Greenland kayak guide

Introduction

2010-04-28T20:08:00.000-03:00

Greenland's steep sided, ice filled fjords, ancient inuit culture and a coastline as long as the earth's equator - is the birthplace of the sea kayak. No kayak has ever been built that surpasses the native kayak and no-one has ever shown better skill than the local hunter. scouting the route ahead This dream like destination of endless kayaking opportunities is now more accessible, with better

Polar bears eat cute little baby seals

2010-04-07T13:01:00.007-03:00

31 polar bear in the area today... not a good time to paddle round here... The reason has possibly to do with the unusually high number of cute, big eyed, white furred seal pups which are now calved in our area... lots of them about on the floes outside. I wonder what the ice was like in Hudson Bay this winter? It is not allowed to hunt pups in Greenland, until the white coat is dropped.

Polar bears and pack ice, must be spring!

2010-04-03T09:56:00.010-03:00

In Iceland, its the song of the golden plover that marks spring. In Paris its the blooming trees and strawberries. In South Greenland, its the arrival of pack ice from East Greenland, and with it the polar bears. I took this photo outside our house early morning, showing our harbour closed off by ice which arrived during the night. My wife and I thought we'd make use of the lovely day, warm and

Update on kayak rental in Tasiilaq (Ammassalik)

2010-03-01T09:50:00.004-04:00

Following Ocean Paddler magazine's news about this guide blog, Martin Rickard of Seakayakadventures got in touch with the information that his fleet in Tasiilaq is also available for rent... I've added his services to the Rental overview. So, if you want british made fibre glass boats for your expedition, you'll be well served with Rickard! Thanks too to Richard Parkin at Ocean Paddler :-)

Qaqortoq weather data

2010-02-25T08:18:00.003-04:00

Found a document I gathered together a couple of years ago, with 45 year weather data results for Qaqortoq, South Greenland. Thought you might be interested in the main results. July 2006 / July 45 year average Mean temperature: 7,3°C / 7,2°C Mean precipitation: 37 mm / 97 mm Mean wind: <5 m/s / 2,3 m/s Mean wind direction: NW or NE Qaqortoq's location on the map: View Qaqortoq in a larger

Ice charts - how to read

2010-01-04T20:31:00.006-04:00

One of those new skills you'll acquire before your South or East Greenland expedition is reading ice charts - that is charts of density and distribution of sea ice. Though it won't help you much once in the field, it helps you study the movements and quantity of the ice before you arrive, you may need to change your plans at last minute. Most people I know use these Greenlandic/Danish charts:

Weather forecasts

2010-01-04T19:48:00.009-04:00

The stationary (ie. not up to date) images below show clearly how the general weather patterns behave. Click the links below each map for the updated image. The links are interactive for a week's forecast. For up to date forecasts for Greenland's East Coast use the Icelandic Weather Service. For up to date forecasts for Greenland's South Coast use either Iceland's Weather Service or the

Expedition photos and dispatches on a Google map

2009-12-27T20:31:00.004-04:00

Here are a few pictures we uploaded onto Google Earth during the Blind Expedition 2004 (see Seakayaker magazine, Jan. 2007). Click the Google Earth link below each picture for its location on Google Earth - or - click the map link for a larger image and map location. If you are interested in the paddling conditions and weather during the expedition, click here for the dispatches. This image

Slide show - large

2009-12-12T13:56:00.008-04:00

I got asked to put the small slideshow on the right in a larger format... so here is an attempt, hope this is better. All photos are from my trips and expeditions on Greenland's South and East Coast, in the past few years. The winter shots are from Sermilik fjord and around Ammassalik island. Photographers are either myself or participants.

Tide and currents

2009-12-10T20:16:00.000-04:00

The southernmost fjords have a warm tongue of the Irminger Current (Gulf Stream) flow by. Local effects and concerns are few, though in general the Irminger moves in a NW direction, up the West Coast. One major effect of the warm current in the far south, is the abundance of seals and whales when paddling outside the fjords. This also means that you will find more remains of Inuit settlements on

Renting kayaks

2009-12-04T15:19:00.010-04:00

East Greenland Kulusuk Jóhann Brandsson. Phone (299) 986888 or write to - kulusuk(at)greennet.gl Tasiilaq (Ammassalik) Martin Rickard, BCU Coach Seakayakadventures, based in the Shetlands, UK. Fleet of NDK, VCP and ROCKPOOL kayaks stored in Tasiilaq. Specialising in a range of guided expeditions in this area each summer. +44(0)1806566608. South GreenlandNarsarssuaq Blue Ice - Jackie Simoud

Greenland vs Antarctic and Svalbard

2009-12-01T09:36:00.019-04:00

I've received a few emails asking where I prefer paddling, what the difference is etc. Short answer: East Greenland for cold water paddling. Let me try to explain why and how using London as a starting point for three stunning locations - Greenland's East Coast, Svalbard and the Antarctic. View Greenland vs Antarctica and Svalbard in a larger map 1. Ease of access. East Coast - you can don

Travel to and from East Greenland

2009-11-21T16:13:00.010-04:00

In summer you’ll fly Air Iceland from Reykjavik, operating 6 days a week, 2 hours with Fokker 50’s. Locally, you’ll either have arranged a boat to take you to Tasiilaq, Tiniteqilaaq, Isertoq, Kuummiut or Sermiligaq – or you’ll take the 12 minute helicopter flight to Tasiilaq. From there, you’ll also be able to travel by helicopter to all other local villages. Air Greenland helicopters – make

Barometric pressure and local wind

2009-11-21T16:05:00.009-04:00

The barometer pressure on the South and East coast is typically high in summer, above 1015 Hpb but low pressures do break through the ice cap’s defences and hit the coast on their way north with the Gulf stream. While the weather is generally stable in summer, with mirror flat waters, you need to keep an eye on the big H. If it shifts further north or west, low pressure systems are likely closer

Accommodation and Travel in South Greenland

2009-11-21T16:01:00.010-04:00

Your cheapest option is Air Iceland from Reykjavik to Narsarssuaq, 4 flights a week in summer 2010. They also fly several times a week between Reykjavik and; Kulusuk, Scoresbysund, Illulisat and Nuuk. Air Iceland also has a cargo service to Greenland. You need to transfer from Iceland's international airport in Keflavik (KEF) to Iceland's domestic airport in Reykjavik (REK). The transfer is easy

The climate

2009-11-21T15:23:00.022-04:00

The southernmost fjords enjoy a mild and comfortable climate, having long, deep fjords, the sheltering ice cap and a tongue of the Irminger Current (Gulf Stream) flow past. Local effects and concerns are few, though in general the Irminger moves in a NW direction, up the West Coast. The cold East Greenland Current keeps the East Coast cooler with the Ice Sheet extending all the way to the outer

Ice – frozen at sea and glacier born

2009-11-21T15:20:00.018-04:00

See also this article - "Ice charts - how to read." Sea ice in Greenland can, for the benefit of paddlers, be divided into four categories; local pack ice, drifting pack ice, locally calved ice bergs and by-passing icebergs. Local pack ice The low lying, flat and usually small pieces of ice are basically frozen sea from previous winter/s. It is very white and grainy due to the high level of

What is different in South and East Greenland

2009-11-21T14:27:00.007-04:00

The main differences for European and American paddlers will be the cold water, ice, remoteness and the need for self reliance. In the South You will be paddling in an arm of the Gulf Stream and the water temperature will be about 5-7°C. Many areas however have local ice, drifting pack ice or icebergs drifting in from the East Coast or a local calving fjord (look for fjord names like Sermilik

Local names and modern spelling

2009-11-21T13:53:00.005-04:00

Generally new maps and books use New Greenlandic simplified spelling, but there are more than one way of naming and spelling, so don’t be confused. I use the new Greenlandic spelling, or the most common name on recent maps, such as Eirik’s fjord instead of the later danish name Skovfjord. Maps will often show the older version in brackets. There can also be a difference if the East Coast map/

Freight in and out

2009-11-21T13:50:00.003-04:00

First rule: Freight to Greenland is expensive. Second rule: Freight can take months, send your equipment well in advance. Third rule: There is no VAT in Greenland. There is a small duty on meat, sugar, coffee, tea, chocolate – but if your freight carries Danish or Icelandic papers, there is a good possibility it will not be checked. US/CA papers will get checked. By sea: Sea freight arrives

Encountering dangerous animals

2009-11-21T13:36:00.010-04:00

South Greenland - The only dangerous animal you could encounter in summer, is a fox with rabies. It would be a rare encounter but they are easily recognised – they will charge you. If you encounter a rabies smitten animal you should shoot it or paddle away and notify local people. Being charged by a reindeer would be a novelty, we’d all love to hear about it. There are a few polar bears in summer