Devon Island and Blanley Bay, 8/26/2018, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Arctic
An early morning in the Arctic is an easy thing. The sun is almost always up, so one need only to open the blinds and get out on deck. This morning was particularly splendid. Dawn arrived late, rising over the walls of the fjord at Blanley Bay just as guests were disembarking for shore hikes and kayaks were being launched to explore the icebergs. The afternoon’s activities consisted of multiple polar bear encounters punctuated by bratwurst barbeque and beer on the back deck. We even had a bear stop by for an after-dinner viewing.
Pacific Northwest born James Hyde grew up immersed in the Salish Sea, on Vashon Island with Seattle as his backdrop. A passionate traveler from a young age, James explored four continents before finishing his degree at Western Washington University's...
As we headed south along the west coast of Greenland, Kerstin Langerbergen gave a talk about how to determine whether a polar bear is male or female. It was very interesting for guests to try to apply the methods she revealed to the bears (around 19!) we saw on this trip. There were definitely some surprises! Later in the morning, Ken Garrett shared his photos from the trip. Reliving the last three weeks through his photos was a very emotional experience. After lunch, we did something rarely done on our ships – operations in the afternoon before disembarkation day! Some guests chose to hike with a backdrop of beautiful glacial cirques, while others kayaked around the beautiful fjord where we stopped. Another group took off for a Zodiac cruise. They saw metamorphosed pillow basalts, several peregrine falcons, and even a reindeer! What a wonderful afternoon in Greenland! A very heartfelt bon voyage to all our new friends!
If memories were suitcases, ours would already be bulging from what we have seen and experienced on this trip to explore the Arctic. We will need to find more room in those suitcases because today’s memories will certainly not be left behind. Ilulissat is one of Greenland’s major cities (pop. 4600), and the port is a busy place. The word Ilulissat means “iceberg” in the local language, which is appropriate for a city that is next to the Ilulissat Icefjord. That fjord is the liquid conveyor belt that transports the endless supply of glaciers and ice produced by the Jakobshavn Glacier. The amount of ice coming down the fjord to the sea is a mind-boggling sight. At the mouth of the fjord, a shallow area traps the largest bergs and keeps even the smaller bits from escaping. As a result, the fjord is tightly packed with a jumble of ice. The large bergs stuck on the bottom create a wonderland that we explored in local boats with guides. To see the fjord itself, most of the guests took the opportunity to walk out to the edge of the fjord and get a view from the cliffs. Getting to shore involved a short Zodiac ride through the small harbor. Small boats and large fishing trawlers were busy loading supplies or unloading the day’s catch.
