Bonnie & Bill's Adventures: Greenland

Well folks, did we ever get blown away a couple of days ago. On Sept 5-6 we were in Greenland. Greenland! Can you imagine that? On Sept 5 we spent the day cruising through Prins Christian Sund. This is one of a complex network of narrow channels and fjords which make up the southern end of Greenland. Sailing through these channels is only possible from midsummer until late autumn because the sea is blocked with pack-ice at other times. The transit is a wonderland of steep granite mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and icebergs. This rugged landscape was formed by carving glaciers during the ice age.

We spent the entire day, from around eight in the morning till six in the evening, watching the passing scene, taking zillions of photos and having our breath taken away by the dramatic scenery. The weather was cloudy and rainy at first but it slowly improved through the day. One of the highlights was passing a small settlement called Aappilattoq ("the read place"), the only settlement in this network of fjords and channels. 170 people live in this village which is one of the most remote in Greenland. The houses stand on a very small stretch of flat land below an almost vertical (2970 feet) high mountain. The steep slopes extend directly to the shore so it is impossible to walk farther than 1.2 miles from the settlement without coming to a dead end. From July to late autumn it is possible to get to and from the village with boats but at other times helicopters are the only means of transportation.

The ship paused beside the village for a while to let two small boats go ashore to take clothing and other donations made by the ship personnel. Included in this mission were some 30 pizzas which were quickly devoured! It is hard to imagine living this remotely. The photos below will give you and idea of our amazing day.