Friday, 6 July 2012

Enjoying the ICE every minute of the day!

Last week we launched with success the activity "Arctic Sky and Ice, Sleeping on the deck". As soon we arrive in the waters around Disko Island the vessel is surrounded by many icebergs in the most amazing shapes. It is midsummer here right now and the sun is at its lowest around 01.00 a.m., giving the sky a deep red and golden colour. It's a magic experience to see the sun shining on the icebergs during this time of the night! The beds are ready at 23.00 O'clock, sleeping bags and pillows puffed up. As soon the passengers are comfortably lying in their beds they get served a "welcome outside" drink, hot chocolate and some refreshments. Some passengers can't resist the views and crawl out off their sleeping bags again to take pictures and film the spectacular views. Others just keep lying and are silently enjoying. And some passengers are so tired of the day and fresh air that they fall asleep straight away. 
Those who stay until 06:00, get fresh pastry and coffee served as a pre-breakfast.Ready to start a new day. Today we started at 9.00 with an extra landing at Qulissat. This old mining settlement was abandoned precisely 40 years ago after the mine was closed. Normally we only meet a few people while strolling through the streets, that are persons who are spending their holiday in the settlement. But today we could see numerous little boats in the bay upon arrival. Tomorrow they will memorize the fact that the coal mines were closed. Kuupik Kleist, the Prime Minister of Greenland, born in Qullisat, is one of the
awaited guests, they expect 500-1000 in total! It will be a kind of festival gathering offering theater, music and the possibility to meet old friends.







Around 16.30 the captain announced it was impossible to reach the landing site near glacier Eqip Sermia in time because of the ice, so we went for plan B: Icecruising, what a great alternative. And so we filled some more time of this day with enjoying the ice, the pictures explain the rest.