Hurry Inlet and Ittoqqortoormiit, 7/28/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Greenland
What a beautiful morning to head to shore for our first landing in Greenland! We landed near a hut midway up Hurry Inlet to enjoy hikes of various lengths. We caught sight of barnacle geese, signs of lemmings, and a skull amongst the arctic tundra floras.
After lunch, we began to see sea ice and bits of small icebergs broken up by the long summer days. As we made our way amongst the ice, we navigated expertly to Ittoqqortoormiit, where we had the privilege of going ashore and meeting the local community. What kind and welcoming people, and what a beautiful place they call home.
Amy was raised near Cape Cod in coastal Marion, Massachusetts, and her relationship with the ocean and nature has always been an active one. Her parents, avid divers and marine biologists, introduced her to the underwater world when she was very youn...
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Yesterday, travelers from many places and ages came together in Reykjavik, Iceland to board National Geographic Endurance . The ship is both our comfortable home and exploration tool for the next ten days. It will take us deep into the Arctic where extreme wilderness and complex cultural history intersect. In fine weather, we sailed west and north with views of Snæfellsjökull, the glacier and mountains made famous by Jules Verne as the gateway to the center of the Earth! Today was spent at sea with a smooth crossing. As we approached the Greenland continental shelf, we found a blue whale cruising the waters. There were plenty of activities. We listened to important orientations and fascinating presentations, and we cleaned our field gear to avoid introducing exotic species to the areas we plan to visit. By evening, we were getting views of ice, seals, and the dramatic coastline of East Greenland.
After an evening filled with aurora borealis we woke up well-rested, and the seas were relatively calm. The day at sea started with a presentation by our cultural representative of Iceland, Birna. She expanded on the “Armour of Iceland”: the Icelandic sweater. Later in the morning our resident scientists Conrad and Rosemary gave us insight to their current projects. The entire morning the ship was surrounded by fulmars, guillemots, and mainly glaucous gulls. The sun came through a few times as the seas picked up a little. In between presentations and the afternoon tea was a celebration to live music. Micky, one of our bar waiters, gave a fantastic piano concert while guests mingled with wine and cheese. National Geographic photographer Todd Gipstein gave an inspiring talk in the afternoon, followed by a Climate Panel led by Jonathan and Tani, among other staff. It was an opportunity to shed some light on a few facts we might have missed in the jungle of information we are exposed to. Most importantly, we had a healthy discussion about crucial issues that we are all faced with. This trip has been a wonder in scenery, experiences, and new meetings. It was rounded off with Captain Oliver’s farewell cocktails and another beautiful dinner, as we sailed past the northeastern shores of Iceland.
