Jim Schroder's Travel

Home
Trips

Select Page

Greenland

Greenland is the world's largest island, located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark

We arrived from Reykjavik to Kulusuk, East Greenland on July 1, 2014. Our first attempt to fly to Kulusuk, the day before, our flight was cancelled, unable to land, due to bad weather conditions in Kulusuk.

Kulusuk airport is on a mountainous island surrounded by ice-filled waters in the least populated part of the country. The airport town is not a roaring metropolis, but just a small settlement with a population of 250 people, for whom income gained from hunting and fishing is as important as any income from the airport.

The airport was built by the US Air force in 1956 as part of the early warning system. Kulususk is the gateway to East Greenland, and the opportunities for adventures on and around the island cover everything from cultural encounters to extreme expeditions in summer as well as in winter.

A helicopter similar to the one we are flying on just came in as we were leaving.

We are flying by helicpoter to our next destination, Tasiilaq. Tasiilaq, the largest town on the east coast, is only ten minutes by air from Kulusuk with an Air Greenland helicopter, or an hour by boat, if the weather conditions are optimal.

A US Coast Guard Lockheed Martin aircraft landed at Kulusuk the same when we arrived. Here the crew is returning to the aircraft. .

The passenger airport terminal at Kulusuk. Notice all the snow around. This is the first of July too.

The US Coast Guard aircraft that had arrived.recently

Our helicopter ride this afternoon takes us to Angmagssalik Island at the mouth of the Angmssalik Fjord and landing in Tasiilaq.. We have incredible views of the ice filled sea below.

Approaching Tasiilaq

Large chunks of former icebergs floating int he bay off Tasiilaq.

Tasiilaq, formerly Ammassalik and Angmagssalik, is a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland. With 1,985 inhabitants it is the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Greenland. The Sermilik Station, dedicated to the research of the nearby Mittivakkat Glacier, is located near the town.

Tasiilaq is located approximately 70 miles south of the Arctic Circle, on the southeastern coast of Ammassalik Island, on the shore of a natural harbour in Tasiilaq Fjord, The fjord is an inlet of the long Ammassalik Fjord emptying into the North Atlantic to the east of the town.

With 1,985 inhabitants Tasiilaq is one of the fastest-growing towns in Greenland, with migrants from the smaller towns and settlements reinforcing the trend.

There are no roads far outside Tasiilaq.

it is the most populous community on the eastern coast,

Tasiilaq has a tundra climate, with long, cold and snowy winters and short, cool drier summers. From time to time, Tasiilaq is affected by piteraqs, winds from the Arctic. . On 6 February 1970 the worst piteraq ever documented hit Tasiilaq, causing heavy damage and nearly ruining the town. Winter winds can hit 111–178 mph. It hit 200 mph in 1970.

A piteraq is a cold katabatic wind which originates on the Greenlandic icecap and sweeps down the east coast. The word "piteraq" means "that which attacks you" in the local language

In Tasiilaq, nature is the all-dominant force that underpins the course of life. This means, for example, that ships only arrive in the town during two to three summer months, as the town is otherwise shielded from the outside world due to ice.

Nuuk is the capital and largest city of Greenland. Nuuk is the seat of government and the country's largest cultural and economic centre. The major cities from other countries closest to the capital are Iqaluit and St. John's in Canada and Reykjavík in Iceland

Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, contains almost a third of Greenland's population. Nuuk is also the seat of government for the Sermersooq municipality. It is located on the wester side of Greenland. It has a population of 18,326.

Our hotel is the Hotel Ammassalik

View from the hotel in Tasiilaq with a soccer field just below the hotel

Helicopter arriving into Tasiilaq air space preparing for a landing from Kulusuk.

Helicopter approaching, in the distance, landing coming from Kulusuk with more of our group.

Helicopter seconds from touchdown

The bay is full of chunks of ice from icebergs breaking away.

The town is so small you can walk virtually every where in the summer months.

The red building is the Ammassalik Museum. It is a small local museum consisting of a cultural history museum housed in the old church of the city, which is placed on an elevation behind the city's harbor. We will visit this later in the trip. Next to the museum and just below we will also visit a old house built into the dirt from decades prior

Large chunks of icebergs have floated only yards from the homes near the harbor.

View from the hotel looking to the left of the village and surrounding mountains.

Our tour director, Beggi, brought in for us, the first evening, a local that is well versed in the traditions of the locals. It was very interesting.

We learned about Greenland's history and culture.

View from the hotel was spectacular looking across the bay with the snow on the mountains, the Ice Bergs floating in the harbor with the homes of locals just in front of us. It is the first time we have seen blue sky and sun since arriving in Greenland.

The sun does not shine a lot here. Ten months of the year everything is covered with snow. The air is very cool in summer.

It is welcoming to see the clean blue sky throughout the area. We are very fortunate to experience this weather.

The Ammassalik area with Tasiilaq and the surrounding settlements is rather isolated, and contact with the outside world is of relatively recent date.

This is an aerial view of Tasiilaq, a photo in the hotel lobby, with the red circle indicating where the hotel is located.

My room looking out to the homes below, the harbor and the mountains in the distance.

View of day light at 11 p.m. in the evening.

Every time I walked by this work shop the name made me a laugh.

And the owner.

Walking inside the local market. The shelves are stocked now because it is summer. The harbor is open for delivery of supplies from ocean traffic to offload for the 10 winter months that nothing can be brought in.

Ammassalik Museum is a small local museum consisting of a cultural history museum housed in the old church of the city. Below the church, in a basement, is the Photo Museum, where art and modern exhibitions are exhibited, There is also access to a smaller library with the museum's book collection. In addition to the two main buildings, the museum has the Chapel and the Turf house. The turf house is open to visitors, who can get an insight into the standard of living 140 years ago.

After breakfast this morning, we walked to the pier for a boat tour with breath taking views of the Apusiajik Glacier. Notice at the top of the hill is our hotel.

While cruising the harbor this morning with bright sun light we circled around many icebergs. The ice looked luminescent almost.

We saw only an occasional boat out on the water.

The massive junks of glacier that have broken lose from the main glacier and are now floating aimlessly in the water.

An iceberg is a large piece of freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open salt water. Small bits of disintegrating icebergs are called "growlers" or "bergy bits".

Because the density of pure ice and of the seawater, typically about one-tenth of the volume of an iceberg is above water.

As the growlers are melting with the sun your imagination creates lots of items in your mind.

The lines in the ice are beautiful how it was all compressed together many thousands of years ago. Here we have a close look of the lines.

Remember this iceberg is only a 10th of the size above the water. 9/10ths is below the surface.

That sun on the ocean was powerfully bright that day we were out on it.

This is a monster several blocks long.

A view of the above ice surface what we see and so much we cannot see under the water.

Let your imagination wander what could this be?

Early morning a local was hunting seals. One was caught and cut it up. They eat it for meat in the winter. The skins are also used.

Fog is pouring over the mountains from the North Sea.

Southern end of Tasiilaq from the water.

The left side is Farinheight. It was just a 10 degrees above air temperature when we were returning to land.

A coastal view of the village.

Coming into dock. What a great morning... but really cold and it is the first of July too.

Another photo of Tasiilaq. A different neighborhood.

Excited to be on top of the world almost literally in Greenland.

The ambulance is used for multiple purposes.

Walking into town I ran across a solemn site. The ambulance doubles as a hearse for a funeral in front of a small church..

We arrive at the Angmagssalik Museum, in the former red church we saw earlier in a photo, and are greeted with a replica of a kayak used hundreds of years ago by the locals to fish.

A photo of Tasiilaq in the winter with the bay frozen over.

Directions around the world.

A day earlier while walking around you saw a photo of the front of the Turf House built under ground. This is the inside of the old Turf House . A guide, from the museum, is telling us about life in Greenland hundreds of years ago.

Now you see the outside of the Turf house located below the museum and see what it was like to live 140 years ago.

The Tasiilaq Museum is housed in the old church built in 1908. It has a wonderful collection of exhibits on the history and culture of East Greenland, including the largest mask collection in the country, some stunning old photos, bead work, traditional costumes and carvings.

Mask Collection is the largest in Greenland

Where did the first settlers of Tasiilaq come from? Due to some incredible archeological discoveries and human remains, it is has been possible to identify that the first settlers of Tasiilaq were were from the Saqqaq culture, originating from Siberia 5,500 years ago.

A bad hair day on one of the masks.

The cemetary of Tasiilaq

Just inland, a short walk, from the village of Tasiilaq is the cemetery.

Guess who found a field of snow in July!

Someone has to those a snowball.

A small beautiful lake of fresh water is located inland walking a short distance.

What do they do in the 10 months of winter drying the laundry?

There is not a lot of jobs locally.

Kids being kids just hanging out in the sunshine.

Walking around Tasiilaq taking in the local sights.

Kids playing in the sunshine.

The Ambulance, Funeral Hearse, local bus does multiple jobs.

Walking around the town

There is a lot of poverty.

Even though it is the first of July the little one is wearing ear protection against the cold..

Looks like Grandpa looking out for his grandson. The sun is so bright even the little ones wear dark glasses for eye protection.

Everyone wsars dark glasses this time of year for eye protection. It is incredibly bright outside. In a few months there will be no light at all during the winter months.

Fire Station

Looks like a fun evening happening with music and getting together.

Fire fighters walking to the music close by to check it out.

Local cleaning a catch of the day. Most likely a seal.

Part of our group walking to the helicopter flight to Kulusuk and then transfer to our flight to Reykjavik.

Beggi holding the flag of Greenland

Landing and departure pad for the helicopter.

Leaving the Kulusuk air pad out and over the bay and then up into the air over the surrounding mountains.

Quickly climbing to a high elevation to clear the mountains departing.

The remains of a former fishing boat now beached next to the Helicopter airport.

A boat graveyard next to the airport

Looking down from the air on Icebergs and enjoying the beauty of them. .

I cannot imagine what it must look like in the middle of January the land and the water coverd in snow.

Looking through the front and side windows of the helicopter through the cockpit ahead.

Beautiful sight looking around the pilot inside the helicopter on a sunny afternoon. .

Final approach to Kulusuk

Glimpse of the small village of Kulusuk

Our plane waiting in Kulusuk for our flight back to Reykjavik.

Last look at Greenland's sheer cliffs after taking off for Reykjavik.

Final glimpse of the eastern side of Greenland and the North Sea ocean covered with ice.

The ocean on July 3 today ice everywhere on the land and sea. . Iceland has been a great experience to visit. The people friendly. It would be very difficult to live in such an isolated country. No roads only helicopters to take you from one place to another. Another great adventure traveling.

[Show thumbnails]

© 2025 Jim Schroder