GREENLAND
2024-06-17 : 2024-06-28
In the summer of 2024, I boarded the legendary MS Cape Race for an expedition around Disko Island on the west coast of Greenland. Our journey started in Ilulissat, or “icebergs” in the Kalaallisut language: a truly fitting name for this community. Our 12-day odyssey took us anti-clockwise around Disko Island to thriving communities like Saqqaq and haunting, abandoned towns like Qullissat. We ventured as far north as 4 degrees North in latitude. The icebergs were truly spectacular and many of these make their way north towards the top of Baffin Island and then south to the east coast of Newfoundland. In April 1912, it was one such iceberg that was hit by the Titanic. And it was the Cape Race Lighthouse, on the southeast tip of Newfoundland, that received its distress call at 12:15 am.
North to the Glacier
The plan was to visit the Eqi Glacier but ice conditions prevented even Cape Race from entering the fjord so we anchored in a nearby bay
Disko Island - West Coast
On the west coast of Disko Island facing Davis Strait and Baffin Island. This is where we came across the best iceberg of the entire trip
Qeqertarssuaq -> Ilulissat
A brief stopover at Qeqertarssuaq with its black sand beaches and volcanic rock formations offering great hikes. Then we headed home through the icebergs to Ilulissat.
Cape Race - The Boat
Built in Quebec in 1963, she sailed in the Grand Banks fishery off Newfoundland. Converted to an expedition ship in the mid-2000’s and fully overhauled to her current excellent condition in 2018/19. Much more here: https://mscaperace.com/en/