Ittoqqortoormiit

Paul wasn't called during the night for ice duty, fortunately.

Overnight, we slowly crossed Scoresbysund in a northerly direction at a speed of only 5 knots as per guidelines for sailing in this area.

The sun was out, there were blue skies, and it was a beautiful day when we arrived just off the coast of Ittoqqortoormiit, a remote Greenland settlement.

Paul and I were here last year, so we decided to join expedition staff and guests for a walk to Walrus Bay rather than taking a walk around town.

We took a zodiac ashore and met up with 3 expedition staff and a local chap. They each had a rifle in case any bears were encountered. But the first line of action would be to fire a flare to frighten a bear and only shooting if absolutely necessary.

The walk took us through town and along a coastal track to a sandy bay and back again. During the 5.5km walk, there were plenty of stops to talk about the life of those living in Ittoqqortoormiit. We also passed packs of dogs who would be used in autumn, winter, and spring to pull sledges across snow and frozen seas. I was sad to see the dogs tied up, unable to run or exercise. They just sit there day after day in the same spot. I felt awful for them. At least they are well fed, though.

There was plenty of snow on the ground still, but we were overdressed for the walk in our ski trousers, Bogs boots, and jackets. I had a t- shirt on under the jackets, so I was able to take off some layers.

The roads are unpaved and got a little dusty when a quad bike or utility vehicles passed our walking group.

At least we got out and made the most of a beautiful morning.

The group got back to the zodiacs a bit later than planned, but we were soon whisked back to the ship for a late lunch.

The ship was going to go up a fijord this afternoon for some scenic cruising, but there was too much ice.

We shall see what tomorrow brings.Read more