Above the Arctic Circle now, we begin our sea-based portion of our expedition onboard the National Geographic Explorer with our first stop to the town of Sisimiut. We disembarked the ship onto the dock this morning just as the fog lifted to reveal a splendidly sunny day. Houses clad in various primary colors, all outlined in white, dotted a mountainous, novel landscape.
The morning excursions today included natural history hikes, city walks, and a walk for the photographically focused. During one of the walks, a group spotted a shop showcasing a particularly impressive display of artistry and craftsmanship, with intricately carved polar bear rings and icons, made from cream colored reindeer antlers, decorated with the black of tiny baleen bits.
Whilst almost everyone explored the terrestrial terrain, the undersea team geared up to go diving in Sisimiut. But not in a swimsuit! Rather, suited up in dry suits, the divers descended below a tiny island that happened to be the summer home for a few sled team dogs, who were very confused by the divers. Below the surface the seafloor was bustling with life – a massive school of Atlantic cod swimming, gooseberries afloat, skeleton shrimps and various invertebrates clinging onto the abundant kelp, swaying in the current.
There was another seafarer that was dressed in a dry suit today too. A local kayaker put on a traditional demonstration of paddling and flipping over within his kayak, rolling through the 37°F waters with ease and grace. It was quite a show and everyone was impressed not only by his skill and agility within the kayak, but his resistance to the cold.
As we set sail towards the Davis Straight, bound for Baffin Island, we shared dinner and presentations: the expedition team and some of the crew introduced themselves to the guests during the captain’s Cocktail Welcome Pack and we got to know our cameras a little better during the photo team’s presentation and breakout sessions.
Excited at the promise of more adventure, we press on, into a blanket of fog, hoping the midnight sun will reveal some wildlife sightings to come.
