Greenlandic Fjords
On the morning of Day 11 (Tuesday) we were heading slowly towards Nuuk Greenland. At around 10 the Captain came on the PA to announce we were about to pass an Iceberg. I left the theater where Daniel, our cruise director, was interviewing Bart, the Chief Engineer, to see what I could see.
Iceberg floating off the coast of Greenland
While watching the iceberg float by I chatted with a photographer with a large 200-600 telephoto lens on his Sony camera. I wished Robert were there to talk with him about photography and camera equipment.
Late in the afternoon land came into sight and then mountains started rising up out of the sea in front of the ship. By dinner time Nuuk was clearly in view and we were about to enter a fjord for some scenic cruising.
Nuuk, Greenland
This land looks like none other that I’ve seen. Greenland is even more treeless than Iceland and the tops of the mountains are jagged and pointed, unlike Iceland’s which had been cut flat by glaciers. Aside from some gulls and a few small motorboats, it’s just mountains, fog, ice and water here in the fjord.
We will be docking early, just around midnight, as soon as the cargo ship currently in port leaves. The Captain wants to get into Nuuk as soon as possible ahead of an incoming storm that promises strong winds. He’s determined to give his passengers an opportunity to set foot on Greenland. The Zuiderdam cruise before ours also had Greenland on the itinerary, but that cruise wasn’t able to stop in any of the scheduled ports because they were all blocked by ice.
On the first day of our cruise we learned that the Captain had canceled the two Greenland ports because of the ice. Instead, we would be heading to Greenland’s capital city Nuuk, population 19 thousand and something.To be able to make it to Nuuk, which is a bit further north than the original two Greenland ports, we had to cancel our last Iceland port. I wouldn’t have voted to trade three ports for one, but I appreciate that the Captain is doing his best to give us a good cruise despite the challenging parameters. The original itinerary wasn’t an option.
Cruising Greenland’s fjords has been both awesome and relaxing. We are taking it slow partly because we are killing time while our berth is occupied and partly to give everyone a chance to take in the scenery. The ship sends soft waves out from her bow and the ice cold water looks almost like syrup. At other times, the water shivers with small wavelets and when it rains the surface looks like goosebumps. (Projection?)
Meanwhile there’s a grand party on the Lido deck and the crew are handing out free drinks while wearing Viking hats.