4 days after leaving Reykjavik, we finally set foot in Greenland, albeit in an abandoned Cryolite mining outpost nestled in one of the many fiords around the south-west coast of Greenland.
A collection of derelict buildings and mining equipment scattered around a deep hole in the ground that was the open cut mine and is now filled with water. The only human habitation in the discernible area was a Danish military base staffed by 6 personnel.
The voyage across the Denmark Strait from Iceland was calm enough until we entered a stretch of ocean over the Imarssuak channel, a deep ocean trough, where, according to a crew member, it can at times be similar to the Drake Passage. It was here that the seas picked up and the ship started the classic “corkscrew roll”, starting with a roll to the right, then pitching up over the wave, then rolling back to the left and finishing the sequence by pitching down the other side of the wave. This continued through most of the night ensuring very little sleep. At some point, I looked out through the curtains and the sea was studded with icebergs of various shapes and sizes and I tried not to think too much about the Titanic.
In the morning light, not that it was any different from the middle of the night, the sea was its ominous black colour, with the wind raising white spray from the crests of the waves. As we approached the fiord, the seas flattened and the sun broke through the clouds and the fiord glistened a deep blue, accentuated by the snow capped mountains that stretched down into the water.
In no time at all we were into our wet weather gear and making our way ashore in one of the ships rubber zodiacs. Although it was only 1 or 2 degrees, once out of the wind and in the sun, we soon realised that we had over dressed and that perhaps our 700 fill down parkas were a bit more than was needed.
This cruise with Hurtegruten is marketed as an Expedition Cruise, which as I have now found out, involves hikes, kayaking, continuous lectures about sea birds, rocks, whales, responsible Arctic tourism and the dangers of encounters with polar bears and musk ox, so stay tuned.

Day 5 and we entered the Kangillneq fiord under a clear blue sky, no wind and a flat sea. The end of the fiord is dominated by the tongue of a glacier, arcing down to the water from the ice cap, 100s of metres above. More ice from the glacier is scattered across the water adding to the photographers delight.
Our first excursion was an hour spent cruising around the fiord in a Zodiac getting close, but not too close to the icebergs and the occasional inquisitive seal for a few snaps.
After lunch, it was back in the zodiac for a shore landing where we followed the trail of red-coated fellow cruisers up the hill to a vantage point overlooking the glacier, passing on the way, a collection of 800yo Inuit graves. Given the underlying basalt was barely covered with surface vegetation, digging a hole would have been out of the question so these graves could best be described as a depression in the ground covered with slabs of stone piled half a metre above.
Then it was on to the view point, snap a photo or two, and head back down to the landing site and out to the ship.
Although the air temp was around 7C and we had dressed down from the day before, it was still uncomfortably hot, so it was a welcomed relief to be back out the water.
Tonight we continue up the west coast of Greenland to Maniitsoq, a remote settlement of about 2,500 people, this time sailing in much calmer waters where the only excitement is the occasional seal or whale sighting.