07-10-2023
60’55N
040’01W
CG 060
SP 6.5kn
After battling the West Greenland Current for two days we call it quits at Narsaq Kujalleq, or Frederiksdal. An outstanding little hamlet just to the west of the Christians Sund. Two miles across its shores lay the remains of Herjolfsnes, an old Norse settlement. Herjolf Badarson was one of the Icelanders who accompanied Erik the Red and settled here in 986. His son Bjarni Herjolfsson is credited of being the first European to have seen North America. Archeological digs show occupation until the middle of the 1500. The last real evidence of Norse settlement in Greenland.
For us it is our last stop before we start our crossing to Iceland. The basalt rocks tower high above us. At 1800 Herjolfnes is the only spot left in the setting sun. You can see why some one would live there, not a bad place at al. Our last hikers return from their scramble at 1900. Bagged another summit sunset!
At 0600 we are of into the the fjord systeem. Ikerasassuaqq, or Prins Christians Sund is one of the worlds most magnificent passages. Mountains rise to 1500 meters and several glaciers reach the waters edge to dispose their bergie bits in the water. It is not only very pretty it also provides an inshore passage north of Cape Farvel. Normaly the Sund only clears around the end of July and is still likely to be full of pack ice from the East coast but not this time of year. We are lucky with a clear day and no winds, what a sight!
We reach the end of the fjord at 1500 and set a mizzn and a stay sail hoping to use what wind is left to make good speed. The night goes calm but we know what is comming. The forcasted southerlies should give us a good push in the right direction!
All is well Gijs