It Takes Work to Create Rest

Left to right:  Jasmin, Olive and Janet

Henson

It will take approximately two days for us to cross the Denmark Strait on our way from Greenland to Iceland.  Two days to rest from our many landings and excursions in Greenland.  Two days to start sorting through photographs and memories.  Two days to catch on reading and napping.  Two days to make use of many of the ship's facilities such as the gym with the best view in the world, the sauna, the jacuzzis or the Observation Lounge and Bar.  Or two days to broaden your mind and attend the ongoing lecture series. Behind the scenes, the ship's complement is working hard to make sure your rest and the other activities you choose to do, go as smoothly as possible. 

In the first photograph are three of our hard working dining room staff.  You will also find them sometimes in the Observation Lounge serving drinks and at other times making sure cabins are clean.  

In the second photo is Henson.  Henson is part of the large staff in the galley.  He helps to make sure the buffet is constantly supplied and does much of the cooking for the crew.

We are a merry team of 83 people with many different functions ranging from Captain, to Chef, to Engineer, to Expedition Team, to Laundry man. 

If you don't notice us, it is because we work as a team and everyone is doing their job well.

Aapilattoq

Why is it that much of the most breath taking scenery on the planet is found in some of the remotest hard-to-get-to places on earth?  Such is the case with Prins Christian Sund.  At 07:00 we entered the 55 mile meandering channel.  Tortured, jagged mountains on either side of the ship ripped blue patches into the sky. Each turn in the channel brought a new spectacle and a renewed sense of astonishment.  What is it about the combination of towering mountains, waterfalls, reflective seas, icebergs and blue skies that causes the jaw to drop?  It seems to be a universal thing.  Transfixed people stood with open mouths on the outside decks throughout the morning.  Nearly everyone wished for bigger memory cards for their camera.

Just before 13:30 we arrived at the tiny community of Aappilattoq probably the most picturesque community in all of Greenland.  Certainly it should be a contender for the most scenic village in the world.  I don't exaggerate. 

There was a confirmation in the village today so many people were wearing their best clothes and perhaps already in a celebratory mood.  The villagers welcomed us with enthusiasm.  There were tea, coffee and cakes available in the school.  Children demonstrated folk dances in the village centre. Many people were deeply moved when the choir sang on the front steps of the church.  It was a powerful experience and one that is difficult to describe.  

Just behind the village, huge chunks of ice were stranded on the beach at low tide.  It was wonderful to walk right up to the beautiful blue mini-icebergs.  These photographs would be this year's Christmas cards. 

It was an inspiring day. Everyone was savouring their brief moments here. We were all reluctant to leave.  But inevitably at 17:30, it was time for the last Polar Cirkel boat to leave. We waved good-bye and it seemed as if the whole village waved back.

It was absolutely the best possible way to end our great adventure in Greenland.  Ahead, new adventure awaits.  We still have lots to discover in Iceland!

Sometimes Change Is The Only Constant

We knew from the ice charts that getting to Narsaq and Qassiarsuk would be a challenge.  The Captain and navigation officers did their best to get us there but it just wasn’t possible.  The sea ice had moved south along the east coast of Greenland and had totally choked off our entry point for Narsaq.

In the meantime the Expedition Leader and the Captain had come up with an alternative plan.  We would head further south towards Prince Christian Sound.  Along the way, if weather and ice permitted we would visit the old Viking settlement, at Ikigait.

As we followed the edge of the pack ice we encountered hundreds of seals on ice floes. There were 10 or 15 seals hauled out on some of the floes. Most of the seals were Harp seals but scattered here and there were Hooded Seals either solo or in pairs. 

A great part of the day was spent cruising through heavy fog.  Navigation officers really don’t like fog, nor do they like heavy ice conditions.  In these kinds of conditions we are always forced to reduce speed in order to navigate safely which of course pushed our arrival time at Ikigait to 19:30.

As we aproached the coast the very dense fog dispersed. One could almost hear a chorus of angels sing as the sun burst through the clouds illuminating our landing site in sunshine!

Now that we were so much further south we actually had to consider at what time would the sun set?  22:00 was the answer.  This left time enough for everyone to explore the old Viking ruins.

Much to our surprise several small boats from a nearby settlement came over to say hello and to offer some beautiful seal skin craft work for sale.

Shortly after 21:30 everyone was safely back on board the ship.

Tomorrow’s destinations:  Prins Christian sund and the village of Aappilattoq.

Ivittuut

Ivittuut: view from the tea house in the abandoned mining settlement

We were not due to arrive in Ivittuut until 14:00.  That left plenty of time in the morning for lectures.  In fact there were no less than seven lectures between 09:30 and 13:00 in three different rooms, in three different languages, by four different lecturers.

As we approached the old mining site of Ivittuut we scanned the grassy slopes for Muskox.  It was well known that this is an area they frequent.  Sure enough we spotted at least ten of the wooly beasts.  Two of them were close enough to the shoreline for everyone to get a good look at them.

As we dropped anchor, our Expedition Leader Anja spotted a muskox walking towards the very museum we wanted to visit!

The Expedition Team went to shore first to establish a safety perimeter.  The team was watching not only for muskox but also for Polar Bears.

Apparently the muskox that was heading to the museum was a regular visitor and was somewhat used to people.  He continued straight to the back yard of the museum and seemed to be content to browse on the Willow shrubs. 

After about an hour the muskox had finally had enough of people and with a snort, bolted off towards the hills.

Ivittuut:  Cryolite (white) and Siderite (brown)

Ivittuut is an abandoned cryolite mine and was most active during world war II. After Denmark was occupied by Germany in the 2^nd World War, Denmark was no longer able to defend or to supply Greenland.  An agreement was made with the United States that the U.S. would take over those responsibilities for the duration of the war.  As partial payment the united states were allowed to mine for cryolite.  At the time, cryolite was highly valued as an essential ingredient in the process of making aluminum.  Since then cheaper alternatives have been found.  In addition, after the war there wasn’t the heavy demand for aluminum. Eventually the mine was shut down.

Today there is an amazing rock and mineral museum with fine examples of many minerals from Greenland.  The old buildings still stand.  It was really great to wander around the abandoned houses.  We could see white chunks of cryolite and sparkling brown siderite everywhere! 

The Capital City

Greenland is on a different scale.  It is the biggest island in the world.  It has the largest national park in the world. That same park is the most northerly park in the world.  It boasts the second largest ice sheet on the planet and has the most productive glacier in the world outside of Antarctica.  It is also the least densely populated country in the world.  We cannot help but use our own experience to try to make sense of the things we see around us.  A capital city with a population of 15,862 people seems extremely small by our standards, but according to Wikipedia there are 56 capital cities in the world that are smaller than Nuuk!  (Capitals by population) . More than 25% of the total population of Greenland lives there.    Not surprisingly, Nuuk is also the cultural and economic centre of Greenland.

As we approached Nuuk the sun was once again shining.  The clear blue skies were back!  It was another perfect day to explore Greenland.  We were alongside the pier at 09:00.  Shortly thereafter a shuttle started transporting people from the ship to the National Museum.  The shuttles ran back and forth, every thirty minutes throughout the day.  In the addition to exploring the fine museum there were lots of other options available such as boat trips up the fjord, a long hike, a City tour or just explore the capital on your own.

At 15:30 we were all back on board Fram.

In the late afternoon there were lectures available in English, German and Danish as well as information sessions regarding the plans for tomorrow.

 

Sisimiut

Greenland Kayak Sisimiut   (click image to enlarge)

During the night...  hmm...  can one say, "the night" when it never gets dark in the summer?  Anyway, during the night the weather changed.  This morning it was a little cooler at 5˚C and completely overcast.  Nevertheless it made for very good hiking conditions and I was beginning to get low on sunscreen anyway.  

We arrived in Sismiut at 10:00.  15 minutes later the first excursion for the abandoned village, Assaqutaq, departed from Fram.  The overcast conditions added to the eery atmosphere in the ghost town.  It was easy to imagine the village full of people.

Shortly after, at 10:30, the hikers going on the long hike to Palaasip Qaqqa Mountain departed.  The summit was obscured by clouds.  We wondered what it would be like going into the fog and if we would be able to make it all the way to the top.  It turned out to be magical.  The hikers ascended through the cloud layer and into the sun.  It was like sitting on top of the world looking out over a vast expanse of fluffy white clouds, 360˚ around you.

Greenland Kayak Demonstration        (click image to enlarge)

Throughout the day there were several departures by small boat for Assaqutaq.  Hiking groups went on the historical hike to Tele Island.  Most people took the opportunity to explore Sismiut on their own.  Many people, chose to visit the fine museum which is well known for its excellent exhibits on the Paleo-eskimo Saqqaq culture.

At 15:45 everyone was back on board the ship.  Just before we left we were treated to an outstanding demonstration of kayaking skills right beside the ship.  There are about 35 different ways to roll a kayak: with a paddle, without a paddle, with a short paddle, paddle behind your back, with one hand, etc., and we witnessed many of those methods.  We all wondered how comfortable it was in the ~6˚C water!   B-r-r-r!!

In the late afternoon there was time for lectures which were presented in English, German and Danish.  As usual there were also informative sessions about our plans for the morrow.

At 21:45 we attended a fashion show that was probably quite different from any other fashion show in the world.  In the MV Fram fashion show it is the Expedition Team  and some officers (including the Captain) that model the clothes.  These were definitely not professional models.

Ilulissat: Greenland's Jewel of the North

On the hike to Sermermiut             (click image to enlarge)

Ilulissat is definitely one of the highlights of this voyage.  There isn't anything else like it on earth.  Yes, you can see lots of ice in other places in the world and I have been to some of those places but 

I can't imagine anything else exists like the Icefjord.  Sermec Kujaleq glacier is an iceberg making machine.  It turns the 60 km fjord into a conveyor belt of ice.  46 cubic kilometres of ice per year flow down the fjord.  Many of the icebergs get stuck at the end of fjord.  The fjord goes from a depth of 500 metres to 250 metres. The larger icebergs can't make it over the hump of moraine at the mouth of the fjord and into open sea until they have either melted or broken up to smaller sizes.  So, they collect.  And right now the full length and breadth of the fjord is choked with icebergs.  Really large icebergs.

Wall to wall icebergs in the Ilulissat Icefjord!

Our visit to Ilulissat is about getting people to view the Ice in as many different ways as possible.  We offer our own guided hike to Sermeriut.  Sermiut is a protected archeological site that was occupied by all of the major Paleo-eskimo cultures (excluding Independence I & II) dating back over 4000 years.  Sermermiut lies near the mouth of the fjord and just beyond the ancient site are magnificent views of the ice.

Many people chose to view the fjord from a helicopter and still others went by boat.  Lots of people chose to combine excursions and see the fjord from the air, the sea and the land.

As you can see in the photographs the weather was perfect.

We had the entire day at our disposal.  We arrived in Ilulissat at 07:30 and didn't leave until 18:50 so that gave people ample time to see the ice and to explore the town on their own.

In the evening we were invited to the Observation Lounge where the crew entertained us by singing many familiar old ballads.

Qeqertarsuaq

Qeqertarsuaq                    (click image to enlarge)

Our first full day on board Fram was full of interesting activities: icebergs, lectures, fantastic scenery, wild flowers and even whales!  Not bad for a start!

In the morning at 09:30 we all attended a mandatory safety drill.  It was quite an interesting process to see what we would have to do and where we would have to go in the case of an emergency.  We were all assembled in our muster stations on deck five and every single passenger was quickly and efficiently checked off a manifest.  The whole procedure happened very quickly. It was obvious that all of the crew was well rehearsed.

The rest of the morning was filled with information about our route and about the many excursions for which we could opt.

In the afternoon it was time to exercise our minds and attend some informative lectures on Greenland.  At 16:15 we were invited to the Observation Lounge for a cocktail and a welcome address by Captain Arild Hårvik.

At 18:00 we dropped anchor in the beautiful natural harbour  in Qeqertarsuaq.  In the early evening light the surrounding cliffs looked incredible.  We usually arrive in the early afternoon so it was nice to be here a little later in the day.  We set off in groups on a hike to the Valley of the Wind.  Our goal was to reach a pretty waterfall about 45 minutes away.  After ten minutes of walking we arrived to a dark sandy beach.  Not far offshore lay many beautiful icebergs.  About 500 metres off shore several Humpback Whales were spotted.  Continuing on to the waterfall it was evident that it is still prime season for the wild flowers of Greenland.

And now for those of you that follow the blog regularly, The Canada Goose Update.  When we arrived at the waterfall the nest was empty and the geese had gone. Just last week there were 2 adults and three tiny fluffy yellow goslings.  Good luck to the geese!  We hope the youngsters survive.

Meanwhile, back at the ship, the hotel staff prepared a really great barbeque.  It was ready for us when we returned from the hike.  What a superb way to wrap up the day.

The Reasons for Travel

Air Greenland Kangerlussuaq Airport      (click image to enlarge)

At 18:15 our Air Greenland charter jet touched down at the Kangerlussuaq airport.  We were finally in Greenland!  Inside the small terminal the Expedition Team from Fram was there to greet us and then immediately escort us outside to our waiting motor coaches.  It was a short twenty minute ride through the rugged and rocky hills along Kangerlussuaq Fjord to where Fram lay anchored.

We were each issued a life jacket and then in groups of eight we boarded the small Polar Cirkel boats for a brisk ride to the ship.  Once on board the ship we were very efficiently issued I.D. cards and then escorted to our cabins.

In the dining room there was an excellent buffet ready for us.  It was the first of many meals that we would enjoy prepared by chef Eirik Larsen and his team. After that, all we had to do is kick back, relax and watch the magnificent scenery of Kangerlussuaq Fjord roll by.

There are many reasons that people travel for a vacation:  to escape from the mundane or from a stress-filled work place, to experience what others have not or to go where few people have gone, to expand one's lexicon of experience or to discover the romance and adventure in life, perhaps to experience freedom and spontaneity.  People's reasons for traveling to Greenland are many and they are personal. What everyone take's with them at the end of this journey will also be personal and unique. One thing is for sure, now that you are on board Fram, we will do everything we can to make sure you have a great travel experience.

At the Dog Equator

Greenland Dog                                        (click image to enlarge)

Itilleq                                                     (click image to enlarge)

We had a nice relaxing morning.  We continued with our bridge tours which is great opportunity to meet the Captain and one of the navigation officers.  It is also a chance to learn about some of the technical aspects of running a ship like Fram.   Claude Nicolier  gave another great lecture about the Hubble telescope in German.  Where were also very important briefings on how disembarkation day would work.

Our destination today was the village of Itilleq.  Itilleq lies about 200 metres north of the Arctic Circle which is also known as The Dog Equator.  It is called The Dog Equator because in Greenland, only Greenlandic dogs are allowed north of the Arctic Circle.

We arrived in Itilleq at 13:00.  We were all invited to a kaffeemik (tea, coffee, cakes) and were issued colour coded tickets to make sure we went to the right homes.  We were also free to explore the new school house, the church, or to wander over to the cemetery and beyond for a nice view of the entire village.

The weekly soccer match of MV Fram vs Itilleq started sharply at 15:00.  Last week we got trounced 10-3.  This week the two teams were very evenly matched.  The final score was Fram 7, Itilleq 7.  It was a perfect way to end our season for this was the last time we would visit Itilleq this year.  

By 16:45 everyone was back on the ship.  Once again we turned out bow to the south and commenced the final leg of our adventure in Greenland.

At 17:30 we all met in the Observation Lounge for the Captain's Farewell Cocktail.  It seemed like the entire ship's crew was there to sing farewell songs.

During the early evening, the ship's photographer gave an excellent presentation of the photographs of the voyage.  It is always great to see what the ship's photographers come up with!

At 22:00 the crew entertained everyone once again with some singing in the Observation Lounge.

Ilulissat

Ilulissat Icefjord

46 cubic kilometres of ice a year.  That's how much ice calves from the glacier, Sermec Kujallek. To give you an idea of how much ice that is, were it all to melt, you would have enough drinking water for New York city for one year!  All of that ice combined with our ongoing good luck with the weather makes for one of the most beautiful spots on earth.  

Ilulissat Icefjord

We dropped anchor just outside of the Ilulissat harbour at approximately 06:30.  The sun was shining.  There was a high scattered layer of clouds.  A beautiful mist lay draped over many of the icebergs.  The wind was less than 5 knots and variable.  It was beautiful.  It was surreal. 

This was the stop that many people on board had been waiting for with great anticipation.  Lots of people had booked excursions to see the ice whether it was by helicopter, boat or a hike to the fjord.  Some people even managed to combine multiple excursions.  We weren't scheduled to leave Ilulissat until 18:45 so there was plenty of time to see the Icefjord and to explore town.  Ilulissat also happens to have a couple of the better gift shops in Greenland so there was plenty to spend your money on!

Today I had the opportunity to go on the Holms Bakke hike for the first time.  It was jaw droppingly beautiful.  It was supposed to be between a four and five hour hike but it was so inspiring today that we all stopped to take photographs about every 50 metres.  We just couldn't go any faster.  For us it was a five and a half hour hike!  

No matter what you chose to do today you couldn't go wrong.

Shortly after 18:45 we turned our bow in the direction of Itilleq, our destination for tomorrow.

In the evening we held our weekly charity auction to raise for funds for the children of Greenland.  Then at 22:00 we were all entertained in the Observation Lounge by our talented crew with singing, dancing and juggling.

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.