Aedes Impiger

Captain Arild Hårvild and King Neptune

Our perfect weather continues.  Clear sunny skies on a wind free day make for perfect cruising conditions.  The sea becomes one gigantic reflective surface.  Each iceberg is mirrored in the water.  We are now on the south bound part of our journey in Greenland.  We had a lot of distance to cover from Ukussisat to the glacier Eqip Sermia.  Our arrival at Eqip was not scheduled until 17:30.  That meant we had the entire day to enjoy these perfect cruising conditions.  

Lectures and briefings were scheduled throughout the day.  There was another opportunity to attend a lecture by our special guest lecturer former astronaut Claude Nicolier.

In the afternoon we had a visit from King Neptune.  He boarded Fram to collect his toll for crossing the Arctic Circle.  The price we had to pay was to be baptized with frigid Arctic water.  That's right.  Ice cold water poured right down the back of your neck.  King Neptune was well assisted by our Captain Arild Hårvild.

We arrived at Eqip as scheduled at 17:30.  Soon Polar Cirkel boats were whisking everyone to shore.  In the background we could hear constant rumblings and grumblings from the Glacier.  White thunder!  This was the most active we had ever seen the glacier.  Throughout the landing Eqip Sermia calved many times.  The larger calvings caused logistical problems at the landing site.  On several occasions large waves washed up the beach interrupting landing operations.  The largest of the waves washed another 10 metres up the beach while the sea rose between two and three metres.  It was impressive. Each time a major wave rolled in it would take ten minutes for the after shock waves to settle.

Walter and his female admirers (mosquitoes)

Once safely on shore everyone was enjoying the magnificent scenery.  Many people chose to hike up a large hill to enjoy the view from a high vantage point.
No matter where you went on shore you were followed by a host of female admirers.  Mosquitoes.  There were a lot of them!  We had prepared everyone in advance. Everyone was armed with spray or a mosquito hat.  Every week we get the question, "what do the mosquitoes feed on when we aren't here"?

First of all, it is only the females that are blood thirsty (no comment).  When a mosquito emerges from the pupa as an adult, the first thing it does is seek a mate.  The males can survive a few short days by feeding on nectar.  The females will also survive for awhile on nectar but with most species of mosquitoes the females need a protein blood meal to successfully develop their eggs after mating.  There are over 2500 species of mosquitoes in the world.  The females in the Arctic however can survive and develop their eggs without a blood meal.  However, if she gets the chance, a meal of blood is far preferred as the brood will be much larger and therefore more successful.   Their most common targets are Muskox and Caribou but they will happily latch onto any mammal. The species we most likely encounter are, Aedes impiger and A. nigripes.  So there you have it.

We all retuned to the ship by 21:00 to enjoy a really great bbq on the stern deck.

Now it is 23:15 and we are mosquito free as we continue to cruise through perfect weather and perfect scenery.

A Slower Pace

Northern Fulmars Ukussisat 

Today was a very full day.  The morning started at a nice leisurely pace. You could even sleep in a little if you wished.   We arrived in Uummannaq at 09:30.  The first Polar Cirkel boats began taking people to shore at 10:00. If you didn't opt for one of the excursions you still had the options of exploring on your own or joining a large group of us for a hike across the island to Santa's Cabin at 13:30.  The weather continues to be excellent.  In fact it was perfect weather for hiking.  

Ukussisat

Much to our surprise, there was coffee, tea, ice water, cookies and cakes waiting for us at Santa's cabin which was served to us by the Expedition Team.  It was a very welcome treat.  For those who didn't think they could make the hike back to the ship, there was an option of getting a ride in a Polar Cirkel boat.

Most of the hikers were back by 16:00.  By 16:30 everyone was back on the ship.  We heaved anchor and headed for our evening destination and the most northerly point of this voyage, Ukussisat.

Ukussisat is home for about 150 people. The largest town/city in Greenland is the capital city Nuuk with a population of about 15,000.  The hustle of the city is far away from Ukussisat.  

We are now about 550 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.    That is extremely cool. The speed of life is much slower this far north.  Much slower.  Literally.  Did you know that the speed freaks living at the equator are moving at 1,675 kph due to the rotational speed of the earth?  Ukussisat moves a lot slower.  The speed of life here is a mere 570 kph.  The turtles at the north pole are moving at 1 cm/24 hours.  (Originally all turtles came from the North Pole which is why they still move so slowly today). Of course we could add in the speed of the earth as it rotates around the sun but since that is constant everywhere on earth it doesn't figure into this equation.

We arrived in Ukussisat at 19:30 and brought about 40 people from the village to the ship.  At 20:00 we met in them in the Observation lounge where they entertained us with Greenlandic folk dancing and singing.

At 21:00 we jumped into the Polar Cirkel boats and visited the picturesque village.  Large cliffs soar vertically immediately behind the village providing a dramatic backdrop. The evening light was warm and beautiful. In the village we were free to go exploring.  By 23:00 we were all back on board the ship.

Those of us that return to Ukussisat on a regular basis felt a little sad.  It was our last time to see our friends here for another year.

Qeqertarsuaq

Humpback Whales in Qeqertarsuaq

Once again our morning started with a thick sea fog.  The fog was so thick when we dropped anchor that we often could not see the shore.  But around 09:30 the fog began to clear and shortly thereafter we began taking everyone to shore in the polar Cirkel boats.  It turned into a gorgeous sunny morning.  Qeqertarsuaq day, is the day when we hike into the Valley of the Winds.  Today there was a different atmosphere.  It felt quiet, like something special was about to happen.

A ten minute walk through the village brought us to a stunningly beautiful dark sandy beach.  Just 100 metres off shore lay several large icebergs.   Small chunks of brash ice had washed onto the beach providing a nice contrast to the dark sand.  Suddenly, just past the icebergs one of the Expedition Team spotted  Humpback Whales.   Something special was happening indeed!  Humpback whales just off shore and beautiful icebergs!  What an amazing hike!  We counted ten whales.  At one point it was very obvious that the whales were feeding as we could see them lunging through the water with their mouths agape.  In fact the only reason that the whales are in Greenland right now is to eat!

Flower photography hiking in the Valley of the Winds

We stood and watched the whales and icebergs to our heart's content and then continued on with the hike. There were beautiful wild flowers everywhere including; several species of Louseworts, Saxifrages, Cinquefoil, Diapensia, Large-flowered wintergreen, Arctic poppies, at least two species of willows with Catkins, Cassiope, Mountain Avens, Blue Heath, Arctic Bilberry and many others.

Soon we arrived at the waterfall.  If you follow this blog you will know that a pair of Canada Geese are nesting at the waterfall and that we have been waiting for the eggs to hatch.  Well, today there were three beautiful little yellow goslings!  Stay tuned.  We'll give you a goose report again next week.

Once back on the ship we enjoyed an excellent talk by our guest lecturer, former astronaut Claude Nicolier.

In the evening we were treated to a fashion show.  Items from the gift shop were modelled by the ship's officers and the Expedition Team.

The View From Palasip Qaqqaa

View From Palasip Qaqqaa Sisimiut

At 11:00 we slowly cruised into the fog beset harbour in Sisimiut.  When cold sea meets warm summer air and there is very little wind, seafog  is often the result.  Such was the case today.  The damp sea air was quite chilly as many people gathered on the dock, the meeting place for either a hike to the top of Palasip Qaqqaa mountain or a hike to Tele Island.  Still others boarded a fast boat at the ship for an excursion to the abandoned village Assaqutat.

Greenlandic children on a tour of the ship!

Throughout the day the fog pulsed in and out of the harbour but the heaviest fog lay at sea.  For those that took the 5 hour hike to the top of Palasip Qaqqaa the fog was a bonus.  For  most of the day we were on top of the clouds.  The views were stunning.  When we looked out to the west we saw a vast ocean of fluffy cotton while we basked in the sunshine.  

The elevation gain on our hike was 470 metres.  It was enough of an elevation change that it should have caused a substantial drop in temperature.  Instead the reverse was true.  The further we got inland, the warmer it got, despite the gain in elevation.

Sitting in the captain's chair!

Not everyone that starts the hike to the summit of Palasip Qaqqaa finishes.  It's a tougher hike than many people expect, despite the fact that we do our best to inform everyone of the degree of difficulty.  Those that manage it always have a real sense of accomplishment having made it to the top and back.  As you can see in the photos, the views are spectacular, which is of course also very rewarding.

One of the highlights of the day was a visit by 41 children from Sisimiut.  On Fram we try to give back to the communities we visit as much as possible.  We donate clothing to villages, we raise money at auctions and give it to the children in Greenland and we do small thing like invite bright-eyed children for a tour of the ship.  This morning 41 excited kids boarded Fram and were given a 5-star tour.  They even got to sit in the Captain's chair.  They each received a big bowl of ice cream with fresh strawberries. Is there anything more universal than a child's love for ice cream?  The biggest thrill was when they attended a special lecture - just for them -  by a real live astronaut. Claude Nicolier!    

It is now 21:00 and we are heading further north.  Tomorrow our port of call will be Qeqertarsuaq.

Kangerlussuaq

Our charter Greenland Air jet touched down in Kangerlussuaq at 15:40.  We disembarked the plane into 14˚C brilliant sunshine.  Could this really be Greenland?  We just flew over the second largest ice sheet in the world  (the views were spectacular)!  There is 2.6 million km³ of ice in Greenland.  Shouldn't this be a cold place? It seemed more like landing in Phoenix Arizona than the second largest ice machine on earth.  In the summer Kangerlussuaq is the warmest inhabited place in Greenland.  In the winter it is the coldest inhabited place.

We walked the 200 metres across the tarmac and into the small airport. The Expedition Team from the ship was there to greet us and to show us to three waiting motor coaches. It was a short twenty minute ride to the ship.  The road we travelled is the longest road in Greenland.  In all of Greenland there are only 150km of roads!  This road ended abruptly at the head of the fjord.

We were each issued a lifejacket and shown how to put them on. We hopped in the Polar Cirkel boats and enjoyed  short ride to the ship.  Once on the ship we were issued ID cards and then shown to our cabins.  Then 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 all dressed warmly for a mandatory safety drill outside on deck 5.  Following the drill 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.  We were then introduced to the team from Kontiki and the Expedition Team from Fram.

It is an absolutely gorgeous evening to sail down this long and very beautiful fjord. 

It will take about 9 hours for Fram to travel the length of Kangerlussuaq Fjord.  It is the third largest fjord in Greenland.  It has been a very long day but now our adventure in Greenland begins!  

Kaffeemik and Soccer and the Circle

We arrived in Itilleq at 13:00 which meant our morning was free for briefings about the day's activities and an important briefing on how disembarkation day, tomorrow, would happen.  

As we approached Itilleq a heavy sea-fog set in, marring our near perfect record for sunshine every day.  With the mist it felt more remote.  Somehow it felt a little more like Greenland.  It felt more like what we imagined it might be like in the Arctic.

The Arctic.  Itilleq is in the Arctic by about 200 metres.  The Arctic Circle passes two hundred metres south of the village's edge.  You could walk to the imaginary line from the village except the Circle passes through a small adjacent island.  You could swim there but the water is 5.50˚C.  But for all intents and purposes we spent the afternoon right on the Arctic Circle!  Now that is extremely cool!

After we dropped anchor, we had a short boat ride to the pier where we were given colour coded tickets to a kaffeemik.  We were all invited into the local people's homes for tea, coffee and cakes. The tickets insured we arrived to the correct house.  

At 13:00 we started the traditional soccer match of Fram vs Itilleq.  We had an excellent start by scoring the first goal but by the end of the 1st half we were behind 5-2.  From there it went steadily downhill.  The final result was Itilleq 10, Fram 3.  Despite the lop-sided score everyone had fun.  I think there were well over thirty players on the small gravel pitch at once!  There was over 200 hundred people cheering for both teams on the sidelines.  

During the second half Rasmus Lyberth entertained everyone right beside the soccer field which of course drew an even bigger crowd.  It was a really fun festive atmosphere.

By 16:30 everyone was back on the ship and at 16:45 we heaved the anchor and turned our bow to the south. At 17:30 we all gathered in the Observation Lounge for the Captain's farewell speech.  Much of the ship's complement was gathered from every department.  After a toast by the Captain; the crew, officers and the Expedition Team joined together to sing some farewell songs.  It was a nice way to wrap up the voyage but the voyage isn't over. Our next stop is Kangerlussuaq.  Then the Circle will be complete.

Flexibility is Paramount While Expedition Cruising

 Once again we were stymied by the Ilulissat ice.  The reason one goes to Ilulissat is to see ice.  The main reason Ilulissat is a Unesco World Heritage Site is because of the glacier Sermec Kujaleq.  It calves more ice than any other glacier in North America.  I wish it would slow down just a little.  There has been just too much ice the last three weeks for us to get there.  But, even though we didn't get to Ilulissat, we still had a terrific day!

We came to see ice.  Well, we certainly saw a lot of ice today.  If we couldn't see the ice in Ilulissat we could certainly see the ice from Ilulissat!  At 07:30 we dropped the Polar Cirkel boats and started ice cruises shortly after. It was uninterrupted clear blue skies once again and little to no wind.  Absolutely perfect conditions.  

The best way to experience an ice berg is at sea level.  That is when you get the true feeling of the immensity of some of the ice.  It is also when you can really examine the detail and all of the wonderful shades of blue in glacial ice.  It is superb for photography.  We each had approximately a thirty minute tour of the icebergs which was just about right as it began to get a little chilly on the water speeding around in the Polar Cirkel boats.  It was really a nice experience.

In the afternoon we visited the town of Qasigiannguit.  It was the first time that Fram had visited this community of 1200 people.  They really out did themselves in preparing for our visit.   They arranged various guided hikes for us.  They opened the museum which was also a good place to purchase crafts.  A dog feeding was arranged.

The choir sang for us in the church which was followed by Rasmus Lyberth performing outside for everyone.

There was plenty for us to do.   Of course everything was optional.  A few people chose to hike on their own and the terrace at the Discobay Hotel did a thriving business.  We were kept busy from 14:30 until 20:00. 

In the evening there was a charity auction in the Observation Lounge to raise money for the children of Greenland which was followed by Rasmus's final performance.

We may have had to cancel Ilulissat but we still had a fantastic day.

Eqip Sermia

Travelling by ship can be a very relaxing experience.  On Fram there are plenty of places both indoors and out on deck where you can sit by yourself and watch the scenery glide by. The distance from Ukkusissat to the glaciar Eqip Sermia is 212 nautical miles, so we never arrive before 17:00.  That means there is plenty of time during the day to attend lectures, to go on a bridge tour, or on a day like today, sit in the sun and watch icebergs.

Shortly after 15:00 we had a visit by King Neptune.  It was time for everyone to pay the toll to king Neptune for crossing the Arctic Circle.  The toll for crossing the Circle was ice cold water poured down the back of your neck.  I was amazed at how many people lined up for the privilege!

At 18:00 we arrived at Eqip Sermia.  It was another really beautiful day.  We had clear skies once again and virtually no wind.  Once on shore you could climb a small hill for an excellent view of the glacier or you could climb a much higher hill also with a great view of the glacier and the surrounding scenery.

There were a few mosquitoes humming about.  But if you had mosquito repellant or a mosquito net hat they really weren’t much bother at all.

By 21:00 everyone was back on Fram enjoying a delicious Barbeque on deck seven aft.  Great food combined with more amazing scenery!

At 22:00 there was a demonstration of fruit and ice carving in the Observation Lounge.  What a fun way to wrap up a very relaxing day!

An Evening That Would Inspire Poets

Combine perfect weather with giant landscapes that stir the soul and cultural experiences that warm the heart and you will be left with a day that you will not soon forget.  Our day today could not have been better.

By 10:00 we had dropped anchor in Uummannaq and the first excursions boats picked up their passengers at the ship.  Soon as the excursion boats were away the Polar Cirkel boats started shuttling people to shore.  A group of people went off for a talk with a local hunter while others explored Uummannaq on their own.  At 12:00 a large group of epicureans met at the Uummannaq hotel to sample the Greenlandic cuisine.  Just a few of the items on the sumptious buffet were: reindeer, minke whale, narwhal, muskox, harp seal, smoked halibut, crow berries, blue berries, ammassat (capelin) and various salads.  M-m-m-m-m!!!!

At 1:30 a large group met at the landing site to go on a 5 km hike to the other side of the island.  There was a long line of blue jackets stretched across the rolling hills behind Uummannaq.  Our destination was Santa’s hut.  Greenlandic and Danish children believe that Santa Claus lives here in Uummannaq because of a television series that ran in Denmark in the “90’s.  When we arrived at Santa’s Hut we were surprised with some very welcome snacks and beverages – tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water (and even a shot of whisky in your beverage was available if you wished)!  The hotel staff had whisked everything around the island in the polar ?cirkel boats!  There was even a surprise visitor, hmmm... we were the visitors and were surprised that the owner of the hut was home!  Santa Claus showed up (he looked an awful lot like our chef).

By 16:00 all of the hikers were back and at 16:30 the last polar Cirkel left shore.  As we cruised towards Ukkusissat we encountered more and more ice.  It was incredibly beautiful under nearly clear blue skies.  The ice became so thick that we were forced to reduce speed in order to navigate safely.  We were scheduled to arrive in Ukkusissat at 19:30 but the heavy ice dictated our arrival time.  We dropped anchor at 20:00 and transferred many of the people from the village to the ship.  These aren’t strangers.  These are our friends.

In the Observation lounge the people from Ukkusissat entertained us with folk dances and songs by their choir. Some of the people were dressed in traditional clothing.  Anja Erdmann gave an expalnation of the work and materials involved in the clothes.

At approximately 21:00 it was our turn to visit the village.  Rasmus Lyberth is a folk music hero in Greenland and is well loved wherever he goes here.  Everyone in the village gathered around while Rasmus gave another stirring performance.

 At 23:00 the last polar Cirkel boat left shore.  We waved goodbye to our friends and turned our bow to the south.

Now as I finish writing the blog for today (yesterday) it is 00.30 and it is the type of evening that inspires poets.   Fram is surrounded by icebergs.  Thousands of them.  We are picking our way through a maze of ice on a slow, weaving, zig-zagging course.  The sun has dropped behind a large dark mountain on our starboard sun.  It hasn’t set.  It won’t set. The light is warm.  The sea is calm.  Each piece of ice is a new ephemeral work of art.  We are all so very lucky to be here, to see this, to have experienced a wonderful day like we did today. 

Qeqertarsuaq

The weather today was perfect!  A balmy 10˚C and for much of the day there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The number one thing to do on our visit to Qeqertarsuaq is to hike into the Valley of the Winds.  It is not a difficult hike and the landscape is majestic.  It is now prime time for the wild flowers of Greenland.  Small splashes of bright colours decorate the somber tones of the landscape.  Some of the more beautiful flowers like the Flame-tipped Lousewort and the Wooly Lousewort are easy to over look.  Lots of people were seen huddling over wildflower field guides and crawling on the ground to photograph the flowers.

Once again Humpback Whales were spotted amongst the giant icebergs in the bay.  That makes three weeks in a row!

At the waterfall one of the Canada Geese that we spotted last week was still sitting on its nest.  We are all hopeful that we will soon be able to report the successful hatching of some Goslings.

In town a few local people were selling handicrafts.  The open-air meat and fish market was also open for business.  We stopped in for a peak to see what they might be selling.  Lots of fresh minke whale meat and blubber!

By 15:30 everyone was back on the ship.  The lectures in the afternoon were just nicely underway when Humpback whales were announced! Who wants to sit in a lecture room when there are whales to see on a gorgeous sunny afternoon?  Uh...  no one.  Soon the railings on deck five were crowded with people eager to get a glimpse of a whale.  There were three humpbacks.  One of them was probably a calf as it was quite a bit smaller than the other two.  We followed them for several minutes and then it was time to steer our course for tomorrow's landing at Uummannaq and then Ukkusissat.

Palasip Qaqqa

We offer a wide range of activities/excursions in Greenland.  For example there are many great hikes at various destinations.  One of the best is in Sisimiut, our port of call today.  From the ship the hike looks intimidating.  The mountain Palasip Qaqqa looms over the harbour.  Our goal was to reach the top and the top looked very far away.  Forty adventurous souls signed up for the hike.  When everyone became aware of exactly where we were going, you could see a few people swallow hard.  We do our best to inform everyone in great detail as to the nature of all of our excursions.  If the hike is difficult, we say so.  We want everyone to have a great experience.  Once it was made clear that they could stop half way if they wished, you could see a collective sigh of relief.

First there was a ten minute shuttle ride to the base of the mountain after which we set off in three groups of 13 or 14 people, plus guides.  The weather was perfect.  Sunny and cool.  Cool enough to keep the mosquitoes grounded.  The beginning is quite easy.  There are a few glacial melt-water streams to ford and there is a gradual incline.  After about 45 minutes it gets steep enough that the guides need to assist folks over some scrambly bits.  

Half way up we reached a small grassy plateau.  A perfect place to take a breather and also the perfect place to stay, have your excellent packed lunch, admire the incredible view and relax while the keeners set out for the top.  It turned out that most people wanted the satisfaction of going all the way.  Of the original forty, 28 made it to the top.

As you can see in the photos, on a day like we had today, the view is stunning.  Sisimiut lay far below us to the south.  To the north and east lay nothing but mile after mile of rocky, mountainous landscape.  It was surprisingly warm with little to no wind.  We enjoyed our lunch and then began the descent.  With the aid of the guides, the hike back down was accomplished easily.  Many of us paused at the glacial stream and filled our water bottles with some of the best water in the world - straight from a Greenland glacier.   When we reached the rendezvous point at the bottom we all felt a great sense of accomplishment

The Stress of a Vacation

Part of the great fun of any vacation is the anticipation leading up to the day of departure.  The excitement builds until finally, the taxi is waiting and it is time to go to the airport.  But for some people the tension  builds and travelling can be quite a stressful time, "Where are the plane tickets?  Where is my passport?  Did I turn off the stove?  Did I pack my contact lenses?  What did I forget?  Did I leave the key for the cat sitter?"  After a while the journey seems to be one queue after another.  Wait for the checkin machine.  Wait for the baggage drop off.  Wait for security.  Wait at the gate. And then wondering, "Where's my boarding pass?  Did I leave my passport back at security?  I hope Fluffy doesn't starve while we're away."  Some people may go through three or more airports on the way to Greenland.  Endless queues.  Endless struggles with luggage.  The stress of it all.  Does it ever end?

Yes. Finally.  The last flight.  Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq Greenland.  After our Greenland air charter jet touched down in Kangerlussuaq, we walked 100 metres across the tarmac into the Kang' airport.  There to greet us were six members of the Expedition Team from the MV Fram.  Incredibly, they told us we didn't have to worry about our luggage.  The luggage would follow us to the ship in a truck. There was no lineup.   In fact, all we had to do was walk outside to a waiting motor coach and enjoy the 20 minute ride to the ship.  Indeed, you could define that as the precise moment when our holiday had well and truly started.  From now on we wouldn't have to wrestle with our luggage.  No more waiting in airports.  No more stress.

At the harbour there was coffee and snacks.  There was a team of people to help us into life jackets and then into nifty little craft called Polar Cirkel boats.  Okay.    There was a teensy little bit of stress for some people.  There were a few mosquitoes at the harbour checking people for blood type. But really, it's hardly even worth mentioning in a blog. A short brisk boat ride brought us to the ship. Once on the vessel we were efficiently issued our ship's ID and cabin keys and then escorted to our new home away from home.  Before a delicious buffet dinner we were each issued blue wind breaker jackets.  

At 20:30 we all attended a mandatory safety drill which was followed by the Captain's welcome cocktail in the Observation Lounge on deck seven where we were introduced to many of the key personnel on the ship.

Wow.  That was a long day!  But now you can kick back, relax and get ready to meet Greenland.  

A Special Day In Itilleq

Our visit to Itilleq was special today for a couple of reasons.  There was a wedding in the settlement!  It was a very special day for the happy couple, Frode and Najaaraq Jensen.  It was special for us because we had been invited, along with the rest of the community, to the reception. The reception was held in the brand new school (not a year old yet).  In some respects the setting was typical of what you might find at many wedding receptions in North America or Europe. A table laden with gifts was on one side of the room.  Children gathered in groups.  The teenagers huddled covertly together.  The youngest children were running around or playing games in another room. And, there was lots of food.   People were sitting at a half dozen tables casually helping themselves to a really fine buffet.

The sweets table was loaded with familiar looking delicious desserts.  The main course table was filled with Greenlandic delicacies which included: Harbor Porpoise and Mattak (skin and blubber from the porpoise) roast reindeer, dried Narwhal, Humpback Whale (in sort of a soup), Greenland shrimp, dried cod and halibut. 

The bride and groom were dressed in their beautiful traditional Greenlandic clothing.  They were very obliging hosts and quite happy to pose for photographs.

It was also a special day in Itilleq because we won our weekly soccer match.  Last week the two teams were fairly evenly matched but Itilleq won by two goals.  This week MV Fram reined victorious with a score of 5-2.  Let's see what happens next week.  Somehow I think it will be a much tougher match

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Spider Town

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray (Robert Burns).  In Expedition Cruising sometimes it seems you create a plan in order to have something from which to deviate.  You can plan all you want but if the weather or ice are against you, the old plan goes out the window and it's time to be spontaneous.  And that's exactly what happened today.  Like last week, today there was too much ice for us to even get near Ilulissat. 

Well... 

What were the options?  

Hmmm...  

The town of Aasiaat was fairly close by and in the right direction... 

Aasiaat is the fifth largest community in Greenland with a population of 3100.  Aasiaat means "spiders" in Greenlandic.

It was amazing how quickly a new plan was put together by the Expedition Leader Anja Erdmann.  By mid-morning key people in Aasiaat had been contacted and a nice program arranged for us. At 14:00 we began landing operations. The museum and tourism office opened for us.  Coffee and cakes were available in the community centre at 16:00 as well as crafts for sale and a performance by the local people. At 17:00 the church opened and the choir sang for us, after which we were free to roam on our own until 20:00.  At 21:00 we were entertained in the Observation Lounge by a drum dancer from town.  It was quite impressive that so much had been arranged on but a moment's notice.  This was Fram's first visit to this delightful town.  They were so cooperative I couldn't help wondering if we would see them again?

The Aasiaat coat of arms is a stylized spider web on a blue and white background.  Blue representing the oceans surrounding Greenland and white representing the Greenland ice sheet.