With Road Runner, we have been lucky enough to travel to some very cool (figuratively) places. Greenland is definitely one of the most unique places we have ever seen.
The easiest way to get to Greenland is through Iceland. The group gathered in downtown Reykjavik for an evening of provisioning and hanging out. The next morning we headed to the Domestic airport to catch our flight.
Flying to Greenland is not like flying to an airport, hence the provisions for last minute needs in Iceland! The airport is not near a village, but rather sits in the deep bay of fjord south of Scoresby Sound.
Greenland sits between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans at 71.7° N latitude… so way up there. Greenland is “owned” by Denmark, but exists as an autonomous constituent country, with 95% of the its population living on the west coast, with the bulk (17,000) of the population living in Nuuk, the capital city. On the east coast, the only real village to speak of is Ittoqqortoormiit, with a population of approximate 450 inhabitants.; the only village we visited.
Waiting for us in the bay was our schooner. We sailed aboard the Opal; a sophisticated 3 masted schooner equipped with a hybrid drive. The hybrid drive allowed us to motor in silence, so that at night, we got rest as the captain and crew safely made our way to the next destination. Our boat also had a hot tub that was filled just about daily with fresh water, heated by the engines!
Here is an image of me and Leo (our chef, aka Mr Wonderful) chilling in the hot tub! Yes, Da Cakes (my significant other) was there!
Once we set sail, the amazing world of Greenland unfolded before us… it is truly awesome.
Not only did we sail around these city-block size tabular icebergs, we also had many trips on zodiacs to get the full experience of the enormity of the icebergs.
While sailing, our amazing captain Aki, allowed us pretty full reign to explore the boat as we wished; which included climbing the foremast and the main mast for unique perspectives!
Our adventure took us all around the islands and fjords of Scoresby Sound, where we experienced massive mountains, majestic glaziers, and wildlife!
On our trip, North Sailing had committed to delivering some building materials to a research camp, nestled deep in Scoresby Sound. This provided a unique look into the research of Narwhal whales. The research village had a population of about 15 individuals, 4/5 researchers and about 10 Inuit residents.
In addition to sailing and zodiac rides, we also had the opportunity to hike in a number of different areas, providing the opportunity to experience the flora and geology of this remote land.
The most amazing part of this experience was truly being off the grid. For all but a few hours, we never saw any sign of development. Even the research camp was rustic at best. We sailed for 8 days, 7 nights, and it wasn’t until the last day when we visited Ittoqqortoormiit that we saw other people. North Sailing did have a second boat in the area (they run two boats at a time for safety reasons), but only on rare occasions did we see them far off in the distance. How many places can you think of where you would not see another person, vehicle, or building for days on end? The opportunity is rare and truly unique. With our hybrid drive, we were able to experience this remoteness in silence. It is amazing and incredibly calming when there is silence; something we rarely get at home. We ate meals together and chatted. We hung out on deck and chatted. We were not distracted by cell phones, TVs, and the general noise of our daily lives. Truly incredible to experience!
To experience this amazing destination, join us in 2020, when we head back! Click here for more information.
If you like to see more images and hear more stories, join us Saturday, February 9, at 2pm for a presentation on Greenland! Click here for more information.
