Greenland 2015 - Sailing Expedition "Over Green Islands"

Leg: 15.8

Cruise rout: Narsarsuaq - Nuuk



Dates:
from 2015.05.28 to 2015.06.13
Duration:
16 days
NM:
750 (average 47 per day)
Skipper:
Paweł Stolzmann
Contact with skipper:
+48 609 793 149, email: pstolzmann@gmail.com
Vacancies:
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The cruise starts in a place where Erik the Red founded his first settlement after the expulsion of Iceland in AD 982, so a little bit of history to start with.
Erik the Red after a 3-year stay on the banishment returns back to Iceland and tells the story of finding “Green Land”. 25 boat trip is organized by the Vikings. After heavy storms only 11 dakkars reach Greenland. The Vikings establish a settlement near the sea, Brattahlid. The colony around settlement is developing, growing to 5000 inhabitants spread over a large area along the fjord Eriksfjord and neighboring fjords. Viking Group fleeing the overcrowded Iceland in a few years built and developed this large resort on the west coast of Greenland. However, a group of newcomers who arrived on the island in 1002 brought with it an epidemic that ravaged the colony, causing the deaths of many of its leading citizens, including Erik the Red. The colony got rebuilt and survived until the 15th century (shortly before Christopher Columbus' first trip to America in 1492). Pirate plunder, conflicts with Innu people - local residents of Greenland - led to the collapse of the colony.
From Narsarsuaq we will set sail to follow the trail of the greatest explorer and sailor of Viking era. The cruise will start in a place where you can spend a few extra days. Numerous tourist attractions (fishing for trout and salmon, walking in the valley of flowers, kayaking trips and tours around the surrounding peaks) have attracted many Arctic explorers here. On the way to Qaqortoq in the same fjord Eriksfjord we will visit the above mentioned Brattahlid, then Igaliku - a charming place with the ruins of the Viking settlements. This village still lives mostly from agriculture. Besides, it's really cute green and full of flowering meadows corner of Greenland.
After a few hours we will sail to Narsaq. There is a small museum in this little town where you can see a reconstructed Viking costumes and kayaks.
The last large port before we reach Nuuk is Qaqortoq. This settlement was also founded by Erik the Red. It survived for more than 10 centuries and today is a major, as for Greenland, fishing and commercial port. Also here we can find the ruins of the ancient Viking settlements. Currently, the city has more than 3,000 residents and is the largest settlement in the southern part of Greenland. In the city we can find preserved colonial buildings from 1775. We can stop at the quay to replenish water, fuel and food supplies. I recommend coffee shop in a hotel at the bay - lovely place and good coffee.
Sailing on we can visit Paamiut at the mouth of the fjord Kuannersooqwith its 1700 inhabitants it is famous for fishing.
Sailing further to the north we reach Nuuk (in about 2 day shipping), which is considered the capital of Greenland - in one of the blocks of flats about 1% of the population of Greenland lives! Be sure to visit the National Museum of Inuit settlements and traces of the Vikings. There you can see the famous Eskimo preserved mummies...  the rest you will see yourselves. The capital has its nightlife, quite specific, but we recommend to visit one of the bars, “Cheers” in Greenlandic  - "qassuta”!


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