At Sea
The body of water that separates Iceland from Greenland is the Denmark Strait. Being an arm of the North Atlantic and influenced by the East Greenland current, it is often a place with strong winds and turbulent seas. For us it is nothing of the kind. The sea is flat except for the occasional cat’s paw ripples.
As we sailed east all night we retarded our clocks and watches one hour. There was no extra hour’s sleep however as Tim made an early announcement when whales were spotted. The conditions were perfect for whale watching. At least two humpbacks lulled at the surface, alternately blowing and diving. They showed their flukes when making deeper or longer dives. Several good identification photos were taken that will be added to the thousands already on file in the database of humpback whale flukes. We stayed with them for an hour or more before continuing east. In the distance we could see the first ice berg of the voyage. The ship circled it once while we watched the changing shape and reflections each new perspective provided.
Much of the rest of our day was spent alternating between attending presentations in the lounge and time on deck or on the bridge. There were a number of sea birds around all day. Fulmars, kittiwakes, and terns were common targets for cameras and binoculars.
In anticipation of our arrival tomorrow in East Greenland Jes gave an overview of what to expect for our first landing. For most of us it will be our first time visiting Greenland and excitement mounts as we steam closer to our destination.
The body of water that separates Iceland from Greenland is the Denmark Strait. Being an arm of the North Atlantic and influenced by the East Greenland current, it is often a place with strong winds and turbulent seas. For us it is nothing of the kind. The sea is flat except for the occasional cat’s paw ripples.
As we sailed east all night we retarded our clocks and watches one hour. There was no extra hour’s sleep however as Tim made an early announcement when whales were spotted. The conditions were perfect for whale watching. At least two humpbacks lulled at the surface, alternately blowing and diving. They showed their flukes when making deeper or longer dives. Several good identification photos were taken that will be added to the thousands already on file in the database of humpback whale flukes. We stayed with them for an hour or more before continuing east. In the distance we could see the first ice berg of the voyage. The ship circled it once while we watched the changing shape and reflections each new perspective provided.
Much of the rest of our day was spent alternating between attending presentations in the lounge and time on deck or on the bridge. There were a number of sea birds around all day. Fulmars, kittiwakes, and terns were common targets for cameras and binoculars.
In anticipation of our arrival tomorrow in East Greenland Jes gave an overview of what to expect for our first landing. For most of us it will be our first time visiting Greenland and excitement mounts as we steam closer to our destination.
