After a tremendous day exploring the Ilulissat Icefjord yesterday and an excellent night time’s sleep, we arrived in Itilleq.
Itilleq is a really small neighborhood throughout the Qeqqata area of Greenland. It’s by itself little island, simply shy of mainland Greenland and close to the Arctic Circle border.
Itilleq is small, simply in case you questioned. There are about 20 homes in whole (and fewer than 100 individuals who name it residence), however what it lacks in homes, it makes up for with colors. It’s so picturesque.
Our ship, Ocean Albatros, anchored simply offshore, and we hopped on a Zodiac to Itilleq Harbour. The city is attractive, so we took the chance to walk across the neighborhood and discover the broader island.
One factor I used to be actually enthusiastic about throughout our go to to Itilleq was having a standard Kaffemik. I need to admit, I didn’t know what a Kaffemik was earlier than arriving in Greenland, however I beloved the idea as soon as I heard all about it.
For the unfamiliar, a Kaffemik is a form of ‘get-together’ that’s deeply embedded in Greenlandic custom. It usually surrounds a specific life occasion that requires the broader neighborhood to come back collectively. The variety of individuals will be something from 10 to 50, however there aren’t any hard-set guidelines.
After gathering, the hosts of the Kaffemik brew contemporary espresso and perhaps a couple of candy treats. The entire Kaffemik turns into a comfy and heat social house for the neighborhood. I beloved this concept.
Fortunately, the expedition group onboard Ocean Albatros organized for us to attend a hosted Kaffemik throughout our go to to Itilleq.
With a brief stroll, we headed to our hosts residence, who have been so welcoming and opened their residence for us to have a comfy brew and chats. All of it felt so particular and lasted round 20-Half-hour.
It was such a heart-warming expertise and the entire neighborhood have been so pleasant and welcoming. Itilleq is gorgeous and we’re so glad we made a cease right here throughout our Greenlandic expedition.
Not solely that, the area people all got here out to play a sport of soccer (soccer) with the guests to the island. It was so unimaginable and it was a lot enjoyable.
Very quickly in any respect, it was time to go again to Ocean Albatros, our ship, for our go to to Greenland. The day was already so unimaginable; however we had far more to come back.
After hopping again onboard Ocean Albatros, we awaited our name for the following non-obligatory ‘tour’: a polar plunge within the Arctic Circle.
Now, I completely detest chilly water with a ardour. Even a crisp pool on a sizzling day will cease me from taking a dip. Yaya, on the ohterhad, may be very totally different. He jumped on the modified at collaborating in a polar plunge, espeically after doing the identical factor in Antarctica 0000 throughout our journey there.
As Yaya’s group was known as, I headed to the highest deck to observe Yaya leap into the chilly Labrador Sea from Ocean Albatros itself. After securing a security line, Yaya jumped straight in. I used to be chilly simply taking a look at him, however he nonetheless managed to make round a 10-15-second dip within the Arctic Circle. I’m so glad that one among us did it – I used to be simply thrilled it wasn’t me.
After a heat bathe again onboard Ocean Albatros, it was time for our remaining night in Greenland. We hopped straight for dinner and have been joined by a number of the expedition group members onboard. It was beautiful, and we had an ideal catch-up on at the moment’s adventures.
Very quickly, we’d set sail deeper into Kangerlussuaq Fjord, which is over 100 miles lengthy. It’s colossal, and the views alongside the fjord are so lovely. We headed straight for the highest deck of our ship with a sizzling tea in hand.
The views of the glacial valleys, waterfalls and colossal mountains have been mind-blowing. It was such an ideal finish to the day.
By the following monring, we’d sailed to the top of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, the place we’d depart Ocean Albatros. It was bitter-sweet as we wished we might have stayed longer in Greenland and onboard the ship. However we have been additionally so grateful that we’d managed to expertise an expedition we’d waited a few years for.
It was so particular.
After our remaining goodbyes to the expedition group and pleasant employees onboard, we hopped on our remaining zodiac to achieve Kangerlussuaq Airport. Albatros Expeditions helped all passengers then e-book onto a direct flight from Kangerlussuaq to Copenhagen by way of Air Greenland, which might take 4.5 hours.
The entire journey was unimaginable, and Greenland is actually a improbable place to go to. It’s actually a core reminiscence that gained’t be forgotten.
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