Kangerdluk 60:08N 43:36W
Millybrown
Mark Hillmann
Tue 5 Aug 2008 21:01
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We left the hospitable radio station and it was
afternoon when we set off up Prins Christian Sund.
We motored and sailed a few miles up,
repeating "very spectacular" to ourselves
 Then we got to a glacier discharging down a
steep icefall section and into a side fjord, so we motored in.
These are seals lying on a flow below the glacier
face. The water was littered with small pieces of ice which we motored
carefully round. It was not too difficult to avoid as it is all a
florescent white or blue.
There were icebergs in the channel beyond, real
proper icebergs.
 We anchored for the
night a little further on, in another glacier valley, but with a little
side valley with shallow water.
Most of the fjords are over 100m deep and you
would not want a thing like this, that you get in the fjords, nudging you
at anchor.
 Here we are peacefully at anchor with a few
flows around.
We rowed ashore in the evening for
a walk. There were seals fishing vigorously, tiny fish leaping in the air
to avoid a seal charging about. When they dived there was no quiet
slipping under water, but tail splashing crash dives.
The night was not peaceful, Sigrit was woken
by the seals barking then later the tide carried lots of small bergs
past us. One went aground beside us and we were in 5m of water.
When they caught the anchor chain and
then slid down the side the noise was alarming.
I went on deck and let out the rope that
follows the chain. I fended off bergs in my pyjamas and no shoes for about
half an hour. By then my feet were definitely cold. When the bergs
thinned out a bit I gave up. They carried on occasionally sliding slowly
down the side and then it went quiet.
Later the tide turned and the .. things floated
back past us, but either more quietly or I was more deeply asleep. Next a
larger piece came off the glacier and we rolled vigorously.
Not a peaceful night, but the paint not scratched
and perhaps some weed was rubbed off.
I
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