As you might be able to see from the photo, the sea is not so calm as in the fjords. As we head south, into a 40 knot head wind, seas 3m and with the ship pitching and rolling, there are a few more empty seats up on the observation deck. Probably it will be the same at lunch as well.
So we are now heading south down the west coast and back to Reykjavik, but not before a few more stops and no doubt, some more incredible sights along the way.
At bit of a bumpy night and morning but we are now at peace in the 2,300m deep Evighedsfjord and a few 100 metres from the face of the tongue of the glacier of the same name. Despite the sub zero temps and the 40 knot wind and misty rain, the thrill seeker is off on the zodiac to take a closer look at the glacier. I’m staying put to take the photos from the comfort of our cabin balcony.
Evighedsfjord is yet another spectacular sight, made even more so by the fact that the ship is positioned so close to the enormous towering cliff faces of the fjord.
There are signs that the weather is closing in, so once again we are out in the open sea, this time heading further south to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.

A city of 18,000 people it stands in contrast to the other places we have been so far. Located almost at the mouth of the fjord, it sits on a narrow spit of rock among an array of small rocky islands and numerous tongues of basalt rock carved out by past glaciers. Paved roads and footpaths, a public bus system, high rise office and apartment buildings and shopping malls it certainly makes its mark in an otherwise barren landscape. After a wander around the town and in and out of a few shops to warm up, we spent a very interesting hour or so at the Greenland National Museum and Archive which showcases the history of Inuit people across Greenland, including artefacts, clothing and reconstructed houses as well as a mummified family of 4 thought to be 600yo.
The small harbour was packed with fishing boats, both large and small as well as the usual assortment of recreational motor boats and yachts of every type and size.
Back on board we were off to our next scheduled stop only to be thwarted by thick pack ice and icebergs that had virtually closed off most of the southwestern tip of Greenland. So an alternative was found and we headed to Paamiut, a small fishing village of 1,100 people. As this required going ashore on the ship’s tender boats, and as the day was one of low fog and the threat of rain, I once again opted to stay warm and dry while Jean braved the elements and went ashore.
Throughout this voyage, at each place we stopped, which was sometimes alongside the wharf and at other times offshore, there were opportunities, weather and location permitting, to go kayaking, or to cruise the fjord in a zodiac, as well as to go ashore on an uninhabited part of a fjord and wander around for a couple of hours. And of course, when we were at a town, we could opt to join a walking tour with a local guide, usually a young person and hear about their life in Greenland. These stops were usually around 6 hours so there was plenty of time for us to break away and do our own exploring, perhaps a little shopping.
At each of the places we have stopped, the houses have been brightly painted, usually in blue, red, green or yellow. As well as being a colourful stimulate to ward off winter depression, this practice stems from a time when fishermen and other travellers arrived at the shore, (there are no roads connecting any of the settlements in Greenland), they could readily identify the business or family occupying each building. Blue was for fishermen and that could be a family home or a place to buy fishing gear or to sell their catch. Yellow was for hospitals, green a general store and red was a family home. All very clever in the days before Google Maps.

Now, we are set for three days at sea as we head back to Reykjavik. With the weather forecast of 4 metre waves and 40 knot winds it should make for an interesting trip. So this will be my last blog from Greenland, and the last of our 4 Land adventure - England, Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. I hope you have enjoyed being with us along the way, it has certainly been educational for us especially in Greenland. I had no preconceptions about what it might be like. For Jean it was the icebergs and picturesque towns and for me it is the absolute raw nature of the landscape, especially after learning that it is the oldest landform on earth, that has made an indelible impression on us both.