In early August, 2008, Adam (Mo) and Ole went on a weeklong cruise aboard the MS Fram, one of Hurtigruten's ships, along the western coast of Greenland. The breathtaking views they encountered await you in this exclusive mosphotos.com gallery! More details about the trip can be found at the bottom of the page!
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About the Trip
Day 1: We arrived into Kangerlussuaq (Sdr. Strømfjord) early afternoon on Air Greenland from Copenhagen. Our expedition ship, The Norwegian MS Fram, was anchored up in the fjord a few miles from the airport. We were taken by bus to a small harbor and then transferred to the ship in rubber crafts which each could seat 8 (“Polar Circle Boats”). MS Fram carries five such crafts, which were put to use for every transfer between land and the ship except for the day we called at Sissimiut (Holsteinsborg), where the ship was able to dock at the harbor.
Day 2: We reached Qequertarsuaq (Godhavn) on the Disko Island mid afternoon the following day. About two hours before arrival we spotted the first iceberg which excited everyone on board. Little did we know that this was just a lame beginning of what to come! On the Disko Island we hiked to Red River (Røde Elv) and the Valley of the Winds (Blæsedalen).
Day 3: Mid-morning we arrived at Uummaannaq, a town of some 1,500 people. Uummaannaq is situated at the foot of a heart-shaped mountain on an island of the same name. We walked the streets and took many photos of the views, houses and many sled dogs awaiting to get to work the next winter. While the dogs are cute they smell – they are not pets, they never get washed and their diet is fish!
Our ship continued to Ukkusissat which is a settlement of less than 200 people. Here the local folk put on a show for us with folk-dancing and music.
Day 4: We were to enjoy a barbecue on the beach next to the glacier Eqip Sermia. MS Fram approached the bay with the glacier late afternoon but due to a fire and lots of smoke (last week’s barbecue gone bad?) our skipper decided to turn south and find another beach for our barbecue. Some of the crew explored the coastline in Polar Circle Boats and eventually found a nice spot.
Day 5 was the highlight of the trip. We arrived early at Ilulissat (Jakobshavn) – Greenland’s third largest town (4,500 people) - and were brought ashore. Just south of the town one finds the “Ice Fjord” which is packed with icebergs which are created by the glacier at the very end of the fjord. These icebergs spend years in the fjord before they finally reach open water and drift northwards. We explored this fjord by helicopter in the morning and by boat in the afternoon. The icebergs and the fjord were spectacular in the afternoon light as seen from the boat.
Day 6 we arrived to Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Greenlands second largest town (about 6,000 people). Here our ship could dock at the harbor which was a welcome convenience for the passengers. While the ship loaded supplies we explored the town and went on a nice boat trip to an abandoned settlement Assaqutaq.
Day 7 we entered the Fjord of Eternity (Evighedsfjorden). It is so named because it seems to go on forever. At the very end there is a glacier which doesn’t seem to get any closer no mater how many hours you sail towards it. Our ship went into a side fjord however, and anchored up near a stunning glacier some 2-300 meters tall. We explored the waters and icebergs near the glacier in the Polar Circle boats, a very nice experience.
Day 8 brought us back into the Fjord near the airport and after a bus trip to the ice cap which you can actually get down and walk on at this place, we boarded the plane back to Copenhagen.
The area we explored is highlighted on the map.
