Greenland Gallery | Baxter Nature

01. Flying over the Qoornoq fjord between Sermersog Island and Nanortalik island on the way to the latter and looking NE up to Sarqa Fjord and the peak of Napasorsuaq (Kirkespiret), 1590m.

02. Approaching Nanortalki town with a view north up to to Sarqa Fjord with Amitsoq Island distant centre, and Angmalortoq island distant centre left, and Sermersoq Island distant left.

03. The quiet town of Nanortalik has over 1000 inhabitants and most facilities including hotel, hostel, kayak hire, and 2 good shops.

04. Setting off from Nanortalik in the double kayak. Just 5.1 metres long it had very little storage for the potential 2 weeks, with all the food, fuel and climbing gear.

05. Paddling north past the entrance to Tasiusaq Bay. The small village of Tasiusaq with its 20 houses can be seen on the shore.

06. After the portage we camped with the other 4 members having caught up with them. The campsite looked up the 10km lake we would paddle up tomorrow.

07. Looking back to Tasersuag lake with the 3 km of thicj scrub in between. The rest of the way to the watershed behind us was much easier to walk through

08. Standing on a boulder at the waterhed. Beyond the boulder the valley dropped to the base of the mountains ahead and through scrub to Kangerluk Fjord.

09. En route up Lake Tasersuag to the U shaped valley where we would leave the boats and fight our way through thick scrub to the watershed with Kangerluk Fjord.

10. Paddling back across Taseruaq lake from the east end to our campsite at the west end against a force 4 headwind.

11.The view from our campsite at the west end of Tasersuaq lake. This was much better weather than we had for our trip to the distant mountains yesterday.

12. The view down Tasersuaq lake from half way up Qaqqatsiaq, Our campsite was on the left just as the river flows out of the lake.

13. The view from the top of Qaqqatsiaq looking north. Tasermuit Fjord is on the left and Tasersuaq lake is on the right. The large kilometre long river is inbetween.

14. Heading down the south ridge of Qaqqatsiaq with Tasiusaq bay on the left. The village is on the right behing the knoll where the bay and Tasermuit Fjord meet.

15. Fiona waiting at the kayak at the very SW tip of Tasersuaq Lake with the mountains around Quinndalen at the other end of the lake as a backdrop.

16. Leaving camp where the Tasersuaq River runs into Tasermuit Fjord. We camped in a gale for a day before heading up the fjord to the Sermeq glacier above.

17. Paddling past the small stream at the bottom of Suikkassuaq, 1524m. it was impressive, but there were more spectacular mountains just round the corner.

18. Gazing up at Ulamortorsuag, 1829m. The granite spire rises out of the tundra along the side of the fjord for a good 1000 sheer metres.

19. Brewers and Climbers from the Czech Republic. The Two Tales brewing company had sponsored the big wall climb. One of the Brewers, Jan, was a climber.

20. Kayaking beneath the falls as the river in Klosterdalen crashes into the fjord with the spire of Ketil, 2003m, above. The Norse ruins were just above the kayak.

21. A lone kayaker heads up Tasermuit Fjord with the melting Sermeq Glacial tumbling down the headwall.The Sermitsiaq Glacier is on the right out of the picture.

22. At the edge of the Tasermiut Fjord with the side glacier of Sermitsiaq in the distance and the icy lagoon just behind us. The next day we would paddle up here

23. Heading back down Tasermuit Fjord in the rain to our campsite at Itillersuaq, which is on the right. Klosterdalen would be one of the misty valleys on the left

24. Looking straight across Tasermuit Fjord from the alluvian campsite at Itillersuaq. Across the fjord is the lagoon and Sermitsiaq Glacier we visited earlier.

25. Heading back up to the Sermeq Glacier from out camp at Itillersuaq at the start of a glourious day

26. The whole team at the bottom of the Sermeq Glacier. From left Auke Raaff, John Sinclair, Stanley Mulvany, Belinda Mulvany, Fiona Burnet and James Baxter.

27. We landed at an alluvial beach and walked up the the base of the Sermeq Glacier beneath a 1500 m icefall.

28. Heading from Sermeq Glacier to Sermitsiaq Glacier and just about to paddle furiously up the stream which left the lagoon below Sermitsiaq Glacier.

29. In the lagoon beneath the much retreated Sermitsiaq Glacier. It was possible to land and pull out on silt below the waterfall.

30. The spectacular waterfall had chuncks of ice and lumps of rock coming down the cascade as they broke of the glacier above.

31. Heading from the waterfall to kayaks by the lagoon with a slither of the Tasermuit Fjord just visible beyond. Across the other side is our camp at Itillersuaq.

32. A view of the alluvial campsite at Itillersuaq with the mountain between Sermitsiag Glacier and Lagoon on the left and Klosterdalen on the right.

33.Paddling down the west side of the fjord with the massive granite tower of Ketil, 2003m, rising up from the edge of the fjord and Klosterdalen valley.

34. The alluvial beach where the relatively small Itillikasik river meets the Tasermuit Fjord. On the opposite side is the mountain of Ketil.

35. Paddling down the west side of the Tasermuit Fjord with the last look back to the fjord’s head. This photo was taken just opposite Klosterdalen and Ketil.

36. Kayaking in Tasermuit Fjord with the granite spires and faces of Ketil,2003m, (left) and Ulamortorsuaq,1829m, (right) rising from the shoreline.

37. Looking across the Tasermiut Fjord from Kiinaalik towards the might west face of Ulamortorsuaq, 1839m, one of the great big wall climbs in the world

38. Heading down the Tasermuit Fjord with a final look back to the giants of Ketil (left), Ulamortorsuaq (centre) and Suikkassuaq (very right)

39. The view SE from the campsite at Nuua to the jagged range between the Tasermuit Fjord system and the Prins Christian Fjord and Kap Farvel systems.

40. The line of springs bursting forth above a layer of more impervious strata on the hillside were covered in moss and Angelica, an important food in Norse times.

41. Climbing up Aniggup qaqa and looking across Tasermuit Fjord to Tasersuaq Lake which we paddled up a week ago to have a walk in the distant mountains.

42. looking West from the summit of Aniggup qaqa, 1060m, to the mountains on islands, like Sersersoq and Amitsoq Islands, at the mouth of Sønde Sermilik Fjord.

43. Looking East from the summit of Aniggup qaqa, Tasersuaq lake is on the left and Tasiussaq bay on the right. The low hill between them is Qaqqatsiaq, 500m.

44. Looking North from the summit of Aniggup qaqa to the big mountains on the east side of Tasermuit Fjord. Ketil is the highest and Ulamortorsuag on the right.

45. A last look north at the impressive 1000 metre high west face of Ulamortorsuag from the summit of Aniggup qaqa.

46. Heading back down the south slopes of Aniggup qaqa with Tasiussaq bay across the fjord and then the mountains before the Prince Christian Sund fjords

47. Paddling down the Tasermuit Fjord near Tasiussaq Bay with the whole of the fjord behind me.

47. Paddling past Aniggoq bay with the mountain we climbed yesterday just to right of centre.

49. Heading back round the headland at Tuapait where there were larger icebergs appearing which littered the remaining few km to Nanortalik.

50. Old Inuit kayaks in the museum. They were seal skin on driftwood frames. There were also white camouflage sails, hunting spears and bladders on display.

51. Nanortalik was a great base in this small town,and useful to clean up after the Tasermuit Fjord expedition and prepare for the next.

52. One of the small houses typical at Nanortalik in a meadow of buttercups during the height of the summer.

53. Auke paddling through the mass of icebergs just after Erdlua just a few km north of Nanortalik town.

54. An old camp at the abandoned fisherman’s village of Umiviarssuk where there were 3 or 4 delapidated huts on a smooth grassy headland

55. Paddling north up Sarqa Sound looking west over to the very rugged Sermersoq Island. There were some huge icebergs in this stretch of water.

56. Paddling north up the spectacular cliffs on the east side of Amitsoq Island. These cliffs rose for some 600m straight out of the flord.

57. The hot driftwood fire on the beach in the large Ikerasarssuk lagoon. The blaze was so hot I had to move 5 metres away for fear of damaging my drysiuit

58. The abandoned village of Igdlorpait lay on fertile ground on the north point of Tugtutuarssuk Island. There was an abandoned schoolhouse and church here.

59. A lone kayaker paddles past the end of a huge iceberg in Unartoq Fjord en route to our campsite at Igpik

60. The hot springs at Igpik were clean, uncomercialized, and a delight to wallow in despite the near freezing air temperature.

61. The campsite at Ipgik looking across Unartoq Fjord with the rugged island of Sermertoq rising up above the mist in the distance.

62. Leaving the beach at Igpik we paddled across the mirroe calm fjord past large iceberg as we cross to the east side by Vagar.

63. Just before Vagat bay we caught Stanley and Belinda up. They had been weaving through large icebergs taking many photos.

64. Looking back down the Søndre Sermilik fjord with Angmalortoq island and it’s snow gully in the distance. Up this west side of the fjord there was no campsites.

65. Looking up the Søndre Sermilik Fjord. The campsite of Ipatit is in the alluvial valley to the right. If you follow this valley floor for 18km you get to Tasermuit Fjord.

66. Paddling up the fjord from Ipatit with the steepish Kugssuatsiaq valley in the centre and Ineq just round the corner on the right.

67. Paddling to the end of the fjord in waters my 30 year old map showed were glacier. Note the clean moraine line where the glacier has recently retreated from.

68. As we paddled to the end of the fjord it became clogged with ice and we could not continue. If the had wind changed to a southerly it would have trapped us.

69. The glacier on the east side, south of Mountain 1930m, had retreated what had recently been ice was now being colonized by Broadleaved Willowherb.

70. Returning to the alluvial valley by Ipatit where we recamped. Straight down the scrub fill valley ahead was Tasermuit Fjord, some 18, quite flat, km away.

71. The campsite at Ipatit on an alluvial shelf. The tents were erected so the blue tent effectively became a porch and the green tent an insect-free inner sanctum.

72. A last look up the Søndre Sermilik Fjord the mountaind before we headed south. The mountain of Kugssup qaqa, 2142m. dominated the skyline above Ineq.

73. The watery crossroads at the south end of Søndre Sermilik Fjord with the deep sound between Amitsoq (left) and Angmalortoq (right) Islands ahead

74. Near our camp at the sheltered inlet of Portussoq looking past icebergs at the entrance. The mountains on the distance are on the rugged Sermersoq Island

75. The icebergs at the entrance to Portussoq were all grounded and at low tide their enourmous weight caused them to crack and crash into the water.

76. As we paddled round the south tip of Amitsoq Island and started to cross Sarqa Fjord the familiar Kirkespiret mountain, 1590m, reappeared.

77. Looking west across Sarqa Fjord to a deep valley on the rugged island of Sermersoq where a glacier had sliced a U shaped slot

78. We camped by Qeqertasugssuk hamlet on Thomsens Øst Island. This is looking north up Sarqu Fjord to Amitsoq Island from a knoll above the campsite.

79. Many of the icebergs at the north end of Nanortalik Island were the same ones we had seen a week ago on the way north.

80. The team at the back from left; James Baxter, Niels Tækker Jepsen, Fiona Burnet. At the front Stanley and Belinda Mulvany and Auke Raaff outside the hostel.

81. After returning to the hostel in Nanortalik a second time we had the opportunity to rinse all our clothes and dry out our equipment before packing it for the long journey home

Greenland / Gallery