Disko Bay - Day 7

Today was to be our only non-paddling day of the whole trip, and although it would have been possible to go on the water our thoughts were inland.  On previous visits we had seen a glacier at the head of the valley and we decided to try and reach the ice.

It was rather like walking across the tops of the Scottish mountains although only just above sea level.  Any views were obscured by the low cloud but we knew that there must be something up there.

Gradually the clouds parted and the glacier was revealed tumbling out the mountains.  Sadly we were unable to reach the ice because of the melt water streams but it was a truly memorable location, where we sat and ate our sandwiches. 
We had come to Greenland to go kayaking but this turned out to be one of the more memorable days of the trip.

Once above the initial slope the valley opened before us but the low cloud obscured any potential view, we just knew that there was a glacier there somewhere.

The going wasn't always easy but at least there were no insects to bother us.

Cresting a small ridge we gained our first view of a glacier.

 As we approached the clouds gradually dispersed revealing a superb mountain landscape.

 Progress was halted as meltwater streams carved their way through the moraine but what a view as we had our lunch.

 Just too wide, too fast and too cold to cross.

 By the time we arrived back at the kayaks the sun was shining from a cloudless sky, in complete contrast to the previous 5 days.

 The glacier was just visible from the campsite.

Disko Bay - Day 6

Today was intentionally going to be a short paddling day as we had planned to visit, the largest settlement on the northern shores of Disko Bay, Saqqaq.  With a population of just under 200 the Greenlandic name is a translation from the Danish, "Sunny Side".  This was clearly an inappropriate name on the rather grey and damp day that we explored the village.

The main reason for the village was to top up our food supplies as it was going to be another 12 days before we were able to re-stock.  Getting to the village is always a slight concern because of the number of large bergs, which are attracted to this section of coastline and appear to be breaking up with amazing regularity.  The main worry is getting caught alongside the shore when one of the larger bergs breaks up and sends in significant waves.  No such event today so after just over an hours paddling we landed on some rocks to the east of the village.

The village has given its name to a whole era of Arctic culture, the Saqqaq culture, whose people inhabited this area from around 2,400 BC until 8-400 BC.  The first tools from this people were found during excavations in the area, hence the name.

It was clear whilst we were in the village that the weather was deteriorating and when we started the return paddle it was into a rather persistent and unpleasant drizzle, the start of about 17 hours of precipitation.  As we sat in the tipi though, drinking freshly brewed coffee and eating recently bought cake we didn't feel we could complain too much.  This was the only rain we experienced in 3 weeks in Greenland.                                            

 Kayaks at the campsite about 3 miles east of Saqqaq.  Behind Disko Island is visible, the first time for a couple of days.

Along the shore near Saqqaq there are always a significant number of large bergs, which are in a constant process of break up.  There was quite some concern in the group about the consequences of getting caught out by a wave from a calving berg when close to the shore.

 Saqqaq is quite a pleasant village on the north shore of Disko Bay.  There is a reasonable sized supermarket and a smaller store where we purchased ice creams.  It was summer after all.

 Looking out across Disko Bay

 Getting ready to paddle our fresh supplies back to the camp ground.  The weather was certainly on the turn and it rained for the next 17 hours.  I don't suppose we should complain though as this was the only day it rained whilst we were in Greenland.

Disko Bay - Day 5

We were heading to a campsite just to the east of Saqqaq, where we planned to restock with food, but there were 2 options.

1.) a shorter paddle which offered the opportunity to explore an old settlement

2.) a longer paddle bit through more spectacular scenery.

I was really pleased we chose the latter.  We followed the eastern shore of Oqaitsut as it narrowed towards Qamavik.  An increasingly cold headwind encouraged us to stop short of the gap, for a bite to eat and to use the wonders of modern technology and check the weather forecast.  I just happened to know where there was a spot where it was possible to a mobile phone signal.  

I know that it could be argued that it detracts from the wilderness experience but it was also an excuse to chat to the family.  A few minutes later with a forecast, which proved to be remarkably accurate, for the next few days, we passed through the narrows and headed west, with the thought of cakes in Saqqaq tomorrow put a spring in our paddle.

Approaching Qamavik.  Passing through the narrow gap an amazing landscape is revealed.

 

Looking across to Qeqetaq, a small village in the north of Disko Bay.  We had climbed up here, partly to check out the ice conditions for the next couple of hours and also to get a weather forecast as I knew that there was a mobile phone signal from this small col and fortunately my daughter Lisa was sitting at here computer.

 Toby entering the channel and looking into Torssuatak.  The scale is deceptive as the headland just above his paddle is 702 metres high.  There were distant glimpses of the Greenland ice cap.

Looking along the north side of Oqaitsut, these cliffs are over 500 metres  high, which would pretty much dwarf anything in the UK.  Fortunately the ice wasn't too thick so progress was fairly straightforward.

As in so many areas of Disko Bay there were thousands of Kittiwakes.

 Looking into Saputit with a classic pyramidal peak on the left hand side.  We were also approaching the area to the east of Saqqaq, which seems to attract significant numbers of large ice bergs.

 Bergs like this deserve a huge amount of respect, as we paddled towards our prospective campsite we were accompanied by numerous loud cracks as these bergs broke into smaller pieces.

 The campsite close to the large stream, about 3 miles to the east of Saqqaq.  I first camped here in 2008, it was like returning to an old friend.

Disko Bay - Day 4

After the monochrome landscape of the day before it was somewhat more pleasant to be launching into a more colourful landscape.  The cloud was off the top of the mountains and patches of blue sky promised better things to come.  Today's targets were Brunnich's Guillemots and abandoned settlements.

We headed north skirting some reasonably sized bergs, which every now and again gave off some warning cracks, ensuring that we kept our distance.  Entering into a small cliff backed bay it was clear that we had arrived in a bird watchers paradise.  Thousands of birds were circling above the bergs, including some Brunnich's Guillemots, which were particularly pleasing to see.

We turned west, meeting some French sea kayakers, who were heading back towards Ilulissat.  They had been out paddling for over three weeks and amazingly hadn't seen any whales, whereas we were only on our fourth day but we had already seen these amazing creatures on two separate occasions.

The campsite for the night was in a delightful bay on the south eastern corner of Oqaitsut, a place we had stayed on previous visits to Disko Bay, but somewhere well worth returning to.

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 Some small bergs in the channel to the north of Agpat

 Nicky skirting one of the more interestingly shaped bergs.

 Paddling towards bird cliffs.  Kittiwakes were the dominant species, and numbered in tens of thousands but for me the Brunnich's Guillemots were the most exciting species.

 Looking along the bird cliffs.  It is difficult to convey in words just how many birds were wheeling around above our heads.

 Every berg seemed to covered in Kittiwakes

 Lunch was in small bay we had visited on previous visits.  It was clearly a location, which met the needs of people over numerous generations.  There was evidence of an old settlement, whilst some local fishermen had their tent in the corner of the bay.

The fishermen whose tent was in the corner of the bay returned with some of their catch.  Not Nicky but the Greenland Shark, which is in the water behind her.  This was probably a small specimen of what may be one of the longest living vertebrates.  Their flesh is toxic and when eaten by sledge dogs can induce behaviour similar to being drunk.

Crossing towards Oqaitsut but keeping a healthy distance from some particularly large bergs.

John entering the bay on the south east corner of Oqaitsut.  Some pretty interesting geology behind.

Preparation for the evening meal.  Note Toby by the kayaks, he had just been for another swim!  It was great to witness the enthusiasm of youth.

Sunday morning at the Ecrehous

A small tide and a reasonable weather forecast can only lead you to think about one thing, a paddle to the Ecrehous.  Just before 7.00 am 14 members of the Jersey Canoe Club met at St Catherine's for an early morning departure to reef which lies just over 5 nautical miles to the north east of Jersey.  6 hours later we returned after a really memorable morning.

Even though it was an early morning start you don't normally expect to see such sights at St Catherine's.  A visiting French yachtsman clearly failed to grasp the tidal range in Jersey.

Although it doesn't look it the first part of the paddle was a bit sloppy.

 Alan approaching the main part of the reef.  There were a number of very inquisitive seals, which is always an unusual encounter in Channel Island waters.

 Nicky and Chris preparing a late breakfast.  The sky had cleared and the reef had a very special feel.  Today there weren't that many visitors, in contrast to a few weeks ago.

 This is always a special view, looking north across the low water reef.

The Normandy coast of France seems quite close.  It was great to meet up, accidentally, with a couple of French paddling friends on the reef this morning.

To the south was the largest island in the archipelago, Maitre Ile. 

The anchorage seemed reasonably quite today, three weeks ago there had been nearly 60 boats at anchor in this area.

The Royal Square is one of the more spacious areas between the small buildings, which are congregated on Marmotier.

Evidence of the year of construction and the parish.

 All too quickly it was time to leave in order to catch the slack tide for the crossing back to St Catherine's.

 Nicky passing through one of the small passages.  The water was delightfully clear.

 Angus and Janet en route to St Catherine's.  The obvious feature of Mont Orgueil Castle was a really useful feature for using with transits as we approached Jersey.

Disko Bay - Day 3

It was another grey, cold start to the day with low cloud obscuring views of the higher summits.  Our aim was to continue heading north to reach the abandoned settlement of Agpat, although there were some doubts in my mind in the prevailing conditions.

Threading our way north, through the bergs, we reached a point when somebody needed the inevitable toilet stop.  Why is it in cold weather that we need to stop sooner to relieve ourselves? Nicky and myself landed on a small beach whilst the others looked for shelter from the cold wind, which was penetrating through both the dry suits and layers of fleece.

They only paddled about 50 metres further on and discovered a sheltered beach complete with small cave.  Hot soup was clearly the order the day, to ward off the cold, this was the only time that we needed gloves, whilst on a break.  Some exploration in the area revealed that we were not the first people to realize the advantage of this site, as we discovered the remains of settlement on the headland above.

By the time we reached the inlets around Agpat, the cloud had risen above the hill tops with occasional shafts of sunlight providing some much needed warmth.  A couple of fin whales, were swimming in the distance, providing a very clear link to why Europeans first settled in this area, nearly 250 years ago.

 Toby heading north in conditions which were less than photogenic.  Low cloud obscuring the summits. 

It felt as cold as it looks in this picture.  Tracey intent on making some progress north.

 The small beach where we found some shelter from the penetrating wind.  The former settlement was on the small headland just above the beach.

  

The remains of this small settlement were a surprising discovery, which was the result of climbing a bit higher the scout the way ahead.

 

 The position of old settlements is normally indicated by different coloured vegetation.  There were the remains of several small buildings on this low rocky point.

It is the scale which is deceptive, these rocky slabs reached to just over 2,500 feet above sea level.

 We knew that there was no water at the campsite so Alex sacrificed his personal comfort to fill the groups water bottles.

 Camp for the night was just to the north of the abandoned settlement of Agpat.

Agpat, founded in 1781 was originally known as Ritenbenk.  A Danish whaling settlement, at one time it was larger than Ilulissat.  It was abandoned in 1960.  For a while the children from Ilulissat came here on summer schools but even that practice has been stopped.  I first visited here in 2008 and it is clear that there has been some deterioration in the buildings.  I would have thought that some consideration must be given to preserving this historic whaling settlement.

There was a family on holiday here from Ilulissat, who gave us the guided tour of the buildings as well as showing us the fish they were drying for future consumption.

 On the hillside above the village this erratic was evidence of previous glaciation.