Blogs from Greenland, North America - page 3

Today 4 of us took a 10 mile hike to see Qooroq glacier. Sheila and John dii not go (John did hike a short distance with us and then turned around) because Sheila’s knee is hurting a lot. In the beginning we were hiking on the road, which is quite rocky, and I walked on the grass next to the road. My toe got stuck in a lump of grass and I pancaked face first in the grass. I wasn’t hurt, just embarrassed. This was Fall #1. Angela, Rick, Jan, and I continued on the road up to several small lakes, then climbed up to a ridge. The fohn winds had arrived during the night and were blowing about 35 miles per hour. Jan told us it would get worse. We arrived at the viewpoint where ... read more

August 8, 2019 – Scenic Cruising of Prince Christian Sound – Weather: 39°F/4°C, sky clear and sunny in am - partly cloudy in pm, wind 1 mph, humidity 84° Prince Christian Sound wends its way through the islands at the southern tip of Greenland. After another night a fog we awoke to a beautifully clear sky and frosty temperatures. We entered the sound at 7:00 am and exited it around 5:00 pm taking in the beautiful scenery, rugged mountains and glaciers coming down to the sea. Due to the twisting course of the sound the Captain kept the ship’s speed under 5 knots, with extended stops in front of several glaciers for photo opportunities and the fishing village of Aappilatioq (130 pop.) which is situated within the sound. Jessica, the EXC Travel Host provided a running ... read more

August 7, 2019 – Nanortalik, Greenland - Weather: 42.8°F/6°C, partly cloudy, wind 6.8 mph, humidity 88° We travelled down the south-west coast of Greenland overnight at a leisurely pace of 10 knots passing in and out of fog banks. This morning we arrived at Nanortalik, located on a small island near the mouth of the Tasermiut Fjord at the very southern tip of Greenland. The name of the town translates to the “place of polar bears” which we did not encounter other than those on the town’s official crest. The settlement of the area dates back to the early 18th century when a trading post was established to supply European fishermen and whalers along with the local Inuit. Today the area’s main industries are crab fishing, seal hunting, fishing, and gold mining along with a robust ... read more

"I am perfectly acquainted with the arctic, my knowledge having been acquired by thirty-three voyages to these regions, and by spending three winters there. I have become intimately associated with the Esquimaux and their habits and manners." William Penny 1809 - 1892 Nuuk. I am always surprised at how cosmopolitan Nuuk is! A city in Greenland complete with museums, malls, galleries, theatres and a brewery. The Greenlandic capital is built in a seemingly impossible fjord that twists and cuts its way inland to the ice sheet, a fjord system so complicated that map-makers must have nightmares. It’s quite astounding that there’s a functioning city in among the towering arctic peaks and wild coastline. I am only beginning to understand Nuuk (and Greenland for that matter). I am sure I once thought of Greenland as a far ... read more

Greenland Our crossing the Labrador Sea was interesting to say the least. We were heading into a force 8 gale and the ship was rocking side to side and up and down, often at the same time. We are on deck three and even this low on the ship it was really rocking. By morning the wind had died down a bit and the swells were smaller but still we knew we were at sea. The show tonight was a group named The Emperors of Soul and the were very good. They did Jackie Wilson, Aretha, Michael Jackson and other hits. They each had good voices and danced well. Later they were interviewed by the cruise director and we found out that there were from England and one from Australia. You would never know from their ... read more