Sydkap/Nordostbugt

After plowing through ice during the early evening, we got through it to sea-ice free open water of the sund.

Paul was called at 10pm for ice duty and didn’t come to bed until after 4am this morning.

When my alarm went off at 7am, I shut it down quickly, not wanting to wake Paul up.

My colour group for the morning's landing was the first to go at 7.30am.

Stepping ashore, there was a massive welcoming committee of mosquitoes. They feasted on any bit of skin available. Most people wore hat nets, but I didn't have one. At least my sunhat protected my ears, and my sunglasses helped to keep the mozzies from my face. They made a beeline for the rest of my face and uncovered wrists, so I had to jam my hands deep into my coat pockets and keep pursing my lips to blow the mozzies from my face. I have a thick chin from some bites and swollen wrists.

Seeing the tundra of mosses, tiny plants, and flowers was a far cry from the seemingly barren and rocky Ittoqqortoormiit yesterday. There were rocky outcrops in Nordostbugt, but there was life. There were some musk oxen skulls, butterflies, Arctic terns... We were able to see the ruins of a former Greenlandic house - made of stones but caved in. Across the side of the bay were hunting lodges where the Tunumiit stay during hunting expeditions.

I was very glad to get back to the ship, away from the mosquitoes. Unfortunately, they settled on us even when the zodiac driver went quite fast, so everyone was patting each other's backs and arms to get rid of any clinging mosquitoes so we didn't carry them back into the ship.

Paul was still asleep when I got back to the cabin, so I read for a bit.

I am going to see if the onboard shop has hat nets as they will be needed again in other areas where we are going to.Read more