A small step for a man...

...and you are in Greenland!
After a splendid approach over the Søndre Strømfjord, second largest Fjord in the world the Airbus of Greenland Air touched down on the former military runway of Kangerlussuaq.

And then it meant putting the foot on Greenlandic - tarmac. But just moments later, since there are no immigration formalities to be done, we step out into a bright sunny day, get on the old charming busses that bring us to the pier. Already these first 14 kilometers give an impression of what awaits: A wilderness of uncompelled beauty. The rocks may be barren, but they are smooth, showing traces of glacier polish, the colors are mild but distinct, the land is wide but inviting. Greenland.
From the pier it is only a short shuttle ride in the Polar Cirkel  Boats until we reach MV FRAM, which is gently rocking in the turquoise waters of the Fjord.

Now it's time to settle in, check-in, moving into the cabin, getting acquainted with the ship, first dinner, receiving of the luggage (which arrives by barge), and the welcome cocktail on deck 7, where captain Benny Didriksen extends his welcome to the very international crowd, before officers and Expedition Team are presented .
It was a looooong day for everybody, so we keep all this as short as possible.

From tomorrow on we are exploring Greenland. What a thought to have when going to sleep!

Listen to our Trainee, please.

Today our landing was in Itilleq. After a night/morning with rough sea, we arrived around 13:00 hours in the small village. The trip with the Polar Cirkel boats was a bit wet, but we made it and went ashore. Here the locals had arranged Kaffemik for us all around the village. Kaffemik is a Greenlandic tradition where cake, coffee and tea are served at events such as birthdays, weddings and so on.  

During the afternoon a football match was played by the MV FRAM staff/guests and the locals from Itilleq. Even though it was windy, wet and cold, our team won! First time this season! The score ended at 9-8 to the MV FRAM team, very nice. J

Back onboard, we spent some time in the Observation Lounge, the Captains farewell cocktail and our auction for the benefit of Greenlandic children was held there. A nice goodbye to the amazing people we have been traveling with for the past week, I always think it is sad to say goodbye.





My name is Majken Anning Andreassen, I have been a trainee onboard since the end of May and my internship will end in the middle of July. I am from Tasiilaq on the east coast of Greenland, but I study a tourism management education in Qaqortoq, Southgreenland.

Majken, sitting in the boat, on her way to Itilleq

So far I have loved (almost) every second of my time here. This is my first time on a ship, and my stomach has apparently still not gotten use to the rough seas. So the seasickness is the only negative thing during my time here.



We join Greenland's National Day

June 21 is not only the longest day but also Greenland’s national day. The weather was excellent: the sun was shining most of the day and the wind was just strong enough to keep the mosquitoes away. It was thus an excellent frame for visiting the Ilulissat Ice Fiord (since 2004 a UNESCO world Heritage site) and celebrating the national day.

The Fram guests were informed about the significance of the day to Greenland and the Greenlanders and already from you entered the restaurant you were aware that it was a special day as Greenlandic flags decorated the room.

During the day the Fram guests celebrated the national day in Ilulissat. The activities ranged from kayak performance and traditional dancing to songs by a local choir and an open air concert.

Many guests took the opportunity to combine participation in these activities with hiking to Sermermiut or Holms Bakke or they enjoyed the spectacular Ilulissat Ice Fiord by boat.

In the evening the Observation Lounge was decorated with Greenlandic flags and a flag made out of marzipan was covering a huge layer cake. A highlight was a presentation of the Greenlandic drum dance tradition and a mask dance performance.

Camp Frieda – Plan A turned in to an A+ Plan B

Per definition an expedition cruise can at any day during the cruise change from plan A to plan B or even plan C. And this is exactly what happened today. Due to the ice conditions in the narrow sound on the way to Eqip Sermia we had to change to plan B.

We tried to make a baptism to please King Neptune but it did'nt help on the ice situation...

First we had a very nice ice cruise among the icebergs in our PolarCirkle boats. It was as always very overwhelming to see the icebergs up-close. The icebergs come in infinite shapes and people in Greenland like to say that the Disco Bay is the World’s largest sculpture park.

After a good lunch we took off to the southern shoreline of the Nuussuaq peninsula. A few kilometers next to the settlement of Saqqaq our Expedition team member Friederike spent here four summer seasons of field work for the Ruhr-University in 1979,1982,1985 and 1994. For years she has told about the beauty of the place and finally we had a chance to go there.

Down by the shoreline Friederike told about her adventures here and of the many flowers that had just started to bloom these days. And now, after so many years this place is even officinal called after her as camp Frieda.

Some of us had a very good and quite a long hike towards a glacier at the end of the lush valley. It was a fairly easy hike we walked along the river that came from the melting glacier. We saw several reindeer droppings, but at this time of the year the reindeer stay up in the highlands away from the summer heat and mosquitos.

In the evening when all were well back onboard we were back on schedule and had a thrilling show with ice and fruit carving in the observation lounge.

Uummannaq and Ukkussisat - here we are again!

In the early morning we arrived in Uummannaq. The “Heart Mountain” was clearly seen under a very blue sky. The fjords have been filled with lots of icebergs in various amazing shapes, just the best conditions for our ice cruising and our trip to the historical settlement of Qilakitsoq. Here they found in the 1970^th eight mummies, six women and two babies. They are the oldest and best preserved human remains out of the Thule Culture in the whole Arctic. You can see the mummies in the National Museum in Nuuk now.

FriedaPhoto

FriedaPhoto

Other guests explored the nice city by themselves or joined a talk with a native fisherman and hunter. Those they wanted to stretch their legs went on a hike to the Christmas hut.

In the evening we met our friends in Ukkussisat again. They were waiting for us already at the pier, ready to come on board FRAM to sing and dance for us and with us.  Later on we explored the little village. A nice “Kaffemik” was even prepared for us in the community house.

The surroundings of Ukkussisat have been perfect for kayaking too. It was nice to see our yellow and red kayaks gliding through the water in the evening sun.

Qeqertarsuaq a pearl wrapped in fog

The weather forecast had promised lots of sun today, but it had hid above the fog. Luckily we would still have a very nice day here in Qeqertarsuaq (the big island in Greenlandic).

Photo Esther Kokmeijer

Some of us was guided around the rather small town of Qeqertarsuaq by a local student. It is always great to have the opportunity to meet the people of the communities we visit and have a firsthand explanation of some of the many things that are different from home.

Photo Esther Kokmeijer

 Most of us also went on the ice cruise among the enormous icebergs. In one of the boats they were talking about how awesome it would be if the iceberg would calve. And not more than a few seconds later that is what exactly happened.

Photo Esther Kokmeijer

It is such an overwhelming experience to see when the great forces of nature come into action.

Photo Esther Kokmeijer

 A small group went on a kayak cruise along the coast. To have the water and the icebergs as close as you do in a kayak is a thrilling feeling. It is no wonder that Nansen called the kayak; the single-most advanced vessel ever invented by man.

 In the afternoon when we had left Qeqertarsuaq our excellent lectures gave us various talks about Greenlandic history, the art onboard Fram, photography and the genealogy of ice and snow.

Photo Esther Kokmeijer

 As we headed further north the officers of Fram and the Expedition Team gave us a very entertaining fashion show of the various clothes the shop on board has to offer. It was such a delight to see the crew onboard having  so much fun doing the show.

Sisimiut – The town next to the polar circle

During the night we sailed through the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, with 190 km the longest fjord at the west coast of Greenland. Around three o’clock we reached the open sea of the Davis Strait and then we felt the first time that we are on board a ship. But there was no strong wind and the soft movement of the vessel let us fall asleep again like a baby in a cradle.

Around 11 o’clock we reached Sisimiut, our first destination of our one week trip in Greenland. The weather was a little bit foggy and overcast but it was more than good enough that we have been able to do all our planned activities.

We explored the city by bus or by foot, we enjoyed a wonderful and tasty Greenlandic buffet to get a “Taste of Greenland”, 

we met our first sledge dogs, as we have been north of the arctic circle now, and we hiked “back in time” to the historical “Tele Ø”, where we got a lot of information about the old Eskimo Cultures and the previous whaling time. Our strongest hikers hiked through the fog on to the sunny top of the “Palasip Qaqqa” from where they got later on a good view over the amazing surroundings.

Many passengers went by a small boat to the former little settlement Assaqutat. The settlement was founded in the 1920^th and is abundant since 1969. Some houses are still used as summer houses and school classes have their summer camps over there to learn something about their own culture.

Just before we left the harbor we got a kayak presentation by a Greenlandic young man. It is unbelievable in how many different ways they can roll their kayak.

In the evening after a good and relaxing dinner, Miki, our Greenlandic artist gave us a first impression of his talent. He was singing and playing the guitar in the Observation Lounge. We enjoyed the music and the wonderful view over the arctic landscape with a nice drink in our hands.

Kangerlussuaq, the gateway to – and out of Greenland

A sunny Sunday awaited us in Kangerlussuaq. +17 degrees Celsius was what the thermometer showed in Kangerlussuaq this last – and first - day of our Explorer cruise with MV Fram.

Kangerlussuaq airport. Photo Esther Kokmeijer

Our fantastic group that came onboard Fram a week ago the 9^th June left us today after a week of exploring Greenland. It is always sad to say good bye especially when you’ve had a brilliant time together. All passengers leaving us went out on a 6 hour bus trip to the Inland Ice and will end their journey in Greenland hopefully having seen both reindeer and muskoxen on the bus trip through the lush hills of the Kangerlussuaq area.

The passengers arriving went straight to the harbor put on lifejackets and then onboard the PolarCirkel boats and direct to Fram, which was laying waiting for us in the turquoise green Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

Arriving on Fram. Photo Esther Kokmeijer

Before sailing out the 150 km. long Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Kangerlussuaq means “the long fjord” in Greenlandic), we took part of the mandatory safety drill. The motto for the crew onboard Fram is not without reason “responsible, generous and secure”.

Safety drill. Photo Esther Kokmeijer

Captain Rune Andreassen greeted us in the Obervation Lounge in the evening and now we sail out into the midnight sun to experience another week of exploring the Greenlandic nature and culture.  

  

Captains welcome. Photo Esther Kokmeijer

Done Like Dinner

There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end

 until it be thoroughly finished, yields the true glory.

Sir Francis Drake  (c 1540-1596) in a dispatch to Sir Francis Walsingham 17 May 1587 

It was a beautiful morning for cruising to Itilleq.  We had mostly clear blue sunny skies once again.  
Itilleq lies just north of the Arctic Circle by about 200 metres.  Unfortunately the circle passes on a tiny island just a stone's throw away, otherwise we could have walked to the Circle!  With the water at ~5˚ C it is definitely too cold to swim over!  But I think a scant 200 metres is negligible and that we all can claim that we spent the afternoon on the Arctic Circle.

Kaffemik
Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

After we dropped anchor at 12:45, 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.

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

 

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

We had some new, really cool excursions to offer everyone today.  Several people were able to go out fishing for Arctic Char in our Polar Cirkel boats while another group went exploring the  shoreline around Itilleq in sea kayaks.  The fishermen caught fish and the kayakers had a great time.

"A quick glance at their lineup and we knew we were "done like dinner" before the game even started.

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

At 15:00 we started the traditional soccer match of Fram vs Itilleq.  Those of us that have played for team Fram on multiple occasions know the Itilleq team very well.  A quick glance at their lineup and we knew we were "done like dinner" before the game even started.  All their best players showed up today.  Last week many of them were out hunting or fishing. We had an excellent start right up until the opening kick-off.  From there it went steadily downhill.  

Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

The final result was Itilleq 10, Fram 2.  Despite the lop-sided score everyone had fun.  I think there were somewhere around thirty players on the small gravel pitch at once and there were lots of enthusiastic supporters for both teams.

Last week we had noticed that their soccer ball was in rough shape so we went shopping in Ilulissat yesterday and today presented team Itilleq with a brand new ball.  We also gave them Fram t-shirts and a Hurtigruten flag.

Itilleq Goal Keeper Has Something To Do!
Photo © Esther Kokmeijer

The new t-shirts made it much easier to identify who was on which team and the new flag was flapping merrily in the breeze  over Itilleq before we departed at 16:45.

At 18:30 we were invited to the Observation Lounge where we shared a cocktail and the Captain gave a warm farewell speech.  There were tears in more than one eye when the MV Fram sang the farewell song "A Beautiful Voyage."

Tonight Miki Jacobsen will be singing once again in the Observation Lounge and tomorrow promises to be a full day in Kangerlussuaq.