FUN-travel: Scoresby Sound, Greenland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 9

September 24, 2014 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Scoresby Sound, Greenland – A&K Arctic Cruise Day 9 

Day 47 – Saturday, August 16 – Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland – A&K Cruise Day 9 – full sun, blues skies, no clouds – 50

7 Margeriedal, Greenland 2014

What I LIKE

  • 8:30 – humpback whale sighting off starboard!
  • 9:00 – typical breakfast
  • 9:30 – enrichment lecture Arctic Sea Ice as Wildlife Habitat on TV
  • View from balcony window
  • – big jagged mtns jutting up from sea
  • – w/patches of snow
  • 10:30 – briefing in theatre
  • – for guests booked on post cruise extension in Reykjavik
  • – eavesdrop in back for tips on what we should do there
  • – I have my own post extension for a helluva lot cheaper!
Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland 4

Ittoqqortoormitt

  • 12:00 – briefing in theatre – landing in Ittoqqortoormiit
  • Never ever seen a name spelled so bizarre
  • – any idea how to pronounce it?
  • Eeto-core-too-may is my best guess!
  • 12:30 – lunch – swing out w/pasta bar buffet
  • 2:30 – expedition 2nd group – zodiac to shore – wet landing
  • Small village of 500 – mostly native Inuits
  • – sights include: Lutheran church, school, hospital,
  • tourist office & gift shop so small only a handful can go in at a time
Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland 22

Gary’s Sled Dogs

  • Most FUN & interesting – meeting Gary who has 25 sled dogs
  • – from London originally – has lived here 25 years
  • – when asked if they pull a sled he responds with, “Well they don’t push it.”
  • – decides he likes me as I am taking notes and not put off by his sarcastic response
  • – he has the most dogs in village
  • – when asked why he has them responds with, “I like going places I’ve never been before.”
  • – he likes me so much he gives me a biz card
  • – you can check him out at www.GaryRolfe.com

FUN-Fact – Gary has traveled over 20,000 polar miles with his dogs; more than any living Englishman.

Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland 18

  • – A&K gives us postcards to send from the “most isolated/remote village in Greenland”
  • 5:15 – return
  • 6:00 – special presentation – 2 ladies from village share life experiences
  • – funniest story = they fly in a Christmas tree – has to fin inside helicopter
  • – saddest story = a lot of alcoholism – beer cans strewn all over front yards
  • 8:00 – dinner w/expedition team member Mats & his wife from Norway
  • – all married team members have brought wives on this cruise (figured this out on last day)
  • 9:30 – humungous icebergs off our balcony
  • 11:00 – night night for 7:30 expedition – we’ll see what time I get there!

36 Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland  2014

What I DON’T LIKE

  • Whales too far for good pix
  • Ittoqqortoormitt looks better from a distance
  • No satellite coverage – like having news channels – no internet
  • – have watched all of the documentaries
  • & had seen all of the movie selections

Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland 11

FUN-fact – The population of Greenland is 56,400 and 80% are native Inuits.

More FF – Their currency is the Danish Krone.

Ittoqqortoormitt, Greenland 14