Today we have scenic cruising of Prince Christian Sund assuming the fog lifts. The captain said it usually does once we are in the Sund during his announcement last night.
Prince Christian Sund Morning
I was up at 5:30 and found Steve in the Crow’s Nest. We ordered coffee once the bar opened at 6 am. It was foggy but did lift enough by 7 am we could see icebergs as we went along. Then we could see the lower parts of the mountains.
The scenic photos below can be enlarged by clicking on them. I also put them in time order so you can see the scenery as the Zuiderdam progressed through the Sund.
Below is our position at 7:23 am.
We took turns getting something for breakfast so we didn’t lose our prime seats in the Crow’s Nest.
Scenic commentary by the cruise and travel director, Tjalling, and the destination lecturers started at 8:30 am. We went by Appilattoq at 8:43.
It is a community of about 100 people today. What an isolated life and they don’t have running water.
The community is dying as it has shrunk quite a bit in the last three decades.
We got pretty close to some pieces of ice.
This is the view ahead shortly after 9 am.
Passed this very blue piece of ice at the same time as the photo above.
This is our position at 9:25 am and where it got even more beautiful.
We saw the first waterfall at that time as the fog continued to lift showing us some of the peaks.
This was right in time to start seeing glaciers. It became a feast of glaciers, icebergs, and waterfalls.
The waterfalls weren’t full but they were long!
As we continued moving we could see better the glacier feeding those two waterfalls.
At 10:30 am guests were served cups of Dutch pea soup (with ham) on the bow, promenade, lido, and crows nest.
What a lovely treat even though I was boiling in my chair from the sun coming through the windows.
Yes all the fog evaporated and we had a gorgeous day to transit this sound.
The views continued!
Holland America brought on two ice pilots in Corner Brook and they’ve been helping navigate around the icebergs since we first encountered them on the way to Greenland. There’s also a Holland America corporate ice pilot onboard. We had to slow down at one point where the ice residue from a glacier was heavy but the bits were small enough we could pass.
At one point, Tjalling mentioned we had passed where the Zuiderdam had to turn around on their previous voyage. We were blessed to have been able to go through!
We left our prime position to go to lunch. While there we passed this last glacier (that we saw anyway) and timed it perfectly for when the previous HAL ship, Prisendam, passed us.
The ships exchanged horn salutes. Many people have fond memories of sailing that ship but we never had that pleasure.
Prince Christian Sund Afternoon
The only exciting thing at lunch was an ice cream “social” by the inside pool. Then we headed to our cabin and spotted one last glacier before taking a nap.
We were awakened by the captain announcing the ship had left the sound and a helicopter from the Greenland coast guard was on its way to medevac a passenger who needed hospitalization.
We saw the helicopter head to the back pool and again when it left with the passenger. This picture is courtesy of another passenger.
Also saw the last of icebergs in the distance but didnt’ get a photo.
Tonight is 150th Gala dinner so we wore “dressy”. Before going to the Ocean Bar we stoped at the library to drop off two books. I had gotten a new one earlier.
Then we went to the photo shop to start a package. I put two in it and will add more to my folder as the cruise goes one. I can pick the best five or upgrade the package if5 isn’t enough.
Prince Christian Sund Evening
Then we had cocktails pre-dinner before heading to the main dining room.
If you think about the fact that this dinner is celebrating 150 years (a fantastic accomplishment for any business) the menu is a bit disappointing. No filet mignon, crab cake, lobster, etc. The fanciest thing is probably rack of lamb.
Despite that we had a good and enjoyable meal. At waiting a while waiting for our tablemates we went ahead and ordered.
Right after two show up but the last couple never did. Steve and I ordered the same things until dessert. We started with the jumbo shrimp cocktail.
Then we both had the garden salad. Our entrees were the beef tenderloin with shrimp; mine medium rare and Steve’s medium.
We both enjoyed it. They could have left off a boiled potato :). For dessert I had the flourless chocolate cake and Steve had the Dutch apple pie a la mode.
For me it was the best dessert so far this trip which is high praise!
We told them we won’t be there tomorrow night as we have specialty dining before leaving.
Then it was off to the showroom.
The show was really good with six dancers and one singer. Then we went to the cabin and found a bear!
The only wildlife we saw today other than birds.
The clock goes forward another hour tonight. Below is today’s daily program. Click the image for the full PDF.
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