Day 10 - Ittoqqortoormiit & Hurry Inlet, Greenland

We anchored off the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit on yet another sunny day with clear blue skies and the colourful buildings looking really pretty in the sunlight. It is one of the remoter towns in Greenland (especially on the east coast) and it is situated near the entrance of the longest and widest fjord in the World that is known as Kangertittivaq or Scoresby Sund. Ittoqqortoormiit has a population of around 300 with a mixture of Greenlanders and Danes.

Heading ashore the Zodiacs cleared a path through newly formed pancake ice and once ashore there was a special ceremony when Walt West presented a plaque to the museum commemorating his stay in the area at the very end of World War II from 1945 into 1946. During this time he worked on an American weather station and he also presented a booklet describing his experiences during his stay.

For the rest of the morning everyone had the chance to explore and walk around a typical Greenland village and to visit places like the museum, the church, the post office, the tourist centre, the weather centre. There was the chance to taste Muskox meat and to witness the Huskies being fed, with Minke whale! The highlights included the chance to meet local Greenlanders, and to interact with the really cute and playful puppies that provided lots of photo opportunities.

As we headed back to ship there was a distinct chill in the air and hint that winter would soon be on its way, and the day ended with a lovely moonrise over the mountains. This has been our 5th day ashore in Greenland and we have been so incredibly lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies throughout!

Day 9 - Hekla Havn; Vikingebukta

We woke up to a glorious sunrise heralding yet another clear, sunny day. The air was calm and relatively warm (4 degrees Celsius).

The sea kayakers got a chance to go kayaking in waters first navigated by the Thule people – the original kayakers!

We were fortunate enough to witness some incredible events, including the breakup of one truly massive iceberg, which rolled almost all the way over with a cacophony that echoed throughout the primeval landscape.

Later in the afternoon we arrived at Vikingebukta where we embarked on a Zodiac cruise. Here a large glacier could be seen entering the sea. Icebergs of every size formed a thick blanket across the water near the glacier, making a close approach impossible. This was an excellent opportunity to enter areas of brash ice, turn off our engines, and experience all the sounds of this Arctic wilderness.

All around us the brash ice was crackling and popping, while calving events farther away caused sonorous booms to echo across the fjord. For dinner we were treated to a fabulous BBQ dinner served outside in full view of the pristine glacial landscape.

Day 8 - Rypefjord, Rødefjord, Fønfjord

We cruised south into Rødfjord where to the west mountains >2100 m in height contain the same sedimentary rocks on the lower slopes as those in Rypefjord. Much older metamorphic rocks (1.4 Ga) are higher on the slopes. To the east is Milne Land rising to nearly 1900 m and composed of metamorphic rock, mostly gneiss.

The Fjord was another iceberg alley. Icebergs, this time from Vestfjoden, were set against a background of snow-capped mountains.

After dinner we turned east into Scoresby Sund. To end the evening, the Chinese students presented a Mid-Autumn Festival. Through dance, drama and song they told of the origin of the Festival. They ended their show with a love song: “The Moon’s My Heart.” Theirs was a charming performance that was enjoyed and applauded by all.

Day 7 - Sydkap Peninsula, Scoresbysund

We awoke to a second beautiful day in the Northern end of Scoresby Sound. To put this in context, I had understood that Greenland weather in September can be nothing but rain and fog. We were all pleasantly pleased this was not the case! The visibility was excellent and afforded a good look at the geography which blended the rounded and bumpy slopes of some of Norway’s Fjords with the more familiar steep inclines of the Spitzbergan-like hills.

Day 6 - Frederiksdal

We sailed deep into Scoresby Sund and branched off to the Nord Est Fjord, opposite Frederiksdal, and we were anchoring right in front of our landing area. It was a glacial river plain leading inland where Muskoxen were spotted grazing in the nearby flats. We were all anxious to get off the ship and stretch our legs and walk on the tundra of Greenland. Once the group was assembled we slowly made our way towards these skittish animals and moved as close as possible in order to get some good photos and not disturb them. Muskox are the most truly Arctic of the northern land mammals.