3am the fog horn blows once again, and with maritime law it blows every two minutes, yes we are on a voyage. So a bit of a disruptive sleep last night to say the least. That said at about 6:30am we here the working noises relating to the lowering of the tenders, we have arrived back in Greenland. I throw open the curtains and there right in front of me is a most impressive ice berg. Nope, we don’t see that everyday. We have dropped anchor and we are now in the harbour at Nanortalik.
We are near the mouth of the Tasermiut Fjord at the very southern tip of the world’s largest island, Greenland. The small town of Nanortalik, which translates to the “place of the polar bears”. This town’s settlement dates back to the 18th century when the Norsemen first set foot on the land. It wasn’t until later when the far north Inuit arrived on the scene and a trading depot was erected.
Today the area’s main industries are crab fishing, seal hunting, fishing and gold mining in the Kirkespir Valley. Nanortalik provides a unique tourist destination for those seeking pristine wilderness, simple living and magnificent wildlife. If you are a mountain climber this area is well known world wide popularity with towering peaks like Ketil mountain and Ulamertorsuaq. Novice hikers also have more easygoing adventures in the deep fiords. We stayed close to town because we had an early all aboard time of 1:30pm. We had a very nice stroll through town and experienced great interactions with some of the locals. We made our over to the Nanortalik outdoor museum. The area is comprised of nine separate historical buildings. The self guided tour takes you through the site’s wooden, rock, and half timbered structures providing great insight into the people who settled here in Greenland - from the Old Norse and later day Danish colonists to the native Inuits. One of the most impressive items to see here is the world’s oldest umiak, an open sealskin boat (the type used by the residents here), that dates back 500 years. It is most impressive and in great shape. We had a very nice, rain free and warmer day here, a balmy 8 degrees. Lol.
A few pics of our day, hope you enjoy….
Quote of the day, “I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world”. - Mary Anne Radmacher
No comments:
Post a Comment