Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Canada & Greenland - Nanortalik , Qaqotoq - August 2022

 It took three days at sea from Sydney to our next port of call, Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. We were excited and anxious to get off the ship to set foot on Nuuk, the main stop of Greenland.

The weather was a bit gloomy and cold when we entered Davis Strait. The sea was not too rough but we could feel that we're in the different sea path. About noon on the last sea day before Nuuk, we were very disappointed when the ship captain announced that he had to cancel the port. Due to bad weather and strong wind, he decided not to continue going toward Nuuk but turned around to head south. Safety of the people, the crew and the ship came first and that he made the decision. We totally understand. This time the ship went very slowly because we had plenty of time to get to Nanortalik.  It also helped with smoother sailing. In the meantime, foggy and windy condition caused some rough sea. We could not see much out of the enclosed deck. 

The day before arriving Nanortalic, the southernmost village of Greenland, we started seeing a few bergy bits or growlers from the distance. Though they are much smaller than an iceberg, these growlers made our day!. 

First sighting of a bergy bit

Davis Trait

More growlers 

Glacier ?

On open deck

Nanortalik:  The weather was not at its best but we could make the stop here. The ship anchored away from land and used their life boats to tender the cruise passengers to the village. Nanortalik means "places of bears" is a small village with the population of about 1,400 and only one small dock to accommodate our tenders. By the way, there were about 3,000 passengers on board our ship. Needless to say, it took a long time to get to shore and a long time waiting in line for the tender boat back to the ship in late afternoon.


First view of the village Nanortalik (hiding) behind the iceberg

Coming to the village from our tender

The village only dock

??? - "Welcome" Sign ?

Local musician entertaining visitors.

One of the best paved main roads of the village

View of the dock with visitors getting off the ship tender

The fish market - kalaalimineerniarfik


Nanortalik (Lutheran) Church 

Cemetery on the hill overlooking the ocean

A "Ram" plaque on the hilltop - Brightly painted wooden houses dotted the hillside

The memorial park

Panoramic view of Nanortalik village and Marina

View of the marina with our ship in the distance

Teenage students after school.

One of the last tender boats leaving the village to bring passengers back to the ship.
                                                        
                                                                  ******

Qaqotoq: is also in southern Greenland, just north of Nanortalik. With a population of about 3,000. It is the most populous town and the municipal capital in southern Greenland. This village has two good size docks and a working harbor. 

Busy harbor and pier

A walk through the neighborhood

Beautiful wild flowers - The Lutheran church on the hill 

Qaqortoq is a town of artists and talented craftsmen. They are from Denmark, Finland and Sweden carved sculptures into the rock faces and boulders in the town.  


Rock carving - The ram

Rock face carving on boulders

Rock carving

View of the ship from land

In the fish market

The Church by the river

The river

The oldest fountain in Greenland.

The Lutheran church up on the hill

Inside the Lutheran church

A college campus in the town

A senior Living Center building and brightly colored apartment buildings on the hill behind.

Panoramic View of the harbor from uphill.

The harbor

Inuit canoe - built for one person

A cemetery on top of the hill

Greenland poppy



The old cemetery overlooking the ocean

Harbor view with colorful houses on the other side 

Leaving Qaqortoq

Cruising by glacier after leaving Qaqortog


Viewing glacier from open deck

Last icebergs from our viewing

No comments:

Post a Comment