Qaqortaq! Wed, 8/3/22

 

Monday and Tuesday were sea days, as we made our way from Newfoundland to Greenland across the Labrador Sea.  The weather grew kinda poopy Monday evening, and we heard the foghorn off and on during the night on Monday.  Sea days are lazy -- reading and writing (blogging) and, of course, eating. 😉If a person has oatmeal for breakfast, all manner of other yummy dishes are allowed for the following meals, right?  Our stinky St John's hiking clothes got a needed dunking in the laundromat.  Generally, we relaxed on Monday after our big day yesterday.

Jimmy and I met with our friend, Linda, for a much needed catch-up chat in the afternoon.  We're still knocked sidewise by seeing each other on this cruise!  While we visited, the ship began rolling and pitching, with noticeable whitecaps in the sea.  It was blowing a gale!  Sunny but cold, too.  Nevertheless, Jimmy and I donned fluffy white robes and braved the cold for a dip in the "hot" tub on Deck 9.  I wouldn't call it hot, but it was nice and warm (till we got out).  While we soaked, we watched people walking the track on Deck 10 dressed in winter garb.  Sloshing tsunamis tossed the water in the swimming pool, always fun to watch.  Clouds moved in later.

Monday night, our captain came on the loudspeaker.  Our itinerary was altered!  No Nuuk, Greenland on Wed 8/3.  No Paamiut Greenland on Thurs 8/4!  Seems rain/high winds are blowing into southwestern Greenland and we won't be able to land or anchor.  Well, phooey.  Instead, the ship will head straight for Qaqortaq to anchor Wednesday morning.  Fingers crossed on this one!  After Qaqortaq, we're scheduled for Narsaq Greenland the following day.  Well, safety first, but we're disappointed.  Mother Nature dictates.

We rolled all night, but upon entering the fjord, the ship settled down.  Jimmy and I, and Nannie and Bubba were up early (first light comes early) to "catch the ice!"  And we saw ice!

Greenland morning.

Our first glimpse of Qaqortoq from the ship.  This tiny slip of a town (largest in southern Greenland) perched on a mountainside has been inhabited since prehistoric times.  The town was christened Julianehaab after the Danish queen Juliane Marie, but I'm not sure when the name change took place.  Don't ask me to pronounce it.  Like all populated places in Greenland, Qaqortoq is not connected to any other place via roads ... hiking trails or sea traffic only.  Insignia anchored offshore and we were tendered ashore.

Jimmy and I had 8am excursion tickets to hike along The Great Lake (Lake Tasersuag) with a guide.  Fog and a light mist, a chilly temp in the low 40's meant long johns, and layers, and rain jackets (also my Sherpa vest).  We wore our Tilly hats, not for wind today, but so we could drape skeeter netting hoods over them.  I used mine, Jimmy didn't -- I would've gotten eaten alive by skeeters if I hadn't.

Nannie and I bought matching Greenland shirts in this shop.  Everyone we met along the way smiled and said "hi."  Delightful people, these Greenlanders.  We're just happy we were able to come ashore.

Mindebrønden (Memorial Fountain) completed in 1932.

Largest fountain in Greenland.

 

We broke away from the (slow) group and continued on our own till we got to the back of the lake (two-plus miles) and turned around.  Except for the haunting call of a loon, all was quiet and peaceful.

Yellow Poppies, Arctic Anemones, and Saxifrage, Harebells, Arctic Cottongrass, and lots of Buttercups, plus a few Fireweed plants.

Lupines and Buttercups.  Lots of color in Greenland!

Serious cairn going on!

Can you see my netting?  Glad I had it.

Qaqortaq is down by the red x.  Really nice, picturesque hike.  The lake is pure enough to be the town's source of drinking water.  Can you see Jimmy?

Jimmy blends in!

Returning to town.

Don't think so.  Not for the average American!

Throughout Qaqortaq are carvings of whales, faces, and other traditional designs carved into boulders and lichen-covered rock faces. Together these stoneworks works of art are known as Stone & Man.  They're very cool.

Greenland's national flower:  magenta-petaled Niviarsiaq (“young girl”) in Greenlandic (Chamerion latifolium).  Quite attractive in a grouping.

Stellar day.  Beautiful country.  Back in toasty Insignia, we departed at 6pm, sailing down the fjord toward the sea and over to the next fjord and tomorrow's stop in Greenland -- the town of Narsaq.  Ocean in motion again!