Icebergs and basalt

 Friday August 29

We awoke this morning to the sight of icebergs all around us, in Disko Bay. The light of the sunrise bathed the eastern flanks of the icebergs with a lovely rosy color. We also watched (and listened) as an iceberg cracked in front of the ship and started gently rolling over. The icebergs drift down the bay from the Illulisit glacier (which we will visit on our return trip in two weeks). There was some concern that the fog from last night would prevent our going ashore. While  polar bears are not expected on Disko Island, it is bear habitat, and in the words of our expedition leader “fog makes it hard to see creamy furry things”.  However, while there were low clouds there was no fog, so we were able to go ashore in the south end of Disko Island for a 3 mile hike across the tundra to a series of waterfalls. 

Autumn has arrived here, and the various lichen, berry bushes and other low growing plants show vibrant colors that complement the basalt pillars and cliffs of the island. 

Disko Island is as far north as Norse settlements extended in the 1000-1500 AD period. The Norse hunted further north in the summer, particularly for walrus ivory which was highly valued. The rise of elephant ivory availability in the 15th centuries contributed to the demise of the Norse settlements in Greenland. 

Disko Bay was unusually calm today, which allowed us to go for zodiac cruises in the afternoon, weaving around icebergs and admiring impressive basalt cliffs. While cooking lava creates the basalt columns, disruptions to the cooling can cause the columns to become misaligned. The result is a swirling pattern of columns and exposed hexagonal bases, in various colors depending on the iron content of the rock or the black algae on its surface. 

Often there is a staged approach to activities, but this afternoon all 14 zodiacs went out at one time, enabling all the guests to experience the geology at the same time. Tonight after dinner we continued to cruise through the icebergs, and were rewarded with a harp seal resting on one (until it got spooked and dove back into the water).

Pictured: sunrise on an iceberg, fall colors at the waterfalls, harp seal, basalt tapestry, iceberg field