Sunday 9 August 2009

Qeqertarsuaq

It is always very special to have our first day with ice. Lots of ice. Stately icebergs were our constant escorts. The approach to Qeqertarsuaq was quite dramatic with rocky shoals on both sides of the ship. We carefully and slowly navigated through the narrow entrance to our anchorage spot beneath the beautiful stratified cliffs that provide an impressive and extremely beautiful backdrop to the small community.
We dropped anchor at 9:00. Soon we boarded the Polar Cirkle boats and headed to shore to start our hike to The Valley of The winds. A short walk through town lead us to a beautiful dark sandy beach. Greenland dogs lay snoozing in the warm morning sun. A handful of small fishing boats were pulled up beyond the high tide line. There were large icebergs quite close to shore. Small bergy bits had washed onto the beach. We were warned to avoid going right down to the water's edge as large waves from collapsing icebergs were always a hazard.
Our hike terminated at a beautiful waterfall. It was a perfect place to catch our breath, relax and enjoy the majestic scenery.
By 12:30 most of us were back to the ship for lunch. There was still plenty of time for us to eat and then explore Qeqertarsuaq on our own.
At 15:30 the last boat left shore. Soon we lifted anchor and headed north once again.
It was a perfect evening for scenic cruising. Not a breath of wind. Plenty of blue sky and sunshine. And hundreds of icebergs.
Tomorrow: Uummannaq and Ukkusissat.