Wow, I could feel my leg muscles this morning after that rock hike yesterday! And if I thought that walk was tiring I was in for a big shock today when we landed near Eqip Sermia, about 70 kilometres from Ilulissat.
Eqip Sermia is almost 4 kilometres wide and 200 metres above the sea. It is one of the largest calving glaciers in Greenland. The emphasis on calving is important as thunderclaps prior to the ice falling in massive quantities happen on a, too regular, basis.Â
The glacier could be seen when we landed at the shore, but to get a real sense of its enormity a walk near to it was on offer and recommended – of course we would be far away from splashing-distance. Carvings can cause tsunamis.
Now the tricky bit, although I did not realise it at the time. The walk was even rockier and longer than the day before… oh, and far steeper.Â
I started, with hiking pole in hand for extra stability, up and over the big and small unsteady rocks. And this went on, and on. Up and down those rocks, never a steady piece of land to relax upon or get one’s balance. After about 45 minutes we came to a fast-flowing stream caused by glacier melt. The beautiful, clear and cold water rushed through the rocks, and we had to clamber over them.
The Expedition Team members were on hand with their sailor’s wrist grips to drag me from one rock, over a rocky piece of wood one boot wide, and onto the next rocks until we were over the wide river.
Then up and up again. Reaching the next ridge I thought we were at the top. I should have learned from the day before. If there is a ridge, there is certain to be another, and another to surmount.
This climbing went on for a couple of hours and I was exhausted. As I clambered my way up others were starting to come down, having made the summit. I looked back, nobody was behind but having come so far, I was not giving up. From the great height I could not see the glacier. John and Dr Dave were on hand to haul me up. It was rather fortunate that the ship’s doctor was with us, you never know when you will need a doctor in these conditions, especially for broken ankles and legs, trips and grazes.
Eventually we reached the summit. No cake and tea on this occasion unfortunately, but getting a closer look at the calving glacier was tremendous, as was seeing its enormity and beautiful white and blue colours. Dark patches could be sediment, laid down millions of years ago.
But the effort to take a closer look at a calving glacier was worthwhile. Even while we were heading back to the ship we continued to hear the thunderclaps and crashing ice from the glacier calving.
Then it was back to base. Yes, it is just as difficult clambering over rocks to get down and I really did not fancy going over that rushing stream again. Part way down it was suggested that us latecomers might be picked up from a closer location by a zodiac. That sounded good to me, I had little energy left. So we changed direction towards the sea. Any distance looks far shorter in the Arctic. The journey seemed no shorter in time, and up and down the rocks we went. I was quite relieved to get to the shore and the waiting zodiac. I was sapped of energy.
Copyright: Words and photos: Sue Barnard 2022