“Dying or the west coast of Greenland,” the indomitable polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen as soon as stated, and it may have been the motto of his 1888 expedition, the primary crossing of inside Greenland. He later would name it the “scheme of a lunatic,” which I really feel may very well be utilized to most polar expeditions of the time. What does that say about me that it evokes me to wish to go to Greenland?
Whereas it’s a lot simpler now to entry the world’s largest island, Greenland, in some ways, nonetheless holds the parable and surprise that captivated so many explorers over the centuries. No roads join the communities right here; it nonetheless holds the highest honor for the least populated nation on earth.
Wild, historical, poignant, and profound, Greenland has carved out a nook of my coronary heart.
Final summer time (northern hemisphere), I spent a good period of time in Greenland whereas exploring by expedition ship with Journey Canada. Most of their Arctic journeys name into Greenland sooner or later or one other, and it actually acquired below my pores and skin in one of the simplest ways potential.
The very first thing it is advisable to learn about Greenland is that it’s actually distant; no roads join the cities and communities (although that’s altering). Sure, you learn that proper. You go by air or boat or snowmobile in winter. If you wish to pack so much in, one of the simplest ways is to go by expedition ship.
The opposite massive factor to notice is that whereas Nuuk is the capital, the primary airport is in Kangerlussuaq, 300 kilometers north. That’s the place you fly from abroad.
Greenland now ranks excessive as certainly one of my favourite locations to go to worldwide, and that’s saying one thing! I’d return in a heartbeat. It’s a rustic that deserves so many tales. Right here’s my first introduction in photographs from my time spent within the Arctic visiting Greenland, Take pleasure in!
At sea in East Greenland
You don’t want me to inform you Greenland is distant. Solely 56,000 name the world’s largest island dwelling.
It’s additionally an autonomous nation inside the kingdom of Denmark. You’ll discover this beautiful rapidly, particularly when you have frolicked in different Arctic nations. Denmark’s wealth and funding are apparent right here, particularly in comparison with the Canadian Arctic (which I’ll dig into later).
Nearly everybody lives on Greenland’s extra developed western facet, particularly with a milder local weather within the south. The east coast is rugged, filled with glaciers, and never very liveable. I first visited Greenland by expedition ship with Journey Canada on their Iceland to Greenland: Within the Wake of the Vikings journey. It was a really cool option to arrive in Greenland for the primary time. We started seeing the shoreline by the pack ice at sundown, which was unimaginable.
Oh, and did I point out Margaret Attwood was a particular visitor on this journey? Unbelievable.
Ilullissat
If I needed to guess, I’d say that Ilullissat might be the largest vacationer website in Greenland. And after calling in a number of occasions, I can heartily agree. An excellent cute city with a number of nice little retailers and spots to eat, it has heaps of enjoyable actions to participate in.
A number of the largest icebergs within the Atlantic originate right here. In reality, the iceberg that sank the Titanic is believed to have come from right here. Residence to the UNESCO World Heritage Ilulissat Icefjord, it incorporates the Sermeq Kujalleq (Jakobshavn Glacier), the most efficient glacier within the northern hemisphere, which drops over 20 billion tons of ice a 12 months.
The fiord is chock filled with icebergs which have calved down from the glacier, usually a kilometer tall and the scale of skyscrapers. Too massive to drift, they get caught on the underside, clogging up the realm earlier than breaking up and floating down into Disko Bay. Nothing evokes individuals to go to Greenland fairly like these iconic polar views.
Hvalsey
Hvalsey is dwelling to certainly one of Greenland’s nice mysteries. And it’s additionally a spot that proves that, sure, Greenland may be inexperienced. Typically. The perfect Norse ruins in Greenland may be present in Hvalsey on the south coast. Norse Icelandic settlers first arrived on the southwest coast within the ninth century however died out over the subsequent few hundred years.
Hvalsey can be the place that had the final file from the unique Norse colony earlier than, poof, they disappeared from historical past: a marriage in 1408 on the church. You possibly can nonetheless go to the church ruins round Hvalsey as we speak.
We go to Hvalsey on the Iceland to Greenland: Within the Wake of the Vikings voyage with Journey Canada.
Evigshead Fjord – Kangerlussuatsiaq
Three months at sea within the Arctic meant I’d seen my justifiable share of glaciers and fiords. And belief me, they by no means get previous.
However one probably the most inspiring ones must be Kangerlussuatsiaq – strive saying that 3 times quick! Translated as “the relatively massive fjord” in Greenlandic, whereas the older Danish identify Evighead interprets to “the fjord of eternity.”
75 kilometers lengthy, the sail down the fiord is simply as unimaginable as arriving on the tidewater glacier itself. The views are spectacular, and we regularly see seals snoozing on the ice. On one notably calm, sunny summer time’s day, we even did the polar plunge right here.
Nuuk
After being at sea round distant Greenland, I used to be stoked to reach in Nuuk and get my first oat latte. Despite the fact that it ended up costing $14nzd, it was price it. I had three.
Nuuk is a cool little metropolis. It’s small and completely walkable; there are some vacationer retailers and spots, however it nonetheless feels genuine. The views are nice, and the museum is certainly one of my favourite spots. I’d like to spend extra time right here sooner or later.
Prince Christian Sound – Ikerasassuaq
On the very backside of Greenland, you’ll discover Prince Christian Sound, one of the vital spectacular waterways to discover. Right here, the Irminger and Labrador Seas meet alongside the islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago. The mountains and views are dramatic, and wherever you land is spectacular.
It’s named after the Nineteenth-century king of Denmark, Christian VIII. Denmark has had colonies in Greenland because the 18th century, and these days, Greenland is formally an autonomous nation inside the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish is broadly spoken, although it’s now not the official language.
Sisimiut
Sisimiut is the second largest metropolis in Greenland and is taken into account the gateway to many outside adventures. It sits inside the Arctic Circle, surrounded by steep mountains and unimaginable views. There are many good cafes and buying round Sisimiut, and the open-air museum is fairly superb, too. We known as in right here on a number of journeys, together with the long-lasting Excessive Arctic Explorer ones.
At any time when we name in, we get to take pleasure in a setup known as “A Style of Greenland” on the resort on the primary sq., which incorporates among the nation’s most iconic dishes, together with whale. Whereas I’ll delve into this matter much more in-depth later, I’ll say that spending time within the Arctic opened my eyes to subsistence looking by indigenous individuals, which is what occurs right here. That being stated, whale is an acquired style. And texture.
The final time we known as into Sisimiut in September, we had probably the most unimaginable displaying of the northern lights. By then, the times of midnight suns are over. I used to be recovering from being sick, and my ship bestie knocked on my door till I acquired as much as go see them. No regrets.
Illukulik – Lindenow Fjord
Southern Greenland is spectacular, and we spent a number of days navigating alongside the shoreline from the east over to the western facet of the nation. We additionally had probably the most superb climate your complete journey, with heat sunny days time and again.
One of many causes I keep in mind our cease within the Lindenow Fjord was due to the haze. The smoke from monumental bush fires in Canada drifted over to Greenland, leaving a barely hazy sky. It didn’t make a lot of a distinction with landings, and also you couldn’t scent the smoke. But it surely did make for completely spectacular sunsets.
Some photographs I shot listed here are my favourite from my complete season spent at sea. I hope they proceed to encourage individuals to go to Greenland.
Uunartoq
In southwest Greenland, you’ll discover the tiny island of Uunartoq – dwelling to the one scorching springs which can be heat/cool sufficient to swim in – that vacationers learn about at the very least – and which were dammed up right into a pool.
Surrounded by icebergs and delightful mountains on a misty day, Uunartoq was an actual spotlight for everybody as we sunk down into the crystal-clear swimming pools.
Kangerluluk – Dangerous Fiord
Our first touchdown in Greenland after crusing over from Iceland blew me away. It was heat and sunny once we arrived at Kangerluluk, a distant fiord few have visited. We landed on a sunny seashore with contemporary polar bear paw prints within the sand. It was very a lot an expedition-style journey day. These views encourage individuals to go to Greenland.
Surrounded by large mountains with lovely glaciers dripping all the way down to sea degree, I wandered for hours amongst the tundra, soaking on this unimaginable place. And attempting to not soak in too many mosquitos unintentionally. The bugs in Greenland in summertime are not any joke – that’s if you pray for wind.
That stated, I spent plenty of time in Greenland in the summertime, and this was the one day the bugs aggravated me.
Qaanaaq
Qaanaaq was by far my favourite place to go to Greenland final summer time, and it was by whole accident.
On the Out of the Northwest Passage journey, we go to Grise Fiord, Canada’s northernmost neighborhood. However Mom Nature dictates our itineraries, and that summer time, it was frequently blocked by sea ice. So, as a substitute, we known as Qaanaaq. The northernmost city in Greenland is spectacular. Surrounded by mountains and icebergs in Baffin Bay, it has colourful homes, pleasant locals, and plenty of historical past and tradition. And there have been TONS of sled canine puppies.
It was additionally the bottom and residential of the well-known Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen, whose house is now a museum.
Kap York
Kap York was one of many furthest factors northward I traveled in Greenland on my expedition with Journey Canada. After we arrived, the mountains had been shrouded in fog, and the waters had been so nonetheless that you possibly can see the arctic char gliding beneath the floor. On land, for those who paused in silence, you possibly can hear birdsong booming above you thru the mists.
Because the morning wore on and the fog regularly lifted, immediately, large flocks of dovekies appeared, flying out across the tops of the cliffs. They swarmed from side to side, nearly bat-like of their kind and abundance. I’m unsure I’ve ever seen something prefer it. Taking part in peekaboo with the fog made every part much more unearthly.
Beneath, a household of Arctic foxes darted out and in of the rocks, frolicking in the summertime snow patches. Icebergs cracked and rolled within the bay. By this level, I used to be satisfied I had entered one other world. How is that this actual life?
Tassiussaq
In northwest Greenland we known as in a number of occasions to one of the vital attention-grabbing archeological websites I’ve ever been to: Tassiussaq.
A lot of Greenland’s historical past is framed across the European Vikings. The reality is that Greenland has a a lot deeper and extra fascinating historical past courting again 1000’s of years to the Thule and paleo-Inuit peoples. Journey Canada works exhausting to deliver skilled guides together with us, like archaeologists specializing within the locations we go to and Inuit cultural educators.
Tassiussaq was a type of locations the place we may see the stays and ruins of Thule homes, meat caches, and even graves, however we respectfully stored our distance from them.
Are you impressed to go to Greenland now?
Many due to Journey Canada for internet hosting me in Greenland – like at all times, I’m maintaining it actual – all opinions are my very own, like you possibly can anticipate much less from me!