Greenland - Glaciers and Rocky Islands

Greenland is magic. It's an oasis of calm waters and an amazing sound (channel) twisting through rocky islands at the very tip of the largest island in the world.  

The Vikings must have felt pure relief and joy after days in an open ship. This place is a major reason why we chose this cruise of the North Atlantic.


Studying the Greenland ice was a big topic when I was going to college to get my Geology degree.  Before completing the degree, students were required to attend a 6 week field camp in their senior year. I examined a few of the options available to me. While Cambridge University in England was coming here, the University of Northern Iowa was not. The cost to each student for an arctic expedition verses the mountains of Utah were sort of a limiting factor too. But I'm here now!



Glaciers and icebergs appeared all along the four hour journey through this sound. Most of the icebergs above the water were the size of a car or ski boat. They didn't seem dangerous, but the ship stayed clear of them. Occasionally a seal watched us pass by from their resting place upon an iceberg.

I stayed outside the entire four hours. It was chilly at first. A gap in the mountains appeared to the south after about three hours. The wind blew hard. Most people just pulled up hoods and pulled down hats. Only a few left the deck.

Note the second photo above. It is our first view of Greenland through the fog as we approached the east coast. Do you think a Viking vessel would have raised a rowdy cheer?

The large swells made walking difficult as usual, but Denny and I hurried out on deck anyway. As we entered the narrow channel all tossing about stopped.  The rain stopped. The clouds lifted.  It felt divine.