A very special day unfolded for guests aboard National Geographic Endurance today as we continued our eastbound transit of the Northwest Passage. Today marks the 117th anniversary to the day of Roald Amundsen’s visit to Cambridge Bay during the first successful transit of the Northwest Passage. It was even more special because it was our first visit to a community in Canada, where we got a view into the life of people who have made this place their home for generations. We were honored to be escorted around the town by local guides and community representatives. We left the bay as the sun broke and couldn’t have felt fuller.
8/28/2022
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National Geographic Endurance
Sisimiut, West Greenland
In the early morning, the town of Sisimiut came into sight. This is the second largest town in Greenland and the largest city of the Qeqqata municipality of West Greenland. Sisimiut means “the place of the fox holes,” and it is a former whaling port. Many guests chose to join a guided tour in the center of town, and the most eager walkers went on a long hike to a Thule cultural heritage site outside of the town. Everybody had the option to visit the local museum, and they were treated to a generous taste of traditional Greenlandic food. Just before lunch, a kayaker from Sisimiut demonstrated impressive kayak skills, including the so-called “Eskimo Roll,” which we observed time and time again. In the afternoon, geology professor Joe Holliday gave a great lecture on Greenland’s earth science: geology, oceanography, and ice. At tea time, we enjoyed an Ice Cream Social. Today was the last day of our amazing voyage aboard National Geographic Endurance . Our expedition from Nome through the entire Northwest Passage, all the way to Greenland, has left us with a plethora of wonderful memories: meeting people from cultures of the High North, observing stunning sceneries, and witnessing incredible and rare wildlife encounters. We have gotten new insights into natural history and polar exploration and a glimpse of what it is like to live at the very edge of human existence on our planet. We have been incredibly fortunate to enjoy this beautiful part of the world. What a remarkable experience with so many memories to take home!
