Dave’s Live from Zuiderdam Voyage of the Vikings, July 30 – Sept. 3, 2019

[esther e]

If you hsve  minute, go into the Pinnacle and look at the ceiling.  I couldn't stop taking photos.  Love your posts.

 

[Nancy&Frank]

I am doing this trip next summer, you are making the wait very very hard.

Loving your blog, thanks for all your efforts 👍🏻

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sunday

 

At about 5:15 a.m., we are heading southwest, approaching the entrance to the sound.  The seas and winds have calmed considerably, and the skies are partly cloudy, with a nice sunrise.  

 

 

 

I can see the mountains of the Greenland coast on the horizon off our balcony.  It is not as cold as the captain told us to expect, at 48F/9C.

 

Here is today’s When and Where:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the fourth and final Voyage Planner:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is great that the seas have calmed down.

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

We are actually in the Sund today, not in the Sunday as my first post was headlined (darn autocorrect).  We are still experiencing some swells as we have yet to enter the sound, but not at all like the ones last night.  We are getting closer to the coast and the mountains we could see all morning:

 

 

 

 

There is fog/mist on the mountains, but the clear blue skies bode well for the transit of the sound.

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

We are getting close to the entrance to the sound.  We are passing closer to the coast, and can see a large glacier.

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

We entered the sound a few minutes before 10.  One of the first things we passed was a weather station, built by the U.S. and manned during World War II and after.  It is automated now.

 

 

 

 

About 10:40, we passed a waterfall, and then about five minutes later, a glacier flowing to the water around a large outcrop:

 

 

 

 

The temperature has risen to 56F/13C.  It is turning out to be a glorious day.

 

More later,

Dave

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, RetiredMustang said:

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

We entered the sound a few minutes before 10.  One of the first things we passed was a weather station, built by the U.S. and manned during World War II and after.  It is automated now.

 

 

 

 

About 10:40, we passed a waterfall, and then about five minutes later, a glacier flowing to the water around a large outcrop:

 

 

 

 

The temperature has risen to 56F/13C.  It is turning out to be a glorious day.

Excellent. I am happy for everyone aboard who gets to see the Sund in all its glory. 

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

We paused by the first glacier and the captain turned the ship so everyone could get a view.  We then proceeded, and a while later, we passed by but did not stop at a small glacier:

 

 

 

At noon, seafood chowder was served on the bow:

 

 

 

Those who wished to have the more traditional soup could get it in the Lido.  Or, if you liked, you could have had both (like me), but you had to go to two different places.

 

 

 

It was quite windy on the bow, but the view was spectacular.

 

 

 

At about 12:30 or so, we came to a second glacier where we spent quite a bit of time.  I did not notice until we got closer that there were actually two glaciers at this point, a large one and a smaller one to the side:

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[Krazy Kruizers]

What a lovely day you are having.

 

Beautiful pictures.

[I Luv Crusin]

Dave,

I love your day by day and now that I've caught up with you I'll go read Santerra's!  😂

 

I was wondering if you noticed how much a night's stay on the old Rotterdam is?

 

It seems that you do many port calls on your own.  Is that because you've been there before or just like to be independent?

 

Thank you so much for your time and effort doing this for us!

 

 

[Sheila2]

Hi Dave,

We are boarding the day you get off.(if they can get you off!). I have enjoyed your cruise vicariously and want to thank you for an amazing experience. Your pictures are amazing. I also want to thank you for giving me so much detail that I have had to accept that I waited too long to do this cruise and now my health will not allow it. At least I got to go with you, so many thanks for that.

smooth sailing until you are safely in Boston.

Sheila

[RetiredMustang]

4 hours ago, I Luv Crusin said:

It seems that you do many port calls on your own.  Is that because you've been there before or just like to be independent?

 

It's basically the first -- we have been to many of these ports before, some more than once.  But, when we do a tour, we generally use the HAL ship-arranged excursions (if we book in time -- we book many before boarding, but sometimes wait to see).  Even in Reykjavik, which we have visited often, we found a new ship's shore excursion that we booked.

 

Dave

[tamsno]

I will also be boarding in Boston for Quebec City with my two sisters and BILs when you return -  one couple's first cruise  It has been so enjoyable to travel along with you. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share your experiences on land and sea.  I was on Zdam when new and I'm pleased to see the ship looking so lovely though quite different in places like the very red dining room it was then.  Smooth sailing now and in the future. 

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

Throughout the day, I took many photos, of another glacier we passed, and lots of mountain scenery:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was superb throughout the entire day!  We were so fortunate to see the sound in all its glory.

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave

[erewhon]

The weather co-operated for your fabulous photos, thank you.

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

The passengers had been donating many items over the last few days to give to the citizens of Aappilattoq, the small village on the sound.  I took a photo of the accumulated loot yesterday:

 

 

 

But when I went to the front desk area a bit before the noon deadline for donations, I saw the same pile.  A front desk member shoed me and others a storeroom where they had stowed even more donated items:

 

 

 

About 3:30 p.m. crew members tarted assembling the items on the deck near lifeboat 14, which coincidentally was just outside the Ocean Bar.  I took a photo of a donation from the crew – you can’t tell by looking, but those trays are the pizzas that were being sent ashore.

 

 

 

We, and a lot of others, were able to look though the bar window to watch the tender being loaded with donated goods, pizzas, and fresh fruits and vegetables:

 

 

 

The tender was then lowered, and made its way to the village. 

 

 

 

About 5 p.m., it was back and hoisted back aboard and we went on our way through the rest of the sound.  The captain announced about 5:15 that we had another 2 or 2-1/2 hours to go in the sound, but would hit heavy seas as we left.  They weren’t expected to be as rough as last night, and would be coming more from the bow, so there may be more pitching and les roll.  He said the seas were expected to be 4 meters, but that he planned to hug the coast and so we would encounter 2-1/2 to 3 meter seas; 10 feet or less.  Still, he asked us to rig for heavy seas again. 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited August 26, 2019 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

26 Aug., Prins Christian Sund (Cont.)

 

After the captain’s announcement, we went into early fixed dining, and enjoyed it very much.  Then we returned to our stateroom to secure it for rolls and pitches.

 

Here are tonight’s dinner and dessert menus:

 

 

Here is tonight’s Lido dinner menu:

 

 

 

More tomorrow,

Dave

[erewhon]

Wonderful to give the gifts to the citizens of Aappilattoq.

[RetiredMustang]

27 Aug., Qaqortoq, Greenland

 

We received a letter from the Shore Excursions staff that told us that our tour to Hvaslo Church and farm ruins had been cancelled because of mechanical issues with the tour operator’s boat.  Disappointing.  So, we will just go ashore and explore Qaqortoq.

 

Here is today’s When and Where:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Qaqortoq port guide:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[erewhon]

Sorry that your excursion has been cancelled.

Enjoy your time ashore.

[puppycanducruise]

Looks like you had a beautiful day.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you had such a beautiful day for glacier watching and scenery viewing.

 

Looks like there were a lot of donations.

[RetiredMustang]

27 Aug., Qaqortoq (Cont.)

 

It was a sunny morning when we anchored off Qaqortoq, and the tenders were lowered:

 

 

 

But the skies became more overcast as the morning wore on, although it warmed up to the low 50sF/15-17C.  We caught a tender about 8:30 or so, and went ashore.  The tender landing was on one side of the main container pier.  In fact, a small cruise ship, the World Explorer, entered port and tied up at the pier.  Just as we came off the tender landing, we saw the tourist info place, which is inside a shop.

 

 

 

 

Qaqortoq has more people and is bigger than Nanortalik, but it is much the same.  Some passengers were taking the guided walks, while others headed out to walk around the lake nearby.  The ship also offered that as a shore excursion.  We chose a less energetic program, of taking a walking tour at our own pace.  First, we walked to the fountain near the port.  The port guide said it was built in 1927 and is the oldest in Greenland:

 

 

 

We then we to the Church of Our Savior, a wooden church built in 1832.  A sign at the tourist info place said that it was closed for maintenance, so we were not able to enter it.

 

 

 

Near the old church, a stream ran through the town, flowing from the lake to the sea:

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

27 Aug., Qaqortoq (Cont.)

 

We walked uphill to the new church, the Gertrud Rusk Church, built in 1937.  It has a plain but pretty interior, and an attractive organ.

 

 

 

 

 

At one end of the church was an open area where I was able to get a photo of part of the town below:

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave