About rocking nights and magical nights

Day 5 14.09.2015

This morning we still had quite some waves and not everyone on board felt like having breakfast yet. As we got the briefing about the AECO rules we have to follow as responsible visitors, we were approaching our first stop in Greenland. Ittoqqortoormiit, or Scoresbysund for those not fluent in Greenlandic, was the name of our destination.

The wind was blowing almost straight against us, so unfortunately we did not make it in time to the village. Instead, we had lectures on board and as we got closer the sea became more calm. In the evening we were rewarded with a fairytale like polar night. Clear skies, no wind, a tiny village in between snowfields on the rocks and the sky covered in dancing green northern lights. Magical.

ìsafjördur

Day 4 13.09.2015

The last day in Iceland, next stop GREENLAND!

In the morning in ìsafjördur we started with some hiking into The Troll’s Throne, a place where a troll sat down on the mountains and left a seat forever. Some of us went on the trip “Savour the flavor of Sudureyri” to get a taste of Iceland. They visited a family owned fish company where the guide Daniel told some local stories and offered some samples to taste. Another small group even went on a horse riding excursion in Thingeyri with the renown Icelandic horses.

In the afternoon MV Fram departed from ìsafjördur, leaving the coast of Iceland for good and heading towards the Denmark Strait. The sea was not kind that night and therefore we cancelled the fashion show. Most of us went to bed very early and were rocked to sleep by the ship plowing through four meter high waves.

A day in Flateyri

Day 3 12.09.2015

Flateyri welcomed us with beautiful weather. The cozy village invites for roaming around with small information plaques all around the streets. There is also a tiny museum about the history of stock fish in an old stock fish barn and a quirky book shop featuring an old Icelandic apartment preserved for exhibition or a nonsense museum. For those, who however want to see more, there was an excursion by bus to see a botanical garden with icelands hardy flowers and to see the landscape.

After lunch we set sail for our last destination on the island of ice and fire: Ísafjörður. We passed Vigur Island with its Eider Duck farm and spotted a group of Humpback whales. On the way everyone could equip themselves with Muck boots as preparation for the wet landings in Greenland and already 20:30 we arrived in Ísafjörður. Then many left Fram already for an evening walk, as we would stay in this port over night.

Beautiful weather to adore the landscape

View through the avalanche barrier

Our greenlandic expedition team member Lola enjoys an ice cream

The quirky bookstore

A little wash for MV Fram

Humback whale

The Eider farm on Vigur Island

Muck boot rack

In the Muck boot fitting "store"