Exploring Modern Arctic Life - Expedition part 8

Expedition – Arctic voyage September 14, 2011

Today was our one visit to an Inuit village in East Greenland – Ittoqqortoormitt. The population is about 300 people. Polar Cruises had arranged for the Hong Kong students to tour the school and meet some of the students. The school is very well equipped with a great science lab, wood shop and the latest in electronics like smart boards and overhead computer projection system. The school has student from first grade through high school about 90 students in all, and there is a separate kindergarten in the village as well. So children make up more than one third the population.

We met some of the students at the small museum and the big question was whether Conrad one of the local boys had a girl friend – the question brought laughter from both the Hong Kong and local girls.

Part of our tour included a trip to one of the dog farms at feeding time.  Along the way a mother husky and her pups joined us. The dogs were a big hit with everyone – however they are not pets – they are working dogs – pulling sleds in the winter during the weekend hunts. The dogs were being fed seal meat.

The graveyard is built above ground - a reminder of our earlier visit in Spitsbergen to Gravneset.

Walt our WWII weatherman donated a plaque and book to the museum and was given a personal tour of the new modern weather station in the village.

Photo provided by Expedition's log

There was the opportunity to have your photo taken with Carol a docent from the visitor’s center, taste musk ox, and of course shop for souvenirs!

Our afternoon landing was at Hurry Fjord - our final walk on the tundra before setting sail for Iceland through the Denmark Straight.

If you would like to visit a village in Greenland give us a call 541-330-2454 or in the US and Canada 888-484-2244 or visit the website:

http://www.polarcruises.com/arctic

Blog post by Sharon Keating
To view other posts from this voyage return to the main page.