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), possibly round 150 miles from Eqip Sermia. This meant we had far more time to discover Ilulissat after anchoring up.
Now, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESO-protected web site, and with good motive. From what I keep in mind, it’s an space for glacial runoff, contributing to 4% of the world’s water. So, as you possibly can think about, there’s plenty of ice.
Now, what makes the world round Ilulissat much more particular is that there’s a glacial ‘ledge’ or ‘deposit’ of sediment and rocks that traps plenty of 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 type of iceberg site visitors jam.
So, with all this data 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 giant. By UK or US requirements, you’d think about it a big village or small city.
You’ll be able to spend an hour or so wandering Ilulissat, testing the long-lasting pink church and visiting the native shops. These promote tupilak (see image beneath) or soapstone figures, each of that are nice souvenirs from Greenland.
Nonetheless, Ilulissat’s major drawer is the Icefjord.
We had deliberate to e book a ship tour via 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 via 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 have been instantly obtainable for a personal RIB tour of the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
We jumped on the change, and we have been so grateful they’d last-minute availability.
The RIB tour, by the way in which, was unimaginable.
We spent the following hour weaving between the colossal icebergs, and it was so extreme. The truth is, we had the entire lagoon to ourselves; it was magical, and the views have been simply spectacular.
As you possibly can see, the icebergs are completely large, so naturally, you don’t sail too near them. In spite of everything, 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 suggest Ilulissat Journey sufficient. Better of all, you possibly can e book their excursions on-line if you happen to’re visiting Greenland, so that you gained’t must 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 received 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 seems to be spectacular, however I can’t say I felt it was one of the best use of this lovely house. It has a small espresso store (with nice espresso) and an intimate exhibition for which you pay a small charge, however apart from that, it felt slightly ‘misplaced’.
I don’t say that negatively, by the way in which; the house is gorgeous, but it surely didn’t actually serve any objective apart from getting a espresso and cake (each of which have been nice, by the way in which).
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 surroundings and restrict guests’ affect on this UNESCO-protected space. For that reason, you don’t go away the boardwalk till you attain the perspective overlooking the bay itself.
After strolling via the inexperienced expanse, traditionally created by the glacier, we reached the coast.
The stroll alongside the boardwalk took round quarter-hour, however naturally, we have been very gradual and devoured each second of the views alongside the way in which. On the finish of the boardwalk, we headed up the picket stairs (which the boardwalk results in). The views hit me like a brick wall. The icebergs have been large, colossal, in truth. I needed to maintain reminding myself that the icebergs have been strong ice – they have been like mountains.
We spent a superb 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 lovely.
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 right this moment. 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 brilliant and early for tomorrow’s journey in Itilleq.
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