After our day within the Greenlandic Sizzling Springs of Uunartoq and an excellent night time’s sleep onboard Ocean Albatros, we lastly made it to Qassiarsuk (Brattahlíð). This is among the first settlements of Erik The Crimson, who was banished from Iceland centuries in the past. In actual fact, it was the primary everlasting settlement by European settlers that explored the Arctic area.
To today, there’s a presence within the space, and its place in Greeland is preserved for generations to come back, not least as a result of it’s a UNESCO World Heritage web site. This all made visiting Qassiarsuk in Greenland a should whereas on our expedition.
We anchored brilliant and early, round 7 a.m., with the Greenland solar beaming down over the nonetheless seas surrounding the shoreline. Inside a matter of minutes after getting up, we have been raring to go. Nicely, after a fast breakfast and freshly-brewed espresso that’s.
Now, one of many best methods of visiting Qassiarsuk in Greenland is by Zodiac. For those who’re unfamiliar, it’s a small rubber boat that may get a lot nearer to shore than greater ships.
Ocean Albatros has a heap of Zodiacs onboard, and they’re winched down when friends are because of make landfall. This makes it very easy to go to smaller and harder-to-reach locations that massive ships can’t get to. They actually open up complete new areas to discover, particularly in international locations like Greenland, the place harbours are at a minimal.
We boarded our zodiac from Ocean Albatros and headed in the direction of the small jetty in Qassiarsuk. There’s no large-scale harbour or every other approach to get to Qassiarsuk – simply this small jetty, which leads straight into Qassiarsuk itself.
It’s a tiny city, extra of a neighborhood of round 15 homes. This, on the face of it, sounds fairly vanilla, however belief me, it made it further particular. It felt so particular to be visiting such a small however traditionally vital place – it actually didn’t matter concerning the measurement or the quantity of individuals round.
Visiting Qassiarsuk in Greenland is all concerning the quieter tempo of life, and it actually felt like that as quickly as we arrived. Plus, that’s the great thing about Greenland, in spite of everything.
It’s one of many least-populated international locations in the entire world. Every landfall you make in far-flung areas seems like an genuine expedition. You’re discovering new locations you might by no means have thought-about visiting earlier than. Nicely, not less than for me, that was the case.
I imply, I knew an excellent few locations I needed to go to, however each different cease and expedition was a bonus for me. Qassiarsuk is unquestionably a really pleased bonus.
Anyway, I’m rambling once more.
After making landfall at Qassiarsuk, we met a neighborhood information who defined the total historical past (intimately) of Erik the Crimson. He knew his stuff and it made visiting Qassiarsuk in Greenland so worthwhile. Like, I’m not ashamed to say I didn’t know masses about Erik the Crimson beforehand – now, I go away as a fully-fledged historian!
I don’t need to spoil the tour, nevertheless it actually gave perception into the energetic and fairly traumatic historical past of Eric the Crimson and his banishment from Iceland.
Our tour took round 60 minutes, and we ended up visiting the standard stone homes and church buildings constructed centuries in the past. It was, in reality, the primary Norse settlement in Greenland, and it was so unbelievable to see.
The reconstructions are actually in delight of place in Qassiarsuk to discover and we headed into Thodhildur’s church of Brattahlid and discovered a lot extra about early Norse settlers.
Plus, the unique foundations nonetheless exist, simply reverse the purple church on the town. It’s so epic to see.
We wandered throughout the filth tracks, meandered the rolling hills, mentioned hello to a few of the locals and finally made it to the statue of Eric the Crimson, which overlooks the city.
The views from right here have been spectacular, and we may see proper throughout the Tunulliarfik Fjord and Narsarsuaq throughout the water. All of it felt so particular. We ended up simply sitting right here for an excellent 45 minutes, having fun with the view and the sheer silence of Greenland.
The entire place is tiny, however it’s completely definitely worth the go to for its historical past and appeal. Naturally, we went into the native retailer to seize some snacks earlier than boarding our Zodiac again to Ocean Albatros. It’s the one retailer within the small neighborhood, and so they promote every part and something you can ever need. From chocolate to iPhones, they’d it.
After boarding, we rapidly modified and made it for dinner in the primary restaurant on stage 5. We bagged a desk by the window and watched the views round Narsaq, the place the mountains gave approach to the ocean. It was bliss.
Because the anchor rose on Ocean Albatros, we returned to the open ocean across the Labrador Sea. Our sights have been set additional north. To Nuuk, the capital metropolis of Greenland.
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