Travelogue: iceberg

Greenland Waters – September 6
Date and time: 06.09.25, 11:15 (UTC -4)
Location: LAT 60.51°, LON 51.38°
SOG (speed over ground): 13.3 knots
Wind: 1.2 knots

The sea is flat today, still and shining after the storms of the past week. Overnight there was practically no wind, and by morning the horizon held a prize: our first iceberg. We could see it from 17 miles away, a pale shape rising above the water with a scatter of smaller pieces around it. Nigel had promised a cap from his company for the first person to spot one, and Beata won it. She was delighted, and so was the rest of us, just to have something to celebrate.

After days of rolling seas, it feels good to walk the deck again. I managed my 10K steps this morning in air that was crisp and clear, and now the day ahead looks peaceful, with the simple task of watching for icebergs and whales.

Baffin Island authorities have asked us to take part in a whale observation program, so the officers have been supplied with guides on how to identify species and log sightings with exact coordinates. We have already seen two whales earlier in the voyage, before the instructions arrived. Next time we will be ready with the details.

For now, it is simply a calm Saturday at sea, the ship gliding smoothly northward, everyone grateful for the quiet.