It’s difficult to beat the west coast of Denmark in the summer! Not impossible, but difficult.
Thanks, Jane! I’m pleased we’re here. I mean, I’d like to be in Canada… but you know what I mean. 🙂
Christoffer Petersen blog
No trees in Greenland!
It’s not quite true. There are trees in Greenland, but when you see them, you’ll probably think they are shrubs. Hardy little buggers, but little more than knee high. There are trees in the south of Greenland. There’s an experimental plantation of about 100 trees. One day it might be a small wood.
One day.
It’s going to take a while!
But photos like these show how dependent Greenlanders are (more specifically were) on the sea.
The sea gives meat, vegetables (if you eat the seaweed) and water – lumps of ice for melting.
Chris
Camp chores!
Life is tough!
Paffequtit!
Jane sewed mittens sealskin and leather when we in Uummannaq. In Qaanaaq she switched to knitting paffequtit – wrist warmers. Paffequtit are a common sight in Greenland, worn by men and women. Perhaps mostly worn by women, but after wearing them for a short time, it’s a no brainer! It’s fun to experience just how much warmer you are when wearing them around your wrist.
They can be as basic as you like, as long as you like, and as decorative as you like.
Now, I’m not very handy, but I am very good at placing plenty of orders to keep Jane busy, including an old kindle cover with Smaug and the Lonely Mountain!
Yeah. not quite a wrist warmer, but you get the idea. 😉
Chris
Another view of home
It’s just a lump of rock, really. But it was home for four years. The town of Uummannaq is just out of shot, to the left of the island.
Dirty Lumps!
When the sea ice begins to break up, you get a lot of dirty lumps on the beach. These photos are from Qaanaaq, late June, when the temperatures, wind, and tides decided it was time for the ice to melt.
I may have mentioned before that overcast days are the best days to photograph the ice as the blues really pop! The bluer ice tends to be the really ancient stuff that has been compressed the longest in the glacier.
At least, I hope that’s right. 😉
There is still plenty of ice though, and many of the hunters still have their dogs camped a short walk from the beach. I think “plenty” is a matter of opinion and experience.
Chris