The harmony of nature, environment and life on board

P1030642 Tryggvi Scheving Thorsteinsson participated in schooner Opal’s first expedition in Scoresbysund from 24^th to 31^st of July. The explorers visited the village Ittoqqortoormiit and Tryggvi found that to be an interesting experience. “You can sense the isolation when you walk around the village. When you go there you get a feeling, which is hard to describe. We sailed towards the village and there is nothing in the area except these few houses, and as I said it is hard to describe the feeling, but it was extremely fascinating. I had seen a lot of photos from Greenland, but it does not compare to actually visiting the country.”
All the passengers were comfortable during the expedition. “The ship is very suitable for this journey, the cabins are very convenient and the whole ship comfortably designed, neat and exemplary. Privacy is not a problem, since the two person cabins are private. “

The food on board was, according to Tryggvi, very good. “I went with Ómar, the chef on board, one night and we laid a fishing net where a freshwater river flows into the fjord. The passengers enjoyed experiencing the whole process of fishing, cooking and eating. This meal was absolutely fantastic. I also found the dinner we had in Ittoqqortoormiit interesting. It was a lot of fun to talk to the villagers and enjoy a traditional Greenlandic dinner.”

In the crew were; captain Heimir Harðarason, engineer Gísli Arnar Guðmundsson, chef Gunnar Ómar Gunnarsson and guide Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir, but Vilborg was the first Icelandic woman to ski to the South Pole. “The crew was very united and did an excellent job. The atmosphere on board was positive, at all times.”

When Tryggvi arrived in Iceland after the journey, he was browsing the photos he had taken in Greenland. He thought the highlights of the journey were when they were sailing late in the evening and during the night. “We sailed into Hekla Havn, where we stopped first, in the evening and it was simply indescribable. It was fantastic to sail into this small creek, the amount of ice, nobody around and the brightness at this time of the day is incredible. Also, at a specific point in the fjord it is possible to sail all the way up to the high cliffs. There are no shallows, so you can see the 1.800 meter tall cliffs above you and equal distance to the bottom.” What surprised Tryggvi the most was, for example, the extremely blue color of the sea. “The sea is so incredibly blue in this area. Also the sounds of the icebergs how they either break or turn in the surface fascinated me. I had some ideas about Greenland before I went there but this experience turned out to be a lot better than I dared to imagine. The closeness of the icebergs and the cliffs are very different from what I am used to. In fact, it is the perfect combination of the nature and the experience on board the schooner that creates this unforgettable experience.”

Tryggvi has travelled all around the world, to Russia, China, Australia and Africa to mention a few, and he has also sailed on a schooner from Gibraltar to the Kanary Islands. “When I think back, this journey in Greenland surprised me a lot. Both the incredible beauty of the nature and the quietness and also this way of travelling. To live on board the schooner for a week, with 10-15 people, is a fantastic experience.”

Tryggvi definitely recommends this trip, and encourages people to check it out. “If you ever have the chance to visit Greenland, especially explore the area on a schooner, you should take advantage of that once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Dates and prices for Greenland 2014: birna@northsailing.is

Following are photos taken by Tryggvi in Greenland:

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