Ilulissat, meaning “the Icebergs”, is the third largest settlement in Greenland with a population of 4,500 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The (Jacobshavn Glacier) Icefjord runs west from the Greenland Ice Sheet to Disko Bay, flowing at a rate of 20-35 metres per day, resulting in 20 billion tons of icebergs calved off and passing out of the fjord every year, eventually running out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Disko Bay has had a rich source of walrus for ivory, seals for pelts, and whales for a variety of materials, with these becoming the main exports and source of income for Greenlandic settlers, who otherwise would not have survived as long.
We transferred off the mothership to a small wooden boat and had an amazing time oh ahing…. and photographing the HUGH icebergs….seriously gorgeous!! Eric, the Ice Master, was on board to talk to us about the various iceberg formations and their probable history. A fascinating afternoon.