochist as he was baptized both last week and the week before.  Or then again, maybe he's just a really good team member.

Last we week we were stymied by the ice.  It was just too thick for us to push through.  Today it was perfect.  There was still way more ice than usual.  In fact there hasn't been this much ice in this channel for about twenty-five years.  The glaciers have been hyper-active and they have created a crystalline maze for us to cruise through.  By 17:30 we had dropped anchor and revved up the Polar Cirkle boats.
I won't say another word about the weather as I'm sure you're bored with reading about it but look at the photos.  I will mention though, that the black-flies were vicious.  I waged chemical warfare against them.  Others waved their arms vigourously. Still others chose mosquito netting (probably the best option).  In the end I think the flies won as many people were chased back to the ship early.

Those poor miserable people that went back early.  They had to sit and stare at a beautiful glacier and gorgeous sunset while suffering through a specially prepared, delicious barbeque. Perhaps they eased their pain with a cocktail or a glass of wine - all the while in a fly free zone.

It was so beautiful tonight I could hardly sit still to write this blog.  I kept running outside to take more photographs.  I put in my favourite just for you.

If Life Is Moving Too Fast, Move North.

We visited Uummannaq this morning.  That's 590 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and in the evening we went still further north to Ukkusisat.  That is very cool. 

Uummannaq is home for about 1300 people.  That's a small town by most people's standards but it is a big town in Greenland.  The 11th largest in fact.  The hustle of the city is far away.  The speed of life is slower this far north.  Much slower.  Literally.  Did you know that the speed demons living at the equator are moving at 1,670 kph due to the rotational speed of the earth?  Uummannaq moves a lot slower.  The speed of life here is a mere 571 kph.  The slugs at the north pole are moving at 1 cm/24 hours.  So if you're prone to dizziness or just want to slow down, move to the north pole.  Of course we could add in the speed of the earth as it rotates around the sun (107,278.87 kph) but since that is constant everywhere on earth it doesn't figure into the equation here.

Look at the photo for today's visit to Uummannaq.  Could the weather be better?  

No.  It couldn't.

Beautiful hardly describes the scenery.  It is something much more.  Stunning Greenland landscapes were our playground all day long.  Ha! Envious?  You have reason to be. The boat excursions to the Red Desert wove through hundreds of icebergs before arriving at a wondrous place that could best be described as a golden lunar landscape.  The hike to Santa's cabin had fantastic views of the ocean, multitudes of icebergs and multi-coloured cliffs.  The lunch at the Uummannaq hotel was a gourmet experience not to be forgotten.  All of that and more was our morning and early afternoon. And we still hadn't arrived in Ukkusisat where everything moves ever so slightly slower (further north you know).

I have mentioned before that Ukusisat is my favourite stop in Greenland.  It is really a lot of fun having everyone from the village come on Fram.  The choir is great.  There were four generations in that choir.  Well, I'm not sure how much the baby was contributing.  You could tell the folk dancers were having fun by the smiles and laughter on the dance floor.   We even got to participate. I have two left feet. Definitely not a good dancer - but maybe that makes it even more fun.

Now it's getting late.  

23:25. 

I just shot the last image for today's blog.  I know. It sucks to be us.

PS

Even though it is out of  chronological order, I had to put the little girl's picture first.

The Summer Is Waning

August seven. The summer is waning. Soon the first frost will fall and in another month the first snow flurries will fly.  There are still splashes of vivid pink from patches of Niviarsiaq the national flower of Greenland but the wildflowers are past their peak and are becoming increasingly difficult to find. 

Mushrooms were more evident and seem abundant.  There aren’t any toxic fungi in Greenland that can be mistaken as edible mushrooms.  

Crowberries were sweet and ripe for the picking. The temptation was great to fill my knapsack as we hiked on a glorious late summer day to the Valley Of The Winds.

We paused on a dark sandy beach that was strewn with bits of bergs that had washed ashore.  Further out we could see humpback whales amongst a flotilla of large icebergs. We walked by wetter areas where Arctic Cotton grass swayed in rhythm with a light cool wind.

The visibility seemed endless.  We could see the tops of the stratified cliffs that hem in the valley.  On a cloudy day you don’t know what you are missing.  We were lucky.

Soon we reached the waterfall and the turn around point of our hike.  A perfect spot to drink some water, sit and relax before making our way back into Qeqertarsuaq.  

 At approximately 16:00 we bid adieu to Qeqertarsuaq and headed north towards Uummannaq and Ukkusisat our destinations for tomorrow.  Hundreds of icebergs dotted the sea. 

What remained of our afternoon was filled with lectures and briefings about our day tomorrow.

In the evening the ship's crew, officers and expedition team entertained us with a fun fashion show.  Whew!  A very full day.

Sisimiut

Early this morning the water was like glass. The wind was light and variable as we approached Sisimiut.  It looked like it was going to be a great day.  By 11:00 we were alongside the dock.  Sisimiut has a lot to offer.  It is the second largest city in Greenland with a population of approximately 5350 people.  It is important historically, economically and culturally.  

To get to town one has to walk through the small but very beautiful harbour.  It is just loaded with colourful fishing boats both large and small.  You walk by crab traps and even what appears to be a grave yard for old outboard motors!

There is a fine museum that has lots of artifacts from local digs.  People settled this region in waves and the museum has examples from the Saqaq Dorset and Thule cultures.  The third photograph is of the inside of an Umiaq, a boat made from seal skin that only women used.  This is a rather large Umiaq that several people would paddle together.
There were several options for excursions.  some people chose to go a rather challenging 6 hour hike to the top of Palaasip Qaqqa mountain.  They had a perfect day for it.  You can see all of Sisimiut from that lofty peak.  Others chose to go to the ghost town of Assaqutaq.  All afternoon blue jacketed people could be spotted on walking tours through town or out to Tele Island.
There was plenty of time to go on an optional excursion or two and still have time to explore the town on your own.
Just before our departure we were treated to a really great demonstration from expert kayakers.  There are 36 ways to roll your kayak and I think we saw most of them.
As we head for Qeqertarsuaq we have calm seas and a lovely warm sunset.

Seize Your Vacation

I believe you will look back at this blog in years to come and be reminded of the happy days you spent with us on Fram in Greenland.  That is how confident I am that you are going to have a great time with us.

The initial photograph is close to the moment in time when you first saw the ship. You were standing on an isolated pier in the middle of Greenlandic wilderness.  It was a gorgeous sunny day.  Some of you were surprised at how nice the weather was.  Kangerlussuaq has 300 hundred cloud free days per year so the odds were pretty good that it would be sunny when you arrived. You were just about to hop on a Polar Cirkle boat which would bring you to your home-away-from-home.  Look at all of those happy smiling faces.  A year from now, two years from now, when you look back at this day by checking the blog I am sure you will be smiling again.

After the checkin process on deck three was over and you were shown to your room, it was soon time for dinner.

At 20:30 there was a mandatory safety drill on deck five which was immediately followed by Captain Rune Andreassen's welcome speech.  We were introduced to some of the ship's officers and the expedition team.

For many of you, travelling to Greenland has been a dream for a very long time and now, finally you are here.  I wonder if that has sunk in yet?

All of you are on vacation in a very special place with incredible scenery and wonderful people.   Make the most of it.  Relax. Enjoy the ship and everything it has to offer.  Attend lectures.  Go to the crew show.  Try the jacuzzi.  Meet the crew.  Get to know your fellow passengers.  Where else will you meet people from different parts of the world all sharing a common interest.   When you have the opportunity on shore, go exploring.  Try some of the local food. Go on hikes with us.  Try an excursion or two. We will do everything to make sure you have a fantastic vacation but you have to do your part too.

Seize your vacation.  You are in Greenland!  Kalaallit Nunaat.

Itilleq In The Sunshine

Itilleq in the sunshine is a rainbow of colourful houses.   Purple, blue, torquoise, green, chartreuse, yellow, orange, pink, and red houses arc across the hillside.  It is cheery relief from the stark, largely monochromatic landscape.  I imagine the settlement in the winter and how the colours must stand out against the snow. Perhaps the bright colours provide a margin of safety in the case of white out, or near white out conditions making it easier to find your way home.  Or maybe it's an answer to living in a world devoid of a large colour palette. Or, perhaps Greenlanders just love colour.

Regardless I love it.  It's beautiful.

Itilleq is a very tidy well looked after settlement.  It is obvious that the people here take pride in their homes and community.

Shortly after 13:00 we loaded into the Polar Cirkle boats for a short ride to the pier.  We were all issued tickets to partake in a kaffemik.  Several people in Itilleq opened their homes to us and offered coffee, cakes and in some cases a broader selection of local foods.

The highlight of the day was the soccer match:  Fram vs Itilleq.  On a sandy, gravel field where not a blade of grass could possibly survive, we engaged Itilleq in a raucous game of soccer.  As the score will attest, our team was better than it usually is. We have rarely beaten Itilleq and we did not win today. The final score was 5 - 5.  Or perhaps both teams won.

Would You Go To Rome And Not See The Coliseum?

You can't go all the way to Greenland and then travel to Ilulissat and let a little rain stop you from going to the mouth of Kangia Fjord to witness one of the most spectacular scenes on earth.  That would be just plain crazy.  Would you go to Niagara Falls and not see the waterfall?  Would you go to the Grand Canyon and not see the canyon?  Perhaps you would just look the other way?  Would you go to Rome and not see the coliseum?  Of course you wouldn't.  That would be crazy.

We are not crazy.  A light rain (heavy mist?) would not keep us from seeing what might be considered an eighth wonder of the world.  We walked through Ilulissat in a light rainfall and you know what?  It was downright pleasant.


Soon we were on the outskirts of town and going through the centre of what you might call dog city.  Hundreds (or at least it appeared to be hundreds) of Greenland dogs are kept just outside of town.  They are working dogs.  Sled dogs.  There were many puppies waddling about.  It is important to keep new young dogs coming up for your team.

Another twenty minutes of walking brought us to a stunning lookout over the fjord.  Awesome is a very tired word but it IS an awesome site.  And it is the major reason that the Ilulissat region is a Unesco World Heritage site.

At Atá

We had a little further to travel today which meant our morning was a time to relax.  We had several lectures from which to choose, or we could meet with the photographer by the fireplace, or just kick back and enjoy the ride.
  In the afternoon we had a surprise visit from King Neptune.   We are well above the Arctic Circle at approximately 69˚49´N, 50˚15´W.  In recognition of crossing the circle, Neptune was here to baptize us with Arctic water.  Two hundred people lined up to have ice-water poured down the back of their neck!  B-r-r-r!
Our destination for today was the beautiful Eqip Sermia glacier.  As we plied our way towards the glacier the water became choked with ice.  Brash ice, bergy bits, ice floes and large icebergs.  The captain was at the helm skillfully navigating through the dense ice. Our speed was reduced to a minimum.  The scenery was fantastic.  Blue jacketed people lined the railings on all the outside decks.


And the ice got denser.  


It soon became apparent that it would not be wise to try to force our way through the ice any further.  When it comes to battles with mother nature usually discretion is the better part of valour.  Sometimes nature's victories have severe consequences.  
Very quickly a new plan was organized by our Expedition Leader Anja Erdmann and our Captain Rune Andreassen.  We just happened to be very near a remote nature camp called Atá.  Atá was a former settlement but now caters to tourists for kayaking, fishing, hunting and hiking.  The decision was made to attempt to do a landing.  Fram altered course. We soon dropped anchor and sent in a landing party to inquire if we could bring people on shore.   Very kindly, the staff at Atá invited us over!  
The hiking was excellent.  Many people climbed up a big hill (small mountain?) where they were able to enjoy a view of Eqip Sermia in the distance.  Cool.  
We made up for our invasion of their wilderness privacy by inviting everyone, guests and staff, to join us for an evening barbeque on board the ship.  
It was a really nice way to wrap up our day and a moment of unexpected luxury for everyone  at Atá.  

Uummannaq and Ukkusisat

The day we visit Uummannaq and Ukkusisat is a very full day.  We arrived in Uummannaq at 10:00.  It was too sunny.  Too warm.  The result was a patchy sea fog that throbbed in and out from shore.  At times the ship was enveloped in thick fog.  It posed some minor challenges for the AB's (able bodied seamen) driving our Polar Cirkle boats.  We could hear the ship's bell ringing to aid the Ab's in locating the ship.  It created a really cool atmosphere and was wonderful for photography.

Today I joined everyone at the Hotel Uummannaq for a featured lunch that we offer our guests as an extra option.  I have to say it was fantastic!  A very special buffet table was laden with all sorts of local delicacies.  A spicy reindeer stew (my favourite) seal stew, minke whale (I passed on the whale meat) halibut, fresh shrimp, various salads and a whole lot more.  I ate way too much!  The view from the tables on the balcony was majorly spectacular.

What do you need after a huge lunch?  No. Not a nap.  A hike is the thing.  It was a perfect day to scamper over  the rocks behind Uummannaq.  There were at least 50 people on our hike. Every single person that went was really glad they chose to go.   On a day like we had today it is impossible to take a bad photograph.  You could trip with your camera in your hand and come up with a great photo!  That's how good the weather and scenery were.

Precisely at 19:30 we reached the village of Ukkusisat.  It is my favourite stop on our itinerary. Why?  Because it is where we have the most contact with the local people.  Over time we have established friendships and a wonderful relationship with this small village of 150 people (and about 250 dogs)!
50 people from Ukkusisat came on board Fram where they entertained us with folk dancing and singing in the Observation lounge, in fact some of us participated in the square dancing which was really fun!

At 21:00 we hopped into the Polar Cirkle boats and went to explore  the village.  We were invited into the community centre for coffee and cake.

By the time all was said and done it was 22:30 before everyone was back on the ship.
Whew! A full day but a really great day!

Hanging Sharks and Spotted Wolffish

 It seemed just about everyone on the ship joined in on our hike to the Valley Of The Winds this morning.  It was a brisk morning, overcast. Quite good for hiking actually.  We set off through town to the beach.  There were several large icebergs just off shore.  The near-black sand on the beach provided a nice contrast to the white ice strewn about the beach.  With a resounding crack one of the larger icebergs split into several smaller bergs.  Calving icebergs often inspire tsunamis. We scampered a little higher up the beach just in case. 

Another hour of hiking brought us the waterfall at the head of the Valley.  It is really a picturesque place with high layered cliffs rising steeply on both sides of the valley.

Back in Qeqertarsuq we had time to explore.  There are lots of opportunities to purchase crafts throughout our trip.  On the table in the photo you can see several items made from: reindeer antlers, muskox horn, bowhead whale baleen, seal claws, polar bear claws and dog skin.

Closer to the small pier where we were running our Polar Cirkle boat operations was a rack of drying fish.   Greenland Shark and Spotted Wolffish.  It is probable that the hanging fish will be fed to the dogs. However some species of dried fish are a delicacy for many Greenlanders.

Greenland Shark is somewhat toxic producing an effect of extreme drunkenness if consumed without proper preparation (is that a bad thing)?  However if boiled in many changes of water, or if hung to dry for several months, or if buried in the ground and left to ferment for several weeks and then hung to dry for several months - it is edible for humans and dogs.  However I really don't know how anyone or any dog could possibly get past the smell.