Photo: Curtis Mobley Sea Kayaking in Eastern Greenland Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09695A Price: Deposit: $200 Capacity: 12 Leader: Curtis Mobley
The Trip  Photo: Curtis Mobley Greenland was Ultima Thule—Farthest North—to ancient geographers. It is still today the ultimate in pristine mountain scenery, glaciers reaching the ocean and calving enormous icebergs, and Inuit villages where the traditional hunting and fishing lifestyle is conscientiously preserved. This new Sierra Club trip will explore the sparsely settled southeast coast of Greenland just below the Arctic Circle. Although the popular image of Greenland is one of snow and ice, it is already undergoing rapid warming due to global climate change—see it before it melts! Our adventure begins and ends in Reykjavik, Iceland. After meeting in Reykjavik
and spending the night there, we fly to the Inuit village of Kulusuk at the
mouth of Angmassalik Fjord, where we spend the night in a comfortable hotel.
We then travel by small powerboat to our starting point at the village of Kungmit,
assemble our collapsible double kayaks, and begin our exploration. For the
next nine days we will paddle through deep fjords rimmed by glacier-clad mountains.
At times the water will be open and route finding easy, at other times rapidly
changing pack ice may make progress difficult or even impossible until the
tide or wind changes. We will move our tent camps from day to day as conditions
permit. We plan time for layover days and hikes in valleys where wildflowers
bloom during the short Arctic summer. At one stop we will explore an abandoned
air base from which Americans flew antisubmarine patrols during World War II.
A highlight of the trip will be paddling past the two-mile-wide Kerala Glacier
and watching for it to drop icebergs into the water. Our paddling ends in the
village of Sermiligaq, where we will disassemble our kayaks and take a powerboat
ride back to Kulusuk. After another night in the hotel there, we will fly back
to Reykjavik for an optional celebratory dinner and our final trip night in
Reykjavik.
Day 1: Arrival in Reykjavik, Iceland (Keflavik airport) and transfer (cost not included in the trip price) to our guest house (cost included), where we spend the night. The trip begins with a group meeting in the evening, so plan to arrive in Reykjavik by mid afternoon. At this meeting we will discuss the trip details, inspect and repack gear for the flight to Greenland, and get acquainted. Overnight Reykjavik. Day 2: We fly from Reykjavik domestic airport to the small Inuit village of Kulusuk, Greenland. Kulusuk lies at the mouth of Angmassalik Fjord in southeast Greenland, just below the Arctic Circle. We’ll have ample time to explore the village before dinner in our comfortable hotel. Overnight Kulusuk. Day 3: Following breakfast at the hotel, we travel by small powerboat to the village of Kungmit (home to the only Danish bakery in East Greenland). We’ll assemble our kayaks on the beach and paddle to our first campsite a few miles away. For the next nine nights we will camp in tents and prepare our own food.  Photo: Curtis Mobley Day 4: We paddle from camp 1 near Kungmit through Torssukatak Fjord to the Tuno area, where we camp. Day 5: If the weather permits good views of the mountains, we plan to take a layover day to hike cross country up the Tunup Kua Valley to the toe of an alpine glacier. If the clouds are low, we’ll continue to our next camp. Day 6: We continue to paddle along Ikateq Fjord. We’ll stop and explore the abandoned World War II Ikataq airbase whose rapidly decaying buildings and rusting vehicles are a stark contrast to the surrounding pristine area. Our planned campsite at the head of a small valley offers several possibilities for evening hikes. Day 7: We now enter the utterly spectacular area known to mountain climbers as “Little Switzerland.” Several tidewater glaciers (glaciers that reach the ocean and calve ice bergs) are visible from our camp near the face of the two-mile wide Kerala glacier at the head of Sermiligaq (Beautiful Ice Fjord). Day 8: We plan to lie over at Kerala camp for a day paddle and close-up views of the glaciers. With luck, we’ll see an iceberg or two drop into the ocean with a thunderous roar. Day 9: If the weather is good we may take a second layover day at Kerala camp to explore inland or scramble up an easy peak for new views of the area. Day 10: We paddle from our Kerala camp past the Knud Rasmussen Glacier to another spectacular camp. Day 11: We paddle from the Knud Rasmussen Glacier area to our last camp close to the village of Sermiligaq. This night is our last one in tents.  Photo: Curtis Mobley Day 12: We paddle a few miles from our last camp to Sermiligaq village. We’ll disassemble and pack the kayaks, and then take small powerboats for the two-hour ride back to Kulusuk. A hot shower and dinner await us in the Kulusuk Hotel, where we again spend the night. Day 13: We fly from Kulusuk back to Reykjavik. We spend our last trip night in a guesthouse (included in the trip price). We’ll retell our experiences at an optional farewell dinner (price not included). Overnight Reykjavik. Day 14: You can transfer to Keflavik airport for flights home, or stay in Iceland for further travel on your own. Note: Depending on ice conditions, the tides, and the weather forecast, we may do the trip in the reverse direction, starting in Sermiligaq and paddling to Kungmit. The planned route and activities are the same in either case. There is also the possibility that bad weather will pin us down for a day or two. The planned itinerary therefore allows for several layover days. We’ll use these for day hikes if possible, but these days also allow us to remain in camp if conditions make paddling unsafe. Flexibility is mandatory for travel in Greenland, and our planned itinerary will be changed if conditions require. Safety is always the first consideration. Getting There Icelandair has direct flights to Reykjavik from several US cities, and there are many connections from European cities. The “Flybus” from Keflavik airport to downtown Reykjavik currently costs about US$30 round trip. Visas are not currently required for U.S. citizens visiting Iceland and Greenland.
 Photo: Curtis Mobley These fjord waters are sheltered from the open sea, so the paddling conditions are usually calm. However, sudden strong winds can cause waves to develop, and the water is literally freezing cold. Therefore solid basic paddling skills, including bracing, padding in moderate waves, and the ability to do a wet exit and rapidly re-enter a kayak with assistance are mandatory. Typical days will involve six hours of paddling for a distance to 10-15 miles, although longer and shorter days can be expected. The possibility of cold, rainy, windy weather and temperatures in the high 30s (think of Seattle in the winter) means you must be experienced and comfortable camping in such conditions. We can also expect some days with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s. Participants must be able and willing to assist in carrying loaded kayaks between the water and the high tide line. Everyone is responsible for setting up their own tents, assisting with cooking and camp chores, and generally looking after themselves.
• This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland, by Gretel Erlich. An excellent
introduction to the history, culture, and modern challenges of the Greenland
Inuit. Conservation Greenland is 85% ice covered, and the interior ice cap is up to two miles thick. Recent observations show that the ice cap is rapidly melting at an accelerating rate that surprises most scientists. The resulting input of fresh water to the ocean has potentially major impacts on rising sea levels and on Atlantic Ocean circulation and European climate. The local Inuit already are being impacted by shorter, warmer winters and loss of seasonal pack ice, which affect their traditional fishing and hunting patterns. Greenland may hold significant mineral and oil resources, which currently lie underneath the ice cap or beneath the permanent ocean ice pack in the far north, but which will become available as the ice melts back. We will learn about both the science and politics, and the causes and effects, of global climate change in Greenland.
This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader. See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner. The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.
 Curtis Mobley has kayaked in exotic locations from New Zealand to Florida to Greenland, and he regards this trip as one of the world’s greatest sea kayak adventures. He has led many Sierra Club outings, including river rafting, sea kayaking, and cultural trips in China. An oceanographer by profession, he loves to share his knowledge of earth science and environmental issues with trip participants. He was recognized in 2006 as one of the Club's outstanding leaders. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder. Email: curtis.mobley@gmail.com General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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