The wind was picking up, and the smooth swell of the early morning hours was replaced with waves. Seawater turned foamy at the crest of each wave. Northern fulmars soared gently, perfectly weightless, along the deep blue of the sea’s surface. These birds are masters of flight in that layer of air and water that splits the sea from the sky.
The Labrador Sea, located between the southwest of Greenland and the Canadian east, is our path to the marvelous world we hope to explore in the next few days. This morning, it was time to introduce the Expedition Team and to attend briefings that included Zodiac operations, travelling in polar bear habitats, and kayaking in polar waters. In the meantime, we sailed for the first destination of our journey.
Nuuk is the capital of Greenland. With only 17,000 inhabitants, it is one of the smallest capital cities in the world. National Geographic Endurance docked alongside the pier, and we simply walked off the ship to board a bus for a beautiful tour of the city.
We made a couple of stops at some high points to take in the pretty views of the town and its surrounding peaks and bays. We spent time near the University of Nuuk and in the vicinity of a beautiful graveyard. Our local guide told us that graveyards in Greenland usually face the ocean so that the deceased can enjoy a beautiful view. Here in Nuuk, this is certainly the case.
Our last stop was a monument to the Mother of the Sea and the Greenland Museum, which proved extremely interesting.
By this point, the dark clouds from a few hours earlier had turned into pouring rain. Some of us returned to the ship by bus, and others were caught in the rain as they walked back. We are on an expedition after all, and we are here for adventure.
Once back on the ship, we got warm and dry. We attended a lovely “Welcome Aboard” event hosted by Captain Oliver, which was followed by a Scandinavian dinner prepared by our chef.
We look forward to tomorrow with new adventures to come.
