Planes, trains & automobiles & a ship to Iceland, EastGreenland and NE Canada

[drron]

Definitely they can leave the hakari in the ground.
Great trip.We did a very similar one 2 years ago cruising from Iceland to Hudson Bay on an Expedition ship.A wonderful experience.

 

[bsb]

Loved your report, thanks for sharing. You boys looked like you had an amazing time!!! What's next on the agenda?

 

[bsb]

Forgot to ask, what was the Occassion or was it a 'because we can' trip?

 

[chrisbris]

Great report - can't wait to read the rest

 

[stoneman]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing !

 

[bPeteb]

Did you sample the hakarl, one of the local delicacies?

We're up for anything once but it wasn't on offer anywhere that we went RooFlyer

 

[bPeteb]

22/08/2015

Reykjavik Culture Night and Reykjavik Marathon meant road outside the hotel was closed. Dragged our bags up to the top of the hill to get a cab to the ship.

On board just after 12 then shuttle back in to town for Culture Night.

It was like most of Iceland was out on the streets. Fantastic atmosphere.

Drinks and dinner at Bar Ananas https://www.facebook.com/pages/BarAnanas/352052464976379
Cool staff, great music and wacky interior. Above a restaurant that served the most incredible food in jars. You just went downstairs through a set of doors, ordered, then went back and collected your jars. I have no idea what it was called but it was fantastic.

Had a boogie to a brilliant dj set up under a huge lighting rig in the middle of an intersection. The road had been turfed all around it. So cool!

Watched the fireworks that ended Culture Night. It was a perfect end to an amazing, but way too short, visit to Iceland.

Just after midnight we sailed out of the harbour. Next stop Greenland.

 

[bPeteb]

 

[bPeteb]

23/08/2015
Scenic cruising along north-west coast of Iceland including the Latrabjarg Cliffs. Lots of birds including puffins, little auks, guillemots. Cold out on deck but the staff really look after you on The World – they were walking around with trays of hot chocolate. A small fullmar crash landed on the tennis court and the expedition naturalist Richard bundled it up and gave us an impromptu talk about it. It had a rest and then flew off.

Expeditions on The World include a full expedition staff provided by EYOS Expeditions EYOS Expeditions | Expedition Yacht Charter—Antarctica, Arctic, PNG. On this one there was an oceanographer/marine biologist, a bunch of expedition logistics people including a couple of well-travelled adventurers skilled in arctic skiing and kayaking, a geologist, a philosopher/anthropologist, a kayak master/naturalist, a professor of history from the Smithsonian and even a National Geographic photographer. Finally a native Greenlander, Laali.

Lecture – Introduction to Iceland by Dr Jes Harfeld and Bettina Ovgard

Mandatory Safety briefing – do not go out of sight of expedition staff when on walks. They will all be armed due to risk of polar bears!

 

[bPeteb]

24/08/2015

Arrival into Scoresbysund

Nothing could have prepared us for Greenland. Nothing. If Iceland was EPIC, Greenland is EPIC x 10.

Scoresbysund. The icebergs, the humungous snow covered peaks, the sound of the ice rubbing along the side of the ship, the icebergs and then the… polar bear.

We were up on deck 12, mouths wide open with amazement just at the scenery when there was a murmur behind us – "polar bear". Cameras sounded like very quiet machine gun fire. We raced down five decks to get out on to the bow. The bear had woken and was pacing around. One camera ran out of batteries. Then the bear strolled across the ice, slid into the water and swam away.

If the holiday had ended then I would have been happy with every cent spent to see a polar bear. Magic. It wasn't even 9am!

Took the first thousand of one gazillion pictures of icebergs. Attended a lecture – Sea Ice – by the Tassie geologist Andrew.

Then out in the zodiacs. We were split onto different boats. We saw some pairs of Little Auks, always father and chick. When chick is old enough it drops out of cliff-side nest into the sea. Dad swims with chick for five weeks to fishing grounds. Then chick flies off.

I describe my adventure of seeing the auks. Mr BP showed me his pictures of a bearded seal. Nearly as large as a walrus they say. Whatever. The smug look didn’t leave his face. I looked straight at him and said “you walked on the ice didn’t you?” and he showed me the best pictures EVER, of him stood on the ice, walking on the ice, holding ice on the ice.

 

[bPeteb]

 

[bPeteb]

 

[bPeteb]

 

[RB]

A great report. You have some fantastic photos there!

 

[bPeteb]

25/08/2015

Scenic cruising Fon Fjord along Milne Land to Red Island

Managed to get on to one of the two sea kayak trips (residents always get priority over guests, just as they should). To kayak you have to wear a full dry suit. Zodiac to shore where the kayaks were waiting for us on Red Island, named because it’s... a big red rock.

Amazing ancient volcanic rock formations on the far side of the island.

Zodiac cruising with adventurer Graham - took us to back of Red Island. Very calm so lots of amazing reflection. Crazy photo taking. Went up beside a huge iceberg while the drone was buzzing overhead. Super cool.

 

[bPeteb]

 

[bPeteb]

 

[love_the_life]

Great photos. Isn't there just something so special about polar bear sightings? Just love them. Also the amazing ice colours just blow me away. I'd go again in a heartbeat.

 

[Major]

Stunning photos, and plenty of ice for the G & T's

 

[VPS]

Fantastic TR - many thanks - more places I want to go to now (SIGHHH) - now I just need to win lotto!!