It was 1000 miles from Newfoundland to our landfall in Nuuk. Huge icebergs drifting south off the coast in dense fog made the passage particularly challenging. It was one of these slowly traveling giants coming out of Greenland’s glaciers that sank the Titanic. We were lucky to make it into Nuuk wharf before the next gale. Again, we were happy to have a fast cruiser.

Our port of clearance for Greenland was Nuuk. Nuuk is a busy harbor with supplies coming in from Denmark, frozen fish product going out to Europe, cruise ships, and endless small boat traffic from the local fisherman. You need to be lucky to find a tie up. Peaking through the fog, Nuuk’s colorful architecture remind us of Scandinavia.

The harbors of Greenland were rather full with fishing boats that were constantly coming and going. At times, it was hard to find a spot to moor for a couple of days. Greenland’s harbors are definitely not prepared for cruising vessels

Upon entering Assiat harbor, we quickly realized berthage was shared with icebergs and local fishing boats. This small village, with its welcoming Seaman’s home and well supplied Co-ops, made our stay comfortable.

We were amazed at the beauty around us as the fog lifted from this little harbor. We tied up to the vessel of a Dutch friend who had cruised these waters for many years. Wherever possible, we enjoyed talking to locals and experienced yachtsman in the area about highlights and difficulties of navigation along this rugged coastline.

As we departed Greenland for the Canadian Arctic, we continued to dodge the big icebergs in Baffin Bay. Our radar continued to be essential for navigating in fog through these waters. While big to medium icebergs were clearly visible on radar, on foggy days, small growlers (truck size) were often impossible to see until they were upon us. Thor’s hull plating and protected propeller helped ease the fear of a catastrophic impact.