Iceland - Northeast Greenland – Spitsbergen

While sailing north, you’re likely to see fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, and common guillemots. We will then cross the Arctic Circle, possibly spotting whales. By evening the first icebergs flash into sight with our approach to the east Greenland coast, near Brewster, and at night you might enjoy views of the enchanting aurora borealis.

Today we reach Scoresby Sund, Earth’s largest fjord system, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. The afternoon goal is to visit Danmark Island, where we find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago.

The circular stone tent rings indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are well preserved, with easy identifiable entrances, bear-proof meat caches, and grave sites. In the evening, we continue sailing the berg-crowded fjords to the west.

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Røde Ø, one of the world’s most cherished iceberg attractions. The austere blue-white of the icebergs sets sharp against the brooding red backdrop of the sediment slopes. The afternoon plan is to sail through the northern parts of Røde Fjord, with the chance to see musk oxen and warm autumnal foliage.

In the morning, we encounter colossal icebergs, some of which are over 100 meters (328 feet) high and more than a kilometer (.62 mile) long. Most of them are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 meters deep (1,312 feet). We will then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares.

For the first half of the day, we will have an easy landing and excursion at a lagoon 4 km (2.5 miles) west of Kapp Stewart, a place where migrating geese and waders collect for their autumn migration. The low and gently undulating tundra is ideal for some easy walks, and hopefully we will continue to see other local wildlife. In the afternoon, we visit the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit.

In the morning, we pass through the strait between North Liverpool Land and the island of Uunartoq Qogertaq. Last century it was connected by a glacier with the mainland, but in 2005 an OEX expedition discovered that the glacier had disappeared and that you can now sail through the strait. In the afternoon, we land at Antarctic Havn, an extensive valley where you can spot groups of musk oxen. At this time of year, the sparse vegetation is dressed in the fiery colors of autumn.

We enter Segelsällskapets Fjord in the morning, seeing the streaked slopes of the Berzelius Mountains bordering the north side. Our landing will be on the south shore, where you can see ancient sedimentary formations lying right at your feet. A hike takes us near a small lake with good chances to see musk oxen, Arctic hares, and ptarmigans. In the afternoon, the ship ventures into Alpefjord, aptly named for the spire-like peaks that thrust up around it. You may then embark on a Zodiac cruise around Gully Glacier, which once blocked access to the interior of these waters. Continuing deep into the fjord, we experience a definitive Greenland adventure.

Our morning plan is to head into Antarctic Sound, where we find the islands of Ruth, Maria, and Ella. Maria is the most likely spot for a landing. We arrive at Teufelschloss (Devil’s Castle), a mountain with layered geology. On the other side of the fjord is Blomsterbugt and the intended landing site.

Today we sail through Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, surrounded by towering mountains and bright interior icebergs. In the morning, we land in Margrethe Dal near Thule/Dorset remains, and later we will sail into Foster Bay at Myggebugten. Beyond the old hunters’ hut where Norwegian trappers hunted for polar bear and Arctic fox in the first half of the 20th century, there is a sprawling tundra populated by musk oxen, with geese floating the small lakes. In the afternoon, we sail northward along the Greenland coast and will probably have our last sights of Greenland when we sail by Shannon Island.

We sail northeast along the outer fringes of the southward moving Greenland sea ice, with its seabirds, whales, seals, and maybe a polar bear sighting. Our aim is Spitsbergen.

We sail northeast along the outer fringes of the southward moving Greenland sea ice, with its seabirds, whales, seals, and maybe a polar bear sighting. Our aim is Spitsbergen.