After such an unbelievable 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 rather 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 may think about, there’s a lot of 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 a lot 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 scale of mountains, and that’s no exaggeration. It’s mindblowing and a form 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 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 enduring purple 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 important drawer is the Icefjord.
We had deliberate to e-book a ship tour via the icebergs in Disko Bay through Albatros Expeditions. Nonetheless, we’d left it too late to e-book, and all of the areas had been crammed. 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, they usually have heaps to select from. We popped in, they usually 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 unbelievable.
We spent the following 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 have been simply spectacular.
As you may see, the icebergs are completely large, so naturally, you don’t sail too near them. In any case, a calving or spinning iceberg (or perhaps a growler) may 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 may e-book their excursions on-line should you’re visiting Greenland, so that you gained’t should 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 spectacular, however I can’t say I felt it was the perfect use of this stunning area. 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 just a little ‘misplaced’.
I don’t say that negatively, by the way in which; the area is gorgeous, but it surely didn’t actually serve any function 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 atmosphere and restrict guests’ affect on this UNESCO-protected space. Because of this, you don’t depart 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 big, colossal, in reality. I needed to maintain reminding myself that the icebergs have been strong ice – they have been like mountains.
We spent 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 unbelievable, so we rapidly hopped onto the decking space of Resort 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 go away the Ilulissat Icejord In Greenland. Time has whizzed by as we speak. 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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