Disko Island, 8/7/2023, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Arctic
Expedition leader Bud Lehnhausen woke us slightly early so we could get outside and watch a fin whale that surfaced several times at a moderate distance. The morning was spent with the obligatory briefings about how to behave in polar bear country and with biosecurity. After an early lunch, we headed for our first wilderness landing on the southern side of Disko Island. Despite the mosquitoes, we enjoyed a beautiful hike on the lush tundra and marveled at the amazing basalt columns of the nearby mountain face.
Kerstin Langenberger is deeply in love with the Polar regions. Originally from Germany, she lived in Iceland for seven years where she graduated with a degree in environmental science. She later spent a year on Svalbard, Norway, where she became an A...
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As we headed south along the west coast of Greenland, Kerstin Langerbergen gave a talk about how to determine whether a polar bear is male or female. It was very interesting for guests to try to apply the methods she revealed to the bears (around 19!) we saw on this trip. There were definitely some surprises! Later in the morning, Ken Garrett shared his photos from the trip. Reliving the last three weeks through his photos was a very emotional experience. After lunch, we did something rarely done on our ships – operations in the afternoon before disembarkation day! Some guests chose to hike with a backdrop of beautiful glacial cirques, while others kayaked around the beautiful fjord where we stopped. Another group took off for a Zodiac cruise. They saw metamorphosed pillow basalts, several peregrine falcons, and even a reindeer! What a wonderful afternoon in Greenland! A very heartfelt bon voyage to all our new friends!
If memories were suitcases, ours would already be bulging from what we have seen and experienced on this trip to explore the Arctic. We will need to find more room in those suitcases because today’s memories will certainly not be left behind. Ilulissat is one of Greenland’s major cities (pop. 4600), and the port is a busy place. The word Ilulissat means “iceberg” in the local language, which is appropriate for a city that is next to the Ilulissat Icefjord. That fjord is the liquid conveyor belt that transports the endless supply of glaciers and ice produced by the Jakobshavn Glacier. The amount of ice coming down the fjord to the sea is a mind-boggling sight. At the mouth of the fjord, a shallow area traps the largest bergs and keeps even the smaller bits from escaping. As a result, the fjord is tightly packed with a jumble of ice. The large bergs stuck on the bottom create a wonderland that we explored in local boats with guides. To see the fjord itself, most of the guests took the opportunity to walk out to the edge of the fjord and get a view from the cliffs. Getting to shore involved a short Zodiac ride through the small harbor. Small boats and large fishing trawlers were busy loading supplies or unloading the day’s catch.
