Last night we stayed at anchor just outside of the small Ilulissat harbour. It is always a nice change to be at anchor overnight. It is really peaceful and quiet. Before our departure at 09:00 there was time for several people to take advantage of the last helicopter excursion to the Ice Fjord.
Once we heaved anchor, Fram cruised by all of the giant icebergs stranded at the head of the fjord. The monolithic icebergs created a massive and impenetrable ice wall.
Our destination was the nearby settlement of Oqaatsut. En route to Oqaatsut there was time to fit in a couple of lectures in English and in German which were followed by a pre-landing briefing on how we were going to conduct our visit to this very pretty, small community.
At approximately 11:30 Fram dropped anchor just outside of Oqaatsut. It was a short boat ride through a narrow channel to the protected harbour. The pier was a floating pier that bucked, bounced and undulated with each passing wave. Walking across the small dock was a fun experience in itself.
Once on shore local guides gave us presentations on Greenlandic dogs and Greenlandic dog sledding which is much different than Alaskan style dog sledding. Greenlandic dogs are harnessed in a fan while the Alaskan dog sledding style has the dogs harnessed in a line of pairs.
The settlement itself is rather small with only about fifty inhabitants. Probably as a result of it’s close proximity to Ilulissat there is a small, excellent restaurant which features Greenlandic foods. There is also a small hotel.
A stiff breeze blew throughout the landing which was quite welcome as it kept the ravenous mosquitoes grounded.
The last Polar Cirkel boat left shore at 17:00.
In the early evening Michael entertained everyone in the Observation Lounge which was followed by our always enjoyable Crew Show.
