Silver Cloud Live - Reykjavik to Kangerlussuaq - June 25th to July 5th 2023 - Surprise!

[RyanJCanada]

4 hours ago, RachelG said:

About the getting locked out of the room on the balcony thing, good thing you had your parkas in that weather.

 

Our very first cruise, other that 2 on a couple of tiny expedition ship voyages on CruiseWest back in the day they were in business, was on Regent Diamond.  We had our 2 teenage sons with us in the cabin next to ours.  I was out doing something.  My husband accidentally locked himself out on the balcony.  Fortunately it was in Greece in the summer.  The boys were in their cabin, but he couldn't get their attention as the divider between the balconies was still up.  He ended up climbing out on the railing of our balcony and onto theirs!! Then knocking on their door to get in.  

Wow! How long did he wait before he decided to make the climb? And was the ship moving at the time? These stories are convincing me that I just need to have the ship's emergency line on speed dial... 

[drron29]

Well you got an extra stop compared to our cruise. We did not go to Nanortalik snd there was no kayaking. Hope the luck continues.

[RyanJCanada]

13 hours ago, AusMum said:

I can't believe even the smaller, more 'upmarket' cruise ships also try to sell you are work..

 

I hope you got to go ashore!

 

Looks like most nights are 'casual' on this itinerary?

Not to spoil the latest update, but... we made it! And it's been go, go, go ever since.

 

Most nights are casual, though I'd say about half to a third are informal. I'm wearing a dress shirt, blazer, and dress pants to dinner most nights. During the day, I'll wear jeans, a T-shirt and a wool overshirt.

[RyanJCanada]

On 6/28/2023 at 4:38 PM, RachelG said:

Wow, so excited you got to extend the trip.  That is really spectacular.  

 

Couple of comments--too late now, but you would have been better off just taking a taxi to and from the blue lagoon.  We rented a car the first time we were in Iceland but it was a big hassle as you have described.  I did the math, and it was cheaper to just take a cab even to the Blue Lagoon as that is right by the airport. 

 

I agree with Fletcher's observations regarding Greenland.  It is beautiful countryside and fjords, but the towns are pretty awful, and the people are very grim.  George befriended the police chief in one town.  He came over from Denmark on a one year contract. He told George that most all the people there live on welfare--very few are employed except for the teachers and hospital workers who are mostly from Denmark and don't stay longterm. Fishing has pretty much died out. He has a big uptake in crime, mostly related to drunkeness the day the checks arrive.  Otherwise, it is mostly domestic violence.  Really very sad. 

We wrestled with this one, but I think the cost of a cab to and from the Blue Lagoon is running around US$250 these days, while the cost of our rental car was about the same (once various cancellations and penalties were factored in). We also had to find a pharmacy open on a Sunday, so in the end it ended up being a bit of a wash. It was a pain to get the cab at the Avis dealer, but really I should have just called them instead of trying to use the app. Lesson learned for next time.

 

Thankfully, we haven't really seen that grim side of Greenland yet. Most of the towns look like they're doing fairly well, and the Greenlanders seem friendly and quick to smile. A bit rough-around-the-edges, perhaps, but nothing too far removed from small town North America. Though I imagine we'll see a different side of it as we approach the larger cities.

[RyanJCanada]

On 6/28/2023 at 7:49 PM, Lirio said:

I also noted that dogs for dogs sled is being reducing in favor of snowmobiles and there less and less dogs and some a pretty skinny.

The dogs I've seen seem pretty healthy so far, though I can understand the change from dogsleds to snowmobiles - I imagine there's a huge cost savings switching to the latter. Wonder if they do dog sled rides for tourists in the winter? I can imagine there'd be huge demand for it, but not sure the tourists are able to get in then.

[RyanJCanada]

On 6/28/2023 at 9:35 PM, drron29 said:

I don't want to excessively interrupt your excellent travelogue. My pictures were just to see what you missed and why another Greenland cruise is a must but August we were told is the best month. Certainly was for us. Our day in Prince Christian Sund and Aappilattoq was absolutely great weather. Such a pity missing it.

Not an interruption by any means - I'd be quite happy for this to become a comprehensive Greenland thread, though I'd also very much like to see you post a belated trip report regarding your visit. Your trip report regarding the South Georgian islands were a major inspiration behind this current trip report, so please do continue to weigh in - it's all very much appreciated.

[RyanJCanada]

3 hours ago, Lois R said:

Locked out of the cabin? That happened to me and I sail solo.......I am trying to think of where the ship was docked but I had to wave like a crazy person to get the attention of someone below (there were the security folks down there)...that has never happened to me before. Fortunately, someone looked up and saw I needed help. And someone came to the cabin and thankfully I got let back inside.  Whewww....... it was definitely stressful.

I can't imagine... glad to hear that you were able to get their attention. How long did you have to wave before someone noticed? 

[Lois R]

25 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

I can't imagine... glad to hear that you were able to get their attention. How long did you have to wave before someone noticed? 

I wish I could remember where we were docked.....I think it was about 10 minutes (or so)........but don't hold me to that....I mean it wasn't like I tried for an hour or anything like that......maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I have always been MUCH more careful with the balcony door since that incident.

[RyanJCanada]

The sun sets on the Cloud:

 

 

[drron29]

OK later today I will do the latest cruise report ever. Just shy of 10 years since we did it. Will be mostly pictorial but shows mainly good weather and several Northern lights pictures. will include our 3 days in Iceland.

[Daveywavey70]

14 minutes ago, drron29 said:

OK later today I will do the latest cruise report ever. Just shy of 10 years since we did it. Will be mostly pictorial but shows mainly good weather and several Northern lights pictures. will include our 3 days in Iceland.

Can’t wait drron.

[RyanJCanada]

Good morning, Greenland - heading north towards Nuuk:

 

 

 

 

[AusMum]

I've become addicted to your update, so you are going to have to do it all again lol

 

what's the room service menu like? loved how you made the most of bad weather and ordered a bottle of champagne!

[HappyLadyTravels]

Hello, to date have you needed winter boots? Thx.

[RachelG]

15 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

Wow! How long did he wait before he decided to make the climb? And was the ship moving at the time? These stories are convincing me that I just need to have the ship's emergency line on speed dial... 

He is not a particularly patient person, so probably not that long.  And yes, the ship was moving. 

 

14 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

We wrestled with this one, but I think the cost of a cab to and from the Blue Lagoon is running around US$250 these days, while the cost of our rental car was about the same (once various cancellations and penalties were factored in). We also had to find a pharmacy open on a Sunday, so in the end it ended up being a bit of a wash. It was a pain to get the cab at the Avis dealer, but really I should have just called them instead of trying to use the app. Lesson learned for next time.

 

Thankfully, we haven't really seen that grim side of Greenland yet. Most of the towns look like they're doing fairly well, and the Greenlanders seem friendly and quick to smile. A bit rough-around-the-edges, perhaps, but nothing too far removed from small town North America. Though I imagine we'll see a different side of it as we approach the larger cities.

Wow, the price of a cab has definitely gone up.  I think it was about $ 75 one way when we were that, but that was pre covid. 

 

Your pictures of the town look a LOT better than the villages we visited, other than Nuuk, which seemed to be doing ok. 

[RyanJCanada]

27 minutes ago, AusMum said:

I've become addicted to your update, so you are going to have to do it all again lol

 

what's the room service menu like? loved how you made the most of bad weather and ordered a bottle of champagne!

Thanks! We’re definitely looking for opportunities to go again soon… might not be til 2026 though, sadly.

 

Room service menu:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

1 hour ago, HappyLadyTravels said:

Hello, to date have you needed winter boots? Thx.

We've had two truly wet landings so far, and have used our Silversea-provided Bogs for both of them to ensure we didn't end up with wet feet. Otherwise we're all wearing well-worn Blundstones, which have worked well for hiking and for around ship. I usually prefer to wear them with thick wool / alpaca socks.

[HappyLadyTravels]

Thank you, kindly post a picture of the Bogs. 🙂

[RyanJCanada]

Just now, HappyLadyTravels said:

Thank you, kindly post a picture of the Bogs. 🙂

 

 

Looks like it’s this model (for women’s at least): https://www.bogsfootwear.com/shop/style/60153-001.html

 

And men’s - https://www.bogsfootwear.com/shop/style/60142-001.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=CPCGoogleShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_pea7OPt_wIVCVdyCh0LSQHoEAQYAiABEgLpQfD_BwE

Edited July 1, 2023 by RyanJCanada

[alithecat]

Re: Bogs. For Antarctica they used the men's boots for both men and women. They said the women's Bogs didn't a thick enough tread. Did women get the women's version for the Arctic?

[RyanJCanada]

Day 6 – Qaqortoq and Hvalsey

 

Another early morning, though not as early as last time – a mere 6:15 am for us adults and 6:30 am for the kids. (Ok, maybe I wasn’t up until 6:25 am…)

 

Off to La Terrazza for breakfast. Once again, just a quick stopover for the breakfast buffet – though there was time for the cappuccino today. Then back to the room to prepare for our birding and nature walk.

 

Today’s excursion was the subject of some controversy in our family group, as we had previously been booked to take the Strenuous Hike instead – an anticipated 10 to 15 km climb over the mountain overlooking Qaqortoq. But after much consideration, we thought that would be beyond our family’s abilities. So we opted for the less-strenuous nature walk instead.

 

Qaqortoq is larger than Nanortalik, and quite beautiful – more in the way of colourful homes and less stark industry, all set into a steep and rolling hillside. It seemed a difficult spot in which to build a town, but it was no less pretty for the effort.

 

 

 

Off for our nature walk, which was admittedly slower than what we would prefer. But we again had the chance to take in some Greenlandic daily life – including a mother who was clearly late to drop off her child, as she hustled him up the stairs to his school. Not dissimilarly, we saw a mother duck herding her ducklings as they drifted down an icy river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polar bears had been sighted in the town not long ago, so our bear monitoring team was out in force – which also meant that we needed to take a more circuitous route through a junkyard in order to reach the nearby lake of Allagarsuit-Kongesten.

 

 

But it was worth the walk – once at the lake, we were free to roam and explore and take in a spectacular natural setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better yet, the not-very-strenuous tour ended at Kunguak Café & Icebar, and the kids were absolutely thrilled to eat ice cream in Greenland. My son had Smartie ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauce in the bottom of the cone, my wife chose blueberry ice cream in a cup, and I chose a cone of Italian wedding cake with chocolate sauce.

 

 

 

And our daughter? A mint chocolate chip cone with caramel and strawberry sauce. She said it was delicious. The rest of us are skeptical.

 

 

We then took a brief walk through town, but at this point the wind had died down and the midges and mosquitoes had picked up dramatically. So we opted for a quick stop in the souvenir shop before heading back. There we picked up some Greenland flag patches, which we’ll attach to our parkas once we get home.

 

 

 

 

 

We also ran into one of the Strenuous Hikers, who informed us that the 10 – 15 km death march turned out to be closer to 5 km instead. That was quite irritating, as we could have managed that handily. We vowed that we will be taking the next Strenuous Fitness Activity offered by Silversea, even if they claim it will be a 30 mile climb over radioactive glass infested with rabid crocodiles.

 

Back to the boat, where our son finished the day’s iteration of the Silver Quiz and we went to the Panorama Lounge for trivia. Another strong finish – placing second – though the winning team managed a perfect score! A rare achievement, indeed.

 

Off to the Grill, where I managed to convince myself to swap my usual burger for a Reuben. It was delicious, though a bit light on the pastrami – I wonder if they’re running out? Still, the sauerkraut was quite tasty. And that’s practically a salad, isn’t it?

 

 

No time to ponder such philosophical questions, as I was off for my much beloved, much missed power nap. When I woke up, we were approaching Hvalsey. It was time to get ready for our second landing of the day.

 

The water had turned quite rough since our departure from Qaqortoq – rough enough to cancel kayaking. Plus, the existing dock had been taken over by a family’s cabin cruiser. So we would need to make a wet landing.

 

But Silversea handled this with their usual thoroughness, and indeed there was even a “green carpet” (a strip of astroturf) laid out across the rocks to make our arrival as comfortable as possible.

 

Given that Hvalsey is “only” a handful of ruined structures, we didn’t expect to stay long – but it turned out to be one of the highlights of our cruise so far. The bear monitors had overwatch of the entire 500 m x 500 m fenced perimeter, so we were free to roam over the rocks, rivers and grasslands and imagine what it would’ve been like to have lived here almost a millennia ago.

 

Hvalsey makes it easy to imagine – it’s Greenland’s largest, best-preserved example of a Norse settlement. A significant portion of the community’s church remains intact, along with the landowner’s estate house. According to the Book of Settlements, this farmstead was established by Thorkell Farserk, uncle of Erik the Red.

 

The site was founded in the late 10^th century, and the last documented event at the church was a wedding that took place in 1408. It was then abandoned – precisely why and for where remains unknown. More on this here - Hvalsey Church Ruin - [Visit Greenland!]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristian Pederson was on site to provide context to this beautiful, haunting site. When asked about the site’s potential to support life, he noted that the prevalence of fish and sea life made it unlikely that anyone inhabiting the area would ever starve.

 

The Vikings there were Europeans and would have had European values – a desire to be part of a larger community. They wanted to trade and to aspire to more, as evidenced by the presence of beads and jewelry in the gravesites.

 

But Greenland at this time was growing increasingly colder – indeed, ice shelves extended across the UK at this point – and it got to the point where it would be 20 to 30 years between the arrival of ships. Indeed, there are records of a Norse ship arriving at Greenland and being close enough to see the people on the shore but not to reach them due to the pack ice.

 

So Kristian’s theory is that it was isolation that eventually led to the community’s abandonment.

 

We then took a few minutes to climb a rock face and enjoy the commanding view over the ruined church and winding fjord. And then it was time to go.

 

The seas had deteriorated further since our arrival, and the winds were working against us – which made for a rough, wet return trip. No complaints from the kids, however, as rough zodiac rides have proven to be one of their favourite activities.

 

Back to the Cloud, where we changed for dinner at La Terrazza. My daughter had the striploin, my wife the king prawns, and I had the breaded veal chop. All of it very delicious – even more so accompanied by the stunning view of rolling hills and icebergs out the stern.

 

 

 

Then off to our staterooms, where we enjoyed a glass of champagne out on the verandah and bid goodbye to the icebergs that had accompanied us since we first arrived at the coast of Greenland.

 

But no need to set an alarm for tomorrow – we would be enjoying a much-anticipated sea day.

Edited July 1, 2023 by RyanJCanada

[RyanJCanada]

1 hour ago, alithecat said:

Re: Bogs. For Antarctica they used the men's boots for both men and women. They said the women's Bogs didn't a thick enough tread. Did women get the women's version for the Arctic?

Good question - I'll check my wife's Bogs to see if she got the women's model.

[TLCOhio]

18 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

Day 6 – Qaqortoq and Hvalsey   Another early morning, though not as early as last time – a mere 6:15 am for us adults and 6:30 am for the kids. (Ok, maybe I wasn’t up until 6:25 am…)   Polar bears had been sighted in the town not long ago, so our bear monitoring team was out in force – which also meant that we needed to take a more circuitous route through a junkyard in order to reach the nearby lake of Allagarsuit-Kongesten.   But no need to set an alarm for tomorrow – we would be enjoying a much-anticipated sea day.

 

Great visuals and wonderful details for your exciting adventure.  Appreciate you taking us along.  Just able to catch up today.  Sleep in and enjoy that needed sea-day.   Keep up the great sharing. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[RachelG]

11 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

Good question - I'll check my wife's Bogs to see if she got the women's model.

I had the men’s both in the Arctic and Antarctica.  Except the first time when we went to Svalbard and I brought my own.  This was a long time ago, and you didn’t have the option of borrowing them,so I brought my hot pink ones that I wear at the ranch.  But they take up way too much space in the luggage

[RyanJCanada]

Today’s Chronicles: