Our arrival in Qaanaaq was well timed, providing ample time for a leisurely lunch. When we turned into the fjord of Qaanaaq, we were greeted by icebergs, which got bigger and more impressive the further we continued into the fjord.

Qaanaaq actually is a child of the cold war. The original settlement was in Thule a rough 150km South; however with the growing US Airbase just across the bay, the inhabitants of Thule got moved to this location and Qaanaaq – at its current location – found.Today Qaanaaq has about 650 to 700 inhabitants.

Once we were close enough to the settlement, the zodiacs were prepared and then started shuttling between the ship and the beach. We now had time to explore Qaanaaq, walk the streets and take in the vibe. Similar to previous settlements also the people of Qaanaaq still exist of fishing and hunting – evidence of which was visible everywhere around us … from bones to animal skin, even teeth of narwhales.

In town most first had a look into the supermarket, to then continue to the small church (where Jesus goes German and is wearing blue socks in his sandals – an adaptation to the local conditions – or would you want Jesus to have cold feet?) and on to the small museum. Some continued further to the cemetery for some good vistas of the village and the bay. Very few made it further than that (including myself) and were rewarded by great views further down the fjord.

Once everyone was back on the ship (including the zodiacs), we left the fjord and continued our journey,  now heading for old Thule.