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West Greenland Whale Safari

8 Days / 4 locations in Greenland

Greenland or "Kalaallit Nunaat" ("Land of the People") in the Greenlandic language, is the largest island in the world, it stretches from 60� to 83� north latitude. Kap Farvel, its southern tip, is located at almost the same latitude as the Shetland Islands in Scotland. The extreme north of Greenland is the northernmost point of land on our planet. Greenland is dominated by the second largest ice-sheet in the world; more than 80% of its surface area is covered by ice reaching a thickness of over 3000 meters (10,000 feet) in the interior. Although huge in size (2,166,000 km�), it is inhabited by less than 60.000 people. Greenland is geographically a part of the North American continent but has more social and political ties with Europe.

The coastline of Greenland is spectacular. Heavily indented with numerous fjords, the coastline consists of spectacular high mountains, 2000 meters (6500 feet) high cliffs and innumerable glaciers. The large glaciers produce the huge, cathedral-like ice-bergs that are abundant in Greenlandic waters. The largest fjord is Scoresby Sund and is more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) long. Our voyages focus on East and North-East Greenland, among the most isolated, sparsely populated and scenically superb parts of the island.

The name Greenland was given by Eric the Red, a Norwegian-born Icelandic settler who was banished from Iceland around the year 982 after committing a murder. He found refuge in Greenland. When his exile was over, he returned to Iceland with stories of a green and fertile land to the north-west to lure potential settlers, hence the name Greenland. Although initially flourishing, the Icelandic settlements disappeared from Greenland around 1400, probably due to a climatic change, the Little Ice-Age. But the Norwegian settlers were certainly not the first humans to have lived on Greenland. For thousands of years Palaeo-Eskimos (the Dorset culture) had been living on the coasts of Greenland: they were finally replaced by Inuit (or Kalaallit as they call themselves in Greenland) around 1300 A.D. The Inuit now make up the majority of the Greenlandic population. The Inuit, the word means "men" in the Inuit language, are nowadays seen as the indigenous people of the North American Arctic. Inuit are traditionally subsistence hunters, living primarily from whales, walruses, Caribou, Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears and seals.

Climate

Our expeditions in North-East Greenland are planned in August and September. The reason is that access to this wild coast is dependent on the ice conditions. For much of the year the region is locked in by pack-ice, which only by late summer has broken up sufficiently to allow vessels such as ours to reach land.

Please note; although we expect to be able to reach Greenland, nature does not give us a guarantee. Pack-ice is unpredictable and may prevent our ships to complete the planned itinerary.

The Greenlandic weather varies enormously depending on where you are on this vast island. Influenced by its high latitude, the gigantic ice-cap and the surrounding oceans and seas, Greenland has an Arctic to High Arctic climate. Still, East Greenland has on average 300 days of sunshine in the year. In August we can expect surprisingly warm daytime temperatures. In Scoresby Sund the average daytime temperatures are between 5 and 9½C (41 and 48 F) with the highest observed temperature being 21C (70F). On a sunny, windless day even 9 C feels quite warm. By September, autumn rapidly begins to take a hold. Temperatures drop below zero, the sea in sheltered fjords begins to freeze, the winds strengthen and snow can be expected. Still, the low sun gives spectacular sunsets and the snow adds to the Arctic feeling.

Snowshoeing and hiking are included at no additional cost on the May 19, 2015 departure.

Itinerary

 
Day 1     Maniitsoq
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Dinner

We arrive in Maniitsoq from Kangerdlussuak by chartered plane (flight not included in the voyage cost. The town is nestled on an island at the mouth of a fjord surrounded by peaks above 2000 m. The port of Maniitsoq is ice free from late spring to early winter. It is a community where fishing and hunting form the backbone of the economy. There is a museum which portrays regional history and culture. Sperm Whale frequently surface in the waters near town.

 
Day 2     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

East of Hamborgerland we reach the fantastic landscapes of the Sermilinguaq Fjord. The Maniitsoq area has rugged scenery with mountain tops flanked by glaciers reaching down to the sea. On snowshoes we will explore the lower slopes and viewpoints.

 
Day 3     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

At the mouth of Evighedsfjord we often see Humpback Whale. We sail into that fjord and sail along the nearby glacier front. Further into the fjord we sail among the highest alpine mountains in West Greenland.

 
Day 4     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We arrive at Sydbay (Ukivik), where the 18th Century whalers traded with the Greenlanders at the annual Assivik, a time when people from a large area come together on a beautiful sandy beach. We land also at nearby Isortoq where remains of houses from the Thule culture can be found. In this area we may also see reindeer.

 
Day 5     Disko Bay
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Today we are in the mouth of the Disko Bay, surrounded by rich waters, which attract both seabirds and whales. We expect to see our fist Greenland Whales. In the evening we spend the night in Fortune Bay or Engelsmandens Haven, where there are warm springs.

 
Day 6     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Another day of opportunities to see Greenland Whale, when we sail south of Godhavn. In the afternoon we sail to the mouth of the Jakobshavn Isfjord with its enormous icebergs, where we will float for quite some hours.

 
Day 7     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A third day of opportunities to see Greenland Whales when we sail from Jakobshavn Glacier north of the nature reserve Grönne Ejland to Hunde Ejlands, with a small Greenlandic settlement and old dwellings of Greenland’s Thule culture (dating from 11th century) and graves from 18th century European Whalers.

 
Day 8     Aasiaat
Meals: Breakfast

We arrive in Aasiaat, a settlement which was created in the 17th century to support the whaling at the mouth of Disko Bay. Its port is ice free from late spring to early winter. In the morning we fly from Aasiaat to Kangerdlussuak by charterd flight, and onward by scheduled flight to Copenhagen (flights not included in the voyage cost).

 
Price Includes
Transfers Airport - Ship - Airport
Tax and Port Charges
Onboard Entertainment and Lectures
Services of Expedition Guides
Shore Excursions
Meals Daily Shipboard
Accommodations in Select Cabin Category
OCE-1269
1.28.15.WP26