Voyage 12 - Greenland Disko Bay

Day 4: Ilulissat
21 August 2019 – Icebergs and Whales
Our day started with a great breakfast and a view
directly to the icebergs of Ilulissat contrasted by the
colorful houses of the town. With a view this
magnificent it was hard to get to shore, but the promise
of better views lured most on land.
Page 12
From the Voyage Log
Ilulissat is Greenland’s tourism capital. It is easy to see
why with its neighbour being a huge iceberg field, from
which the city got its name.
Nearly all guests took the beautiful sightseeing boat
tour, as many others who come to Ilulissat do. The
serene look is broken only by the thunderous cracks,
reminding us of the inevitable calving.
Even before the first zodiac arrives, the harbor is busy
with fishermen and hunters walking around. Housing
the main administration for the municipality of
Avannaata Kommunia the city is truly the capital of the
North.
© Renato Granieri Photography
The city also felt our arrival, and the handicraft shop
sold out their goods, which they quickly restocked for
later visits.
The city started as a small missionary station for the
large Inuit population in Sermermiut. Today the city is
quite large in Greenlandic standards with 4500 people,
who relies mostly on fishing, but tourism is becoming
an ever-growing part of the economy.
With most passengers on land the ship was quiet but
laid outside of town waiting and dodging some of the
stray growlers coming floating by. We went back to the
ship to enjoy dinner before we set sail towards Itilleq.
© Renato Granieri Photography
As the guests eagerly arrived at the harbour, it was a
little chilly and cloudy. Thankfully, as the day
progressed, the sun began to shine through the clouds,
much to our relief. We were not the only guests on this
day. Humpback whales have made this area their
summer feeding waters. These majestic creatures
frolicked and looked curiously towards the many tour
boats flocking towards them. With their distinct fins
these gentle giants are easy to spot, even our flight
sightseeing guests could enjoy the splendor from the
plane. Humpback whales migrate here due to the
waters around Ilulissat being rich in krill, capelin and
other small fish. These are in turn here due to the
constant flow of icebergs stirring the nutrients around,
and since the glacier is the most active glacier in the
northern hemisphere there is plenty of this!
© Renato Granieri Photography
© Renato Granieri Photography
18-23 August, 2019 Volume 1, Issue 12