|
Day 1
After flying in to Kangerlussuaq we embark the ship and sail through the Söndre Strömfjord. The currents in this fjord are up to 9 knots in the narrow parts.
Day 2
Our first landing is at Sydbay ( Zuidbaai ), where the 18th century whalers traded with the Eskimo’s at the occasion of the yearly Asivik. We land also at nearby Isortoq with remains of houses of the Thule culture. In this area we may see Reindeer. Later we sail by Rifkol, another trade area, with two sites of Thule culture houses
Day 3
The island groups of Hunde Ejland and Kronprinsens Ejland (formerly called Walvis Ejland ), in the mouth of the Disko bay, are surrounded by rich waters which attract both seabirds and whales. We intend to call at the small settlement on Hunde Eijland where old dwellings of Greenlands,’s Thule culture (dating from the 11th century) and graves from 18th century whalers can be seen. Later we will make Zodiac excursions in the beautiful narrows of the Kronprinsens Ejland archipelago. In the evening we land at Engelskmandens Havn in Fortunebay, where there are hotsprings.
Day 4
In the morning we land at Flakkerhuk, on the east side of Disko Island, making our way through waters dominated by huge icebergs. We intend to land at several points along the coast, like Narujuk and Modderbugt to observe a population of birds typical of the High Arctic, with species such as Long-tailed Skuas, Turnstones and Grey Phalaropes. The birds breed on a beautiful tundra landscape backed by basalt cliffs. Good walkers may walk to Skansen, where the ship will pick them up. In the afternoon we land at the south side of Jakobshavn Isfjord, where we will have a phantastic view across the fastest moving glacier in Greenland. In the early evening we will make a zodiac cruise among the ice-bergs of this glacier.
Day 5
On the south side of Arve Prinsens Ejland we visit Klokkerhuk, where we see some remains of the 18th century whaling period. At Naajat, on the north side of Oqaatsut, we sail with zodiacs along a Kittiwake colony of more than 10,000 breeding pairs. Near Antdlagia we have a fine opportunity to land and watch the Kittiwakes from land. In the evening, at Sarqaq we visit the remains of the oldest culture which reached West Greenland about 4000 years ago.
Day 6
At Umanaq, we approach High Arctic waters. Seal hunting is still an important source of income for the local people and they also have many dogs which haul their sledges in winter. We will also visit the nearby Qilakitsoq site, on the north coast of the Nugssuaq Peninsula, where some years ago a family of mummified Thule culture people from the 15th century was found.
Day 7
We sail to Akugdleq Island with its phantastic geological formations creating a desertlike image. Along the west side of Qaqugdlugssuit with a Fulmar colony we reach the huge glacier Sermeq Sikardleq, where we plan a zodiac excursion along the front.
Day 8
Today we circumnavigate Upernivik Ö and sail through narrow fjords surrounded by mountains of over 2000 m and glaciers at all sides. We pass Ubekendt Ejland (Onbekend Eiland ) and land at Schades Öer (Schade Eilanden) in the mouth of the Karrats Fjord. The mouth of this fjord is a good area for spotting whales. Later we land at Narssaq on Svartenhuk on a low Arctic tundra with lakes. Muskoxen has been transferred to this area and they are doing very well.
Day 9
Kingigtorsuaq, where 14th century Viking Runes were found, is our northernmost landing site, and we will try to find the place where the Vikings built a cairn with the inscriptions. From there we sail to Upernavik the main town in Northwest Greenland, where we will have an opportunity to experience Greenlandic culture. On Hvalö is a Puffin colony, where will try to go ashore in the evening. In these waters we my again see whales of different species.
Day 10
Hollaenderbugt on the northern tip of Nugssuaq Peninsula reminds us again of the Dutch whalers. In the afternoon we land at Björnefaelden, a Norse ruin at the western tip of the Peninsula.
Day 11
In the early morning we arrive at Ilulissat, famous for its Ice Fjord which is packed by large icebergs calved from the Jakobshavn Glacier to the east. We disembark in the morning ready and will have time to explore the town before we catch the flight home.
Back to Top News
|
