Planning for 2011
Greenland & Iceland

Trip#	Period	Price	Ship	Remark
XI	27 August -17 September	€ 4900	Jon. IV	6 places left

For 2011 we are intending a sailing expedition to North East Greenland, an extremely remote and seldom visited sailing ground.

 

We intent to leave from Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen (Svalbard) 27th of august and be out for 3 weeks. Ending in Aukureyri on the 17th of  September. Late in the season it might seem but it will be the best period regarding the ice on the Greenland coast

With Jonathan III and IV we sailed to the area in 2004 and 2009. Years with easy ice conditions by Greenland standards. So we sailed as far north as Kongs Oscar fjord and even Geologenfjord at 73 North.

For 2011 we intent to enter Greenland as far North as the ice permits and then slowly make our way down the coast. If there is too much ice on the Greenland coast we will sail to Jan Mayen and then find our way to the Greenland coast a little further south. We will try to visit the only Inuit settlement on this stretch, Scooresbysund. On this coast there are some stations that belong to the Sirius patrol. A Danish organized dogsledge patrol that controls the North East coast during the winter. Apart from that, there are remains of  Inuit settlements and old trapper huts to visit.

The main reason to go to this area is the stunning nature and the incredible huge icebergs that float through the fjords. Their shapes seem to inspire everyone’s phantasy. Discribtions of crocodiles to Napoleon’s face have passed over Jonathan’s decks. In 2004 and 2009 we met closely with the prehistoric looking Musk-oxes. Although it more reminded me of Rasta dreadlocks then anything else. Arctic hares were easy to approach after giving them time to trust those funny looking creatures with there daypacks. And off course we might see the king of the Arctic, the polarbear. The last days of the trip are planned for North-west Iceland. A very nice area for some good hikes and it will give you a nice impression of this versatile land.

For this is a real expedition we expect our crew to be in good health and condition. We will have to find our own way and Jonathan IV is now fitted with a forward looking sonar for this trip. For this area is so seldom visited the charts are not very detailed. Although we are sailors to get to the area we are hikers too once we get there. We do not intent to race down the coast to visit as many places as possible. No we like to experience the place before we move on again. A bit early to tell but we might even try to take some folding kajaks along.

Jonathan IV will be equipped with all necessary safety equipment and in addition to the skipper there will be a professional crew. The boat will hold the MCA certificate for unlimited sailing. We would like our guests to participate in the sailing routine when we are doing the crossings. If you are not a sailor do not worry, there are plenty of other ways to give a hand. And if you just want to enjoy the crossing, that is fine too.

The cost for this trip will be € 4900,-. All included, except alcoholic drinks and transfers to and from the yacht. All guests must have a specific travel insurance covering this area of East Greenland.