Umanak 2013

Arrive in Aasiaat from Kangerdlussuak by chartered plane (flight not included in the voyage cost). Aasiaat is a settlement which was created in the 17th century to support the whaling at the mouth of Disko Bay. Its port is ice free from late spring to early winter. Spend the first part of night at anchor in Aasiaat or in one of the bays nearby.

Today sail north of Grønne Island to the large Jakobshavn Isfjord with its enormous icebergs, where you will spend some hours. It is a good area for Humpback Whales.

Alternatively, should conditions vary, you will try to sail into Ata Sund to Eqip Sermia.

At the western tip of Nussuaq Peninsula land at Bjørnefaelden assumed to be named after a bear trap from the Viking period.

At Uummannaq, here you will approach High Arctic waters. Seal hunting is still an important source of income for the local people and they also have many dogs which haul their sledges in winter. Visit the nearby Qilakitsoq site, on the north coast of the Nuussuaq Peninsula, where some years ago a family of mummified Thule culture people from the 15th Century was found.

Nugarssuk has Thule houses, a lovely small lake Eqaluit (where the trout are found) and a low hill with great views toward the Greenland icecap. Through a maze of fjords and straits with huge icebergs, and flanked by high mountainsides, work your way north and sail to Akugdleq with its fantastic geological formations creating a desert like image. At Pamiagdlua, opposite Akugdleq, is a similar landscape to where NASA tested its Marsrover's.

Land at the head of the fjord, where Wegener began his ascent of the icecap. The glacier Scheideck which 80 years ago ended at the coast has retreated about 10 km inland. In the same area see Marmorilik with the Black Angel Mine for zinc and lead high in the mountains. Later have a zodiac cruise sailing along the glacier front of the Perdlerfiup Sermia.

Circumnavigate Upernivik Ø and sail through the narrow fjords of Inukavsait, surrounded by mountains of over 2000m and glaciers at all sides. At the head of the Kangerlugssuak Fjord land at Nungutagssuak with Thule houses, a beautiful valley near a giant glacier front and in the valley a hanging glacier. Later sail among the icebergs of the Kangerlugssuak to the west.

In the morning make a zodiac cruise at 200 at Schades Øer with Arctic Tern colonies and sometimes Sabines Gulls. In the afternoon sail along the south coast of Svartenhuk Peninsula and look into the valleys of Savik and Akunerit, where sometimes Musk Oxen have been seen. The west side of Akunerit has lakes with water birds like Canadian Goose. Also, Arctic Skua’s breed here.

On Hareøen make a landing at the northeast side at Umivinguaq a lovely little bay with Thule houses. Alternatively land in Nordfjord or Qasigissat, in a lush tundra landscape near lakes in valleys surrounded by basalt cliffs. At Qasigissat there are accessible populations of ducks and geese.

In Fortunebay (Greenlandic, Kitdlit = whale bay) and Engkelsmanshavn land near some warm ( 8 degrees C) springs, which create a lush vegetation. Have good opportunity to see Humpback Wahles when sailing south of Godhavn to Hunde Ejlands, with a small Greenlandic settlement, old dwellings of Greenland’s Thule culture (dating from 11th century) and graves from 18th century European Whalers.

Arrive in Aasiaat. In the morning fly from Aasiaat to Kangerdlussuak by chartered flight, and onward by scheduled flight to Copenhagen (flights not included in the voyage cost).