7/30/2007: Southwest Greenland // Click here to open (or close) the description

In the wake of the Vikings we followed the routes cut by Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson on our second trip from Iceland to Southern Greenland and across the Davis Strait to Baffin Island. We studied Viking history and Icelandic Sagas, visited settlement ruins, Inuit communities, enjoyed the stunning scenery and also looked for wildlife again. Navigating through the narrow waters of Prins Christian Sound with its amazing array of glaciers and icebergs surrounded by steep granite walls and peaks was without question one of the scenic highlights of the cruise. After we had crossed the Davis Strait which separates Greenland and North America we sailed through the magnificent Frobisher Bay to Baffin Island. I had to disembark in Iqaluit, the capital of the newly created Nunavut territory of Canada, while the ship continued the route down the coast of Labrador and Newfoundland to St John’s and Halifax So far, wildlife was not very abundant on the trip which might be caused by extensive hunting and the lack of sea ice. We encountered only a handful icebergs when crossing the Davis Strait which is said to be the “alley of the icebergs” coming down from Disco Bay. The photographs shown in both galleries were taken with Canon 1Ds Mark II and 1D Mark II cameras mostly using the f 4.0/24-105mm L IS and f2.8/70-200mm L IS zooms. For wildlife shots I used the f2.8/300mm IS lens + 1,4x converter. Occasionally the f4.0/600mm IS lens was taken too. For special motifs, the f2.8/100mm macro and f1.4/ 35mm lens came into play. Additionally I used 100F Provia slide film with the Canon 1V camera.