Kangerlussuaq Kayaking – what else could I call it!!

Lens-Parvia Brandt of Greenland Outdoors

If you think that I raved on about the Northwest Passage, wait till you read this lot. This was one of those unforgettable adventures, the ones that keep on getting even better when you're reliving them later.

Walking our gear over the washout, to L. Ferguson

Trying to book something in Greenland during September is tricky at best. Their main summer season is over, winter hasn't yet kicked in, so attractive opportunities are thin on the ground. I was very lucky to find a reputable and on-the-ball agent at Gronland Resor (who happens to be in Sweden), who picked up on my ideas and produced worthwhile activities for my 9 days in Greenland.

First up was the kayaking/trekking venture that I did with Jens-Parvia Brandt, of Greenland Outdoor. Just into his first year of operating, Jens-Parvia is a lover of the outdoors, is a competent hunter and kayak guide, and has been a leader of the Greenland Ice Patrol. Half Danish half Greenlandic, he's at home in either culture, but calls Greenland home. With his wife and little daughter, he lives in Kangerlussuaq and frequently brings in muskox and caribou for their freezer. http://www.greenlandoutdoors.com/

We set off from Jens-Parvia's home, having to walk our gear over the Watson River, because a flood pouring down from the ice-cap two months out the access bridge. Apparently it was a case of 'when', not 'if'. So we walked our gear to Lake Ferguson, where Jens-Parvia has some kayaks stored, and paddled up to the head of the lake – an easy paddle, nice boat, and so far so good. The next bit wasn't so easy! If I'd know what I was in for, I probably wouldn't have gone. I've got a dodgy knee that has been playing up for months, and carrying gear up 1200' of steadily increasing hillsides didn't do it any favours. However, some bloody mindedness must have kicked in, because I did it, albeit pretty slowly. I'll bet it's one of the slowest trips Jens-Parvia has ever done, but he never said a word, and just kept on smiling and being kind. I had one walking stick, and used the shaft of my Lendal paddle as a second stick for going back downhill. And then we used the blades as plates for our lunch – everything must have at least two uses!

Can you smell it? Mmm mmmmmm!

So we eventually arrived at the campsite above Lake Tasersuatsiaap Qalia (try pronouncing it!), pitched out tents, and Jens-Parvia started cooking our meal – caribou stew, with musk ox fat, and rice. I can't tell you how good it was – delicious, and so moreish.  The second night, all hunted by Jens-Parvia, many small pieces of caribou steaks and musk ox fat - all fried quickly on a thin piece of slate he'd found over near the stream that emptied the top lake. None of the meat was allowed to be left over (that wasn't too hard), so as not to attract the foxes. And the third night, more tasty stew, while we were sheltering behind a large rock to cook over the fire, and working at keeping warm while it hailed and snowed! Wow did it get cold – and even colder the next morning, with snow still lying around.

Yes, I slept very well – aren't anti-inflammatories great when you need them, and it wasn't too cold at all. Not the first night, anyway.  All we had to do the next day was to get our boats (he has more stored at the 2nd lake) down to the water, and away we went, up to the head of the lake, keeping our eyes peeled for musk oxen. We'd seen a few walking up the first day, and sure enough there were more on the next two days. There actually are many musk oxen in the area and we were lucky seeing some close up – but not having too close an encounter! Jens-Parvia had to chase one away from the camp when he thought it had come too close – 25 metres away. I wouldn't have minded if it'd come closer, but it's known that people have been killed if they get in their way, so best not.

Our first view of the visitor

Getting closer . . . . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jens-Parvia chase him away at this point! - no zoom on camera

  Our second day's paddling saw us paddling around a different part of the lake, still looking out for musk oxen, and retrieving some food stores Jens-Parvia has stashed on the lake's little island. The paddling was easy, apart from a freakish wind that sprang up  while we were going back to camp the first day.

Lost in the forest in Greenland? (blue backpack behind me)

 All the plants are very low growing, much like any above the tree line in New Zealand, except that there were trees up there, willows. Ground hugging willows. They say that if you get lost in the forest in Greenland you should stand up! It was autumn, and the colours of the changing leaves were glowing. 

 Walking back down to L.Ferguson wasn't as bad as I'd feared, with the help of my trust Lendal paddle shaft, and then we had the short paddle back to the bottom of the lake. All over far too soon. I just loved it! Was I an adventurer in another life?

Our campsite at L. Tasersuatsiaap Qalia

And next? Icebergs at Illulisat - but I'm waiting for the plane to Iceland, so it'll have to be another time.
Vi ses - Jillian

Sailing the Northwest Passage – who me?

Baffin Island kayaking - breathtaking!

Looking through the photos from the Northwest Passage makes me realize that yes, I really did do it! It's always been a dream, even a fantasy, to go through to Baffin Island, maybe even Ellesmere Island, and go on to Greenland. Ellesmere Island will have to wait for another trip (I've got the website) but I've felt the magic of the Canadian Arctic and stayed a while in Greenland. One Ocean Expeditions' 'Akademik Ioffe' takes twice as many passengers as Aurora Expeditions' Polar Pioneer, so is larger, and although there is kayaking, the convoluted performance for getting the kayaks + kayakers into the water is remarkable. I have to say that Jimmy the Kayak guide handled it all with considerable aplomb and earned our respect. My first focus was the kayaking, and initially it was a tad ho hum, with fairly uninspiring paddles, but that changed rapidly the further east we sailed. The towering mountains and deep dark fjords of Baffin Island, and the hundreds of incredible icebergs of Greenland's Illulisat and Disko Bay were every bit as astounding as I'd been led to believe.

Beechey Island, where 3 of Franklin's men are buried

The history of the NorthwestPassage is full of daring do, heartbreak and despair, and death and loss. The much vaunted John Franklin's vessels have never been found, let alone any more than 3 of his sailors, and huge amounts of money have and are being spent trying to find out what happened to him. At least Scott made it easy for people to know what happened to him and his men. It was another John, John Rae, who completed the last link of the northwest passage, through to Greenland, and I'd never heard of him. The historian on board the Ioffe was full of fascinating information about the exploits of the area, and it was made all the more captivating as she's a wee slip of a girl with a gorgeous Scottish accent! I had to hand it to the staff on Ioffe. Between the Expedition Leader, Boris, and including all the staff there was a harmonious and enviable working atmosphere, which made the voyage very pleasant for the passengers; can't do better than that. We had a photographer and painter husband team on board; Daisy Gilardini, a world acclaimed photographer, and David McKeown, a wonderful watercolour artist. They made themselves available to us, pretty much at any time, and produced a slideshow recapping the voyage, made from the passengers' photos, and with Daisy and David 'filling in the gaps' with their photos and videos. We were presented with a USB stick containing the slideshow plus other relevant trip documentation at the end of the trip; a nice gesture.

Paddling near the Equip Sermia glacier, Baffin Island

We had a great group of kayakers, from very experiences, to near-novice, and somehow everyone was happy with the challenges we had. One girl had only paddled 3 times before, and ended up happily going off in a single by herself, with a grin from ear to ear, totally chuffed with herself. I paddled a single all the time, but could have easily gone in a double had there been someone wanting a partner. The equipment was in good condition, and the drysuits were great – Kokatat.

Can't a bloke have any privacy round here?

And yes, there were polar bears. Many. Maybe 35 or so, all up. So exciting to see two sets of Mumma Polar Bears with their twin babies, on a zodiac trip through the Bellot Straits. The polar bear who strolled right down to the shore in front of our zodiac, turning its back to us and pooping was polar hilarity at its best. Beechey Island may be the resting place of some of Franklin's sailors,




 but it was also home to an almost tame arctic fox, who posed for us most artistically, in between racing madly between its food and anything else taking its fancy.

A great two week's voyage. I feel privileged to have been able to make it.
After arriving in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, I went on an amazing trekking/kayaking adventure, as well as going back to Illulisat for three days - that will have to be in another blog! 
Vi ses . . . bye for now (that's Danish - can't manage Greenlandic!)