Hazy silhouettes of both pointed and rounded mountains enclosed the harbor. A pink and blue sky waited. A gigantic, yellow spotlight illuminated the pale, cloudless sky. Like partially submerged whales, dark islands protruded from the calm, frigid water joined by drifting icebergs. A lone fishing, the only sign of life, boat traveled along the rocky shoreline.
Daylight allowed a clearer view of the of the rocky cliffs, boulders, and deep ravines. Brownish vegetation filled in the gaps. Variations of brown and gray covered the mountains above bluish, gray water.
A turn of the ship brought an explosion of color. Red, blue, yellow, green, violet, and white sprinkled the area. From the sea to the mountain tops, homes, churches, stores, and other businesses clung to the rocks. Laughing at the drab countryside, colorful buildings giggled with delight.
Tenders deposited passengers into the small town of Qaqortog, doubling the population for the day. Bundled in jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves, visitors blended with residents, who entertained with a series of programs.
The largest church, overlooking the harbor with a wall of glass, provided a musical program. The choir of Innuit, many in traditional dress, blended their voices beautifully with no accompaniment.
At the community center, a slide presentation about the country's history, climate, plant and animal life, industry, and future development gave a better perspective on the isolated island.
The speaker, whose grandfather married an Innuit, was both Danish and Innuit. Native Innuit were joined by Vikings for a time, but they disappeared and probably returned to Iceland or Scandinavia. Later the Danish settled there to spread Christianity. The Lutheran Church was the only church until freedom of religion was established a few years ago. For years only Danish and Innuit inhabited the island. However, recently, people from other nations reside there.
Fishing and hunting are the primary industries with fish, shrimp, seals,whales, rabbit, and reindeer. Though shrimp have declined with the warmer waters, cod have increased. Discoveries of various minerals will probably provide a boom to the economy. Negotiations are being held with multinational countries about the rare earth minerals.
A group of kayakers performed maneuvers with their long boats. Wet suits and a second suit, which closed around the boat opening, provided insulation from the freezing water. Flipping over in the icy water, startled onlookers but seemed normal to the residents.
The nearby market displayed the day's catch. White rabbits, blotched by blood, hung rigidly and laid on the wooden table. Inside the small building, marine life waited to be bought. Remains of a seal head, flippers, and innards laid on one table. Another table held sections of four foot speckled catfish. With mouths open, cod piled on a second table. Plastic bags of blubber were also for sale. All parts of the animals are eaten.
Rows of boats, pleasure and fishing, lined the downtown area. Small boats zipped around the fiord. Two helicopters passed near the ship. One the size of a news helicopter. The other one was much larger and circled the ship at very close range like the pilot was trying to peek inside.
A parade of many types of icebergs lined the fiord offering a send off to the ship's passengers. Tiny growlers to huge icebergs. Almost flat to intricate sculptures. One resembled a gigantic igloo ready for Eskimos to enter. Ridges covered the top like someone had pulled a rake over it. A steepled chapel rested with open doors. Another form looked like a pig's head with its snout pointed skyward. Some had been smoothed by the elements while others were chopped and ragged.
Surprisingly, in the southern part of Greenland, icebergs congregate in the spring and summer but not in winter. Ice from Arctic ice fields break off in warmer weather, drift south along the east ern coast of Greenland, and move into fiords with the currents.
Mile after mile of craggy mountains, winding inlets, and sparkling icebergs led the ship back to the open sea. A few swirling, white birds followed. In the distance, hazy mountains blended with low hanging clouds forming an indistinguishable picture.
Instantly, an intense fog enclosed the ship blocking all views of the beautiful seascape. Like the closing of the final curtain, the performance was over.
