Arctic Expedition: Greenland 4 - Giant Icebergs and First Human Contact

Arctic Expedition

Greenland - Towering Icebergs and First Human Contact

( Ittoqqortoormiit & Hall Bredning )

Previous: Greenland Day 3 - Alpefjord & Gateau Point

Photo Album: Glacier Cruising & a Warped Landscape (Ittoqqortoormit & Hall Bredning)

Video: Greenland 4 Kap Stewart & Ittoqqortoormiit

Misty Mornings and Missed Landings

It was a low-cloud morning—misty, chilly, and heavy with atmosphere. We were scheduled to land at the small Inuit settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit (pronounced, helpfully, “Eat Duck Cut Door Meat,” according to a cartoon leaflet from a very patient local police officer).

Unfortunately, the early landing wasn’t meant to be. The local authorities had double-booked the spot (oops! ), and another boat beat us there. So, we turned our bow toward nearby Kap Hope for a plan B adventure.

Kap Hope: Splash Landing

The revised plan was to land on a beach, do a bit of tundra exploring, and then zodiac around some icebergs. Sounds simple, right?

Well, not quite. The landing site turned out to be too deep for a dry disembark. Jukka, our ever-enthusiastic guide, leapt in first—and promptly found himself waist-deep and completely soaked. Let’s just say the water was refreshing, in the “makes your bones ache” kind of way. And the waves? A bit feisty, since we were nearly in open water.

Titanic Icebergs, Tiny Humans

With the landing scrubbed, we shifted gears and went straight for the icebergs. And wow—these weren’t just any icebergs. They were enormous, towering, and uniquely sculpted. One in particular had two massive round holes, like the Swiss cheese of the sea.

Next to them, we felt like ants in a paddling pool. These floating giants were some of the most spectacular natural sculptures we’d seen yet.

And this one, decided to slide towards the edge of the FLAT EARTH.......

( More photos here in the photo album )

Finally: Ittoqqortoormiit ( pronounce...“Eat Duck Cut Door Meat” )

After lunch, the clouds cleared, the wind settled, and we made our way into Ittoqqortoormiit—for real this time.

It was almost too calm…

We were warned that if we weren’t careful, we might actually bump into some Homo sapiens!

Since leaving Longyearbyen more than 10 days ago, we hadn’t seen another boat, let alone a town. So yes, seeing actual people again was slightly surreal.

Wandering the Settlement

We spent the afternoon wandering the quiet streets of this remote outpost. Is it a town? A village? A speck in Greenland’s vastness? Whatever it is, it’s certainly unique.

Founded less than 100 years ago by Greenlanders from the north, the settlement now has a government-run supermarket, a school, a sports field, and other basic facilities.

It’s functional, not flashy. And as you might expect—no gardens here. Permafrost and flower beds don’t really mix.

Eyes in the Sky

For the first time on the trip, conditions were good enough to launch the drone—finally! From the hilltop, it captured sweeping views of the snow-dappled hills, looking like a Dalmatian landscape from above.

We also sent it over the waterfront, where it buzzed around a nearby iceberg and snapped stunning aerial photos of the town against the deep blue Arctic waters.