BBQ... in a Greenlandic fjord
Yes, you heard me! On this final day of the Adventure Canada Heart of the Arctic expedition, we held a BBQ in the middle of Evighedsfjorden, Greenland, surrounded by glaciers. And that was only after taking a shot of vodka and a big leap into the frigid arctic waters, officially entering the Polar Plunge Club.
This final day was anything but sorrowful—it was a big party. We went out with a splash in more ways than one… both figuratively and literally.
The day began with a zodiac cruise around this glacial outcropping, where a Kittiwake colony was swarming the steep cliffs. All was quiet: Just our parade of zodiacs and a lone sailboat on a long journey through the arctic waters that stopped to say hello. It is only a few miles from Kangerlussuaq, where in less than 24 hours, a tiny airport would be our final point of departure back to Canada.
Within the absolute stillness of cold water, the ice glistening like diamonds, and the barricade of colossal rock surrounding us, we were suspended in time and space within Evighedsfjorden, “the fjord of eternity.” It was as if we were swimming in a fish bowl—better yet, frozen in a snow globe.
One of my fellow passengers reached out over the boat to pull in a small piece of ice that looked, according to him, like a Swarovski crystal (and I couldn’t disagree). Giving it a precious kiss, he placed it gently in the center of the zodiac, where it would soon be brought back to the ship and used as ice cubes in our evening night caps at the ship’s bar.
At one point, a chunk of ice sloughed off a glacier, a BOOM resounding through the cold air. The splash was monumental, and the ripples expanded out toward where we were floating and gawking at the spectacle, a safe distance away. It was alarming and jaw dropping in its unfathomable beauty. Unfortunately, this is also another sign of climate change, as global warming has rapidly increased the occurrence of glacial calving in polar regions.
After many of us passengers took the brave jump into the ocean for the polar plunge (YES it was freezing), we gathered on the top deck of the Ocean Endeavour to partake in a farewell lunch. Burgers and pasta salad and fruit and desserts were lined up, picnic-style, and the crew set up tables so that we could enjoy the magnificent view while stuffing ourselves silly one last time on board.
The gentle rocking of the waves, the Kittiwakes making trails in the water and dotting the skyline, the dominating blue and white of the glaciers towering all around us—it was something to behold. A perfect ending to the most incredible adventure of a lifetime.
It’s been a few months since I’ve come back from this expedition, and I’ve taken a while to gather my thoughts and write up these posts. But every time I sit back to send another out to you all, I reminisce with great disbelief that I had actually completed this wild, fascinating, and inspiring trip.
I really do recommend everyone giving Adventure Canada a peek. They are a unique, family-run company that has community and education at its core. And I can’t say enough about the knowledge and kindness of their entire team. You can read more about them in an article I wrote here.
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An update!
While I leave this series of articles about the arctic behind, I am thrilled to say that I am typing up this final post… in SPAIN! I’ve made it across the Atlantic and have settled in to a beautiful apartment in Sevilla. Since moving last month, I’ve also been to Córdoba, Barcelona, and Istanbul.
Suffice to say, I’ve got some new stories to share very soon…
Please do feel free to write back, comment, etc! I would love to chat with you all from afar.