We woke up as National Geographic Endurance was approaching the innermost end of Evighedsfjorden, or “The Eternity Fjord.” Most guests chose the option of a Zodiac cruise towards a glacier at the very edge of the Greenland ice sheet, whereas others opted for kayaking. After lunch, the ship moved towards the outer part of the fjord, where hikes of various lengths were offered. After dinner, marine biologist Martina Capriotti, a visiting scientist, shared her impressive insights about microplastics with her presentation, “A Jump into the Invisible.” We are now proceeding north and will cross the Arctic Circle during the coming night, so stay tuned for upcoming reports from our Arctic adventure!
8/21/2024
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National Geographic Endurance
Sydbay, Greenland
On our last expedition landing of the voyage, guests had the chance to visit Sydbay, the former site of the community of Sisimiut. Here we were able to see how this island has been continually inhabited since time immemorial. We viewed the remains of early Dorset housing, Thule tent rings, and sod houses standing alongside a modern Inuit seasonal fishing and harvesting cabin. It was not difficult to see what attracted people to this location for such a long time, as the landscape and seascape teams with a bounty of natural resources and traditional foods. Throughout our journey across Kalaallit Nunaat (the Indigenous name for Greenland) we were able to see the seasons begin to change. Even though we are just barely entering into late August, hints of autumnal colors, from browns and golds, to vibrant reds and majestic deep purples began to spread across the tundra. The beauty of the season made the island’s inhabitants, a colony of snow-white Arctic hares, stand out against the autumnal backdrop and black lichen covered rocks. A fine mist carried by ocean winds transformed this vibrant landscape into dreamy, muted colors that will stick with our guests long after our voyage is over.
