Trip itinerary

Trip 2009190  (see trip 2009200 below)

Day 1 - Monday August 3rd 

Departure from Isafjordur at 19:00. Sail out of Isafjardardjup bay towards the Arctic Circle.

Day 2 - Tuesday August 4^th

Sailing across the Denmark Strait. Oportunities to see Dolphins and whales such as Minke, Humpback and Orcas. If weather is clear we may start to see the Greenland mountains in the afternoon.

Day 3 - Wednesday August 5^th

Arrival in Greenland is estimated in the early morning. Where we take landfall will always depend on sea-ice conditions. We may arrive on the Blosseville coast and anchor in Barclay Bugt.

Day 4 - Thursday August 6^th

We will set sail again and travel south along the coast. Possible anchorage close to Nansen Fjord and the huge Christian IV glacier. The Watkins mountains and the highest peak in the arctic, Gunnbjornsfjeld (3693 meters) line the horizon. Likely a perfect location to take to the water in the kayaks and explore the calm, ice-studded waters of the inner fjord.

Day 5 - Friday August 7^th

Sail a short distance into Mikis Fjord and anchor there. Long-abandoned Inuit ruins allude to a time when the Dorset culture populated the NE coast.  The flower-filled Sodalen valley and surrounding mountains offer exciting trips ashore.

Day 6 - Saturday August 8^th

Move over to Kangerdlugssuaq fjord and perhaps anchor in Suhaili bugt. This is where sir Robin Knox-Johnston and sir Chris Bonington anchored the Suhaili when they attempted to climb the Cathedral peak in 1991.

Day 7 - Sunday August 9^th

Sail on, following the Kronprins Frederik mountains south whilst keeping a look-out for any anchorages free of ice.  Opportunities for hikes ashore or paddling the kayaks.

Day 8 - Monday August 10^th

Sail to Sermiligaq fjord and anchor there.  For the first time since reaching Greenland, we will pass the tiny Inuit settlement of Sermiligaq many of whose inhabitants still live by subsistence hunting.  At the head of the fjord, 5 glaciers reach sea level, calving ‘bergs from many kilometres of exposed ice cliff.  The sheltered inner fjord waters offer good paddling conditions and walking inland on one of the glaciers leads to spectacular alpine scenery.

Day 9 - Tuesday August 11^th

Sail through the narrow passes of Ikateq and Ikasak to reach Angmagssalik fjord.  Option to anchor somewhere in this fjord, perhaps by Kungmiut or behind Grise Öen.  On one particular meeting of 2 nearby fjords, fin whales gather to feed.  Subject to ice conditions, we may be able to anchor within sight of this.  Another option is to go through the narrow Ikasagtivaq channel over to the Sermilik fjord and anchor behind the settlement of Tiniteqilaq.

Day 10 - Wednesday August 12^th

Sail out of the inner fjords to arrive in Kulusuk island and tie up at the local wharf. 

Day 11 - Thursday August 13^th

Fly by bi-prop Fokker 50 (not included in price) from Kulusuk over the Denmark Strait to Reykjavik.

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Trip 2009200

Day 1 - Monday August 17^th

Arriving onboard AURORA at 12.00 noon in Kulusuk, guests arriving on the morning flight from Reykjavik will land at 9:30 am. Leave anchorage around 14:00, sail out the Torssut sound and into Angmagssalik fjord. Sail past Qernertivartivit then turn east and arrive in an unnamed fjord running SSW from Ikasak sound. After about three hours sailing from Kulusuk anchor there to spend the first night.

Day 2 - Tuesday August 18^th

Today we will explore new routes over to Sermiligaq fjord. Either we will continue through Ikasak sound or go through Angmagssalik fjord and Italip Ikasa sound. We will arrive in Sermiligaq fjord between Pusissaraq and Erik den Rode's islands and continue north past the village of Sermiligaq to our anchorage at the islands of Ingmikerteq. This is a perfect base to explore the two great calving glaciers of Karale and Knud Rasmussen.

Day 3 - Wednesday August 19^th

We'll spend the morning with further exploring of the glaciers and then head over to the Ikateq sound. We'll stop and take a look at the abandoned WW2 airbase and then continue to the fjord of Tuno. There we have an option of dropping off the kayakers for a paddle through the narrow pass into Torssukatak fjord and to the village of Kungmiut. AURORA will sail through Ikasak. Anchorage will be behind Griseoen (Pig-island).

Day 4 - Thursday August 20^th

Sail further north along Angmagssalik fjord and through the narrow pass to Tasilaq fjord. This fjord is ringed by mountains from 1000-2000 meter high with Tvillingerne (Twins), Storebror and Pikkehuen the most notable. Many options for great hiking, climbing or kayaking.

Day 5 - Friday August 21^st

We will spend a second day at the same anchorage in Tasilaq fjord. Option to spend a night in a tent in the mountains or even in a small mountain hut.

Day 6 - Saturday August 22^nd

Sail back down Tasilaq fjord and into Angmagssalik fjord. Enter the Ikasagtivaq sound and follow that to our anchorage behind the village of Tiniteqilaq. Options to kayak part of the way.

Day 7 - Sunday August 23^rd

If ice conditions allow we will explore the great Sermilik fjord. We will cross the fjord and attempt to enter Johan Petersen fjord and anchor in Sangmieq fjord. Many options for great kayaking or hiking.

Day 8 - Monday August 24^th

Sail out of Sermilik fjord, passing the abandoned village of Ikateq and the Erit Skerries (made famous when Bill Tilman lost his boat Sea Breeze there in 1972). We will continue to Kong Oskars Havn and the town of Tasiilaq and tie up at the local wharf for the night. This is the largest community in East Greenland with a population of around 1800 people.

Day 9 - Tuesday August 25^th

Departure from Tasiilaq in the early morning. Sails set for a 2.5 days voyage across the Denmark Strait to Isafjordur, Iceland. We'll sail past Kap Dan and keep a sharp lookout for whales, dolphins and of course the numerous huge icebergs.

Day 10 - Wednesday August 26^th

At sea on the Denmark Strait. We'll be seing icebergs almost all the way to the Icelandic coast. If the weather is clear we may see the Greenland mountains from almost 100 nautical miles away or close to the Dohrn Bank fishing banks.

Day 11 - Thursday August 27^th

In clear weather we may start seeing the Icelandic mountains in the morning. Arriving in Isafjordur in the evening.