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In the Footsteps of Franklin
  • Two to Travel
Jul – Aug 2022

In the Footsteps of Franklin

After eight years of being away from the polar regions, we will be scratching our "Ice Itch" with a Quark Expeditions voyage that will take us into the Canadian High Arctic. Read more
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  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Plenty of blue skies and sunshine for our "We are in Toronto" selfie — Nathan Phillips Square.
    Have to get a selfie with Toronto's iconic landmark ... the CN Tower — near Union Station.Old & New ... at the Roundhouse Park — Toronto, ON ... Canada.The CN Tower from the Harbourfront Centre Rink ... no ice skating today — Toronto, ON ... Canada.The CN Tower keeps popping up as wander around the waterfront — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Happy Castaways is a temporary art installation in the Harbour Square Park Basin — Toronto, ON.Mural columns near the Island Ferry Station — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Reflection of the Fairmount Hotel — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Another stop at Nathan Phillips Square as we make our way back to the hotel — Toronto, ON ... CanadaThe twin buildings in the center are the new City Hall — Toronto, ON ... Canada.The old City Hall and the Freedom Arches — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Japanese Anemone @ Nathan Phillips Square — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Memorial to the more than 93,000 Canadians who took part in the Italian Campaign of WWII — Toronto.

    A Meander Around Toronto

    July 30, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    An early wake up yesterday morning … followed by a long day of travel … followed by a late night after a dinner reunion in Toronto with our friends … followed by an early-ish wake up this morning for a required PCR test. The decision, thus, was to take it easy today. Hah!

    We started out with breakfast at the hotel — included in our room rate. Then, off we went to Union Station where SwitchHealth has a COVID-19 testing clinic. Our nasal cavities stirred for the first of two PCR tests required by Quark to embark Ultramarine on 2 August, we found ourselves heading towards the waterfront instead of returning to the hotel as planned.

    Long story short, we wandered and we wandered, stopping to take photos here and there. I had three walking routes that a new-friend who lives in Toronto had sent me. But the files were back in the hotel room. After all, we were supposed to be resting up this morning!

    By the time we returned to the hotel it was past noon and our feet were screaming for relief. No wonder! When I checked the health app on my phone, it was registering 15,851 steps.

    Our day is far from over. But first some rest … with our feet up!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Memorial to the Boer War — Toronto, ON ... Canada.
    Pillars of Justice @ the McMurtry Gardens of Justice — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Graffiti Alley — Toronto, ON ... Canada.A "we stopped to check out the street art at Graffiti Alley" selfie — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Graffiti Alley — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Graffiti Alley — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Graffiti Alley — Toronto, ON ... Canada.In support of the Ukranians ... Graffiti Alley — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Blooms from the Alex Wilson Community Garden — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Stackt Market — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Ubiqutous high rises ... they are everywhere — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Old & New ... buildings in the foreground date to the War of 1812 ... Fort York — Toronto, ON.One of several exhibits at Fort York — Toronto, ON ... Canada.What a sergeant of the 24th would have worn in 1837 ... Fort York — Toronto, ON ... Canada.1826 Officers' Mess ... Fort York — Toronto, ON ... Canada.1815 Soldiers' Barracks ... Fort York — Toronto, ON ... Canada.A glacier-shaped boulder presented by Norway to Canada ... Little Norway Park — Toronto, ON.Two of the statues that commemorate those who fled the Great Famine ... Ireland Park — Toronto, ON.Another "Skyline Selfie with the CN Tower" — Toronto, ON ... Canada.Toronto skyline from Ireland Park — Toronto, ON ... Canada.

    Another Meander Around Toronto

    July 31, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    When I posted yesterday’s story shortly after noon, I wrote that we weren’t quite done with our day. We did, indeed, go out again. Nothing interesting to report from that outing. But I did do a whole bunch more walking to wrap up the day with 19,541 steps. Mui clocked another 4,000 or so steps on top of that by window-shopping at the Eaton Center.

    I mention our steps from yesterday because by that standard, we slacked off today. We only walked 18,992 steps during today’s meanders around Toronto 😉😊

    This time we took off prepared for a day of exploring the city. Mui and I selected one of the three routes new-friend Kadi had marked up for us … about 4.3 miles. We made some adjustments here and there and ended up walking about 8 miles!

    Where did we go on this long walk? Well, I could list them, but I’ll let the photos give you a flavor of what our day entailed.

    The temps were warmer today than they were yesterday. The sun out for longer periods. Luckily, there was plenty of shade and some light breezes to keep us from overheating.

    A late lunch at the Amsterdam Brewhouse overlooking the Inner Harbor was the perfect opportunity to rest up before we tackled the walk back to the hotel.

    Now to put up our feet and give them a well-earned break!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin

    One Test Down …

    July 31, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    … one more to go.

    Got the results of the first of two PCR tests we need to join our Quark Expeditions group tomorrow and board Ultramarine on Tuesday.

    We took the test yesterday morning at 8:44a … at the SwitchHealth testing clinic at Union Station. The results were available in the SwitchHealth portal at 6:22p this evening.

    NEGATIVE! Never thought this word would come to mean so much to us!

    The next test will be done tomorrow. Don’t have to worry about where to go to get this test. Quark is handling the details!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Breakfast with our new friend, Kadi — Eggspectation Bell Trinity in Toronto, ON ... Canada.

    Meeting a New Friend

    August 1, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Moving day! Not going far … just to a hotel at YYZ.

    But first, a breakfast date with Kadi, a “virtual friend” with whom we will be sailing on a voyage in January.

    We enjoyed mimosas and delicious food at Eggspectation, not far from the DoubleTree. Conversation stopped just long enough for us to take bites of our food! That’s a good sign of a budding friendship. We’re looking forward to enjoying her company on the ship … and that of her husband as well. He was unable to join us today as he’s on a motorcycle trip in Alaska.Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Quark wants Explorers! Well, they've got at least the two of us ready to go exploring — Toronto.

    Joined Our Expedition Group

    August 1, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    After our breakfast date, we returned to the DoubleTree to collect our bags, called an Uber, and returned to YYZ. Well, not really to the airport … but to the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. This is where we will be spending the night before we well and truly embark upon our Arctic adventure tomorrow.

    Although it was just after noon when we arrived, our room was ready for us to check in. Dropping off our bags in the room was step one on our agenda. Then, we went off in search of the Quark ground team.

    Check-in … with proof of our COVID-19 vaccinations and the negative PCR test results … ✔️.

    Get our COVID-19 antigen tests … negative … ✔️.

    Pick up our Quark parkas … which we will need when we arrive in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland tomorrow to join the ship … ✔️.

    With all that done, we stopped in at Olio, the on-site restaurant that features Mediterranean cuisine. Tasty food, but service was really slow. No matter … it’s not like we were in any hurry.

    Our bags are now re-balanced to meet the weight requirements for tomorrow’s flight. They sport the Quark tags we received at check-in.

    Now for an easy evening and a bit of R&R!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Temps in Fahrenheit!
    Temps in Centigrade.

    Temp Comparisons

    August 2, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    … For where we are in Toronto now (Mississauga) … where we will embark the ship today (Kangerlussuaq) … and where we will end the expedition in two weeks (Resolute).

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin

    Feeding the Beast in Iqaluit

    August 2, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    The beast, in this case, is the B737-400 that is our air chariot from Canada to Greenland.

    We’ve dropped into the Iqaluit Airport on Baffin Island to switch crews, shop at the commissary (in other words, load catering items for the next leg of our flight), and get gas.

    Passengers get to stay onboard for this short stop!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Don't see the polar bear? Take another look at the tail of the airplane! — Iqaluit, Canada.

    Our Second Bear

    August 2, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    … and this one actually has the coloring of the polar bears we hope to see at some point during our expedition.

    (And if we don’t see any bears this time, that’s OK too. After all, in 2009, we spent several days up close and personal with the bears in Churchill … Canada’s self-proclaimed “Polar Bear Capital” in the Province of Manitoba.)Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Heavy sea ice appears soon after we take off from Iqaluit — Baffin Island, Canada.

    Ice-Choked Waters off Baffin

    August 2, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ ⛅ 32 °F

    We’re heading up into the icy Arctic to explore the waters that Franklin and his men sailed … before disappearing forever, Don’t worry, we don’t plan to follow that far in their footsteps.

    Some of the sea ice below looks like 10/10th coverage … meaning no break-up. Summer must be late coming this year.

    Fingers crossed that our route has break-ups that will allow us to proceed with the itinerary “mostly” as planned.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Our first zodiac ride of this trip is for transportation only — Kangerlussuaq Fjord; Greenland.
    Ultramarine has a nice aft marina for zodiac operations — Kangerlussuaq Fjord; Greenland.

    Hello Ultramarine

    August 2, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Once our flight landed, we were whisked onto the transfer buses for a 30-minute ride to the dock … no immigration; no customs.

    At the dock, a number of expedition team members were waiting for us with zodiacs. Donning life vests, we hopped into one of the boats and off we went on a 3-minute ride to embark Ultramarine … our home away from home for the next two weeks.Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    This is how our bags and the ship's provisions were delivered to Ultramarine — Kangerlussuaq Fjord.
    And we're off — Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Greenland.Cabin 613 ... home sweet home for the next couple of weeks — Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Greenland.

    We’re On Our Way!

    August 2, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Our checked bags and the provisions that came with us on the flight to supplement the ship’s commissary have been barged to Ultramarine in the wake of our arrival by zodiac.

    The muster drill is complete … and we are on our way. We’ve postponed settling into our cabin until after dinner so we can enjoy a bit of the sail away.

    Once we leave Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Ultramarine will head south along the Greenland coast for our first planned activities tomorrow … a tundra hike and a community visit.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Our handy dandy keycard has a lot of important info on it.
    In these remote places, it's important to have a way to advise whether we are on or off the ship.

    All We Need to Know …

    August 3, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    All we need to know for zodiac operations — and God forbid, in the event of an emergency — is on the keycards we received yesterday when we embarked Ultramarine.

    Muster Station ✔️ … Station A is in the Balena Restaurant.

    Lifeboat ✔️ … we went out on deck during the muster drill and know where to find boat #1.

    Ready Room Locker ✔️ … Station B is to the left of the staircase and elevators; cubby 11 is where my muck boots and zodiac pfd (personal flotation device … i.e. life jacket) are located.

    Zodiac Group ✔️ … the blue dot correlates with “Fram,” the name of the group to which we’ve been assigned.

    Gone, by the way, are the old methods used to advise the expedition team if you are onshore or on the ship. No more turning of number tags (with one side reading “off”) as we did on Professor Molchanov in 2007. No more paper manifest to check our assigned passenger number as we did on 50 Let Pobedy in 2014. No more fumbling around, looking for keycards in the many pockets of the parka. Now, we simply slip our keycard into a handy pocket on the sleeve of the parka and let the crewman scan us off and on the ship as we head to/from the marina deck.

    Time to go for a zodiac landing … a wet one that will see us slipping off the zodiac and into the water when we get to the landing beach. We’ve been trained. We know what to do.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Morning has broken — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.
    Scenery from the ship — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.Our landing site is somewhere off in the distance — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.The aft marina being readied for our zodiac transport for a wet landing ashore — Inussuit Tasersuat,And the first zodiacs are on their way to the landing beach — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.Looking back towards our landing site — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.A calm morning — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.A panorama of the reward at the end of our hike — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.A "commemorating our tundra hike" selfie — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.Tundra detail — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.Creeping azalea — Inussuit Tasersuat, Greenland.

    Tundra Hike: Inussuit Tasersuat

    August 3, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    We’re still far enough south — a little below the Arctic Circle — that we had a bit of darkness last night … and a bit of sunrise color this morning. That will change soon enough.

    Our plan of activities for today called for a tundra hike to a lake in the Greenland wilderness. In the briefing last night, the hike was described as fairly easy. When we got ashore, Christian, our Expedition Leader, had a revised description for us … rocky terrain with some steep sections … and patches of boggy, wet soil. “Team members will be positioned along the way to give you a hand up,” he said.

    This was a perimeter hike. Meaning that “bear guards” were positioned at high points. Within that perimeter, we could climb the path at our own pace ... being careful to stay on the rough trail as much as possible in order to protect the tundra. Alrighty then. Onward we went, taking it slow and easy … primarily to take photos and enjoy the remote tundra setting, but also to catch our breath periodically.

    Once we reached the lake, we clambered down the rocky terrain to the lake’s edge to take our photos. Then back up again for Labrador tea (made from a local plant) and bannock … prepared by one of the locals from Maniitsoq, the community we planned to visit in the afternoon.

    A great first outing of our expedition.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Red and orange — and even yellow — on the ice chart is not good — Greenland.
    Pink & purple ... definitely not good on a wind chart ... heading up into the green areas instead.Our revised plans will take us north to do some hiking at Eqip Sermia — Greenland.

    Our Plans Change!

    August 3, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    An expedition in remote areas of the world has one essential component … flexibility. That came in to play this afternoon.

    Our community visit to Maniitsoq this afternoon has been canceled. So has tomorrow’s call on Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. There is a front moving in that is going to make it quite unpleasant to stick around this part of Greenland.

    Make the crossing to Baffin now, you say? No can do. In fact, we’ll likely have to scrap southern Baffin altogether. The problem with that part of the itinerary is ice. Yes, the ship can operate in 3/10ths to 4/10ths ice. But there is too much of it in the area that we are supposed to explore in a few days’ time. The ice chart Christian, our Expedition Leader, shared with us at the briefing this afternoon shows 7/10ths to 9/10ths coverage.

    Another reason we have to stick around Greenland and wait for the front to blow out is fuel. There are only two places around here where we can top off Ultramarine’s tanks — Nuuk and Sisimiut. While we are OK fuel-wise, the top-off is needed to finish out Quark’s Arctic Canada season.

    So, what’s the plan? We’re going to head north along the Greenland coast to Eqip Sermia up in the Disko Bay Area. We hiked at Eqip Sermia in 2013, so we’re familiar with where we are going. From the image we’ve been shown, however, a different route is planned this time.

    Yup … flexibility is definitely the name of the game.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Our first glimpse of ice bergs ... from our cabin — Disko Bay, Greenland.
    Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture ... eroded but beautiful nonetheless — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture ... more is under the surface of the water — Disko Bay, Greenland.2Love these chairs on deck 5 aft — Disko Bay, Greenland.Yes, Mui's out on deck with me — Disko Bay, Greenland.Silt-laden undulating waters — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture ... framed by the lifeboat davit opening — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture — Disko Bay, Greenland.Reflections — Disko Bay, Greenland.Mother Nature's ice sculpture between the open risers as I head up to deck 6 — Disko Bay, Greenland.Sighting of an iceberg from the cabin while I listen to a lecture being streamed from the theater.

    Disko Bay: Ice Baby Ice

    August 4, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ 🌧 45 °F

    Our morning at sea promised sightings of ice. After all, to get to Eqip Sermia, our planned destination for today, we had to sail through Disko Bugt (in Greenlandic … Qeqertarsuup tunua) … where big bergs and small chunks of ice can clog the waters. This southern inlet of Baffin Bay, located north of the Arctic Circle, is the largest open bay in western Greenland.

    Today, the waters were not nearly as clogged with Mother Nature’s ice sculptures as they had been on our trip in 2013. There were growlers, bergy bits, and icebergs in all shapes and sizes … with plenty of water to negotiate a route amongst them.

    Mui and I spent the majority of the morning bundled up, wandering the outside decks. Going up … going down. Going forward … going aft.

    Such majesty our eyes beheld!    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    An "ice bear" playing peek-a-boo? — En route to Eqip Sermia, Greenland.

    Our Fourth Bear

    August 4, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ 🌧 46 °F

    Is it just me or is there a polar bear behind the iceberg playing peek-a-boo with us?

    You see it too, don’t you? No? Take a look at the left edge of the photo where the bear’s cone-shaped snout is peeking out.

    ☺️🙃🤪    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Welcome to Eqip Sermia ... as seen from the ship — Greenland.
    Wish I could have taken a photo from the same angle to compare to what we saw today — Eqip Sermia.Cairns & Ultramarine — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.A "we're back at Eqip Sermia" selfie — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.A field of dwarf fireweed — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.A panoramic look at where we are — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.A rough path of rocks points the way through the tundra — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Cerastium alpinum (alpine mouse-ear or alpine chickweed) — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.The flood plain-turned-lake ... yes, we needed our mosquito nets — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.The creek crossing, with expedition members standing by to help us cross — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Long exposure shot of the glacial meltwater — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Rushing down to the lake — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.An "enjoying the tundra rest break" — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Lapland larkspur — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.

    Tundra Hike: Eqip Sermia

    August 4, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F

    Eqip Sermia — or Eqi Glacier in English — is a tidewater glacier. Meaning that it terminates in the ocean.

    This particular glacier is nicknamed the calving glacier for its active discharge of ice from its terminus, which is just over 3 miles wide. We caught glimpses of the action, alerted to the calving by the rifle-shot cracks and the thunderous, cannon-like booms. More often than not, however, the ice falling into the water from the terminus was hidden from our eyes by the moraine ridge.

    When we visited Eqip Sermia in 2013, we arrived late in the afternoon and lay at anchor overnight. This gave us an opportunity for a zodiac cruise along the terminus of the glacier on the first afternoon and a hike up to the glacier the next morning. It was a beautiful blue-sky day on that occasion. Today, all we had was thick overcast.

    (The story of our 2013 hike — in words and images — is at this link: http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2014/01/hiking-to….)

    We’d been briefed that we could not hike up to the glacier today due to how much it has receded over the past 10 years. In fact, it was no longer possible to even hike up to the moraine ridge overlooking the glacier as we had back in 2013. The plan, therefore, was to land on a beach on the far side of the flood plain. Those who wanted to could then embark on a 4-mile in-out hike to get to the other side of the flood plain. Others could go on a meandering hike at their own pace.

    Distance-wise, the hike would have been doable. But Mui and I decided to “play” around on the side of the flood plain where a lake had formed between the landing beach and a rushing creek of glacial meltwater. Take our time and enjoy the tundra was the plan. And that’s what we did, making our way as far as the rushing creek that those who wanted to hike further had to cross via boulders and make shift bridges the expedition team had “built” with pieces of flat wood to bridge the gaps.

    We took our time and “smelled the tundra,” so to speak, checking out the colorful flowers, the birds, and the nooks and crannies that afforded some interesting photo ops.

    On the way back, we joined Laurie and Emily, two of the expedition team members … and friends from our 2013 Greenland Expedition. It was a great opportunity to catch up. We were so engrossed in doing so that we all missed the turn in the path down to the beach. Ooops. No matter … it just meant that we got that many more steps of exercise into our day.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Hard to believe that the glacier is over 3 miles wide — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.
    Black-legged kittiwakes rafting on the ice — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Black-legged kittiwakes rafting on the ice — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Time to head home to Ultramarine — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.

    Ice Cruising @ Eqip Sermia

    August 4, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Following our hike on the tundra, we returned to the landing beach. Putting our camera gear in our dry bags, we donned our pfds (personal flotation devices) and hopped on the next zodiac going back to the ship. But first a short detour.

    Christian, our expedition leader, had arranged for the zodiac drivers to take the long way back to the ship … via Eqi Glacier. Since this is a very active glacier, we couldn’t get too close to the terminus due to the danger of a tidal wave should there be a major calving. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the views of this giant river of ice from the water level.

    We also enjoyed the presence of some feathered friends — black-legged kittiwakes — rafting on the ice that had calved off the glacier throughout the afternoon.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Mui shooting a last little bit of the scenery from the veranda — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.
    A serene scene — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.A "lets remember the glacier" selfie — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.The zodiac provides perspective for the size of the terminus — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Check out the calvings — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Enjoying a snack with a view — Eqip Sermia, Greenland.Annotated panorama of Eqip Sermia.

    Eqip Sermia: Caught Some Calvings

    August 4, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    With Ultramarine at a standstill in front of Eqip Sermia, there was no doubt in my mind that we would be enjoying views of this river of ice from our veranda once we were back on board. Mui even picked up some cookies and hot chocolate from the self-serve coffee bar in the Panorama Lounge on deck 7 forward. Can you say “snack with a view?”

    The bonus of spending time on the veranda? I caught a snippet of some of the smaller calvings that were shedding ice from the terminus. Granted, such was the ship’s distance to the glacier that the calvings were not visible to the naked eye. But I got lucky because they were happening in the background of a video I was shooting of a zodiac cruising along the face of the ice.

    (See video #2 … look towards the right side where the glacier meets the water.)

    On the matter of Eqip Sermia’s retreat, I annotated a panorama I took from the veranda to show the ridge we climbed to in 2013 … and the area that was filled with ice at the time.    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    Hello again, Ilulissat — Greenland.
    Find Silver Wind, a 511-foot [156 m] long vessel, for a size perspective against the icebergs.Glimpse of Greenland's 3rd largest town — Ilulissat, Greenland.Glimpse of Greenland's 3rd largest town — Ilulissat, Greenland.We pass some good-sized bergs as the ship makes its way to its anchorage — Ilulissat, Greenland.Welcome to Ilulissat's crowded harbor — Greenland.View of the harbor as we await our turn to offload at the pier — Ilulissat, Greenland.From our meander to the trailhead — Ilulissat, Greenland.Colorful houses are a hallmark of Greenlandic communities — Ilulissat, Greenland.A statue honoring the longline fishermen of Greenland — Ilulissat.From our meander to the trailhead — Ilulissat, Greenland.From our meander to the trailhead — Ilulissat, Greenland.From our meander to the trailhead — Ilulissat, Greenland.Cotton Grass — Ilulissat, Greenland.Ilulissat Cemetery — Greenland.

    Ilulissat: From Sea & Land

    August 5, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ⛅ 45 °F

    Hello again, Ilulissat!

    Once known as Jakobshavn in Danish, this third largest town in Greenland (with a population under 4,500) is a favorite of ours. And not just because it’s home to one of the most amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. In fact, the name of this city, located north of the Arctic Circle, fittingly means icebergs in Greenlandic.

    I’ll get to the ice and iceberg portion of our day in the next footprint (though I do have a couple iceberg shots in this one as well). For now, let’s check out glimpses of this colorful community from sea and from land.

    (As interlopers — remember, we weren’t supposed to be in this part of Greenland today — we shared Ilulissat with Silver Sea Expeditions’ Silver Wind. It didn’t matter that there was another ship in town because Mui and I did not encounter any of those passengers. I was, in fact, happy to have another expedition vessel provide perspective on the size of the bergs just off the Ilulissat shoreline … it’s not often that I get a chance to do so … photo #2.)    Read more

  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelIn the Footsteps of Franklin
    2Looking back towards the town from the trailhead at the power plant — Ilulissat, Greenland.
    There is no real path ... we just have to look for the yellow dots and cairns — Ilulissat, Greenland2Pyrola grandiflora — large-flowered wintergreen (Alpine Bistort on the left) — Ilulissat, GreenlandScenery from the yellow route — Ilulissat, Greenland.Reflections and Ice — Ilulissat, Greenland.Taking a break to enjoy the scenery — Ilulissat, Greenland.1A "we hiked the yellow route" selfie — Ilulissat, Greenland.The trail way down there is the boardwalk (aka green route) — Ilulissat, Greenland.Jaw dropping! — Ilulissat, Greenland.Ice baby ice — Ilulissat, Greenland.Cemetery and Reflection — Ilulissat, Greenland.The Ice Center ... still have to get down to it to catch the shuttle — Ilulissat, Greenland.

    Trekking Along the Icefjord

    August 5, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    There are four popular trails to hike in Ilulissat … each providing a different perspective of the Ilulissat Icefjord (Ilulissat Kangerlua in Greenlandic).

    The 25-mile long fjord begins at the Greenland Ice Sheet and ends at Disko Bay. Way up at the head of the fjord is Sermeq Kujalleq (aka Jakobshavn Glacier) … a fast moving, active river of ice. It is this glacier — combined with the amazing scenery in the area — that has put the Ilulissat Icefjord on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.

    There are no views of the glacier from where the town is located … nor from the trails. All the visible ice — for miles and miles and miles — consists of bergs that have calved off the glacier. Some 20 BILLION tons per year according to the Wikipedia article I read. Another mind boggling number from the same source says that some of the icebergs are up to 3,300 feet (1 km) in height! No wonder they are grounded and remain in the fjord until such time as they break up and can free themselves. Due to the way the currents run, it is believed that the iceberg that caused the demise of Titanic came from this fjord.

    When we visited Ilulissat in 2013, we walked through town to the boardwalk that runs down to the Icefjord for views that I still have a hard time comprehending … even after seeing them again today. On that occasion, we returned to town via the blue and red trails … coming across Thule skeletal remains that our historian Laurie pointed out along the way.

    (The story of our 2013 hike — in words and images — is at this link …http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2013/12/ilulissat….)

    This time, we wanted to do something different. So, we opted for the yellow route. Instead of taking the shuttle arranged by Quark to the newly constructed Ice Center at the junction of the trails, we decided to hike the path in reverse by walking through town …. thanks, Fabrice, for showing us the short cut.

    The downside to our plan was that we dawdled so much on the trail that we never had time to go into the Ice Center. On the other hand, had we gone to the center by starting at that end of the trail, we might not have managed to complete the hike. Definitely a dilemma.

    It wasn’t so much the distance that delayed us — about 2.5 miles with the walk to the trailhead near the power plant tacked on. Nor was the rocky terrain that had us crawling over and around boulders and rocks a problem. Even the elevation gain was a non-issue. It was the jaw-dropping scenery that kept stopping our forward progress!

    We’re back on the ship now. But our day is not over yet …    Read more

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