A sea day and lectures

Today, the 16^th of July, we awoke to calm seas with cooler and cloudy weather. This was a full sea day, as we sail towards the Norwegian owned Arctic Island of Jan Mayen.

We crossed the Arctic Circle yesterday evening and today King Neptune greeted us onboard for our polar baptism! This was an ice cold, but refreshing experience.  The Captain and King Neptune had the joy of baptizing us by pouring icy water down our necks. There are some new crew members on board for this trip, and we were given very special treatment as we were showered with half a bucket of icy slush. The toughest of us even came back several times for the baptism! Brrrr…

Starting in the morning we had the mandatory and serious lectures with information from Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). These lectures covered safety and behavior in Arctic areas. Later in the day, we had lectures regarding Jan Mayen Island and its weather station plus some photos of the volcano eruption.

Today was also the start of our children’s program and we had 2 events. The first was a trip to the bridge where the Captain explained the operation of the ships propellers and the steering system. The second event was a behind the scenes tour of the FRAM with our guide Uncle Bob. U.B. as he is known, showed us the Polarcirkle Boats that will take us to the islands then the ships storerooms, his cabin and our last stop was the ships jail. But there were no prisoners, just racks of outdoor clothing for the Expedition Staff.   

In the evening it was showtime at the panorama deck. Some of the crew and the expedition staff were models at our fashion show, where they showed off the clothes we have in the shop on board.

JAN MAYEN SHOWS US A GREAT DAY

As we were having breakfast, we arrived at the Norwegian Island of Jan Mayen. The FRAM anchored and we went landed at a black volcanic sand beach. About a 10 minute walk up the dirt road we found the station buildings. The main purpose of the station is to maintain the radio-navigation systems that have transmitters on the Island. In addition ornithologists and geologists also conduct research on the island.

Inside the main building we found a museum with photographs and artifacts for the whaling days to current times. The building also contained a small shop with maps and t-shirts for sale. There were also postcards and stamps for sale and many of us wrote cards and posted them to friends and relatives. We were told the next outgoing plane flight, with mail, would be in early August and most of us will be home before the cards reach their destination.

During most of our time ashore it was windy with light rain and low clouds. These conditions made photography challenging. As we returned to the FRAM the sun began to burn through the clouds a bit and as the FRAM headed northward along the southeast facing coast the clouds thinned and often parted. These conditions gave us a clear view of the coastal lava beds and the glaciers that descend from Beerenberg. This volcanic, glacier covered mountain, has a crater at its peak and the highest point on the crater is 2277m or 7514ft high. The Captain kindly motored the FRAM along the coast and around the northernmost tip and this course allowed Uli our geologist and Olav our glaciologist to explain the features we were seeing. Olav was particularly enthused as he had worked on Beerenberg soon after the large eruption in 1970.

Eventually we had to leave the peak and Jan Mayen behind as the FRAM set course for Spitsbergen and we expect to arrive there in the afternoon, the day after tomorrow.   

Isafjordur, Iceland on an overcast day

On our morning arrival in Isafjordur we had temperatures of about 9°C or 48°F and a strong breeze and overcast skies. That did not preclude us from seeing the town and hiking and some of us even went horseback riding. The highlight of the hiking was the group of our kid passengers who literally ran up the steep slope from the highway to the edge of the Troll’s Throne. In Icelandic tradition the Troll’s Throne was formed when a large female troll sat and rested. From a geologic perspective the Trolls Throne was formed by a relatively small side or hanging glacier that flowed into the much larger glacier that once occupied the now large fjord valley where the town of Isafjordur is located.    

The center of town was an easy walk from the dock where the FRAM was tied up. The city streets and buildings were all neat, tidy and often brightly painted. There were small flower beds along the roadside and these colors added to our enjoyment. But the most spectacular was the typical Icelandinc nature which Isafjordur is surrounded by, with steep mountains, green hills and waterfalls.

The evening highlight was about 2030 or 8:30 pm when the announcement was made that the FRAM was crossing the Arctic Circle at 66° 33´ 39´´North latitude. Tomorrow we suspect King Neptune will show up on the FRAM. 

Boarding in Reykjavik

We came to the FRAM carrying 17 different passport. Some of us had short flights and only a few hours of time changes, while others traveled more than half around the globe and had more time changes than we could count.

Overcast skies and light rain greeted us at the dock. Onboard the FRAM we signed in and received our room assignments and keys. Once we located our rooms and found our luggage outside the room our anxiety started to diminish and fatigue set in. But we made it to the mandatory safety drill and dinner and the Captains “Welcome Aboard” ceremony where the Captain introduced the ships principal department heads. 

After that the Hotel Manager discussed several procedures to insure a healthy and trouble-free trip and the Expedition Staff Leader presented her staff and discussed how they will take us ashore at various locations, keep an eye on our safety and on sea-days the Expedition Staff provide numerous lectures largely stressing “Climate Change” as that is the title of this trip from Reykjavik to Longyearben in Spitsbergen.

SEADAYS AND ICELAND:

BLOG-12, 13 & 14 JULY 2015

This blog is a summary of our 2 day travels in Denmark Strait as we continued our crossing  from Southern Greenland to Iceland and our arrival in Iceland.

Our sea days on the 12^th and 13^th were additional catch-up” days. Along the Greenland Coast we commonly had both a morning and afternoon visits to the local villages and historic sites. During the 2 days of our transit across Denmark Strait to Iceland our days were filled with lectures and bridge visits.

Lectures covered whales and seals and ice and geology. On the bridge the ships officers explained the ships engine power system and the ships desalinization system as this last system provides more than adequate amounts of fresh water for the galley the laundry and showers and more than enough for all 209 of us plus the ship’s crew and the Expedition Staff.

The evening of the 12^th we were treated by the ship’s crew to their Crew Show. Both the passengers and the Expedition Staff truly appreciated these wonderful shows and to be honest we have no idea how and when the crew members find time to practice for this show. The crew members are always working whether on-deck, in the restaurant or driving our Polarcirkle boats.

On the afternoon of the 13^th we all gathered in the Observation Lounge to have the Captain’s Farewell cocktail. This event was two directional as not only did the Captain and crew sing and wish us a safe ride home. In return we all applauded and wished the Captain well, as this trip completes his duty onboard the FRAM and he is retiring on our arrival in Reykjavik. After the good-by and retirement ceremony the FRAM charity auction was held. The ships flag, the

navigation chart and the Captains personal notes were on the auction block. The bidding was competitive and they went to happy passengers and the funds raised went to the Charity Fund for Greenland Children.  

Later in the afternoon we arrived in Grundarfjordor. There was slight sprinkles of rain but this did not deter our walking, exploring and touring. This was the first cloudy and rain we have had on this nearly perfect weather trip. The evening of the 13^th was a quiet one as everyone retreated to their cabin to pack their clothes and purchased goodies for the flight home.

During the night of the 13^th the FRAM motored from Grundarfjordor to Reykjavik and we expect to dock at 0800 or 8am and be on our way home.

CAPE FARVEL AND NORTHEAST-WARD

After last nights dinner we sailed south along the west coast of Greenland and by breakfast time today the FRAM was off Cape Farvel the southern tip of Greenland. We had calm seas and in the distance we could see the peaks that mark the Cape. After rounding the Cape the Captain set our course to the northeast, about 60° true and we are on our way to Iceland.

Today is a busy day onboard as there are both bridge tours and lectures. On the bridge the ships officers explain the navigation screens and the ships internal safety systems, notably the innumerable smoke and fire detectors that are located in every cabin and throughout the ships common areas.

Since we boarded the FRAM, most days we have had two landings each day. As a result we have been shortchanged on lectures. Today makes up for that lack of information. For example both the Arctic and Antarctic play a large role in FRAM’s travels. For our English speaking passengers, Bob talked about his experiences as a glaciologist first at the South Pole then at Camp Century below the Greenland icecap. Frieda gave us an overview of the similarities and differences between the Arctic and the Antarctic. She discussed both the human cultural differences plus the plant and animal life. These two lecturers returned in the afternoon and Bob talked about the geo-political claims in the Arctic Ocean and Frieda talked about the cultural changes in Greenland from a hunting society to a commercial fisheries nation.

For our German speaking passengers Rudolf explained the ecological food pyramid in the Arctic and Uli provided a glaciology lecture on ice and sea-ice. Tomasz gave an introduction to the types of whales that may be encountered in Greenland and Iceland waters.

Relatively smooth motoring all day today as we continue towards Iecland.

OUR LAST DAY IN GREENLAND: HVALSEY AND QAQORTOQ

Hvalsey church is just above the beach and it the most well-preserved medieval Viking ruin in Greenland. The roof is gone but the intricate stone construction of the walls and the doors and window openings serve as a testament to the solid construction of the 14^th century builders. On 16 September 1408 a wedding was held in this church and this marriage was recorded in the Iceland church archives two years. This is the last documented record of a service at this church and the timing and cause of disappearance of the nearby inhabitants, is not know.       

Near the church site we saw the rock outline remains of several other farm buildings. It is probable that the stones in the walls of all these buildings were infilled with clay to make them wind-proof and water-proof. By noon the sun was shining and we left the mosquitos behind as the FRAM motored to Qaqortoq.

Qaqortoq has brightly houses and a population of about 3,500 people. Here we had our choice of hikes, town walks plus a visit to the local tannery or boat trips to the nearby Agricultural Station. All of these were enjoyed in the afternoon sun. Some of us did not go much of anywhere but we walked a short way and visited with the family of Aka one of our Greenlandic expedition staff members. Aka was born in Qaqortoq and lives there now, plus Aka has her twin sister and her mother there in addition to her husband and 4 children. Aka and her family were kind enough to invite many of us to their house for a Kaffemik. This event involves eating food and desert treats and conversations that covered many topics. Our conversations were suspended for a time as Aka’s twin sister showed us the traditional clothing and boot styles worn my men and women. When it was time to go all of us were well fed and I suspect the FRAM left a little lower in the water than when we arrived a few hours earlier.

Leaving was a sad event not only because this was the FRAM’s last stop in Greenland but because Aka left the FRAM to stay in Qaqortoq with her family. And sadly we all waved good-by and the FRAM left the dock and headed for Cape Farvel and then on to Reykjavik, Iceland.    

  

NARSAQ AND QASSIARSUK IN SUNNY SOUTHERN GREENLAND

Our morning arrival in Narsaq was under low clouds but they promptly burned off during our stay and we had a very sunny and pleasant time at the museum, shopping both in the stores and by conversing with the local artisans who displayed their bead-work and other items at several locations along the roadside. There are several varieties of precious gem-stones that are found nearby and these are made into unique pendants and ear rings.

This is a town with a strong artistic community surrounded by waters rich in fish and land that enables prosperous sheep farms. In this town there is also new construction and the houses are brightly painted. All this gives the impression of a town that is upward bound and not like a few towns we have seen earlier, where the populations are declining as the people move to Nuuk.    

Qassiarsuk was our afternoon visit. The skies were clear and sunny and we had our choice of boat trips to the ice clogged Qooqqut fjord or hikes or just walking through the settlement. Again no matter which level of activity one decided on it was a very pleasant day.

The settlement is a very large sheep farm, it is clear as we walked by that there is much money invested in large tractors and irrigation equipment. Again the word prosperous comes to mind. This site was known as Eric’s fjord when it was settled by Eric the Red in the late 900’s. The climate was warmer then and subsistence farming had sheep, cows and goats, in addition to hunting and fishing. By the year 1000 Christianity had been introduced and the first church in North America was constructed. This site is across from the present church was clearly worth the visit. There are 2 wonderful reconstructions nearby, one to resemble the first church and the second is a replica of a turn walled Viking long house. This example is particularity informative as the interior contains replica clothing and utensils.

Back on the FRAM our evening closed with our Greenlandic staff members: Aka, Malena and Michael giving us an overview of the legends, games, songs and dances handed down and treasured by the Greenlandic people.    

Paamiut and Grønnedal

The FRAM entered the channel into Paamiut just before 8am. The day was sunny and without much of a breeze. We found the smallness and calmness of Paamuit a welcome change after yesterday’s busy day in Nuuk. The museum and the church were smaller as was the grocery store.

Some of us viewed the turf house on our walk to the overlook view point. Others took to the water for kayaking and some went on a fishing trip with the Fram’s officers. Seal were sighted throughout the trip but no edible fish were caught.

While no hiking was planned this for this landing, we did some exploration and perhaps on our next landing we can organize a hike to the inland lake that is the town water supply.

 Grønnedal means green valley and we were at this location about 1900 or 7pm. Gronnedal is now abandoned. Formerly it was a Danish military post and prior to that it had been an American military installation both of these military installations were to safeguard the nearby cryolite mine. Cryolite is a very rare natural mineral composed of Sodium, Aluminum and Flourine.  During World War II this singular cryolite deposit was very important as cryolite was used in the refining of bauxite ore to produce high quality aircraft aluminum. At present cryolite is a manufactured mineral produced artificially. In 1987 the mine closed and later the Danish military has abandoned its nearby installation.

At present the snow hares and muskox are the only occupants of the long green valley behind the abandoned boarded-up buildings. Most of the muskox we saw were on the valley side-slopes.

However a few of these bulky and shaggy beasts were photogenic-ally kind enough to continue grazing on the slopes just below the abandoned base buildings.

It was 2200 or 10pm when we returned to the FRAM and looking back a great time was had by all. The only local inhabitants we saw were musk-ox.   

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.