Disko Bay, located in Baffin Bay just off the west coast of Greenland, is known for its varied and magnificent nature. Fjords, caves, and huge icebergs surrounds us on our journey, but the landscape also invites us to hike over the tundra and among mountains. A trip here tends to touch you deeply, and it is easy to feel both humbled and amazed by the wonders of nature.
You can admire the world's fastest calving glacier - Jakobshavn Isbrae, or Sermeq Kujalleq as the Innuits call it, in the Ilulissat Fjord which flows out in Disko Bay. The glacier calves an estimated 40 cubic kilometres of icebergs per year, and it is therefore no coincidence that Ilulissat means iceberg. The fjord has also been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004.
The Innuits are presumed to have settled in the area around Disko Bay after Erik the Red discovered it, but during the 15th century the climate became too cold for the Norsemen who first came here, and the Innuits have lived their lives alone here ever since. The main source of income for the inhabitants of the villages around the bay was trade of bones and furs with Icelanders, Englishmen, Scots, Irish, Welsh and other Europeans, and many villagers mainly live from fishing and hunting even today.
As we head further north we pass more glaciers, for example Eqip Sermia, which is a very active glacier too. It calves often, and it is a powerful sight to see huge pieces of ice coming off the glacier front and falling into the water! The sound is reminiscent of thunder as the air, long time packed inside the ice, finally is released.
Not only will we admire both magnificent and beautiful nature during our time on board - we also have good chances to experience unforgettable encounters with wild animals. In the fjords can we spot seals, walrus, and several whale species such as humpback whales, minke whales and pilot whales, and on land we have the chance to meet reindeer, Arctic hares and Arctic foxes.
