GREENLAND RECCE
16th May | 17th May | 18th May | 19th May | 20th May | 21 May | 22nd May
Recce Report
Saturday 16th May
A very early start to get the helicopter to Qaqortoq, leaving at 0630. The planned stop in Qaqortoq was for three hours which we planned to use for breakfast and then trying to locate a landing craft that we could possibly use to get the contents of the container to base camp. Breakfast was no problem and we found three potential landing crafts – however, finding the owners and how available they are is another matter! We managed to get a telephone number and are advised to call in a few days time. Returning to the helicopter pad we find we are delayed as there is a rescue in operation. Someone has gone out in a light aircraft and run out of fuel so had to put the plane down in the sea. All possible rescue resources are diverted and we are told to wait.
Several hours later no news on the rescue but we are on the way to Nanortalik. Met by Niels and staying in Old Anders House – a tiny house which resembles a garden shed – home for the night! We are tired as we arrive in this small fishing village perched on the edge of this small island. Tomorrow morning we are leaving for the fjord so the excitement mounts – it’s been a long journey so far and we are ready to get into the expedition area.
Sunday 17th May
Another early start as we need to get kit sorted and buy supplies for the two nights we will spend in the fjord. We board the boat at 10am, start the journey into the fjord and are immediately surrounded by spectacular scenery. Reaching the head of the fjord it is obvious that the main glacier has receded significantly since 1997 expedition to this area (see 1997 and 2009 photos below). Standing by the shore surrounded by these mountains we can’t help but be reminded of our humility and how tiny we are in such a grand landscape. Once the boat drops us off we waste no time it getting out to explore the area on the east side of the fjord. Tim wants to look at the lake formed at the bottom of Sermitsiaq glacier and we are surprised to find it is actually a salt water lake connected by just a short channel to the main fjord. Several pro-glacial streams flow across the smoothed rock carrying high suspended sediment loads which enter the lake forming brown sediment plumes which show up against the blue water.
We clamber up the smooth rocks to the glacier snout to examine the seracs and crevasses at close quarters, then continue up to the south side of the valley and scramble onto the lateral moraine to descend back to our camp at the fjord. Tim is overflowing with ideas for science projects his group could do in this area but the cravasses and difficult access means this is not a good site for the mountaineering phase of the expedition so tomorrow we will go and look at the next valley which is the planned route to the ice.
Monday 18th May
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Waking up to fantastic weather in Tasermiut gets us all thinking about what an amazing place this will be to spend the summer. The task for the day is to walk up into paradise valley to look for potential sites for the glaciology fieldwork and the mountaineering. The peaks loom high over this valley making a dramatic backdrop for our days walk. We spend some time setting up an experiment which will be left in place until the summer to provide background data for our science – Tim has a gadget that takes a temperature reading every hour. We are also keeping an eye on the sediment in the streams as the location of base camp will depend mainly on finding a good source of drinking water. After a steep pull up from the shore and some clambering over moraine we get in to the U shaped valley and walk towards the ice. It’s cool but we are ok with thermals, a fleece and our waterproofs on which keeps the wind off. Three hours later and we arrive at a good rock for lunch, looking around at rock faces and glaciers we talk about plans for waste disposal, how long it will take for faeces to decompose and other appropriate lunchtime chat! Returning to base we are pleased to be wearing sun cream.
Tuesday 19th May
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The weather has changed! Its rained through most of the night and it looks set to remain for the day. We force ourselves out of bed knowing that this is the last day in the fjord and we need to get west along the valley to the Norse ruin and to check out the glacier as a possible site for the glaciology fire. As usual it sounds worse than it is. Getting ourselves organised we have one person outside the tent in waterproofs and two inside packing kit. Having all kit in coloured stuff sacks makes life much easier. We head west and notice how there is fresh snow on the mountains – we must be just below the freezing level at base camp. There is plenty of willow scrub to work our way through and it takes longer than anticipated. Gaiters are essential kit and in the summer we imagine there will be no shortage of mozzies too! After about three hours of walking we get to a Norse ruin overlooking a marsh and in view of the glacier. It’s a dramatic location with a 360 vista – we pause and contemplate what life must have been like in times gone by and how people survived living here in such a hostile environment. The rain has eased off and we stride back to the fjord side knowing that we have a pick up scheduled in a boat and can’t be late. Three days away and it feels like three weeks – we are refreshed from the time but definitely not smelling fresh! With regret we leave the fjord but there is some comfort in knowing we will be back in two months – fabulous. The journey back is dominated by conversation of what it will be like when the whole expedition arrive at base camp and how the science sites will be ideal. Returning to Nanortalik feels like returning to a metropolis – what will it be like to be back in Heathrow in 2 days time?!
Wednesday 20th May
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A day of meetings! We have 101 jobs to do – mainly a meeting with the tourist office who are helping with advance party logistics, sourcing fuel for boats and stoves and all kinds of other little jobs we can't do without a translator. It’s a busy but fruitful day – the last day in Nanortalik, icebergs are still floating by and we are preparing for an early flight tomorrow to Narsarsuaq then on to Iceland.
Thursday 21st May
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5am – up, packed and off to the heliport! In usual Greenland style we arrive to find that the helicopter is delayed – come back at 11am but you can leave your bags! We return for a couple more hours sleep, a last wonder around town and then on to the delayed flight. This leaves us just an hour in Narsarsuaq to check in again for the flight to Iceland, meet with Jacky to talk boats and try and locate a lady who runs the local ‘klub’ – a community centre where we can stay. Before we know it all meetings are complete, we board the plane and promptly snooze for the 2.5 hour flight to Reykjavik! Food and a sleep – that’s what we need and that’s what we have.
Friday 22nd May
Up early for a swim and a brisk walk across the city to a school where we have a meeting with the head teacher. It all works rather well and she kindly offers to accommodate the whole expedition in the classrooms on the way there and back! Bingo! Its close to the airstrip so we will get a coach from Keflavik to there and then the next morning just walk to catch our flight to Greenland. On the return we will reverse these plans. Finally it seems that the logistics are starting to drop into place. In the afternoon we catch the coach for an hour to get to Kefleavik and by 9pm we are at Heathrow. Its been a fast 10 days but we have covered a lot of ground. Can’t wait to be back in Greenland again – there are going to be some great adventures for us all.
