Colorful Nuuk

Nuuk is the Capital and the largest city in Greenland. With over 16K or 16,000 inhabitants it is more than three times as large as the second largest town Sisimuit which has just over 5,000 population. In addition to being the seat of government Nuuk has it all.

Nuuk sits on very old Archean rocks, perhaps 3800 to 2500 million years old. But the present town of Nuuk is anything but old. It is a modern city.

For example the port is bursting and a new port facility is under construction. In town there is a large, new shopping mall that could be a replica of any shopping mall found in Europe or the Americas. At the supermarket the groceries, fresh produce and the meat/fish sections have every item imaginable.

Many people enjoyed their time at the National Museum and though a bit out of the way the Nuuk Art Museum is outstanding. The museum collection has exquisite carvings and painting of Greenland scenes, some painted in the late 1800’s and others that are more modern.

Our fine weather continued and that made it very pleasant for us to enjoy our walks in Nuuk. But a person has to be careful in Nuuk and pay attention to traffic as there are so many more cars here than in the villages we have visited on our way south.   

    

SISIMUIT AND THE PERFECT WEATHER CONTINUES

All of todays activities in Sisimuit came off on schedule and under sunny skies.

Whether one selected a hike or a boat trip or a walk around town the weather was as good as Greenland can provide.

The hike today was to the top of Palasip Qaqqaa the large rounded peak that overlooks harbor setting of Sisimuit. The climb starts at the coastal road, not far above sealevel, and the trail crosses several rocky outcrops and ridges and reaches the peak. The peak is 544meters or about 1790 feet above sea-level and on a clear day like today the view the harbor below and the rocky headlands in the far distance to the south.

Todays boat trip went to Assaqutaq, the travel time was about one half-hour in calm seas.Once we arrived in Assaqutaq we were met by a local guide Nuka and she escorted us through the this fishing town which was abandoned in 1968. On the boat trip back to the FRAM we enjoyed the warm weather and following seas.

Exploring the town with its shops and museums was a treat especially visiting the craft shop where local craftsmen and women displayed their artwork.  

ILLUSTRIOUS ILULISSAT

Again we had the benefit of a clear, sunny and relatively warm day for our time in Ilulissat. It did not matter which activity one selected today, because any time spent today without a roof over your head, was a perfect day.

 The hikes today ranged from a walk through the town to longer efforts taking 4 to 5 hours. No matter the length of the hike the brightly painted houses and the striking landscape led to many picture being snapped. The area of the UNESCO World Heritage site is well marked and well protected and walking on the boardwalk through this area to the ridge overlooking the grounded icebergs was a true highlight for many of us.     

 Additionally some of us took the opportunity to board local boats for a 2 hour cruise around these grounded icebergs. One of the boats was a bit older as it was built in 1959 in Demark as a research vessel for the University Research Station on Disko Island. The old 6 cylinder Volvo diesel chugged along happily and gave us a close-up view of the grounded icebergs. 

This close-up view made us appreciate the immense size of the icebergs that we had had seen from the ridge in the UNESCO site.

 Our travels to and through Ilulissat and the nearby iceberg flotilla also had an enlarged 3d dimension. That dimension was- elevation - as some of us went by aircraft over the Jakobshaven Glacier tracking it as it flowed chaotically from the body of the Greenland icecap through the fjord to sea-level where the bergs calved off and formed beautiful floating shapes on a placid blue sea.  

There is an old saying; “This will have to do until the good life gets here.” Today was a good life day, maybe a great life day.

SMOOTH MOTORING TO QEQERTARSUAQ:

While we were sleeping the FRAM exited the Sondre Stromfjord and turned northward toward our first port of call Qeqertarsuaq on the southern coast of Disco Island. There were several activities as we traveled along in calm seas and 10°C or 50°F temperatures. First we received our Hurtigruten weatherproof jackets and then as we had crossed the Arctic Circle we were visited by King Neptune who welcomed us to his kingdom. The Kings welcoming had a chilling effect on some of us.

      Officer getting baptised

Later in the morning we attended the mandatory lectures required for those of us planning to go ashore. These orientation and safety lectures are assembled by AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. In the afternoon we had two introductory lectures one on Greenland geography and one on Greenlandic culture and sociology.

By then we were at Qeqertarsuaq and the FRAM set anchor and we headed ashore to explore. A walking tour of the village and several hikes were available. The hikes were both longer and shorter depending on a person’s preference and ability. All the walking and hikes afforded us excellent views of the coastal area and the icebergs that were just offshore.

 

Sea kayaking and a trip in the Polarcirkle boats to motor through and around the nearby icebergs was a new experience for some of us.

After our visit in Qeqertarsuaq we met several whales making bubble net and eat their prey.

   

Ending with: A Happy 239^th Birthday to America!

GOOD BY AIRCRAFT AND HELLO FRAM

GOOD BY AIRCRAFT AND HELLO FRAM:

It was a welcome task to stretch our legs after the long and cramped flights. We arrived at the Kangerlussuaq airport under clear blue skies and headed for the buses that will take us on introductory tours of the region before heading to the FRAM.

The airfield is quite large as it was developed in early 1942 as a re-fueling site for World War II aircraft being flown from the U. S. via Canada to Great Britain. At present this airfield is the main international air terminal for Greenland. Here we boarded buses and some of us went to the glacier front of the Greenland ice-cap while others of us went on a tundra safari.

 Eventually the buses drove down the long gravel road to the wharf where we unloaded and learned to put on our orange lifejackets. The final leg of our journey to the FRAM was a Polarcirkel boat ride out to the FRAM, as she rested comfortably at anchor in the fjord. We will become quite familiar with these sturdy boats as they are the craft that will take us ashore when the FRAM visits the small villages that do not have docks that would allow the FRAM to tie-up alongside.

On-board the FRAM lines we turned in our passports to the ships purser and we were assigned our cabins and registered in the ships computer system. While on-board the FRAM we will not need our wallets or our money or our credit cards. Our new ships identification card acts as the key to our cabin door and even allows us to shop at the ships store.

Our luggage was outside our cabins and we had little time to unpack as the mandatory safety drill was held and we learned the location of our lifeboat stations. After the drill it was dinnertime and we were underway Southwest in the 170km or 103mi long Sondre Stromfjord.

The sun was still shining, brightly illuminating the small green mosses and lichens on the scarred rock walls of the fjord. 

                                        Captains welcome at the Observation Lounge "Qilak". 

City of the icebergs

The day started like all the other days before, with very nice weather; nearly without any wind, morning temperature at 10° C, sunny and a little bit overcast. The Fram succeeds to come close to Ilulissat in spite of a lot of icebergs off the coast of the town.

The weather is a good beginning for all the activities we have planned for Ilulissat during the whole day.

Continues boat trips to the Ilulissat Ice Fjord from 8.15 am to 17.00 with local boats and local drivers and guides.

A hike to Sermermiut to the edge of the Ilulissat Ice Fjord (duration 3 hours, morning and afternoon)

Another hike to Holms Bakke (duration 4 – 5 hours during the morning)

A guided city walk (duration 2 hours during the morning)

A spectacular helicopter flight to the glacier front of the Ilulissat Glacier (duration 2 hours, morning and afternoon)

Beside all these activities we had continues shuttle service from the ship to the pier of the town. Every passenger had the opportunity to visit the town, the church, the museum, the market and all they wanted to visit.

At 18.00 the last Polar Circle boat was leaving the landing site and half an hour later Fram departs Ilulissat and sails slowly and carefully through the ice to reach open waters to continue our way further south to Itilleq.

Finally at 22.00 the crew of Fram invites all of us for their famous and incredible MV FRAM Crewshow!

Camp Frieda

Again, we experience nice weather. A little bit more overcast than yesterday but it is still sunny and not windy.

We arrived one hour later than it was planned. The southern part of the narrow strait between the Disco Island and the Nuussuaq Peninsula called Vaigat was and still is full of icebergs and there are even more in its entrance of the village of Saqqaq. Fram could sail only with low speed through this icefield. Thus we have this delay.

We started our operation at 9.00 am. Kayakers went out first, followed by the ice cruisers in this beautiful weather.

Then all other passengers are brought ashore for a nature adventure in the Camp Frieda, a nice glacier valley east of Saqqaq. They could enjoy the tundra and hikes through the nature. Some very fit passenger succeeded in reaching the glacier front and being back in time for the last Polar Circle Boat at 13.00 pm.

Back on board a nice BBQ was waiting for us at deck seven. The sky offers us a wonderful halo around the sun.

Fram sailed for our afternoon expedition. In the meantime we had some lectures.

At 17.00 we reached the northern part of the Disco Bay and sailed into another big ice field. There wasn’t possibility to go further north through the Ata Sound to reach the Eqip Sermia. The Captain and the expedition leader decided to offer another ice cruising with boats also to go into the ice with our ship. Everybody can enjoy the nice scenery of an ice covered sea sitting comfortable in a chair on deck or in the Observation Lounge.

When the ice cruisers were back we started heading to Ilulissat. Again, we had to fight through a sea full of icebergs of all sizes. Fortunately Ilulissat is not very far and the weather is very enjoyable. 

Upernavik

Obviously the Fram is travelling in a stable high pressure system. The weather is still brilliant and the sea is still calm like a lake.

We arrived to Upernavik at 8.30 am and the Fram stayed at anchor. Soon after the passengers were taken ashore by the Polar Circle Boats. They started to explore the town especially the old part with the church and the museum and some visited the Workshop where the arts and crafts are made like jewellery.

A Folklore Show starts at 11.00 am in the local Sport Hall, which was very enjoyable.

After lunch two local hunters came on board Fram to tell about “Polar Bear Hunting”. The people in Greenland have still the allowance for hunting a small amount of Polar Bears, and Polar Bear Hunting is an important part of their traditional culture.

The Fram left Upernavik at 16.00.

 During the late afternoon our lecturers gave presentations about “Who owns the Arctic” and Ice on Greenland and in Greenlandic waters.

Finally we had a Recap with the Expedition Team in the evening where many questions were asked. The expedition leader gave a short preview for our activities for the next destination. We changed our program and did a landing in a glacier valley instead of visiting the old ghost town of the coalmine of Qullissat. After lunch there were a true expedition afternoon for our guests. We cannot sail to Equip Sermia due to the ice condition. After that preview, we had a discussion about differences in lifestyle between “European” and “Polar” cultures in the observation lounge. 

Scenic view from Upernavik

Upernavik Museum 

Local children in Upernavik nearby the harbour

Enjoyable settlement and incredible scenic

The weather situation seems to turn into a miracle! We had incredible good weather again today. The sea is smooth like a mirror surrounded by scenic cliffs and mountains and above all a blue sky with some clouds.

At 8.30 am the Fram arrives to Illorsuit. Fortunately we could land because the sea ice disappeared a few days ago and only a few relics of it's still floating in the bay. The polar Circle Boats bring us ashore. It was a little bit quiet in the settlement as we have Sunday. Most of the people are still sleeping and some of our guests visits the tiny church. After 10.00 pm the village was more crowded.

We enjoyed an agreeable walk through the settlement, we could have a look into the church and proceed to the cemetery and into the hills in the vicinity of the village.

We enjoyed the first tundra flowers and the scenic view over the ice covered sea into the surrounding mountains with glacier valleys.

At lunchtime the Fram setted to sail to our next destination. But she stops short after because we saw a Bowhead Whale! The Bowhead Whales are one of the most seldom whales and very endangered like Right Whales. It is a great luck to be able to observe them on this trip. The presentations about Glaciology and the History of Greenland were postponed too.

Soon after we sailed our way to Upernavik. The sun was still brightly shining and the bay was full of icebergs. Therefore we decided to try an Ice Cruising, as we did not in the morning, because there weren't any big icebergs in the vicinity of Illorsuit. This Ice cruising is very exciting, the boats drove close to spectacular icebergs and the group finds a huge ice field of leftover sea ice from the last winter. On the way back to the Fram they discovered a group of seals.

Nevertheless we could not stayed there forever and finally we continued our way to Upernavik through the still breath taking landscape. Another marvellous day came to its end.

Bowhead Whale in Svartenhuk (Sigguup nuua) bay nearby Illorsuit

Kayaking in Illorsuit in this wonderful sea and landscape

View of Illorsuit from the Heliport

Village and unlimited visibility

Yesterday we thought that it could not be better but, today we realise that it can be better. The weather is perfect with blue sky and some clouds. The waters around Uummannaq was full of Icebergs in all sizes and surrounded by steep cliffs and high mountains.

The bright morning sun illuminates the whole scenery.

We arrive at 10.00 and start the shuttle with our Polar Circle Boats to bring our passengers into the settlement.

At 11.00 the passengers taking to the Talk with the Local People are set ashore.

After lunch we start the first the boat excursion to Qilakitsoq and the ice cruising. Then the Hike to Santa's Cabin follows. This cabin was build by the Danish Television for a Christmas series about Santa for children. Unfortunately inside the hut was not tidy and had destroyed part of the interior of the hut.

At 16.30 everybody is back on the ship and we leave Uummannaq for our destination for the evening Ukkusissat.

Before Fram arrives to Ukkusissat we had to struggle through a large icefield filled with small icebergs and lots of crashed ice and mixed with relics of sea ice from the last winter. It took its time but it is a spectacular happening to see the Fram moving slowly and carefully through the ice illuminated by the brilliant evening sun. We arrived at 19.45 and some villagers of all different ages come on board to Fram for a lively “modern” singing and traditional dancing presentation. At the end some passengers are also involved in dancing.

This interesting day ends with a short visit of the Village and the exciting struggle back through the ice which our Captain was able to sail through. 

Here are some pictures we would like to show you some pictures of the day

Inside the turf hut in Uummannaq

A little breeze in this beautiful weather that kept mosquito's away

Local kids in Uummannaq