#1 Greenland Adventure

The Greenland Expedition #1

Greenland? Why Greenland?

Good question and one I was asked a few times while planning this 2022 summer trip, but why not?

First, for the past several years we all have been hearing about the melting icecaps on both North and South Poles (Arctic and Antarctic) – if you have been paying attention to those environmental reports about the worsening climate change conditions.

Greenland, the largest island on the planet, holds the largest icecap, one that has considerable influence on the Earth’s temperature and weather patterns. This massive icecap is melting – rapidly – resulting, in part, for the rise in Earth’s temperature and more and more, a rising sea level. Those effects are becoming more evident each year with hotter temperatures, more violent and more frequent storms, less snowfall in the mountains (the lack of sufficient snowfall in the Rocky Mountains has resulted in less snowmelt that feeds the Colorado River which in turn supplies significant amounts of water to the desert Southwest, including Phoenix, Arizona where I live). 

But not only a lack of water here in the Southwest US but more flooding is also happening around this country and the world. Simply put, the planet’s weather is changing in dramatic ways that are persistently more destructive. 

Because of these conditions, I wanted to see, for myself, how the icecap is melting. It is unlikely that I will return to Greenland to visibly see how much the retreating glaciers are melting over the next several years, but going there now and being told and shown how much melting has already occurred would give me a better idea of how much has actually changed and what might be expected if things are unchanged in my lifetime. /image

So, first, I wanted to witness how much the Greenland icecap has / is changing to better understand how it is affecting the planet. To be clear, however, the melting icecaps are not the only contributor to climate change. As I understand it, the icecaps on both the North and South Poles are one factor as regulators of the Earth’s temperatures.

Second, I wanted to learn more about the history of Greenland, how the people live, their traditions, food and culture.

Third, Nature and natural beauty are always a top priority for me. Being in nature is calming and contemplative for me. Most of my past travels have been to forests and mountains. What would Greenland provide with its colder climate and more barren landscape?

Although Greenland is a massive island, its meager population is concentrated in smaller towns and villages along the west, south and east coasts. The capital of Nuuk on the western coast is the largest city with a population of abut 15,000 and the total countrywide is a little over 56,000. The official language is Greenlandic and several other native dialects, plus Danish. Greenland is a part of Denmark. 

Fourth, Greenland is relatively close to Iceland making it a reasonably reachable place and essentially a place that I would never have a better chance of visiting while in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Fifth, glaciers. I wanted to see and experience glaciers up close and personal – and I did!

That lays a groundwork for wanting to visit Greenland. 

It was more than I expected. Although the tour company that made our preparations, Tasermiut, had descriptions in their travel itinerary, seeing, first hand, is always more revealing and eye opening.

My trip would be exploring in Southern Greenland.