Traversing the Northwest Passage
1 - 27 September 2025

21 September 2025: Day 21

Cruise Day 14: Greenland: Nuuk - the end of the cruise

Introduction

We woke to find the Greg Mortimer tied up at the wharf at Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, and our departure point. We had our departure instructions, our time and our bus number: 0915 Bus #2. Our last breakfast was at 0800, the same time as our luggage needed to be outside our cabins - for once our luggage was collected immediately (in fact the first time ever on an organised tour). We were soon off the ship, saying farewell to the crew and then onto "Bus #2" for a tour of Nuuk, before travelling to the airport. We drove around Nuuk, noting it was largely apartment blocks of many colours interspersed with boat, quad bike and snow mobile parking lots. The tour took us past the new airport and runway and the nearby cemetery for a view over the fjord. We alighted at the Nuuk Cultural Centre for a sampling of local foods and delicacies, then we were free to wander the streets (with a local student guide) for a while. We walked down to the old wooden Church of Our Saviour and the adjacent Hans Edgede Statue on the hill, past the Jonathan Petersen Monument before arriving at the "Mother of the Sea" Statue. Further on we visited the Greenland National Museum before returning to the Cultural Centre and adjacent Nuuk Centre shopping mall.

The day's instructions - no Plan A.	The Greg Mortimer at dock in Nuuk.	Where we had been.
		That's us!
And my cousin Cathy.		What we saw.
Look at all the rubbish!	The crew escaping...	Our luggage - yes I can see our bags in there.
Looking over Nuuk Harbour	The bus tour
The range of apartment blocks
	Everybody owns a boat!
		Where our rubbish ended up - the incinerator.
Identical blocks in yellow...	orange...	and greenm.
		The new international air terminal.
	No Entry. Stop. NoS dogs (but does this mean the signs don't apply to dogs?)	Art - based on Inuit skinning knives.
Nuuk Cemetery with the best view over the jford and icebergs.
		The Cultural Centre
		The Greenland Parliament in Nuuk
Candles left on the steps for the parliamentarian who died unexpectedly a few days earlier - which had led to the flags at half-mast when we were in Illulisat.
The old wooden Church of Our Saviour	Looking down on the church	and across to the communications facility.
		The Statue of Hans Edege above the Church. Hans was the missionary who founded Nuuk in 1728.
Memorial to Jonathan Petersen (1881-1921), near the church. He was a songwriter who composed the music for the Greenland National Anthem.
Sedna, the "Goddess of the Sea" in Inuit mythology. She is submerged at high tide and fully exposed at low tide.		Kayaks in a rack - well itis the home of this means of transport.
		More artwork - natural this time!
	Stone memorial to the Danish Royal Visit, 1921.
		Part of the National Museum. Vats, presses and tubs to render blubber to make "train oil".
		Back to the Cultural Centre
and the Nuuk Centre - the shopping mall.	Bus #2 taking us to the airport.
The B737 that took us to Toronto.	Taxiing for take-off.
		Views of Nuuk as we departed ...
	and views of Toronto as we arrived.

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Last updated: 22 November 2025