East Greenland: Sunrise & Icebergs at Scoresby Sund

October 02, 2016 • Leave a Comment

In the low light of dawn, large shadows drift silently on the water, their rugged shapes adding an element of drama to an otherwise tranquil setting.

I step out on deck and am greeted with a silence that dominates the moment: a loud, thunderous, deafening absence of sound.

There is a chill in the air but with the wind playing no part in the morning’s conditions, the water is motionless and I am surrounded by an invigorating calmness.

The stillness of the landscape begins to break however, as night morphs into day with the rising sun. Warm tones begin to fill the sky and passing gulls reflect in the motionless water, bringing a splash of life to this vast and remote region.

Shadows become shapes, their rough edges softened by the first light of day. They continue to float on the water, dominating the scene as the brightening sky reveals their true form.

Icebergs.

Each one is unique, with a form, colour and texture that tells the story of its journey through the world’s longest, largest and most beautiful fjord: Scoresby Sund.

Scoresby Sund is vast, its remote and its spectacular. Located in East Greenland, its tree-like network covers 38,000 square kilometres and stretches 350km inland. It weaves its way through a diverse landscape of glaciers, rock and tundra, sitting beneath the midnight sun in summer and the northern lights in winter.

And It features one of the most iconic elements of the Arctic - the icebergs that are choking the fjord in front of me, rewarding my early rise with an unforgettable start to the day.

Each one has a different destiny. Many will break into smaller pieces as they drift through the water. Some will ground in shallow parts of the fjord, ending their life being passed instead of passing. And others will successfully navigate their way towards the freedom of the open sea.