Our guides are blogging from our ships in the Arctic. Please, read about the fantastic trip to North East Greenland with Sea Endurance below.
31st August 2017
Dawn found Sea Endurance sailing deep in to Kaiser Franz Josefs Fjord. Huge mountains rose on either side of us, lit red by the rising sun. Icebergs dotted the fjord waters as we turned and sailed in to Nordfjord and approached the enormous 11km/ 6nm long Waltershausen Glacier face. After breakfast we stepped into the Zodiacs to explore the icebergs and crevassed glacier, witnessing a few dramatic calvings. There was the chance to land at the lateral moraine and walk up to an overview of glacier, ice studded water, mountains and distant ship.
We were back on board for a late lunch as the ship repositioned to the coast of Strindberg Land and the huts at Laksehytta. We went ashore on the east side of the river valley as we had spotted musk ox on the tundra. Once ashore we were able to walk closer to these fabulous shaggy beasts as they grazed and then mock sparred with one another, banging their heads together with a resounding thud. We split into groups for walks and photographing the landscape. Those who went to the river’s edge discovered that the Arctic char were running up river to spawn. Glaucous gulls and even two Arctic foxes were trying to feast on them. We could see why one of the huts ashore formerly had been used by fishermen harvesting the char. The other hut is now used by the Sirius Sled Patrol. An abandoned Nansen sledge was outside. The day ended with a wonderful sunset, highlighting a superb coned iceberg and against a backdrop of amazing rock. What a wonderful first day exploring the fjords of East Greenland!
