8-Sept-24 Sisimiut, Greenland
Calmer night on the sea. And no clock change. Yay. Currently only 2hrs behind the UK. Next clock change we are promised a 2hr extra lie in as we head back to Halifax in Canada.
Arrive at the small fishing town of Sisimiut. Glorious day. But still cold. Like Ilulissat just up the coast it’s clean and neat. Very Danish. Most of the houses are wooden. Fire hose reels located in the street at regular intervals. In blue wooden housing. In the days before mains cold water to properties these also served as the ‘parish pump’.
Houses painted different colours. Historically, the colours meant something. Red buildings were churches, schools, teachers’ or ministers’ houses. Yellow was hospitals and doctors. Green was communications and power. Blue were fish factories and black was the police.
Despite a population of only 6,000 there are a phenomenal amount of taxis. Apparently cheaper to phone for a taxi than import, maintain and run your own car. On a sunny Sunday afternoon it’s a surprisingly busy town. Plenty of cars and quads zooming about.
2hr walking tour at 1350hrs. To finish at the museum. To spend a leisurely afternoon looking in the museum. But. Plans change. Now have to do museum in centre of town before walking tour. Means walking 15mins to museum. Looking at museum. Walking 15mins back to ship to join walking tour. In the 50 minutes notice given. Rush. Rush. Rush.
Used to rubbish Inuit ‘tours’. But this is done by a great Dane. Proper tourist board tour. Educated. Informative. Interesting.
Three Inuit words adopted for everyday English. Kayak. Igloo. Anorak. Hadn’t realised Kayak and Anorak originated from Inuit. The stuff you didn’t know you didn’t know.
There’s about 2,500 dogs in the ‘dog town’ on the outskirts. Dog teams used to be kept in town. But the noise and smell meant they were shifted out of town. Dogs live outside in all weathers. Including sub zero. They can only go in a house for about 15 minutes before they start overheating. Not been in my house obviously.
Very enjoyable walking tour. Until. Little old lady trips. Stumbles. Falls. In the middle of the road. And headbutts the road. Blood. Complains of broken wrist. Taxi flagged down to take her back to ship to the see the doctor. See her a few hours later in plaster and two stiches. Necessitated a trip to the local hospital. Think that’s the fourth broken arm/wrist on the trip. First was on day one when someone tripped over their luggage on the floor in cabin. Another was walking down ship’s internal stairs and missed a s step. Plus another. Details unknown. Coupled with the helivac on about day 3 it’s not been the healthiest of trips. Especially as I learn a few others slipped on the rocks and mud at yesterday’s glacier viewpoint. Thankfully no broken bones. Just bruises.
Helped by the blue sky and sun. Sisimiut shines. Really enjoyable wander of a few hours.
It’s a beautiful day. Something to lift the soul after yesterday’s incessant rain and grey.
But we’re not done yet.
Depart port 1800hrs. See snow capped mountains to the south.
It’s a wow moment.
Another wow moment as we head south following the western coast of Greenland.
Snow capped mountains to our east.
Stunning sun setting over the sea to our west.
Snow capped mountains change from white. To pink. To Orange. To red.
As sun sinks.
To a cloudless sky.
As darkness envelopes us. In the Labrador Sea.
And reminded of a some lines from Lord Byron’s poem ‘Dark Lochnagar’:
‘I sought not my home till the day’s dying glory
Gave place to the rays of the bright polar star’
It’s a beautiful day.
