Greenland Day 6 - A Kingdom of Ice and Drama

 Arctic Expedition

A Kingdom of Ice and Drama – The Bjornoer Islands

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Photo Album:  Bjornoer Islands and Calving Drama

Video: Greenland 6 Bjorneoer & Sydkap

We anchored in the early morning, shrouded in a mist that gave everything a hushed, mysterious feel. Visibility was low, spirits were high, and somewhere beyond the fog lay the jagged silhouettes of the Bjornoer Islands—our icy cathedral for the day. 

They revealed themselves slowly, like dramatic stage curtains parting to a fantastical set: tall, sharp, theatrical peaks rising straight out of the sea like the frozen teeth of some ancient leviathan. That was my first glimpse of the Bjornoer archipelago—and it did not disappoint.

The kayakers were slated for an ambitious 06:30 start, but nature had other plans. The mist said, “Nope,” and kept them on standby until it graciously lifted around 07:30—just in time for us to have breakfast and pretend we’d always planned it that way.

We took to the zodiacs and set off on a spectacular three-hour cruise weaving between the spiny islands and their icy companions—icebergs of every size and personality. The sea was calm, glass-like, giving us postcard-perfect reflections in a hidden lagoon tucked between towering cliffs. If you ever wanted to know what it’s like to float through a fantasy painting, this was it.

Then came the icebergs.

About 200 meters out, we sidled up to one particularly handsome berg—tall, dramatic, a real diva of the ice world. We paused to admire it, cameras clicking away. Then, the silence cracked: a distant rumble. A calving. I turned in time to catch a small chunk tumbling from the far side—and maybe something larger slipping from its backside. 

The iceberg began to lean, slowly at first, then more deliberately. You know that moment in a horror movie when you know the monster’s about to move? That was this. Instinct screamed “Something’s coming!”—and then, crack! A huge slab flaked off with theatrical flair and slammed into the sea. The wave that followed was impressive. And yes, the camera was rolling. Nature served us a front-row seat to one of her great spectacles.

Ice Calving video here ( full screen )....or this small one ( at time 2:44 for the calving ).

Of course, just after we turned the video off, another massive chunk fell. Classic. Timing: 0. Mother Nature: 1.

Eventually, we rendezvoused with the ship about 10 km away and called them over to scoop us up—kayakers included—just in time for lunch. A very civilized wrap-up to a morning that flirted with chaos.

The afternoon took us back through the iceberg maze toward Sydkap, where we landed and went for a walk. Honestly? Bit of a letdown. The terrain was rocky, steep, and thoroughly unimpressed by our curiosity. No wildlife, no historical relics, just... rocks. Maybe we’ve just been too spoiled by the glacier theatrics and iceberg opera earlier. Tough crowd, us.

That night, we sailed through the grand hallway of Hall Bredning in Scoresby Sound, slipping past Ittoqqortoormiit—our familiar little settlement from earlier—under clear, sunny skies. The sea sparkled, and the icebergs, ever the show-offs, glowed with evening light. It felt like we were gliding through a frozen dreamscape.

And yet, the most elusive actor of all still hasn’t made an appearance. Yes, despite our best efforts, the Greenland bear count remains a big, defiant ZERO. Tomorrow’s our last shot before we head to Iceland.

Dear polar bears: if you could make a dramatic, last-minute entrance, now would be a great time. We’re ready. We’ve got cameras. And snacks. Just saying.

And our footprints....after 6 days in Greenland.

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Index:  Table of Content

Next:  A day of polar bear kills

Previous:  Red O the Ice Wonderland

Greenland Day 5 - Red O the Gigantic Ice Wonderland & Michael Jackson

 

Arctic Expedition

Red O the Ice Wonderland & Party Time

(Red Rock, Icebergs, and Michael Jackson: A Greenland Kinda Day)

Previous:  Greenland - Towering Icebergs and First Human Contact

Photo Album:  Greenland - Rode O (Island) & Harefjord

Video:  Greenland Day 5 - Iceberg Wonderland of Rode O and Harefjord

Early morning, I popped out of bed to find our boat cozied up between two rocky walls and a literal floatilla of massive icebergs. 

Turns out we were nestled between two islands—one of them being Rode Ø (a.k.a. Red Island). Small in size but mighty in presence, this island gives off serious Ayers Rock vibes—if Ayers Rock took a nosedive into the Arctic and swapped sand for sea ice. It’s red. Like, seriously red. Except where it's iced over. Nature’s palette was having a moment.

After breakfast, we loaded into our trusty zodiacs and zipped over to the island’s crimson cliff. First, we played rock detectives, spotting funky formations carved into the face—some shaped by time, others by a very bored glacier artist, I presume. Then, we slid into a maze of monster icebergs, like an Antarctic labyrinth… if the walls could sink your boat.

And wow. Just wow. We were surrounded by all the bergs your imagination can handle: pillars, hollowed domes, icy arches—some ancient, some fresh, all striking. It was like floating through a frozen sculpture garden curated by Poseidon himself.

The Photo Album has more awesome pictures :  Greenland - Rode O (Island) & Harefjord

We even caught a few dramatic iceberg calvings—big chunks crashing off with a thunderous splash. Sadly, all just a tad too fast for our camera fingers. One splash was close enough to rock our zodiac a little, but nothing that called for lifeboats or dramatic journal entries.

After two hours of floating through this frozen fantasia, we landed on the far side of Red Island and hiked up a small hill. The payoff? A jaw-dropping aerial view of what I’ve now dubbed the “Iceberg Gallery.”

Post-lunch, the boat cruised through another channel sprinkled with even more icebergs—same cast of characters, just spaced out like they’d had a fight. The sun came out, a light breeze blew in, and the whole scene screamed “postcard perfection.” Honestly, it was an iceberg lover’s dream. (Do those exist? They should.)

Later in the afternoon, we touched down at Harefjord for a tundra trek, complete with a charming red canyon. Wildlife report? Zilch. No walrus, no narwhals, not even a camera-shy polar bear. Greenland’s fauna clearly got the memo that we were coming and made other plans. But hey, the landscapes and icebergs more than picked up the slack.

As we drifted into the Hall Bredning channel, the party moved to the back deck for a good old-fashioned BBQ under the Arctic sky. Enter: Michael Jackson (not that one, but someone with moves and a speaker). Disco broke out, and despite the glitter and grooves, some of us were more into the views. Can you blame us? Midnight sun, narrow fjords, mountains standing tall—it was a scene you don’t trade for a moonwalk.

And so ended our iceberg odyssey—full of color, cliffs, and cooler-than-cool vibes.  But plenty to look forward to in the coming days.

And don't miss the video for the actions....

Full screen Video:  Greenland Day 5 - Iceberg Wonderland of Rode O and Harefjord

Or this....

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Index:  Table of Content

Next:  Icebergs amongst tall peaks....and a near miss with a calving.

Previous:   Greenland - Towering Icebergs and First Human Contact