Trip to Tunu

Taxi. My trip to East-Greenland to talk to local entrepreneurs/develop an...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:28:44 GMT

Taxi.

My trip to East-Greenland to talk to local entrepreneurs/develop an interest for local business opportunities.

Tunu means "the backside" and is also the name for a large section of East-Greenland. The specific area of my travels were Ammassalik - with visits to main city Tasiilaq, Kulusuk (landing strip/airport catering to planes from Iceland and rest of Greenland) and Kuummiut (settlement). Other local settlements include: Sermiligard, Tiniteqillaq and Isortoq. Except Kulusuk, these towns may only be reach via heli, boat or land (sled/snowmobile...), all depending on the weather!

Photo by Gibbon

Not exactly spacious, but get a window seat and you feel plenty compensated!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:27:31 GMT

Not exactly spacious, but get a window seat and you feel plenty compensated!

Photo by Gibbon

Tasiilaq in foggy dusk

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:30:24 GMT

Tasiilaq in foggy dusk

Photo by Gibbon

Tasiilaq view from Hotel

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:34:24 GMT

Tasiilaq view from Hotel

Photo by Gibbon

Dogs of Tasiilaq Hotel - "Two face" was the shy one. The other one curious...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:31:21 GMT

Dogs of Tasiilaq Hotel - "Two face" was the shy one. The other one curious...

Photo by Gibbon

...and loud!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:32:44 GMT

...and loud!

Photo by Gibbon

Heli shadow on ice. Flying from Tasiilaq to Kuummiut.

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:35:47 GMT

Heli shadow on ice. Flying from Tasiilaq to Kuummiut.

Photo by Gibbon

Local fishers can be spotted by the lake. Plenty of perfect ski lines can be...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:37:44 GMT

Local fishers can be spotted by the lake. Plenty of perfect ski lines can be spotted in the background.

Photo by Gibbon

Classic East-Greenland

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:39:14 GMT

Classic East-Greenland

Photo by Gibbon

Ice cold beauty

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:40:39 GMT

Ice cold beauty

Photo by Gibbon

Arrival/Departure-hall from local settlement Kuummiut. Have boarding pass...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:42:17 GMT

Arrival/Departure-hall from local settlement Kuummiut. Have boarding pass ready; Security check absent; Left baggage will be...erhh... buried by snow?

Photo by Gibbon

Dogs are handy for more than sleds. Boat launching from ice shelf attained by...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:43:54 GMT

Dogs are handy for more than sleds. Boat launching from ice shelf attained by man & dog power. (a full-size dog can pull around 50kg/110lbs)

Photo by Gibbon

Local Dane/Tour operator (TravellodgeGreenland) Lars, getting ready to rev...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:47:45 GMT

Local Dane/Tour operator (TravellodgeGreenland) Lars, getting ready to rev the engine and check out the ice.

Photo by Gibbon

Simple and silent

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:45:42 GMT

Simple and silent

Photo by Gibbon

"Dude! U gonna help pull tis here sled ur wat!!!???" "Yeah'bro! Rite after...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:49:04 GMT

"Dude! U gonna help pull tis here sled ur wat!!!???"
"Yeah'bro! Rite after I'm done wit da twoleggede camerapojntin freakazorus!"
"Is gonna take long?"
"Nah, he be run'outta'town soon. I see fear in za eyes!! Now check tis growl out!!!"
"Im bored."

Photo by Gibbon

Lars working the dogs on a test trip.

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:52:09 GMT

Lars working the dogs on a test trip.

Photo by Gibbon

Sledding away, leaving nothing but tracks. Extra brake-claw can be seen on...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:50:23 GMT

Sledding away, leaving nothing but tracks.
Extra brake-claw can be seen on right side. Even combined with another (step-down) brake, it can be a burdensome task to hold 10 eager dogs.

Photo by Gibbon

Seal-catch from local hunter. Took some "words" to get the dogs to move on.

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:53:45 GMT

Seal-catch from local hunter. Took some "words" to get the dogs to move on.

Photo by Gibbon

Breaks are for resting. Not humoring cameras!

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:56:39 GMT

Breaks are for resting. Not humoring cameras!

Photo by Gibbon

Pelle - always looking for some lovin'! (That is when he is not getting into...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:57:52 GMT

Pelle - always looking for some lovin'! (That is when he is not getting into ranking establishing fights). Notice one leg is "tied up" in the harness - this can be used for slowing the dogs. Ex. when on break incase they start running or controlling speed when starting out from settlement. Don't be fooled: even on 3 legs they can pull hard!

Photo by Gibbon

My transport back to Kulusuk from Kuummiut. Owned by Siggi, the legendary...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:55:24 GMT

My transport back to Kulusuk from Kuummiut. Owned by Siggi, the legendary local Faroese.

Photo by Gibbon

Approximately 400kg/880lbs of seal (Rem sæl/Hooded deal?). Siggi had pulled...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:59:19 GMT

Approximately 400kg/880lbs of seal (Rem sæl/Hooded deal?). Siggi had pulled this seal home for a local hunter, but apparently he never picked it up. So we hauled it onboard...

Photo by Gibbon

Big old seal

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:01:34 GMT

Big old seal

Photo by Gibbon

with big sharp claws

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:02:59 GMT

with big sharp claws

Photo by Gibbon

Hardman Siggi, moving below to hammer away on the cooling system. And yes,...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:03:59 GMT

Hardman Siggi, moving below to hammer away on the cooling system. And yes, guns: He has'em.

Photo by Gibbon

Setting out from Kuummiut, we weren't sure the trip would go. Plenty of ice...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:05:01 GMT

Setting out from Kuummiut, we weren't sure the trip would go. Plenty of ice had formed during the previous night. But Siggi found a way, combining sly navigation and brute force. Several times I thought we'd turn around - which essential would have left me stranded in the small settlement of Kuummiut, for some time...

Photo by Gibbon

6 hours from the onset of the trip we ran into an unbreakable ice-shelf...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:06:09 GMT

6 hours from the onset of the trip we ran into an unbreakable ice-shelf...

Photo by Gibbon

...so bring out the snowmobile.

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:07:36 GMT

...so bring out the snowmobile.

Photo by Gibbon

For 6 sailing hours I hoped the ice would be weak and breakable. The next 20...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:09:02 GMT

For 6 sailing hours I hoped the ice would be weak and breakable. The next 20 minutes were spent hoping for the exact opposite. Note: the rule of the ice probing tool. If it goes through the ice in one hit, the ice is too fragile. Two or more: Your fine...just fine....

Photo by Gibbon

Ziggi blasted our way over the ice. Delivered me at the hotel in Kulusuk...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:10:23 GMT

Ziggi blasted our way over the ice. Delivered me at the hotel in Kulusuk (East-coast airport town). And planed to get back to Kuummiut the same day...Hard man!

Photo by Gibbon