2023 Greenland Expedition - Day 10 Northeast Greenland National Park

Why Greenland? Waking up to icebergs as delicate as Murano glass.

We are deep into the fjord system in Northeast Greenland National Park. At nearly 74 degree N, we are about 1,100 miles from the North Pole. (Or the distance from Boston to Milwaukee)

This morning we took zodiac cruises along Waltershausen Glacier. This tidewater glacier flows from the Greenland ice sheet, and spreads nearly 6 miles across the Nordfjord. 

This black and blue iceberg was super cool. The black sections are coated in grit and silt picked up as the glacier flowed towards the sea. The giant cubes of blue ice are very old ice from which all air has been compressed. 

Kathy P and Greg

Kathy C and Charley

The glacier’s face appeared deceptively linear from a distance, but in actuality, zigzagged into the fjord. 

Later in the afternoon,, we landed at Blomsterbugten (Flower Bay). It’s an apt name in August, with lots of little wildflowers, grasses and evidence of grazing animals. 

Our ever-watchful guides scanning for polar bears. They ask us to keep our life jackets on while hiking, so that we could do a faster evacuation if needed. The bears are hungry this time of year; it’s been months of hibernation and prowling since they could last fish from the sea ice.  

We hiked up to a lake, with fine views and even a glimpse (and I do mean a glimpse) of a musk ox. I may have seen a soft dot on a distant ridge. Those with good binoculars were a little more convinced. If you find it in the photo below, leave me a comment please.

An old trappers’ hut from 1929 stood near our landing place. It had a window, door and old stove pipe, but could not have been too comfortable in the winter. One would have had to bring their own wood or other fuel for heat and cooking. There are no trees here.

I missed the announcement, but the Polar Plunge opportunity was today. A few hearty folks (I assume they were all Scandinavian) stripped down to bathing suits, waded into the bay and submerged themselves. I was impressed. (But not jealous.)

Everyone who goes ashore walks through a disinfection protocol as they return to the ship. Muck boots, pants and walking sticks are scrubbed to assure we don’t carry contaminants between landing sites. 

The rocks in these fjords are wonderful - colored and twisted. This is running on too long, though, so I’ll post more photos of them another day.