Photos Added

Photos have been added to First Town. 

Photos Added

Photos have been added to Re-Anchoring In A Gale.

A Greenlandic Metropolis

Thick fog rolled in as we left Sardloq, reducing visibility to an 1/8 of a mile. Essentially making us feel as if we were navigating within a water filled ping pong ball. The whiteout continued until we neared the town of Qaqortoq or Julianehab, its Danish name by which it is still widely known. The harbor was too crowded so we decided to look for a temporary anchor spot just outside the breakwater. Depth and holding were acceptable but the wind blew Snow Dragon towards the entrance. We watched the reaction of the boats coming in and out of the harbor, they all waved and did not seem to mind the newly added navigational hazard so we reckoned it was fine to leave her for a couple of hours to venture into town.

Dock And Market, Qaqortoq

Above the dock where we left our dinghy there was a small informal market. Frances stopped and bought two bags of local potatoes. She paid not realizing until later that she had been charged the tourist rate. However, the quality of the potatoes was superb and she did not mind the unintentional subsidy to Greenlandic agriculture.

The tourist information office was mainly a souvenir shop, selling everything from silly trinkets to high-end seal skin handbags produced by the local tannery. Krystina leafed through the tannery's catalog that was amongst the tourist brochures, on every page there was a non-Greenlandic model wearing the latest in elegant fur fashion. Even Krystina had to admit that their products were appealing and might have bough a handbag if they had not been 2,700 Dkr. It would have been nice to take a tour of the tannery to find out more about modern fur hunting practices in Greenland. But we really did not want to overstay our welcome with Snow Dragon anchored near the harbor entrance. We wondered if it was likely that the skins from the two seals in Sardloq would end up being sent to the tannery and turned into a trendy fashion statement.

Internet was available at the hotel and pricey at 100 Dkr per hour. While Krystina stayed and uploaded photos on the touchy connection, Frances wandered around town enjoying the granite sculptures that were often carved directly into the rocks. Though the town had a network of roads and a number of vehicles there were also paths with stairs that made it ideal for walking. She also visited the museum which had a beautiful exhibition of Greenlandic paintings, a large display of 20th century ivory carvings that had been made for profit and some traditional tools and clothing. The collection was housed in an exquisite older building. Judging by the numbers carved on the logs, the building had probably been moved and reassembled.

Qaqortoq

The grocery store was well stocked and expensive as expected. Fresh fruit and vegetables were mainly of questionable quality but they did have everything from papayas, pineapples and mangoes to the more standard apples and oranges. The in-house bakery looked promising and we bought two loaves of bread that turned out to be rather good. Near the checkout we passed the ice cream and decided to ignore prices and pickup a small container that would fit in our freezer. The only option they had that met our requirements was Ben & Jerry's, one of the U.S.'s most beloved brands of ice cream. It was strange to be in Greenland trying to make the decision between Half Bake, Caramel Chew Chew and Strawberry Cheese Cake, our top contenders amongst the selection.

As we climbed back into the dinghy Krystina looked over and saw a dead musk ox in the skiff next to us. Both of us had been hoping to see musk ox in Greenland but apparently forgot to specify the live part. We have seen them farmed on Alaska but it would be very special to see this relic of the ice age in the wild.

On our way to find an anchorage for the night, we passed Resolution, a sailboat from Cape Cod that was going to Qaqortoq. We talked to them briefly on the radio to share information about the harbor after we heard them try unsuccessfully to reach the harbormaster on the radio. They were the forth sailboat that we had seen since arriving in Greenland.

It did not take us long to convince ourselves that the ice cream might melt, our excuse to eat some before dinner. Over Caramel Chew Chew we realized that there really are some advantages to globalization. Ben & Jerry's earth friendly business plan might not have been enough to offset the carbon emissions of getting the ice cream to Greenland. But their quality ice cream did survive sitting in a grocery store freezer a lot better than Danish brands.

For more photos please click on Qaqortoq Album. 

Modernizing Tradition

More beautiful bergs were casually strewn about as we motored to Sardlog (60' 32N 46' 01W), a community that relocated from the east coast. Once again icebergs made us preform a few extra navigational wiggles to get through the complicated passage between the islands. Frances got Snow Dragon ready to go up to the dock but on closer inspection it turned out not to be suitable, L-shape with dangerous rocks sticking out from both ends. At first we thought the area was too tight to anchor without taking a stern line to shore. The chart showed a shallow area that protruded out but we discovered it was much deeper than charted. In the calm conditions it turned out to be adequate for anchoring on short scope.

Sardloq At Sunset

It was late in the evening and we decided to hold off visiting the village until a more reasonable hour even though it had stopped raining and looked inviting in the pastel glow of the sunset. When we went on deck to appreciate the evening light, we noticed a rainbow amongst the clouds. The rain returned overnight and delayed our visit to the village until it let up in the afternoon. Though several of the residents came out to watch our arrival they were not overwhelmingly present as we wallked along the path that connected the houses. The couple of people we saw were not unfriendly but reserved. The boardwalk took us out of the community to the other side of the island where we found the dump with an impressive pile of discarded outboard motors. As we were getting into the dinghy, two men smiled broadly as our outboard motor started with one pull, a sentiment only those who live with temperamental small engines would understand.

That night, from the boat, we watched two seals being skinned on the smooth granite boulders in front of Sardloq. The casual way in which it was being done suggested that the meat was for family not commercial use and we were surprised to see the skin thrown into the water after it was removed. Some of the meat was put into clear plastic bags and taken away. Followed by the skins which were retrieved from the water after they had been rinsed and the two rifles that were used during the hunt. But to our surprise the carcasses with a good portion of the meat still intact were leaft on the rocks.

A big part of Inuit-Greenlandic culture is their respect for nature and its resources, following the simple philosophy of not taking more than one needs. Traditionally all of the seal, including the bone would be used. As Greenlanders have become westernized, tradition has become manipulated to make way for a more monetary conscience society. Making the line between necessity and careless use of resources a fine one when profit is derived from the very thing that tradition intended to protect for future generations.

During the mime of the seal hunter we met at the previous community, he expressed thanks to the seal for giving up its life. Another beautiful aspect of the Inuit culture that is slowly fading. When we woke up the following morning and saw three gulls picking at the remains we could not help but wonder if we had witnessed tradition or exploitation. Were the seals mainly killed for their skin and not for food? Was there something wrong with the meat? Our inability to speak Greenlandic made it impossible to ask and the experience left us with more questions than answers.

Gulls Having A Few Bites Of Seal Meat

For more photos please click on Sardloq Album. 

Photos Added

Photos have been added to An Almost Perfect Day.

A Glimpse At A Greenlandic Community

Icebergs At The Entrance To Zakarias Havn

The thickening fog dissuaded us from going around the top of Unartoq and sailing past the icebergs we had been admiring from the hot springs. Making the ice free passage a the bottom of the island a safer navigational decision. We motored a short distance to Akuliaruseq, a small community with a lovely anchorage that looked ideal until we realized that a house sized iceberg had taken up residence in the middle of the bay. It was probably grounded but we were not sure and decided to continue instead of testing out luck.

As we neared Zakarias Havn (60' 28N 45' 34W), our next potential anchorage, we could see several large bergs sitting in front of the entrance. The chart showed a shallow patch of 1.5 meters sticking out on the starboard side. We gently made our way over to where the icebergs were guarding the deeper water, being careful not to tangle with their underwater ledges. The closest berg left us just enough room to wiggle by without pushing us into shallow water. It did cross our minds that the icebergs could move and block our exit. If that happened we knew that the well protected bay was a safe place to wait until the entrance cleared.

On our way in, Frances tried to pick up a small chunk of ice with the collapsible net. As she pulled her catch out of the water the net fell apart, leaving her with only the metal handle. Krystina passed her the boathook but the net was already well submerged. Luckily we still had a piece from a previous berg sitting in the freezer and did not need to go chasing ice cubes.

Sydproven

The next day we walked to Sydproven, a small community situated on the headland. From where we left the dinghy we could see various trails but were not sure which one led to the village. Instead we kept to the granite ridges which gave us the best visibility in the foggy conditions. We entered the town just above the heliport and the graveyard. After looking at the dock and finding it suitable for Snow Dragon if we decided to come back for another visit, we followed a path that led through the community. There was a small amount of rough asphalt but it was mostly gravel. All the water, sewer and electrical lines were above ground in various types of insulated housings. Most of the homes were small single story wood buildings perched on the rocky promontory with rooms in the attic. They were painted bright colors and almost all had white trim.

In the center was the remains of a burned down church which appeared to be the chosen spot for the guys in the village to hangout. After we waved, one of them came over to shake our hands. When we told him we were from Alaska, he embraced us both. Through mime we learned he was a seal hunter and sometimes needed to swim to retrieve the seals he shot. He was also able to make us understand what had happened to the church and share a little bit about his family. It was amazing how much information we were able to glean with noverbal communication.

As we began to leave the settlement we walked past a group of kids who were playing, one of them had fallen and was sitting on the ground crying. Our first instinct was to comfort the boy but refrained when we noticed that none of the adults or other children were acknowledging the crying child. On the way back we decided to take advantage of the break in the rain and move to a nearby anchorage. The icebergs were still mainly where we had left them the previous night, the only noticeable difference was an increase in brash ice which Snow Dragon had to push aside as she inched her way out.

For more photos please click on Sydproven Album.

Hot Springs With An Icy View

Snow Dragon At Anchor, Unartoq

Rain clouds had already moved in by the time we began making our way to Unartoq, a small rounded island with hot springs that have been famous since the sagas. We anchored off of the isthmus near a house and a few tents that appeared to be for local use. By the time we settled in the rain had reduced to a drizzle and we decided to take the opportunity to check out the island in case the weather continued to deteriorate. As we followed a trail of sheep track prominence that led to the springs, we came across a small group of Greenlanders who were headed in the same direction. We exchanged waves and smiles, our only way to communicate.

It did not take long to reach the pool which was ideally situated on the other side of the isthmus with a clear view of the iceberg inhabited fjord. Frances stayed for a soak, enjoying the warm bubbles that emerged from the sandy bottom. When a few of the bathers jumped out of the pool and ran towards the shore. Frances thought they were going to jump into the sea but when she did not hear any of the screams that usually result from diving into cold water she began to wonder if there was a second spring. Sure enough lower down the stream was a second slightly smaller pool.

Kids Playing In The Top Pool

The weather was still dark and dreary the next morning. Over breakfast we watched the fog cloak one side of the island and then the other. Not wanting to waste the day we decided to go for a hike with the intention of stopping at the hot springs on the way back. The spongy vegetation made our movements more labored than usual and us more aware that our muscles were still adapting to land use. Several small patches or ripe blueberries in a warm out of the wind location gave us an excuse to stop and we picked until the cold wind encouraged us to put our gloves back on and continue moving for warmth.

We found a protected lunch spot in the shelter of a large rock near the top of the island. by the time we had finished eating it was clear that the fog was not going to lift so we decided to head back down just as it began to rain. Both of us were soaking wet by the time we reached the bottom and we decided to go back to the boat to dry out. The rain continued, discouraging us from visiting the hot springs until it let up. To make use of our time, we made two jars of jam out of the blueberries we had picked and had enough berries left over to accompany several breakfasts.

It was still cloudy the following day but the rain had reduced to a more manageable drizzle with brief breaks. We ventured to shore for a soak in the hot springs before moving on. After looking at both pools, Krystina suggested starting in the lower one before moving to the upper which was slightly warmer and had a better view of the icebergs. The short walk between pools seemed a lot longer after sitting in the warm water and we could understand perfectly well why running between pools seemed to be common practice.

For more photos please click on Unartoq Album.

First Town

From Igdlorssuit Havn we motored 40 miles to Nanortalik where Gerd could make arrangements to get back to Tromso. The wind was against us so there was not much hope of being able to sail but the jagged mountains and large number of icebergs helped make up for it. Fog periodically closed in around us making the icebergs invisible and us more reliant on radar. Even shrouded in fog with only a ghostly image visible, the icebergs were still spectacular. When the visibility improved we were able to take in the detail of their intricate shapes and admire one berg that was tall enough to be seen above the line of receding fog.

We arrived in Nanortalik late in the evening and anchored in the harbor. The next morning we ventured into town and went to the tourist office to buy maps and get information about flights. Luckily there was space on the helicopter the following afternoon to Narsarsuaq, the main airport for southwest Greenland. Gerd would still have to spend the night in Narsarsuaq before flying to Copenhagen where he would have to spend another night while he waited for his connecting flight to Norway. It was the most direct way to get back so Gerd booked the tickets.

The tourist office mentioned that a cruise ship was coming in the following morning and that we needed to move our boat. Instead of tying up to the quay, we moved to an anchorage in the next bay where Gerd and Frances were able to have a relaxing pre-dinner hike. It was nice being out of the town. Though the people were very friendly it had an unpleasant vibe, we suspect caused by a combination of a high level of unemployment and the impact of cruise ships that flood the community with large number of tourists for short periods.

Everything went smoothly the following morning until Krystina's computer was drowned by a spilled cup of coffee, while we were working on a DVD of photos for Gerd to take back with him. The computer objected to the liquid and refused to shutdown properly or turn back on. This put both Frances and Krystina into a panic. Not only were all the photos and posts that had not yet been put on the blog stored on her computer, it was the only one onboard that could handle the large file size of our photos. If we could not get it working we either needed to purchase a large number of memory cards for the camera or a new computer, neither of which were likely to be available in a small Greenlandic town. When a session with the hairdryer and propping it vertically to dry did not show any promise, we began seriously thinking about having a new computer shipped in.

Gerd's Senic Way To The Airport

Before making a decision we needed to get Gerd on his flight so we motored back to the harbor and dropped anchor long enough to get him ashore with his luggage. We watched Gerd's helicopter take off, slightly jealous of the spectacular aerial view that he would get during the flight. After picking up a few things from the grocery store, we returned to the boat and gave the computer another session with the hairdryer which released a little more liquid and a distinct aroma of coffee. After leaving it vertical for another hour, Krystina tried turning it on one more time and to her relief it started normally.

That evening we sailed to Kangerdlua (60' 21N 45' 14W), an open bay on the north side of Sermersoq island. It was a lovely downwind sail using only the main. By the time we arrived it was fairly dark and we used the radar to double check our distance from shore before anchoring. There were several large icebergs outside the bay and various smaller refrigerator size pieces in the anchorage but we managed to find a spot that was relatively ice free and enjoyed a quiet night.

For more photos please click on Prins Christain Sund To Nanortalik Album.

An Almost Perfect Day

By our second full day in Prins Christian Sund it was finally calm enough for us to go ashore and the attractive valley at Igdlorssuit Havn with its accessible glacier and picturesque mountains was the ideal place for our first hike in Greenland. We set off in the late afternoon with the sun shinning and were quickly peeling off our jackets and sweaters to accommodate the unexpected warmth. It was lovely walking, the ground was fairly even, the stream was easy to cross and there was plenty of vegetation to look at. Gerd picked handfuls of crowberries, insisting that they tasted better than those in Norway. Our attention was filled by the rich copper colored granite wall that towered above us, its face eroded with ridges and lines that gave it a captivating feel. Along the way we took a break and sat down on a large flat rock that had been warmed by the sun, providing a comfortable spot for us to take in our surroundings before continuing up the valley.

We easily made the transition from the moraine to the valley glacier and walked up the ice until we got a good look at the larger crevasses. Medial moraines snaked down the ice, decorating it with perched boulders and gravel, leaving large strips of clean ice in between. At one point Gerd took off his boots and was walking on the ice barefoot but put them back on claiming that his warm feet was making the ice slippery. Since we did not bring a safety rope and were not planning an extensive hike wes stayed on the mainly unbroken part of the glacier.

Before turning around Krystina realized that she had lost her favorite hat and thought that she must have left it on the beach with her rubber boots. We searched the beach but did not find the hat so we retraced our hike until just before the glacier. After searching for an hour and a half with no luck, we made our way back to the dinghy.

When we returned, we realized the rock we had tied our dinghy's painter to was well under water, beyond reach with rubber boots. Normally going for another hike while we waited for the tide to go down would have been the most reasonable option but we were less than half an hour away from our midnight check-in with coastal radio. All vessels in Greenland are required to check in with coastal radio at designated times as a matter of safety. If we missed our check in they would send a helicopter looking for us. Not wanting a resscue mission to ensue beacause of a little water between our dinghy and us, we decided to wade out and retrieve it.

Gerd made the first attempt, borrowing Krystina's rubber boots to make walking on the hard rocks easier. He tried tugging on the painter to pull the dinghy towards the beach but the stern anchor would not budge so he returned to shore before he got too cold to function fully. It was decided that the only way we were going to be able to get back to the boat in time to call coastal radio was for one of us to swim out to the dinghy, get in and untie the painter form the dinghy before pulling the stern anchor and rowing to shore. Frances was the most qualified to get into the dinghy form the water. Since Krystina had enough extra layers to loan her in case we ended up having to wait for the tide, she decided to keep all of her clothes on for the extra warmth except for her sweater and gortex jacket. She was able to get into the dinghy and detach the painter without any problem before retrieving Gerd and Krystina. We made it back to Snow Dragon with time to make hot chocolate before checking in on the VHF.

That night we did not have to keep an ice watch but still had to get up early to retreive the painter at low tide. Gerd and Krystina volunteered for the task and found the line still secured to the rock where we had tied it when we had gone ashore. The beautiful clear morning helped to make the 6:30am mission more attractive but both were happy to get back to sleep as soon as it was accomplished.

Frances woke up to a much less appealing task, our wabasto furnace was putting out black smoke. She recently changed out the burner head with one that had been serviced in Norway but was clearly not properly adjusted and they had put on the wrong size nozzel so it was using too much fuel. Luckily the problem with the other burner head turned out to be a fuse so it was still fully functional. Once she re-switched the units and cleaned out all of the soot, the furnace began working properly.

For more photos please click on Igdlorssuit Havn Album.

Re-Anchoring In A Gale

Iceberg In Prins Christain Sund

When another large iceberg began making its way into our anchorage at the weather station, we had no choice but to move. We pulled anchor and made our way to the next anchorage eleven miles away in gale force winds caused by a low that was passing south of us. Under staysail alone Snow Dragon surfed along in the 30 plus knots. As we turned towards the bay, it was obvious just looking in Pulatoq that it was not going to provide any protection form the wind so we continued heading west through the sound.

By this time we decided to roll in the stay sail and continue with bare poles and the engine so that we would not risk damaging the sail in the gusty winds. Even with bare poles Snow Dragon was still being pushed along at 6.5 knots, we only needed the engine for additional maneuverability in the tight, ice-filled sound. We looked at a couple of other anchorages but one was too exposed and the other left no swinging room in the stormy conditions.

Our charts for Prins Christian Sund were loaned to us by a friend who has cruised the area and it was amusing comparing his notes on the anchorages to what we were finding in the gale. In many respects it was an enjoyable expereince, it is not often that we get to be in strong wind with relatively calm seas. Gerd took the opportunity to make good use of his new foul weather gear and manned the helm. While we all appreciated seeing the changing mood of the landscape with the dark clouds and stormy light.

With the wind gusting to 58.6 knots and forming water twisters as we neared the end of the sound, we began to consider the possibility that we might not find a safe place to stop. Right before the westerly exit of the sound was Igdlorssuit Havn (60' 10N 43' 03W), our only remaining option before we entered a more open fjord. From the chart it did not look any better than the anchorages we had already dismissed. But on closer inspection it looked promising. We made a couple circuits around both lobes of the bay, checking the depth before deciding where to drop the anchor. The wind made it impossible for Krystina to hold Snow Dragon in place and we ended up dropping in 36 meters. After letting out 90 meters of chain, the anchor held solidly in the strong winds.

The only potential hazard was the icebergs that were drifting rapdily past. Most avoided us but two came within striking distance. One Gerd was able to scare away by waving a boat hook in the air. The other more sizable berg was not as intimidated by the boat hook and we had to start the engine and power toward the shore to let it slip past. But not before Frances had time to paint a watercolor of the blue iceberg charging down the sound. We maintained and ice watch through the night just incase another one tried to pay us a visit. Nothing did and by morning both the wind and the ice had decreased. The clouds had lifted and we were able to appriciate the beauty of our possition under a towering granite wall beside a valley glacier.

For more photos please click on Gale Album. 

Week To Greenland

By the time Gerd joined us in Isafjordur on Sunday, July 4th, our plans were completely up in the air. The additional navigational charts and topographical maps that we needed for the east coast of Greenland did not arrive. Nor did the ice situation look encouraging, the updated Danish ice chart for east Greenland showed that most of the east coast including Ammassalik was still blocked by ice.

F359 Vaedderen Leaving Isafjordur

We decided to see if the Danish navy vessel, F359 Vaedderen, had any additional information about the ice situation. They had recently come into port and were on their way to Greenland. On Sunday they were having an open ship so we decided to pay them a visit. After explaining our situation, we were taken into the depths of the vessel and introduced to the operations officer Jens who showed us the ice charts they use and was able to explain the symbols we had only been able to find the key to in Danish. He spent a long time showing us weather and ice information and felt that Ammassalik was taking longer than normal to clear and it was going to take a month to clear enough for us to be able to get in. Before we left Jens introduced us to the commanding officer of the ship and invited us to brunch onboard the following morning where we met a number of the officers and talked about their experience in Greenland and our time in Svalbard. That evening three of them joined us for dinner on Snow Dragon. It was a wonderful encounter and we were reminded of the great camaraderie among sailors who spend time in places that are more difficult to reach.

On Tuesday we had an interesting encounter with Tony Fleming who designs Venture power boats, he was on a trip from England to Iceland in a new 72ft boat. He gave us a tour, including the fantastic engine room. His boat is the testing ground for a number of new ideas. The oil filled shaft bearing that eliminates the need for both a stuffing box and cutlass bearings was impressive. An interesting connection for Frances was that Tony had worked as an engineer for Grand Banks in Hong Kong for twenty years, she has done woodwork on a number of Grand banks from the period.

On Thursday morning the wind had dropped to 20 knots and we were ready to head back across to the glacier fjords for a change of scenery while we waited for a good weather window to make the 660 mile crossing to Prins Christian Sund. Before we left we decided to do another weather check and were surprised to find that a window had opened up. At first we thought we would leave Friday or Saturday but the more we looked at the conditions, we realized that we needed to leave almost immediately otherwise we would risk running directly into a strong low that was already beginning to form.

We quickly changed gears from our intended day sail and began preparing for an ocean crossing. Frances and Gerd headed to the grocery store to buy our final provisions, while Krystina checked for updated ice charts. Then we returned to the boat, got the dinghy on deck and deflated before heading over to the fuel dock to top up our tanks. Since the fuel dock was not in demand at that moment, we stayed long enough to have dinner before untying our dock lines and heading for the Danish Straight. Just as we were ready to leave, Frida who knitted Frances sweater came by the boat with her husband to wish us a good trip.

The sea was still turbulent from the low that had just passed through, making the first twenty-four hours of our crossing not the most comfortable. Eventually the waves became more civilized as the wind dropped and Snow Dragon settled into a more sensible rhythm. At times the wind disappeared completely and we needed to motor to keep making forward progress until it filled back in. By the third day we were almost completely acclimated, even Gerd was starting to venture beyond his yogurt and ginger pill diet and had moved on to mashed potato sandwiches and a few bites of pizza.

Birds, manly fulmars were our main source of traffic but did not pose any threat to navigation. Once we were off the Icelandic coast, ship traffic was nonexistent and we did not pickup another vessel until we neared the Greenlandic coast. A few whales and dolphins made distant appearances but were not really interested in coming over to see us. Off Greenland, the florescent orange afterglow from the sunset filled the horizon, illuminating the clouds and the jagged, teeth like peaks of Greenland's southeast shore. Almost seamlessly the orange turned to pink as the sun crept back above the horizon. The interval between the two increased by the day but the sky had yet to darken beyond twilight. The spectacular color of the sky including the elusive green flash, surprising lack of ice and warm weather gave us the feeling that we were heading somewhere more tropical than Greenland. When we had not seen any ice by the end of day five and Gerd began sunbathing on deck, we really began to wonder.

First Iceberg Off Greenland

Finally at 2:30am on day six, Snow Dragon got her first glimpse of Greenlandic ice. Krystina was on watch, tacking towards the shore when a dense band of drift ice came into view underneath the low-lying fog that had settled along the shore. She tacked before evaluating the distance but the ice could have been anywhere from half a mile to two miles away. The next morning the first iceberg came into view, its massive size made it easy to see even though it was eight miles away. Frances was on watch and woke Krystina and Gerd up so they could admire the largest iceberg that Snow Dragon had ever seen. She was hoping that out next tack would take us closer but we ended up getting a lift from the wind and decided not to detour. Later that morning we picked up F359 Vaedderen on AIS. They called on the VHF to welcome us to Greenland and said they would make a circle around us. As they went by, Jens photographed us sailing and kindly emailed the photo to our friend David who was able to put it up with this post. Their warm welcome made our arrival in Greenland even more special.

 Snow Dragon off Greenland from F359 Vaedderen

Icebergs continued to be a prevalent part of the scenery as we followed the southeast coast. The density increased at the entrance to Prins Christian Sund where their sculptural shape blended in well with the fog covered smooth, rocky islands. Once in the sound we began looking for a piece of glacier ice to use for drinks that was small enough to fit into out net. Gerd decided to do the honors and got a little carried away. The piece he went for was the largest that our collapsible net has ever landed.

We anchored at the Ikerasassuaq Weather Station (60' 04N 43" 11W), just inside the entrance of the sound and began unwinding form the passage. Before going to bed, we checked to make sure that the icebergs that were sitting outside our anchorage were behaving. Everything seemed normal but we made several checks during the night just to make sure. The northeast wind from the gale started to increase, sending swell into the anchorage. Nothing seemed out of place until Gerd got up to check and discovered that a sizable iceberg had moved in next to us. It appeared to be grounded but we were not sure and decided that the anchorage was not the safest place to be ridding out the gale if it continued to fill with icebergs that were larger than Snow Dragon.

For more photos please click on Arrival In Greenland Album. 

Photos Added

Photos have been added to Exploring In The Rain.

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Photos have been added to An Early Start To A Perfect Day.

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Photos have been added to A Look Into Furufjordur. 

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Photos have been added to Fabled Fjord Cafe.

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Photos have been added to Taking Our Time.

Natural Hot Water

Yesterday morning we rented a car and went in search of hot springs. Our quest took us along a windy shoreline road with spectacular views and impressive stormy light. It started to rain shortly before pulling into the Heydalur farm where the Galtahryggjarlaug hot spring is located. The farm had a small restaurant in a beautifully converted barn and we stopped for coffee hoping that the rain would pass. Instead it settled in and we eventually ventured back outside and down the track to the pool.

Galtahryggjarlaug

After crossing a small river we found the spring in a meadow, surrounded by buttercups. The pool itself was built up with peat and rocks but otherwise natural. Warm water bubbled up between the pebbles of the gravely bottom and there was a complete absence of sulfur. The water was a delightful  quality and the temperature was perfect even in the rain.

Horgshlidarlaug

On the other side of Mijoifjordur is Horgshlidarlaug, a concrete pool fed by thermal water. It would be truly glorious to bathe there on a calm day with its stunning beach front location but the strong winds discouraged us from doing anything more than checking the temperature of the water with our hands.

Before turning around, we checked out the Reykjanes thermal pool which was built in 1927 with a boarding school beside it. The school is now a hotel in an extreme state of disrepair and the coffee was the worst that we have had in Iceland. The wind swept, steaming concrete pool was no temptation.

Reykjanes

After stopping briefly at Isafjordur, to check on how Snow Dragon was faring in the high winds we decided to drive through the three way tunnel, which gives quick access to the west coast. At Sudureyri we drove to where we could see the ocean. Impressive surf was breaking on the rocks from the passing gale and we were glad to be anchored in Isafjordur. At Flateyri we watched a French sailboat struggle to get docked in the wind. The seven people on board were clearly very tired so we did not stop to talk. Though many of the places we visited were accessible  by boat, some of them were too shallow for Snow Dragon. It was nice to be able to explore without worrying about depth or weather.

For more photos please click on Natural Hot Water Album.

Photos Added

Photos for the Gaclier Fjords post have been added.

Sweaters,Torches And Charts

Our sweater collection is growing. We were in town running errands and noticed one of the shops had put out a new selection. Krystina went in not thinking she would find anything and ended up falling in love with a simple back and white one. Bringing her woolly count up to four including one that she bought in Svalbard last summer. Frances also started trying them on and ended up buying a beige one. Her sweater count is confidential.  

Another frivolous item that fallowed us home today is a chef's torch. Frances went looking for a propane bottle for her plumbing torch which is used for both repair projects and making crème brûlée. Her quest to find a bottle that would fit a North American torch was unsuccessful. She then went to the hardware store to find a European style torch that would fit the available bottles. One of the women that worked at the store had a feeling that Frances' torch was used for more than just maintenance and once Frances confirmed this. The woman began calling  the propane distributors to see if a bottle could be found. Once they established that neither a bottle, torch or adapter could be obtained, Frances went to the kitchen store. Where she was told they did not have any torches. She started to walk down the street when the woman from the kitchen store came running up to her saying that they did have a crème brûlée torch. We will test it this weekend, after all, we need to make sure it works.

On a more serious note, Ocens the company that provides both our satellite email service and weather downloads, emailed to say that they are adding the Danish ice charts to their weather service after we requested them. We only just started using their weather service this year and realized the ice information available was woefully inadequate. When Frances called to complain, they asked what we wanted them to add and said they would see what they could do. It is nice to be dealing with a small company that has time for their customers and is willing to put in the extra effort.

We also got confirmation from Gerd that he will be joining us for the passage to Greenland. It will be nice having a third set of eyes since we are likely to encounter drift ice during the crossing. He arrives Sunday and will hopefully have the additional charts we need after changing where we plan to go in Greenland.

Back In Port

Once again our alarm went off at six, this time to make sure David didn't miss his plane. None of us had gotten to bed before three but a cup of coffee and a pastry at the bakery helped pep us up while we waited for the airport shuttle. After saying goodbye to David, we stopped by the tourist information office to inquire about a few things including where we could buy stainless bolts. They suggested a nearby store and before we left we chatted with a hiker who turned out to be a crew member from Polar Bear, a charter sailboat headed to Jan Mayen and Greenland.

It took two stores to find the bolt and the eye that we were looking for. One had a bolt that was longer than we needed and could be cut, the other had the eye. The new piece of hardware is to secure the anchor so that the chain stopper can be left in place. Currently part of it is removed when the anchor is on deck and held on by a piece of line that is prone to chaffing. Tomorrow the upgrade will be put in place and hopefully will be a better solution. 

We returned to the boat and spent the rest of the morning organizing our photos from the past week before Frances finally faded and needed a nap. When she revived we headed back to town and Krystina went to the internet cafe to look at weather, ice charts and to start sorting photos into albums. While Frances picked up the new sweater that she had ordered from Frida, a local knitter. Frida invited Frances back to her house to meet her husband who sailed to Greenland last year. After talking, looking at ice charts and Google Earth photos of Greenland over coffee, she finally joined Krystina at the cafe. It was another of those wonderful gestures of hospitality we have often encountered in Iceland.

Frida Holding The Sweater She Knitted For Frances Last Week

Right now it looks as if the ice on the east coast of Greenland will disipate enough by next week, provided that the strong northeast winds do not push more drift ice down from the north. We are just waiting for a few additional charts and for a low that is creating gale force winds to pass. The rain from the low set in as we were ready to head back. It was a wet dinghy ride but the harbor is well protected from swell and we can barely feel the strong easterly quadrant winds. Tomorrow we hope to add photos to the posts that have been put up over the past week.

For more photos please click on Icelandic Sweater Album.