Northeast Greenland
Greenland is a gem of the Arctic. Each time I’ve been here, I’ve felt simultaneous right at home, and in complete awe of the world around me.
In the late summer of 2023, I visited Northeast Greenland - an area rarely sought by ships - and was stunned beyond words. Our trip left from Reykjavik with some bad news, the weather where we were supposed to head (further South on the coast) was not looking good. Luckily, our expedition leader thought on their feet, and turned the south/central-east Greenland coast trip in to a central/northeast Greenland trip. Talk about a blessing in disguise! Not only did we avoid all bad weather, but the change allowed us to visit some remote regions that would have otherwise been unattainable.
As we reached the coast, we were greeted by stunning mountains, and incredible fall colors. This was mid-September, and the tundra was in full autumn swing. Our first few stops allowed us to get a feel for the and explore beautiful islands by hike and by zodiac cruise.
Towards the middle of our trip, we got to visit a small village - Ittoqqortoormiit - that was once described by the Guardian as one of the most remote settlements on Earth. It is such an immense privilege to visit these remote communities. We were greeted by friendly locals, who opened their town to us and showcased their music, dance, and history with a performance at their local museum and demonstration of their dog-sledding culture. Even though the sun was shining and the day was beautiful, it was not hard see that those who live here are resilient and strong, both in the face of harsh weather conditions and in the face of a history of Danish occupation.
After leaving Ittoqqortoormiit, the adventure turned up a notch, as we head further north than we’d originally planned. We stopped at Little Island, and viewed remains of long-ago Inuit houses, built from stone and turf, and marveled at their tenacity (and the view they would have had!). We saw musk ox roaming the tundra, foraging for their last bits of “easy” food before the snow fell. We beautiful peaks, historic remains, polar bear tracks, stunning fall colors, and lots and lots of ice.
For me, the highlight of the entire voyage (and it was hard to choose!) was a short zodiac cruise we did one evening - it was just before sunset, so the sky was starting to change color, as we explored sea ice near our ship. We barely left the side of the ship before we were surrounded by small ice formations thick, flat ice sheets on top of the water. As I drove the zodiac, my guests and I alike sat silent, stunned by the fact that we were lucky enough to share this experience.
As we head back to Reykjavik to end this voyage and start the next one, all I could feel was grateful. Grateful that this place exists at all, grateful that I get to experience it, and especially grateful that I get to help others experience it. I’m not sure when, or if, I will ever get to return - and if I do, I doubt the weather will be as cooperative as it was - but one thing is certain: Northeast Greenland will live forever in my heart and in my memory.
