Greenland Kayak 2014

Day 01. 04 July. 41 km. 8 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We left Nanortalik at 0730 when the early morning sun had already been and disappeared behind clouds. With kayaks laden we weaved our way through icebergs, initially over cautious of them. We crossed the protected bay with a force 3 against us and reached the Tuapait headland.  Here we found a small beach covered in small icebergs and managed to find a way in, landing on the gravel to adjust a few things. From here we passed a small hut and entered the mouth of the 80 km Tasermiut Fjord.

With the force 3 still against us we paddled over to the east side under a huge nose of a mountain. The wind had now swung in our favour and we made good time up to the crescent shaped peninsula. There were very few birds at all but there was a small colony of Black Guillemot here. Once round the peninsula a vast jagged landscape opened up with hundreds of sharp peaks in all directions especially up the fjord and Tasersuaq Lake were we were heading. We paddled quickly up the south coast of the fjord and after a couple of hours reached the entrance to the bay where the small hamlet of Tasiusaq was with its 15 houses. We landed here for a stretch and admired the stupendous view. The cold wind was still blowing from the south as we left the beach and we were soon across the bay being blown up the fjord with the iconic peaks of Kirkespiret, Ketil and many others all around, especially on the east side. At the end of the 10km peninsula fringed with a sandy beach covered in icebergs was a tiny hamlet with a smallholding where sheep were raised.

We rounded this and then made for the large river which poured out of Tasersuaq Lake. We were tired after the sustained 40 km paddling but were greeted by Stanley and Belinda and then Auke and John. After 2 carries the entire laden kayak has been portaged a km to the outflow of the river as it poured out of the 10 km long Tasersuaq L surrounded by awesome jagged peaks. The camp site looked across the lake at this jaw dropping view. After a chatty, mosquito-plagued supper, gathered with the others, the rain which had threatened all day finally fell, but by then we were in the tents.

Day 02. 05 July. 34km. 13 hrs. 550 up. 550 down. We left at 0700 on an overcast morning with a tail wind blowing us up the 10 km Tasermiut Lake. Lofty mountains rose up on each side, their peaks lost in the mist above the small glaciers in steep bowls on their flanks. With the force 3 behind us we made good time under the rocky spurs of the north side past the entrance to Qinnguadalen which looked clogged with willow and birch scrub. Just a bit further was Quigeq kujalleq which we intended to walk up.

We paddled a little up the river pulled up the kayaks and set off. It was soon obvious it was going to be bloodsome slog. The willow and birch scrub was thick, tangled and dripping wet. There was very little glade between the tangle and the going was slow as we fought up the south side of the river contouring higher and higher hoping to break above it. It was not to be and after 2 hours we finally made a small notch just 3 km from the boats. After the notch the going became much easier as we crossed a plain which was probably a silted up lake.

At last we could enjoy the huge granite walls and serrated ridges which we erupting out of the clearing cloud. Looking back Tasersuaq lake was turquoise in the sun. The plain was full of plants I was familiar with from Norway but there was a noticeable lack of birds to feast on the bountiful insects. After the plain there was a small climb of a few hundred metres up to the pass over to the valley which led down to Kangerluk Fjord. This pass at 400 m was our goal for the day. We could not see much down the other side but suspected it was moraine boulders and then tangled scrub beyond down to the fjord. Stanley went up a rocky knoll to get a better view and said it was more benign than we suspected. 

The return journey was much easier as we kept nearer the stream and almost managed to link up the glades between the scrub tangle. After a hard 7 hours we were glad to be back at the boats. However the wind had got up to a westerly force 4 and it was a hard slog down the slightly more sheltered south side of the lake to the camp. The south side was a continual tangle of thicket and would have been difficult to walk along. After 2 and a half hours paddling we finally got back to the tents at the outflow of the lake at 2000 after a long and exhausting day.

Day 03. 06 July. 18 km. 7 hrs. 580 up. 580 down. Still tired from yesterday, it was a relatively slow start and we did not set off on various trips down to the south side of the lake until mid morning.  Stanley and Belinda paddled a km down the lake to a sandy spit and then climbed Qaqqatsaig while Fiona and myself paddled to the south end of the lake. Here we split up with Fiona walking the 10 km track to Tasiusaq village past a couple of farms scratching a living farming sheep and trying to grow enough sillage to sustain them through the winter while I climbed Qaqqatsaig.

Its west flank was quite steep but a grassy ramp afforded a chink in the ramparts leading to the higher steep slopes. There was little of the difficult scrub here and it was easy to progress up a dry hillside covered in prostate birch and many wild flowers. Half way up I saw Stanley and Belinda descending a ridge to their kayaks. I continued up in the hot sun as the residual cloud of the morning lifted. The views were simply magnificent, especially up the lake to where we had been yesterday and up Qinnguadalen. Across the small southern arm of the lake the triple peaks Putooruttog, 1519m rose from the waters. Its south flank looked quite easy to walk up. At last I reached the top after a couple of hours of climbing. The panorama from this 530m peak was magnificent in all directions but the view down to the hourglass isthmus between fjord and lake where we portaged was the best. Reluctant to go back down the same way due to the steepness I decided to follow the south ridge.

This delightful 3 km ridge undulated mildly across tundra vegetation. Occasionally I would pass a small group of an ancient breed of domesticated sheep which could sustain themselves from the meagre fodder. The ridge led very nicely to a saddle from which I could easily descend to the farm on the north side of Tasiusaq fjord. To the south east across this basin was another magnificent range with jagged sawtooth peaks. Once down on the track by the farm it was a quick 3 km along it past scruffy farm buildings and small patches of cultivated sillage grass to the kayak again.

Fiona had been there half an hour already in the relatively mosquito free beach with the awesome mountains around Qinnguadalen as a backdrop. We quickly changed into our drysuits and cruised the 3 km up the east side of the lake passing an almost continual sandy shoreline to reach the camp again. Auke and John had had an easy day and were already starting to portage their kayaks in preparation for the paddle up the fjord tomorrow.  It developed into a calm sunny but mosquito free evening which was a rare treat.

Day 04. 07 July. 1 km. 1 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. Our plans to paddle up the Tasermiut fjord were in doubt when we woke at 0700 due to the strength of the east wind blasting down the Tasersuaq lake from the icy mountains which were now covered in cloud. After a bit of debate during which the weather went from a force 4 to 5 we abandoned our plans and went for the portage only. After carrying the kayak down Fiona and myself went back to pack the tent. By now the force 5 had turned into a 7 and there were large white caps all over the lake and spray exploding from the breakers on the beach below. We bundled everything up and hurried back to the fjord with 2 loads each in strong winds and lashing rain. It felt like a tempest was on the way. We carefully chose a protected campsite and set up the tents. With this done and no let up in conditions we secured the kayak and put rocks on the storm flaps of the tent. There was nothing else to do other than retire into the tent and have a long siesta with the wind flapping the ripstop and the rain lashing the taut fly. By early evening the rain had gone and the wind had moderated to a 4 again, indeed there were even large patches of bly sky. However there were big waves and white caps out in the fjord and it was no place to be. We had a sociable evening with Auke making pancakes for all as we gathered on the grass for a relatively mosquito free evening before an early bed at 2200.

Day 05. 08 July. 27 km. 5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. The wind and rain of the night slowly relented in the morning but Belinda was poorly with a cold so we had a late start and did not set off until about 1400 by which time the wind had vanished. We passed a small plantation of spruce and pine as we cruised up to the first headland with the wind behind us. Even John and Auke were making good time under the slabby flanks of the lofty Qasigeerneq 1450m.

Across the fjord  on the west side were many dark ridges of craggy peaks covered in lighter gullies full of scree. Above all this rose the precipitous fin on Kirkespiret. After 4 km we rounded a headland and found to our delight that the breeze had swung behind us and was pushing us along at 7 kmph we made good time up past the very impressive Suikkassuag whose curved wall rose almost vertically from the jumble of craggy foothills. However, it was only when we passed this huge rock face did we realise that it was just a starter as the massive Ulamortorsuag 1843m, with its huge spire of hard granite. As we paddled towards it this vertical mountain grew more spectacular. The spire itself was 1100m of sheer granite and was one of the world’s most respected big walls. After 3 hours we had a quick stop at the first beach to the west of it. It was a great viewpoint to this massive tower but we were moving on all too fast for some. As we paddled up, John’s rudder wire frayed through unknown to us and he and Auke we delayed. Meanwhile Fiona Myself Stan and Belinda paddled up past the second beach as a white tailed eagle rose from the sea rushes.

At the outlet of the second valley from Ulamortorsuag Fiona and myself saw the camp of the Czech climbers we met earlier. We beached and let the others continue and went to meet Seer and Jan who we met in Nanortalik previously. We were greeted with open arms and met the other 6. 2 of them had just finished the 30 pitch climb up the tower we had just been marvelling. They had a great base camp and treated us to a beer and gave us food including a Czech wurst.

After our half hour visit we carried on further north with the increasing wind up to a 4 in places. It only took an hour to rush along the coast to Klosterdalen where we caught the other 4 up. There was some confusion with the landing and camping spot and Stanley and Belinda ended up on the south side of the large river and Auke, John, Fiona and Myself on the north side among the ruins of an old Norse Monastery. To our south rising straight above us was the massive wall of Ketil, a granite blade of rock rising over 2 km into the mists. It really was the king of Tasermiut fjord. From our campsite above the roaring waterfall where the river crashed into the sea was a wonderful view up the fjord to the glacier tumbling down from the ice sheet above. Previously our intention was to paddle further up the fjord to the glacier’s snout but with Stanley and Auke dangerously wet we called it a day here.

Day 06. 09 July. 21 km. 4.5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We awoke in the ruins of the monastery with the cloud base just at the top of Ketil which loomed above us and whose north face of sheer granite erupted to 2003m. We left at 1000 with John still packing under leaden skies. After negotiating the sandy deposits below the waterfall where the silty river entered the fjord we headed north. There was a marginal tail wind and small following tide so we made good time passing a white tailed eagle at the first sandy headland. The cloud was slowly gathering as we paddled up passing the next valley at Tiningnartoog. Across the fjord we could see our campsite for the day at the alluvial valley of Itillersuaq. 

However we wanted to keep to the east side and passed under the massive cliffs of a prow whose exfoliating granite slabs rose out.of the fjord. Once round this  prow we reached what was at one time, some 100 years ago, the place where the Sermitsiaq glacier reached the sea. This had now retreated some 2 km and it now terminated on slabs just above a moraine dammed lagoon. The silty stream which flowed out of this lagoon and through the moraine would have been possible to paddle on a flooding tide only when the power of the glacial stream was diminished.  we pulled the boats up and had lunch here on the edge of the lagoon with the tongue of the glacier resting on the slabs just above the water.

After lunch the other 4 paddled off to the campsite at Itillersuaq but Fiona and myself took advantage of the calm conditions to paddle right up to the end of the fjord where the Sermeq glacier rose from just above the end of the fjord in an enormous icefall some 1500 metres high. As we neared it the temperature dropped significantly as the cold air from the vast ice sheet above descended. This enormous icefall was full of seracs and crevasses and one had to consider if anything would break off and tumble or avalanche into the water creating a huge wave. We thought it safe enough to venture forth to where the stream emerged from under the ice and tumbled down a few slabs into the sea. Each side of the icefall were triangles of slabs but they looked too steep to walk up. Leaving the glacier behind we now paddled down the west side under a massive buttressed mountain, around whose highest crags mist swirled. About an hour later we reached the campsite of the Itillersuaq valley and pulled the kayaks up on a braided alluvial fan. Here there was a large flock of some 200 gulls which we had disturbed a few times after lunch. Such a flock would be unremarkable elsewhere but here they were unusual. The campsite itself was a short 300 metre carry and we had the tents up quickly. The rain came in showers for the rest of the afternoon and evening but it remained calm.

Day 07. 10 July. 18 km. 3.5 hrs. 90m up. 90m down. After a group discussion we set off again for the main icefall of the Sermeq glacier.  The mist and the drizzle of the night was slowly evaporating and more and more sun was starting to break through. By the time we paddled the 6 km to the glacier the day had all the promise of being a stunner. With the clarity came the views and what we saw in the mist yesterday was now in its full unobscured glory and against a largely blue sky. Stanley arrived first, beached his kayak and leapt up the quarter kilometre of gentle slab to the smeared snout of the glacier. We followed as we arrived.

It was an awesome sight and great privilege to be standing on these recently uncovered granitic and smoothly polished slabs. The jumble of ice rose up a good 1400m above us in a 35 degree amphitheatre with few nunataks thrusting through high above. We were all awestruck by the spectacle and spent a good hour here. We then split into two groups with Stanley and John returning to camp in Itillersuaq while Belinda, Auke, Fiona and myself headed off to the glacial lagoon at the base of Sermitsiaq glacier. By now the day was superb and there was barely a cloud in the sky.

The giant of Ketil with its huge NW face dominated the view south but wherever you looked there were vast mountains, many of them probably unclimbed. At the lagoon the rising tide had not yet overpowered the silty glacial stream and we had to fight hard to enter it. Once in we paddled across the sand fringed lagoon to the base of the  slabs where the rooster tailed torrent crashed down the slabs into the lagoon from the glacier just above.

We had lunch here watching the powerful waterfall. The lateral moraines on each side were loose and it would not have been long since the glacier retreated from here, perhaps 25 years. Conscious that the incoming tide had now filled the lagoon and wary of the combined ebb and stream out of the lagoon we left. However at the entrance we saw a powerful flooding stream completely overpowering the glacial stream with at about a 10 knot flow. We tried to paddle into the fjord but failed, and had to walk the boats round in drysuits. Once on the other side and in the fjord it was a lovely paddle across the 2 km fjord to Itillersuaq camp. There was now not a cloud in the still sky. It could not be better weather. The only flaw was Belinda dropping her very expensive camera in the shallow water while landing.

We returned to the tent to find everything which had been damp was now crispy dry. In the early evening Fiona and myself went for a short 2km walk up the valley which was  smooth with just ankle deep scrub. Stanley in the meantime had walked the 7-8 km up to the lake and had encountered bad scrub up there. He said the glacier north of the lake was steep and all the mountains need rock climbing skills. That evening the insects were bad and 2 Spanish pack rafters joined our camp.

Day 08. 11 July. 38 km. 7 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. It was a glorious but insect infested morning when we rose at 0700. It was impossible to do anything without headnets on. By 1000 we had packed the boats and set off down the fjord again. It was a stunner of a day again and everything was clear. After a final view at the two glaciers we pressed the right rudder pedal and veered south. There was virtually no wind as we paddled down the west side opposite at our previous campsite in Klosterdalen under the now crystal clear huge NW face of Ketil, 2003m. This face must have been some 1300-1500m of nearly sheer granite.

After 11 km we stopped on a sunny beach for a break and to wait for John. We unfairly seemed to leave as soon as he arrived which seemed unnecessary as it was clear, warm and still. However, over the next 6 km the southerly wind suddenly arrived and it rapidly increased from a force 1 to 3 and then 4. It made the going slow especially, for John. We tried to fish but just caught a stone and had to give up. As we came round a headland opposite the mighty spite of Ulamaratosuag the others had pulled up on a pebble beach and to our alarm seemed to be unpacking the boats. It was now a force 5 but it was just a temporary anabatic wind caused by the land and air above the ice cap heating up and pulling air up the fjord. It seemed clear it would diminish, and as we debated it went from a 5 to and 4 and then down to a 3. Fiona and myself wanted to continue and Auke chose to join us.

We intended to paddle another 20 km to Nuua and camp and then climb a hill the next day from the same campsite.  There was a bit of angst about splitting the party but the weather was too good to camp. We set off at 1700 and paddled round the headland.  The wind was a force 3 against us but we easily overcame it and made relatively good time. It was a shame to be leaving Ulamaratosuag and Suikkassuag as the mountains further south were tamer; but still impressive.

There was virtually no tidal assistance as it was high tide. We paddled 8 km catching the occasional glimpse of Kirkespiret high on our west above the fjord sides. Soon we were passing our old campsite across the fjord at the portage up Tasersuaq lake. We flushed a sea eagle from its perch as we passed the islet at Nuua. Occasionally the wind was with us but generally it was mild and in out faces. After Nuua we paddled another 4 km down the coast to reach a nice campsite overlooking the iceberg-covered fjord, with Pyramiden on the other side. We found a nice place to camp above the coast on a draughty plateau covered in short moss and lichen. We set up the tents in the last of the daylight with glow on the mountains and a rainbow feature in the misty air, far to the south down the fjord. By the time dinner was over it was nearly 0100 in the morning.

Day 09. 12 July. 12 km. 8 hrs. 1090m up. 1090m down. There was some drizzle in the morning so we lingered in the tent until suddenly there was a hello at the door at 0930. Belinda and Stanley had already paddled the 20 km from where we left them at Kinalik yesterday. While we got up and prepared to climb Aniggup qaqa, 1060m, Stanley and Belinda waited for John who left around 0600 also. Fiona, Auke and Myself left at 1030 with the overcast weather improving all the time so there was the odd flash of blue sky in the cloudbase which was at about 2000 m. We crossed the small river easily and started up across the lichen heathland threading a way through copses of willow and birch scrub. We managed to link enough of the glades together to walk unimpeded across the prostate birch which was only ankle deep. The bugs were incessant and we had to climb with headnets on as there was no breeze. There was a line of springs across the hill at about the 300m contour with forests of Angelica and carpets of moss around their small bowls.

When we reached the ridge line at about 500 m the vegetation finally petered out and stones started to dominate.  Near the ridge they were firm and covered in lichen, but to the left where snow fields lingered they were bare and more unstable. We tried to keep to the crest of the ridge where the stable stones were covered in a crisp dry black lichen. There was a marginally steeper bit around 800m but it was still very easy. There was a subsidiary summit about 10 minutes before the slightly higher main summit. The final ridge up to the summit was a bit airy on the north side, but not exposed. Just before the summit Auke spotted an Arctic Hare. The 360 degree view from the top of Aniggup qaqa was truly remarkable.  To the south down the Tasermiut fjord was a shallow saddle and then an open fjord, one side of which was an archipelago. 

Beyond this was the open Kitsigsut Tunuat Sound clogged with enormous icebergs and beyond them the final frontier against the Atlantic, which was the Kitsigsut Archipelago. To the SE and East were the very impressive jagged towers and needles of the landscape around Prins Christiansund, sometimes described as the most impressive landscape in the world. To the NE and North was the Tasermiut fjord, dominated by the granite spires of Ulamartasuaq, Ketil and Kirkespiret and the glinting ice cap beyond. To the NW, West and SW were a jumble of 1250m mountains with steep dark black lichen covered ridges and lighter gullies full of loose stone around the south end of the Søndre Sermilik and Nanortalik town. It was a truly sumptuous view. We lingered for 15 minutes taking photos and then started down.

Rather than return to the east peak we cut off down the gravel and boulders on the  south side traversing down to some shallow snow patches. We followed the easy snow down the south face and rounded the shoulder to reach the SE ridge again. It was not long to return to the vegetation and the mossy angelica springs before a bit of scrub bashing to return to the tents after a very satisfying day. It was a relatively early night as it was quite cold and bug ridden in the still evening air.

Day 10. 13 July. 31 km. 5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. John left at 0600, Stanley and Belinda and Auke left at 0800 and Fiona and myself left at 1000 from our campsite just south of Nuua.  The morning was overcast and the force 2-3 was from the south and against us, but we still had about 4 hours of the ebbing spring tide in our favour. It took just an hour down the west side of the fjord to Aniggoq where the whole fjord veered from south to west. We now headed into force 3 winds past a deep bay where we could easily look up and see the mountain, Aniggoq qaqa, which we climbed the previous day. We paddled down the steep shoreline here with the mountainside plunging into the sea for another 4-5 km to reach a bulging headland.

We now had the choice of continuing along the north side or cutting diagonally across the fjord into the force 3 to the Naujat nuat peninsula. We opted for the latter hoping the ebbing spring would compensate for the wind. It just about did and we rounded this slabby headland at 7 kmph with a few large icebergs which had somehow managed to find their way into the fjord. We saw a  smaller seal here, perhaps 2 m long. It made no sense to stop here so we rode the tide a bit more and made for the southern tip of the peninsula, called Niaqornaq, on the west side, as the fjord now reorientated itself North-South again. We crossed a bay after the southern tip and pulled up on some rocks. It was just after 1300 and we had already done 22 km.

As we ate on the rocks under the grey skies and beneath the triangular bulk of Pusardluarnaq, the other 4 paddlers came round the headland. Somehow we had overtaken them. After a quick chat they carried on and we soon followed. Suddenly we both spotted a small Arctic Fox running up the slabs after we had disturbed it from seeking out and plundering bird nests along the steep shore. It did not take long to get to Nuk which was in effect the mouth of the fjord. We paddled along the north west jaw of the fjord which had many icebergs dotted along it. At the bay by the light beacon and a very rustic hut, all the icebergs on the beach where Fiona changed her spraydeck on Day 01 had now vanished. They were probably blown away in a northerly wind during a high tide. The bay here was peppered with icebergs and the usual coastal fog was returning making it very atmospheric. Occasionally  there would be an almighty crack and a piece of ice flow would break off.  Finally we rounded another headland and the town of Nanortalik appeared some 2 km away. The stretch to reach it was littered with icebergs, some of which were huge and clearly calved off glaciers from the east coast rather than unmelted sea ice.

They groaned readily as they put more weight on their submerged bases as they grounded at the low tide. We reached Niels`s cabin at about 1630 after just 5 hours easy paddling.  Luckily it was empty and we phoned him to open it up and let us stay. Rather surreally just after arriving John, Fiona and Myself went off to the hotel’s pub to watch the final of the football world cup, a global event, while the others did their washing.  

Day 11. 14 July. 0 km. 0 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. Today was a rest day back in Nanortalik. in the morning there was a lot of clothes washing to do and hang up on various ropes along the sunny shore with the sea breezes. It took a few hours until it was all done. Then we all headed off to the open air museum nearby. The happy curator,  David, showed us round 5 of the buildings and we helped ourselves to the other 5 buildings. There were great displays of Inuit here, many of whom had migrated from the Prins Christiansund area some 100 to 50 years ago.

There were also good displays on kayaks and umiaks, seal hunting and even whaling. After this we all packed and prepared for the second half of out Greenland adventure which was exploring the islands to the NW of Nanortalik, such as Sermersog. It was all done by early evening just as the glorious day faded and sea fog returned.

Day 12. 15 July. 31 km. 5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We left Niel`s hostel in Nanortalik at 0900 and headed off into the fog without John, who was waiting for his fog-delayed helicopter. It was quite confusing to navigate in the fog through the icebergs that had run the gauntlet of skerries, islets and shoals and made it into the harbour area. We headed north into the northern basin and followed the misty coast of the islands as we headed north to the narrows at Erdlua where the ebbing tide was against us. There were some huge icebergs here which must have blown up the fjord between Nanortalik and Sermersog islands.

We then cut inside Thomsens Øst island and were blown up in a force 3 through a rocky archipelago to the narrows at the north end. Here Stanley and Belinda and Auke went ashore to see an abandoned village while Fiona and myself continued for another half hour to the abandoned inuit fisherman’s cabin at Umiviarssuk. We waited here while the others caught up and then continued north. The wind was increasing the whole time and was almost a 4 as we were blown north. However with the wind came the waves and they started to swamp a few leaky spraydecks and soak the occupants, especially Stanley and Auke.  We rounded a proud headland about level with the bottom of the mountainous Amitsoq island where the waves were larger and then continued for another 3 km to a lovely, sheltered stream outlet where we pulled up in the sun and had lunch. It was just here a plan for the day was made and we decided to continue to Pisigsik and camp.

Apparently there was an old goldmine there. It took another 2 hours of wind assisted but choppy paddling in a force 4 to do the 12 km to this bay, during which Stanley and Auke were soaked from the waist down. The goldmine turned out to be something to avoid rather than see. It was an industrial operation which was based on a large barge. A few lorries plied a dusty road bringing stones to the barge and building nearby for processing. As we pulled into the inner bay the shallow slope of the beach and low tide meant we could not land without a 500m carry so we went back a km to a beach and found some good spots, here but within earshot of the mining operation.  From our camp we could just look up the valley to see Aniggup qaqa which we climbed a few days ago.  In the evening the wind dropped but it was still cold.

Day 13. 16 July. 23  km. 4.5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We rose at 0600 to be on the water at 0800. While we were packing the wind increased from a force 2 to 3 and very nearly a 4 and it would be against us. We packed and set off to the north side with the small whitecaps breaking on the deck and sending water onto the leaky spraydecks which then dribbled through. Although it was overcast it was bitterly cold in the NW wind and I was getting splashed by Fiona’s paddle spray to the extent I had to put my poggies on. Once we were over the other side by the north jaw of the bay the wind had dropped a bit and we decided to cross the Sarqa fjord to Amitsoq island straight away. It was some 3 km and easy enough.

The paddle up the west side of Sarqa under Amitsoq was truly jaw dropping as huge slab cliffs and outcrops rose steeply from the water and soared into the mist at about 5-600 metres. It was a very still paddle up here with small groups of Black Guillemot gathering on the dark water. We also flushed a duck, probably an eider, who feigned injury for a good km to lead us away from her chicks. We chatted as we paddled north to our lunch break at Sermilik where we hoped to find a real or abandoned village, but there was none. After lunch we headed north round the tip of the island. However the tide had changed now and it was a fight against it to climb up into Søndre Sermilik fjord. We all made it and decided to cross the fjord to the NW side. We set our sights on the knoll at Niaqornarssugssuag and set off. It was soon clear it was a battle for some as the wind was almost a 5 and spray was flying everywhere.  We slowed right down to 4 kmph and kept together as a group. Slowly the knoll grew larger but so did the swell especially in places where the west wind was running into the easterly ebbing current. After an hour we finally reached the knoll. A few of us were cold and wet now and it seemed sensible to find the first beach and campsite. Less than a km from the knoll heading west we found one and camped with the tents up by 1430. The sun and mist danced across the higher peaks but the cold wind kept up all afternoon. 

Day 14. 17 July. 29 km. 5.5 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. The stronger wind of yesterday had disappeared but the mist was low and it looked like rain to the west where we were heading. We set off at 0800 again and made reasonable time down the misty coast unaware of the tremendous scenery on each side of us. After just 2 hours we passed the entrance to an inlet and then entered a large sheltered basin between the mainland and an island. Seals seemed to be herding a shoal of fish here and then lunged at them when  they had them corralled. When the seals came to the surface some 50 gulls dived down.

We stopped at a beach in the basin. Belinda made a small fire and we all added to it so it was a roaring blaze throwing out masses of heat which we enjoyed for an hour. We left the basin and sneaked round the north of another island which formed another basin with the abandoned village of Quvnernuit at the north end of it. When we exited we decided to cross Unartoq fjord straight away, before the wind returned, toTugtutuarssuk island. It was a few km but it went well and we landed at the abandoned village of Igdlorpait.

The village looked like it was an old fishing station and even had a church and school and some 10 houses. Everything was in ruins. As we explored the fog seemed to come and go and there were some great views of the mountains on Sermersog.  Finally there was a small 6-7 km paddle across a sound and up the sheltered and sunny east side of Unartoq island to the small hamlet of Igpik which seemed to be composed of one fishing homestead. I asked two kids who were outside where the hot springs were, but they did not speak Danish, so I asked at the homestead. Here a hard working Inuit told me it was a km away. So we returned to the kayaks on the beach and set up camp.

Once this was done we all walked along the isthmus, past a small harbour and sandy beach with a few foreign yachts. The hot springs were a gravel pool through which warm water leaked. It was free and uncommercialized but not as warm as hoped. There were about 6 inuit kids already there. We stripped down to underwear and hopped in for half an hour summoning the courage to dash out in the cold wind to get dressed again. We returned to the tent and managed to get water from a hose by the fishermans homestead. That evening the coastal fog returned and the temperature plummeted.  

Day 15. 18 July. 52 km. 9 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. It was completely still when we left with the icebergs in the sound reflected perfectly on the mirror water. Stanley and Belinda went on ahead to weave in and out of an iceberg congestion. We crossed the fjord straight away and met the on the far side by Vagar bay.

We then confirmed we would split up with myself and Fiona heading up the length of Søndre Sermilik fjord while Stanley and Belinda and Auke would continue to explore the islands of Sermersog, Angmalortoq and Amitsoq, three jagged and impressive islands, but a bit in the fog zone. We said our goodbyes and headed off to the bonfire beach again passing more seals corralling fish and lunging at the greater density. While at the beach the others arrived and lit a fire. Auke even started to make and bake bread using it. We said goodbyes again and set off on still waters but with the tide against us to Niaqornarssugssuag where we camped the previous night.

It was completely quiet and uneventful but the islands to the south made up for this. At Niaqornarssugssuag we left the sound and entered Søndre Sermilik fjord and started up the west side. It was a near continual line of crags and cliffs rising up for a kilometre or so into the sky. From these descended steep snow filled gullies where waterfalls cascaded down. It was a foreboding coast and it continued for kilometre after kilometre without respite. Across the fjord was a gentler slope rising up to high mountains with remnants of glaciers on them. There was nowhere to camp at all on the west side but there looked like some possibilities on the east side. Even at Qarnermiut where there was a hut marked on the map there was nothing but foreboding alluvial fans and willow covered boulderfields.

We continued on to Ivigtut but still there was no campsite and looking up the shore to Ineq we could see little opportunity.  The southerly wind which had blown up up the fjord for the last 3 hours had now diminished so we decided to cross and camp at Ipatit. Crossing the still fjord was a joy and there were many great campsites here in this large alluvial plain where two rivers ran into the fjord. It was very buggy as we erected the tents and crawled inside for a well deserved rest. However on the positive side the scenery was spectacular and the temperature seemed a good 10 degrees warmer when compared to the coast, as Tasermiut fjord also was, due to the lack of fog. 

Day 16. 19 July. 49 km. 9 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. It was an improving day when we set off at 0900 with a force 3 easterly wind coming out of the valley. We completely dismantled and packed our camping gear.  We avoided the sandbars, passed a derelict looking cabin and then reached the south end of the curious ridge, Alakarigsup qaqa, 800m, which almost formed a sharp island in the fjord. There seemed to be very little camping possibilities in the fjord apart from the one we had. The alluvial fan at the bottom of Inip qaqa seemed too steep to camp on and was largely composed of stones and even Ineq, a bit further along the fjord, had nothing obvious among its willow scrub.  However the mountains above these emergency campsites were supreme with serrated peaks rising up to around 2000 m.

As we rounded the south end of Alakarigsup qaqa we left the east side and returned to the west side again just catching a glimpse of the icefall at the head of the fjord. Even from here it was obvious it had retreated significantly since my map was produced some 30 years ago. After Ineq the west side of the fjord steepened again with huge cliffs rising above the milky blue waters. We passed a headland where the glacier ended 30 years ago and could see the straight rising line of clean loose rock recently exposed with no vegetation or lichen on it. Indeed if one looked across the fjord to the east side there was an even more distinct line some 300 m above the fjord.  It was astounding to think that the glacier had retreated and vanished so much in such a short time.

On the east side a glacier descended from the icecap but its once bulging convex form was now just a concave smear and it now longer reached the fjord. .we continued north passing many small colonies of Black Guillemot until we rounded a headland and could see the glacier did in fact still discharge into the sea via an western tongue down an icefall from the ice cap. We paddled towards it but as we approached we could see our way was blocked by masses of small icebergs. The tide was ebbing and the wind was a mild northerly one so they were being carried away from the calving face. We tried to sneak through but it was getting more and more congested. Conscious that if the wind changed to a southerly direction it could trap us we abandoned our quest to reach the glacier some 2-3 kilometres from it. It was a fascinating area with thousands of small and tiny icebergs bobbing about and all were cracking and creaking as the small waves lapped at them.

We wondered at the huge scale of everything here before turning round and heading to the previously mentioned  diminished glacier on the east side where the terminal moraine had formed a cobbly beach. It was some 4 km away and when we reached it we had been in the kayak for some 5 hours. It was interesting to see that even in this wasteland of glacial debris there were still some colonising plants about, mainly the willowherb, which is the national plant of Greenland. 

After this break we headed back down the east side of the fjord passing moraine debris for a few kilometres until we reached the north end of the Alakarigsup ridge where we left the last of the small icebergs which were heading down the fjord with wind and tide. The paddle down the side of the 10 km Alakarigsup was long as we were both tired, but the mountains to the west, a jumble of lofty spires invigorated us again. Soon, with the wind having completely vanished, we rounded the south end of the ridge and saw our campsite.

We had to set it up again from scratch as we did not want to be separated from our tents and sleeping bags in case the weather blew up and we could not return. We arrived at the beach, which seemed popular with all the glaucous gulls at 1900 with just enough breeze to keep the plentiful insects at bay. After supper it was an early night with a glorious sunset.

Day 17. 20 July. 35 km. 7 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We were up at 0700 on a glorious morning with horizon to horizon sunshine. After a slow start we did not get on the water until 1000. Apart from the  plague of bugs we were sad to leave our alluvial flats home of two days and head off down the fjord to ultimately Nanortalik and the end of the trip. As we left on mirror seas we knew this sun would warm the mountains and glacier and draw a sea breeze in which by mid afternoon could be up to a force 5 headwind. Across the fjord were a string of 1200m to 1500m peaks with the remnants of small glaciers in their corries. It was pretty much the same on the east side which we were paddling down, but we could barely see them above the steep sides.

After an hour against the small tide the first ripples indicated the start of the wind. It quickly built to a force 2, then 3 and after a further hour a 4. This made slow going and we crept up past alluvial fans and round steep rocky headlands. It took a good 4 hours, with a rest, to pull our way up the shoreline to the small peninsula which marked the end of the fjord. The wind seemed to be coming in pulses of an hour each with a bit of respite between them. It was just our good fortune that some respite arrived as we crossed the crossroads of waterways over to Amitsoq island.

We now followed the deep slot between Amitsoq and Angmalortoq islands. We hoped the tide would be with us now but it was of no avail. Angmalortoq Island itself was very spectacular with very steep mountains rising up to a rampart of jagged spires and towers some 1000 m above the deep sound. We paddled down the sound into a force 4 for a good 6 kilometres making for the small islands and peninsula where we arranged to meet the others. When we arrived at the beach on the north side of the peninsula we expected to find them here as it was a great place to camp. However it was empty so we paddled south into the choppy sea to the south end. A cluster of large icebergs guarded the entrance to the inlet on the south side.

We passed the icebergs and spotted the tents high up on a shelf above the inlets entrance. We hollered and were greeted by Stanley, Belinda and Auke as we landed. We put our tent up next to theirs struggling to find a good pitch because of the depth of the prostate scrub and lichen. We chatted a bit but it was an early night for all and we were tired after our 140 kilometres in the last 3 days.

Day 18. 21 July. 21 km. 4 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We left Portussoq at about 1000 and wove through the giant icebergs grounded at the entrance to the inlet, spending a while photographing them. They had changed a lot during the night and this explained the several large cracks and crashes we heard.

Then we paddled round the promontory and down the west side of Amitsoq. The island of Sermersog was on our left and it was the largest and most impressive of these islands with a few spiky glaciated peaks rising steeply to 1200m. To our delight the south wind, which was almost assured given the splendid weather and warm sun, never materialised and instead we had a northerly breeze pushing us along. It did not take long to get to the southern tip of Amitsoq island. From there we crossed over the Sarqa fjord with the now familiar Kirkespiret topping the mountains to the north.

We skirted around some huge icebergs and made for a beach on the east side where a small stream flowed down the gentle hillside from the more distant mountains.  It was actually hot in the sun on this virtually still day and one wondered if drysuits were necessary.  However one look at the fjord reminded you the water temperature was just above freezing and scattered with icebergs.  Most of these icebergs had been carried down the east coast by the East Greenland current and then carried west round Cape Farewell by wind and currents to end up along this coast and entering the fjord entrances. 

After lunch it was a slow hour’s paddle down a familiar coast to the north end of Thomsens Øst island. Here we agreed to meet the others for the last night at the semi-derelict summer plywood buildings of the abandoned Qeqertasugssuk hamlet. We got there in the early afternoon with plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful sunshine and have our last evening in the wilderness of Greenland. Tomorrow it would just be a short paddle to Nanortalik, and with the pressure building slowly good weather was expected.

Day 19. 22 July. 11 km. 2 hrs. 0m up. 0m down. We had to get up early as the sun hit the tent about 0500, and it started to warm up and cook us so by 0630 it was becoming intolerable. We set off at 0900 under a perfect blue sky but into a good force 3. We went down the east side of Thomsens Øst island for a few kilometres and then cut across to some islets to the south which looked like a perfect breeding area for gulls, as there was enough vegetation for the brown chicks to find shelter amongst. From here we crossed over to Erdlua on the NE tip of Nanortalik island. We had to pass through an iceberg park at the tip.

There was now a very easy paddle in the diminishing headwind down a large bay with Nanortalik at the head of it. However, we had to sneak through a chink in the east side of it to go round the peninsula with the heliport on it and then into the bay on the south side of the town. The waters here were full of large icebergs and it was noticeable how much colder the water was here. At the south end of town we passed the small marina and finally reached Niels small hostel which seemed like home and was our base. We unpacked everything here hauled the kayaks up and laid all the wet stuff out to dry in the sunny breeze. Then all the dirty clothes we peeled off and packed before a hot shower and a relaxing evening with cheery banter. 

SUMMARY OF THE DAYS

DAY	DATE	FROM	TO	KM	HOURS	Up	Down
Fri	04 July	Nanortalik	Tasersuaq	41	8	0	0
Sat	05 July	Tasersuaq	Tasersuaq	34	13	550	550
Sun	06 July	Tasersuaq	Tasersuaq	18	7	590	590
Mon	07 July	Tasersuaq	Tasersuaq river	1	1	0	0
Tues	08 July	Tasersuaq river	Klosterdalen	27	5	0	0
Wed	09 July	Klosterdalen	Itillersuaq	21	4.5	0	0
Thurs	10 July	Itillersuaq	Itillersuaq	18	3.5	90	90
Fri	11 July	Itillersuaq	Nuua	38	7	0	0
Sat	12 July	Nuua	Nuua	12	8	1090	1090
Sun	13 July	Nuuk	Nanortalik	31	5	0	0
Mon	14 July	Nanortalik	Nanortalik	0	0	0	0
Tues	15 July	Nanortalik	Pisigsik	31	5	0	0
Wed	16 July	Pisigsik	Niaqornarssugssuag	23	4.5	0	0
Thurs	17 July	Niaqornarssugssuag	Igpik	29	5.5	0	0
Fri	18 July	Igpik	Ipatit	52	9	0	0
Sat	19 July	Ipatit	Ipatit	49	9	0	0
Sun	20 July	Ipatit	Portussoq	35	7	0	0
Mon	21 July	Portussoq	Qeqertasugssuk	21	4	0	0
Tues	22 July	Qeqertasugssuk	Nanortalik	11	2	0	0
			TOTAL	492	108	2320	2320

Back