July
11th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
Ilulissat, 69°13'N - 051°05'W, 20h00 local time,
A wall of icebergs lies at the opening of the fjord where the glacier
flows. We're obliged to change our course because of the density of
ice.
Soon we find an opening towards the coloured houses of Ilulissat.
Slowly, we go through the ice field and we're approaching our
goal. The harbour is small; some growlers are floating around.
It's five o'clock when we dock. Our arrival to Ilulissat achieves
our third leg of the expedition. We have sailed 3122 nautical miles
since Tromsø (5782 km).
Five nationalities were present on board
during this third leg:
| Bottom, from left to right |
Top, from left to right
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Delphine Maratier (France)
Thierry Robert (France)
Pierre Tual (France)
Laurent Ceresoli (France)
Harald Gridl (Austria)
Alain Cabal (France)
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Didier Lasserre (France)
Olivier Pitras (France)
Gunnar Nerdrum (Norway)
Helga Lilja Bjornsdottir (Iceland)
Knut Vibe (Swisserland)
Gabriel Pitras (France) |
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The crew on board Southern Star during the third leg, Nuuk-Ilulissat
(Click to enlarge) |
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July 10th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
69°10'N - 051°13'W, 23h00 local time
We leave in the end of the afternoon towards an old whale station.
The area is uncharted; we sail as slow as we can, watching carefully
for the depth sounder. We find a place to anchor in seven meters. One
team goes on shore while another team stays onboard ready to manoeuvre.
The site has nothing special, nothing we can learn about hunting method
or something else. We set sail again. The enthusiasm onboard is general.
As far as we can see, the whole bay is spotted with huge icebergs.
Some of them are rising up to one hundred meters above water.
All of them are calved by the "Sermeq Kujalleq" glacier (Jacobshavn
glacier). It belongs to the Unesco patrimony and became recently
a symbol of global warming in the Arctic.
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July 9th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
Qasigiannguit (Christianhaab) 68°48'N - 051°11'W
23h00 local time
The weather prediction today are for calm conditions. The leg to
qasigiannguit should be quiet. As soon as we sail outside the
archipelago, we meet huge icebergs again. The mild temperature give us
the opportunity to enjoy all of them. We give to the biggest a large
berth In the north of "Groenne Ejland" archipelago they are many
grounded. It makes the view fascinanting, an unreal landscape.
We are
entering the well protected bay of qasigiannguit in the evenning. An
iceberg marks its entrance.
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July 8th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
68°44'N - 052°49'W, 22h30 local
After a short visit of the village, we leave the harbor to return
with the humpback whales which are still there. The shooting team
wear the survival suits and load the dinghy. The idea is to stop the
engine at a good distance from the whales and wait for them. It's
everytime a bet because their route is very difficult to guess when
they are eating.
After three hours of this game the result is not so bad.
We do stop a while to fish and catch six cods and two halibuts,
a good catch for two meals.
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July 7th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
Aasiaat (68°42'N - 052°52' W),
23h00 local time
While we're sailing toward Disko Bay, the density of icebergs is
increasing. The coast lies in a dense fog, we switch the radar on.
Islands, rocks and icebergs make its screen difficult to read. When we
approach an iceberg, a huge halo around it marks its place. Sometimes,
like a ghost, one of them becomes visible. The growlers are numerous on
its lee.
At couple of milles from Aasiaat, the fog disappears, we can
enjoy a clear blue sky. We cast anchor in between two tiny islands with
the help of the sounder because the zone is uncharted. Sledge dogs are
welcoming us loudly, they are happy the have visitors. They spend the
summer alone here. A speed boat comes, a man throws pieces of meat on
shore, probably seal meat and disappears after wawing us in sign of
welcome.
After lunch we keep going toward the village. Six humpback are
eating, The krill is visible from the surface. We spend two magic hours
with them. It's finally late when we cast anchor in front of the
village. |
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July 6th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
67°41' N - 054°10' W, 23h55 local time
We spent a confortable night at the anchor in front of Sissimiut. After
breakfast, we go on land and meet a joyfull group of people celebrating
a confirmation. They had wear their traditionnal clothes for the
occasion. Spontaneously, we are invited to join the party. We could stay
long in such a good company but we have to set sails.
In the beginning
of the afternoon, we sail through the reef zone northward, the wind is
calm. In the evenning, a big iceberg in front of us tells us that Disko
bay is not far away anymore.
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July 5th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
Sissimiut (66°56' N - 053°40' W), 23h20 local time
The Southerly swell persists while we're tacking Northward. In the midle
of the night, a front coming from South hits us. It's a strong one. Our
sails are not adapted to such a wind and "Southern Star" find herself in
an unconfortable situation for a while. After the manoeuver, we can sail
downwind strait to our destination.
The sun does not disappear even
south of the polar circle due to a strong refraction. We officially pass
the polar circle at 7h00. For the final approach to Sissimiut, the sea
breaks a lot on the numerous reefs around, this is a fascinating show to
watch while keeping concentrated for landing. |
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July 4th, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
65°57' N - 053°42' W
, 23h20 local time
The afternoon starts when we're setting sails. Sailing out of this fjord
with contrary wind take a lots of time. When we start to feel the first
vibration of the sea, a blow attract our attention. Two humpback and one
Minke whale are eating. They dive a lot and does not stay long under.
Then we have the privilege to enjoy their numerous diving.
We keep
sailing by insides passages for couple of milles before the off shore.
While on open sea, a gentle breeze is blowing from north, we're
starting again our tacking business. A big swell from south tells us
that the storm in the region of cap Farvel is not a rumor.
We did not
resist to show you the inside of the Eternity fjord. The picture was
taken yesterday evenning. |
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July 3rd, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
65°52' N - 052°49' W
, 23h30 local time
Just before to go to bed, an unexpected southerly front arrives and
blows hardly in to our anchorage. We're not protected from this
direction. After one hour, it's calm down and let us quiet without
moving to another bay.
In the morning, the weather is beautifull, we
find a way to stay in the insides to sail north. Mountains are sharp and
steep. Glaciers are visible everywhere but do not reach the fjord. After
a while, we take the advantage of this good conditions to enter the
Eternity Fjord. A fifty milles uncharted fjord going toward the
inlandsis. The fjord is narrow and very steep, Glaciers are flowing from
the top. Up there, starts the inlandsis which is covering the whole
Greenland. Ten milles before the end, a shallow zone makes us deciding a
U turn. We do not take the risk to be grounded here. In our way back, we
find a bay near the entrance with good holding ground. |
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July 2nd, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
65°27' N - 052°52' W , 23h00 local time
Off shore a small swell from North / Northwest
tells us there is some wind further up but the calm keeps going. Sometimes
the fog comes and reduces our horizon at less than one mille around.
On deck, teams switch every three hours and watch carefully for
icebergs. It's a short leg, one hundred miles. Finally the wind comes
from the North, we start to tack but the current is with us. For the final
approach in the vicinity of Manitsoq, the sky clears up and we leave the
fog off shore. It's 20h00 when we cast anchor in a small bay surrounded
by steep mountains.
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July 1st, 2008
(Onboard time = UTC - 2)
64°03' N - 052°08' W
, 23h30 local time
09h00, we're docking where the fuel truck can refuel us before
departure. Every thing is organized since yesterday, then ! we're
waiting. After a long moment, we find out that an unexpected boat from
the navy came and needs 100 000 liters. No matter, we still have CD and
DVD to burn and footage to numerize before to send masters to Paris. Our
friends Jens and Roar are there to help us as much as they can. The
refueling is done by 2 PM but it's 9 PM when finally we're ready to
leave.
The weather is calm on the fjord, the sky is grey. After one hour, we
see the Cessna of Jens flying toward us, what a moment full of emotion.
After a while, he flies back to the airport. We're alone, en route for
Manitsoq, our next stop. |
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