Saturday 29 June 2013

Back door


Flat calm seas welcome us to the last landing day of this trip, and the most amazing change springs to mind almost immediately: the ice is gone! Was it only yesterday when we had to cancel the landing in Ilulissat? Because of all the bergs and floes that were piling up like there was never an end to it??
This is a vivid illustration of the stunning mobility of frozen water, it could have been just the other way round.
Peaceful conditions now as we are riding into Itilleq, a cosy little village in a cosy little fjord, after a morning with lectures, bridge visits and a crew drill (with a lot of noise).
Strange thought that the mountain range behind it already belongs to the Søndre Strømfjord, which will lead us to Kangerlussuaq during the night. We are literally at the back door of our final destination.
Which does not keep us from undertaking all kind of activities. Not only is there the normal landing in this very welcoming place - everybody is invited to Kaffemik, meaning coffee & cake in the houses of the Greenlanders - but also the Kayaks are on their way shortly after the anchor is dropped. And today we have something special going on: Those who want can go fishing with Norwegian officers, who certainly belong to the world's experts if it comes to these things. 
Out they go, spotting for birds indicating small fish, which in turn shows where the big fish are. And so they come back with about 300 kilo of cod.
Those who stay "in town" are part of the traditional soccer game MS FRAM vs. Itilleq, featuring an enormous number of players on a small soccer pitch; result: 8:7 for - MV FRAM.
And then - believe it or not - it is time to pack the suitcases, a whole week flew by, full of impressions, of all kinds of weather, adventure. Well, we sure hope you'll be back one day. See you somewhere around the world!