After such an unimaginable day exploring Disko Island and Eqip Sermia, we woke as much as views of the magnificent Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
It’s not too far (when it comes to nautical miles), perhaps round 150 miles from Eqip Sermia. This meant we had way more time to discover Ilulissat after anchoring up.
Now, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESO-protected web site, and with good cause. From what I keep in mind, it’s an space for glacial runoff, contributing to 4% of the world’s water. So, as you’ll be able to think about, there’s numerous ice.
Now, what makes the realm round Ilulissat much more particular is that there’s a glacial ‘ledge’ or ‘deposit’ of sediment and rocks that traps numerous the calving glacial items from shifting into the open ocean round Disko Bay.
To place it merely, colossal icebergs get trapped within the lagoon round Ilulissat, and you find yourself seeing huge icebergs the dimensions of mountains, and that’s no exaggeration. It’s mindblowing and a kind of iceberg visitors jam.
So, with all this info in hand, we hopped on a trusted zodiac to take us to the jetty in Ilulissat city itself.
Ilulissat is a city that, by Greenlandic requirements, is fairly massive. By UK or US requirements, you’d contemplate it a big village or small city.
You may spend an hour or so wandering Ilulissat, trying out the long-lasting purple church and visiting the native shops. These promote tupilak (see image under) or soapstone figures, each of that are nice souvenirs from Greenland.
Nonetheless, Ilulissat’s principal drawer is the Icefjord.
We had deliberate to e-book a ship tour by means of the icebergs in Disko Bay by way of Albatros Expeditions. Nonetheless, we’d left it too late to e-book, and all of the areas had been stuffed. So, after arriving in Ilulissat, we took a stroll by means of the city and headed to Ilulissat Journey.
These guys organise excursions in and round Ilulissat and Disko Bay, and so they have heaps to select from. We popped in, and so they had been instantly out there for a personal RIB tour of the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
We jumped on the change, and we had been so grateful they’d last-minute availability.
The RIB tour, by the best way, was unimaginable.
We spent the subsequent hour weaving between the colossal icebergs, and it was so extreme. In actual fact, we had the entire lagoon to ourselves; it was magical, and the views had been simply spectacular.
As you’ll be able to see, the icebergs are completely huge, so naturally, you don’t sail too near them. In any case, a calving or spinning iceberg (or perhaps a growler) might be very harmful inside the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
The tour was epic, and I can’t advocate Ilulissat Journey sufficient. Better of all, you’ll be able to e-book their excursions on-line for those who’re visiting Greenland, so that you received’t need to cope with the panic and stress we skilled when reserving on the final minute.
So, with the solar shining as soon as once more (we obtained lucky with the climate), we walked from Ilulissat’s harbour space in direction of the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre and boardwalk.
Now, the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre appears spectacular, however I can’t say I felt it was one of the best use of this stunning area. It has a small espresso store (with nice espresso) and an intimate exhibition for which you pay a small payment, however aside from that, it felt a bit of ‘misplaced’.
I don’t say that negatively, by the best way; the area is gorgeous, however it didn’t actually serve any function aside from getting a espresso and cake (each of which had been nice, by the best way).
Nonetheless, the latter (the boardwalk) is a should.
The Ilulissat Boardwalk covers the protected floor across the Ilulissat Icefjord, serving to to preserve the pure setting and restrict guests’ affect on this UNESCO-protected space. Because of this, you don’t go away the boardwalk till you attain the point of view overlooking the bay itself.
After strolling by means of the inexperienced expanse, traditionally created by the glacier, we reached the coast.
The stroll alongside the boardwalk took round quarter-hour, however naturally, we had been very sluggish and devoured each second of the views alongside the best way. On the finish of the boardwalk, we headed up the wood stairs (which the boardwalk results in). The views hit me like a brick wall. The icebergs had been large, colossal, in reality. I needed to hold reminding myself that the icebergs had been stable ice – they had been like mountains.
We spent a great 45 minutes right here. Sitting on the rocks, watching the views and seeing the icebergs lodged within the channel in Disko Bay. It was mesmerising and completely stunning.
Because the late afternoon approached, we strolled again to Ilulissat and headed to our pick-up level to catch our Zodiac again to Ocean Albatros. The sunshine was nonetheless unimaginable, so we shortly hopped onto the decking space of Lodge Hvide Falk. It was nonetheless chilly (round 8c), however we wrapped up heat and had a glass of wine overlooking Disko Bay.
Very quickly in any respect, it was time to depart the Ilulissat Icejord In Greenland. Time has whizzed by at this time. So, with that, we hopped on the Zodiac again to Ocean Albatros and headed straight for dinner on the onboard restaurant.
With full tummies, we headed for mattress to get up shiny and early for tomorrow’s journey in Itilleq.
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