Myggbukta, Greenland, 7/29/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Greenland
Although there was fog and rain, we made a landing and enjoyed our walk at Myggbukta. As they say, fortune favors the bold, and indeed, at the end of the day we spotted our first polar bear swimming in the ocean! A very well rewarded moment that will stay forever in our minds.
All photos of the polar bear were taken with a 600mm lens from a great distance, according to the established guidelines regarding wildlife.
Maria Intxaustegi is an internationally awarded maritime archaeologist, naval historian, commercial diver, professional offshore sailor, and expedition guide from the Basque Country.
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It is early, 6:30 AM, but the sun has been up for a couple of hours since it is still summer in Iceland. We are making a landing at Vigur Island, a working eiderdown farm and a sanctuary for all birds. The eider like to nest where there are humans as it seems to make them feel safer, and the down is collected only after the birds have finished nesting. A short walk proves that it is not just eider nesting here. At the walk’s end there was coffee and tea to go along with traditional Happy Marriage cake made with locally grown rhubarb. It was an enjoyable end to a very enjoyable excursion.
Trying to avoid the low pressure that is passing by the strait of Denmark right now, we decided on a bonus morning landing inside the Romer Fiord. Under a beautiful sun, guests disembarked to walk and take in views from the fiord. Through a scope to spot wildlife, we saw a walrus taking a nap on a piece of ice far away. By afternoon, it was time to say goodbye to Greenland and start heading back to Iceland. We enjoyed lectures from our naturalists and a wonderful teatime. We finished our day with a traditional Filipino dinner. We are ready for you, Iceland!
We explored columnar basalt, icebergs, and waterfalls at Vikingebugt, and we hiked on a moraine beside the glacier at Terrassevik. Our young travelers share impressions with us today… This trip has been amazing! The ship is so nice. The food is great. The hikes have been cool, and don’t get me started on the polar bears. We have done lots of kids’ meetings with Steve, and we visited the Bridge and took a tour of the Zodiac garage. My all-time favorite was getting to drive Zodiacs! Getting to today: a polar bear sighting woke me up! It was magical. Later, we went on a Zodiac cruise with amazing waterfalls and views. I love all the flowers and plants, too. It was a great day, and so was yesterday. The crew band was so talented last night. –Calla, age 14 The coolest part about our day was the ‘Mario’ hike. These strenuous hikes are the highlight of the trip for me. They let you see the ship and the area from a different point of view, and they make you work for it. –Macord, age 17
