Dodemandsbugten, 9/15/2023, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Arctic
We woke up around 0700 local time to the sight of East Greenland’s lovely icebergs and a mountain on the horizon.
A visiting Portuguese scientist shared a presentation on the correlation between climate change and the health of kelp around the world.
At 1045, I gave a presentation about the different cultures that make up the cultural landscape of the Artic.
After the presentation, we had lunch and prepared for a landing at Dodemandsbugten.
We disembarked at around 1400 and were greeted with evidence of the Thule culture, including remnants of old munitions cartridges and kitchen utensils from the Second World War. Around thirty guests took a medium hike tour of Dodemandsbugten with Eva and Eduardo. We saw multiple peat houses. Eva and Eduardo talked about the general plant life and geography of the area, while I talked about the Thule culture’s peat houses and customs. We continued uphill, where we spotted artic hares and some summer tent rings, probably from the Thule culture.
On the way back to the landing site, we spotted cairns that seem to be graves from the Thule culture, and we talked about burial customs of the Thule people. We continued hiking with a group of guests who wanted to spot wildlife footprints.
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After several days of calm, sometimes almost otherworldly conditions – a luxury in East Greenland – we awoke this morning to the ship moving in large, long swells. The entrance to Scoresby Sund is so large that ocean swells can make their way in almost unchecked if they come from the east, and today was one of those days. This did not bode well for our planned landing at Cape Hooker on the northern coast of Scoresby Sund. Fortunately, expedition leader Russ had plan B up his sleeve, and we entered Hurry Inlet, a long, narrow bay nearby with landscape that, while mostly flat, boasts gorgeous tundra vegetation. It was a great spot for a hike, and several options were on offer to make sure there was something for everyone. On the longest walk, we traveled several miles inland over cushiony tundra to overlook the almost Martian landscape of a braided river flowing from a glacier hidden in the low clouds on the horizon. While attempting to circumambulate an inviting-looking lake on the edge of the outwash plain, we encountered an unusual combination of very soft sand and layers of ice forming in the thin layer of water at the surface as well as inside the sand. Our footsteps were exceptionally crunchy, and the ice formations were a filigreed beauty. After the opportunity to stretch our legs, it was time to return to civilization this afternoon with a visit to the only settlement in the region. The town of Ittoqqortoormiit is home to about 400 people, and its name translates to, “The place with the many houses”; in comparison to the rest of the region, the name is certainly accurate. The town offers a fascinating look into the lives of Greenlanders, particularly those living in smaller settlements far from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities of the west coast. The expedition aspect of our excursion did not disappoint, as increasing swells and surging waves on the beach required us to switch to an alternative landing site around the corner. Eastern Greenland is one of the most spectacular parts of the world, and each day has something new and different to offer. We finished our day in style with a fantastic Filipino buffet feast prepared by executive chef Sara and her team.
Just ten minutes before the anticipated wakeup call at 0700 from expedition leader Russ, a call came over the PA that we had been waiting for! Polar bears! The bridge team had spotted three animals on the way into Antarctica Haven on Scoresby Land. We are still in the Northeast National Park, our destination this morning. A mother and two cubs were walking across Knivodden on the south side of the bay. The family went in the water and started swimming along the shoreline. National Geographic Endurance followed the bears at a respectful distance so all on board could have a look. We spent a good half an hour looking through binoculars and spotting scopes as the bears continued swimming. Polar bears are incredible swimmers. They kept a good pace, and eventually, we continued back into the bay for our morning excursion. The geography of Antarctica Haven includes two huge, glacially carved valleys with alluvial fans reaching the shoreline. After the scouting team deemed the landing site clear, we all headed ashore for hikes and walks. One hike went straight up the mountain into a steep valley. As the hikers disappeared from sight, most of us wandered along the frozen water’s edge for a better look up the main valley. Since we had already seen polar bears this morning, it was not a big surprise to find polar bear tracks along the walk. We also spotted muskox tracks and a few fox tracks. Evidence of wildlife can be as exciting as the wildlife itself! Beautiful weather, no wind, and amazing scenery made for a very special morning. After a lunch with spectacular views, we barely had time to put down our napkins before Russ announced three more polar bears. We had caught up with the bears spotted earlier in the day. This time, we were offered nice views as they walked onshore. We marveled at the speed of the bears as we measured the distance they had covered since we saw them last. After some time watching the polar bears, we continued to our intended site. On our way, we passed a beautiful island consisting of columnar basalt that contrasted beautifully with the red background. We were given the options of a Zodiac cruise or a hike since we arrived at Fleming Fjord a little later than planned. We hiked up into the alluvial fan and suddenly we got a call from Russ. He had spotted a large white bird that turned out to be a white-morphed gyrfalcon! It was definitely a highlight of the afternoon. Those of us who went on the medium hike got a pleasant surprise; it was harder and more vertical than the long hike in the morning, but we persevered! The Zodiac cruise was a delight, allowing guests to admire the Greenlandic landscape. Again, we had the feeling of being dwarfed by the scale of it all. We enjoyed our time and spent the whole evening outside with only a brief ten minutes in the Ice Lounge for Russ to share plans about tomorrow’s activities and the possibility of the aurora borealis tonight. Last night, we observed the best auroras yet. Fingers crossed for tonight!
It was a surprise to wake up this morning to Russ’s wakeup call. It might have elicited a shout of joy as it dawned on us that it was not a call for the northern lights in the middle of the night! Thus refreshed, we bounced out of bed to a glorious morning as the ship gently sailed through the glassy waters of Segelsällskapet Fjord towards our morning destination, Kap Mæchel, situated at the mouth of Alpefjord. The landscape all around us was breathtaking. When skies are clear, gentle and pastel shades are typical here at sunrise. During breakfast a careful plan was relayed over the public address system that stirred anticipation and excitement amongst us all. Sufficiently fed and full of caffeine, we headed to prepare for our Zodiac ride ashore to Kap Mæchel, where a small herd of muskoxen was sighted. Once ashore, we made our way to a trapper’s cabin. After checking it out, we headed to observe the muskoxen. A good number of us chose to leave behind our trusty muck boots and wear walking shoes. The terrain was in our favor, and gently rising slopes gave way to flat areas before heading up to the next rise. Soon enough and with cameras raised, we caught our first glimpses of these magnificent mammals. The animals were unperturbed, and we gingerly moved closer. A second barrage of photos was launched. Satisfied that we had captured a few decent images, we could now afford to look through our binoculars and just enjoy this privileged encounter. There was a yearling among this small herd. Suddenly, they headed off at a steady run for higher ground. We split into smaller groups, each with different objectives, and headed off to enjoy the countryside, plants, lichens, shed feathers, old bones, frozen patches of water, fox traps, and whatever else we encountered along the way. It was an extraordinary morning, and we enjoyed a wonderful and delicious sushi lunch to replenish the tank. Comfortably seated, we chatted away about the morning’s experience. In the meantime, the ship set sail down Alpefjord for our afternoon destination, which was a Zodiac cruise along a glacier front. As we approached the impressive Sefstrøm Gletscher, we sighted two flocks of ducks, long-tailed ducks and common eiders. In the background, the seracs jutted up into the sky and glistened under the bright sunshine. The Zodiac cruises were marvelous. We slowly cruised from one end of the glacier face with several caves. We passed lots of colorful ice, including pieces etched with cracked surfaces. All about us, we heard the crackle and pop as the pressure from the trapped air bubbles burst free from their icy captivity to return to the atmosphere from whence they came a long time ago. We continued to travel along the face of the glacier, taking a sharp right turn where the highest part of the face was situated. At the end of the glacier face, we were taken aback by a snaky moraine that came down the slope before making a big and lovely sweep to where the moraine meets sea water. During this portion of the cruise, we were in deep shadow, and with that, there was a sharp drop in temperature. We returned happy, content, and with full stomachs. Along the way, we came across a group of exceedingly friendly Vikings who invited us to enjoy beverages and barbecued sausages. Once we returned to the ship, we warmed up with a sauna or a good old cup of tea before heading for cocktails and recap. The evening light was as marvelous as it was at the start of the day. Many of us interrupted our dinner to capture one more memorable image from this great day in East Greenland.
