Ilulissat, Greenland: August 1, 2025

View of the Icefjord from Ilulissat, Greenland

We had a bit of a late start for our West Greenland cruise after fog in Nuuk prevented our flight from leaving Newark, New Jersey, until the next day. There were 12 of us marooned in Newark for a second day. We arrived in Nuuk on the day of departure (July 31) and were quickly transferred to the Hurtigruten Expedition MS Fridtjof Nansen. The ship departed that evening. Fog was dropping fast but a bit of a sunset was visible as we moved on. Sunset in Nuuk, which is not above the Arctic Circle, was to be about 11:30 pm.

Our first stop was the next morning at Ilulissat located about 150 miles/240 km above the Arctic Circle. Early morning we shuttled and walked to the beautiful Ilulissat Icefjord. This icefjord, the sea mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq, is the world's fastest moving glacier, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Sermeq Kujalleq connects the 660,000 square-mile Greenland ice cap to the sea. It produces 10% of Greenland's icebergs. The 37-mile long icefjord is growing as the Sermeq Kujalleq retreats at record speed. The glacier shrunk eight miles from 1902 to 2001; from 2002 to 2012 alone, it receded by nine miles. Within the last ten years the glacier has doubled its speed. Today it retreats at a speed of around 40 meters (130 feet) every 24 hours.

The largest icebergs calved by the glacier are the size of 1.5 cubic kilometers (.36 cubic mile) of ice. This is the equivalent of 30 football fields covered by a layer of ice as high as Mount Everest. An iceberg that size could provide water to the population of Denmark for 7 years.

Fog and mist made visibility poor at the Icefjord. Standing at the edge of the Icefjord we were too far away to see the actual Kujalleq Glacier (Sermeq), and there were huge icebergs between us and the sea mouth of the fjord.

After warming up a little in the Ice Center Museum, we shuttled back to Ilulissat to catch an excursion boat to the icefjord for a different view. The fog was lifting and the sun was beginning to peek out. Whales (first photo) and fish are drawn to the nutrient-rich waters. Like snowflakes, each iceberg was unique in its size, shape, and even its color.

The city/town of Ilulissat is charming with its colorful houses built upon rock (the Laurentian Shield). Because Greenland is rock, all pipes to homes and businesses are above ground.

The stated goal of this cruise is to go as far north along the west coast of Greenland as the ice will allow. Once the ice is too thick to muscle through, the ship will turn south.

Tomorrow Uummannaq