Today we awoke with a certain sadness as it was to be our last full day on our Epic 80°N journey aboard the National Geographic Explorer. But our melancholy wasn’t to linger long as more adventures lay before us. Originally we had planned to spend the morning cruising the coast of Greenland, but as was often the case with this expedition, we changed our plans when new opportunities arose. Instead we decided to visit Kangaamiut, a small fishing village south of Kangerlussuaq. Like so many other towns on the west coast of Greenland, Kangaamiut was delightfully picturesque. Quaint houses of red, blue, green and yellow were perched above a narrow harbor where fishing boats swung on their mooring buoys. The weather was incredible so we took the opportunity to walk about town as we pleased, stopping here and there to enjoy a view, or to admire the beautiful gardens, or simply to say hello to the friendly Greenlanders who call this town home. Those who engaged with the locals learned that the hunting season had just begun, which meant there would soon be fresh reindeer and muskox on the table. Skins and antlers from these animals adorned many of the homes. Several guests climbed the long stairs that alternated with steep bare rock to a hilltop overlooking the fjord and coastal waters. The view from there was spectacular and well worth the effort.
Once back on board, we made our way to the lounge to watch the Guest Slideshow. Throughout the voyage, guests contributed some of their favorite images from the trip and photo instructor Eric Guth assembled them into an enjoyable slideshow. We couldn’t help but laugh as we looked back at the adventures that we have had. When the slideshow was over, Captain Skog toasted the journey and offered a final farewell. We all agreed with him that this truly was an epic journey that we won’t soon forget.
