That’s a mouthful! We stopped at this most remote settlement in Greenland one sun-shining day on August 11, 2024. We pulled on our double-layer coats, life jackets, and boots and traveled by zodiac to the rocky beach at this tiny village on the eastern coast of Greenland, part of the Scoresby Sound. This was a wet landing with no proper dock. The air was crisp and there was a bit of a breeze, so I bundled up, mostly for the zodiac ride. We brought our walking sticks this time which helped to navigate over the rocky slope from the zodiac to the wide road that ran through the middle of this village. We made note of the locals in their pickups and quads roaring up and down the road, making sure to stay out of their way. We were told there was a small grocery store and, at first, we thought we’d like to stop in to stock up on any snacks they might have. In our landing overview the evening before our arrival, our Greenland guide asked us to keep our money in our pockets. She told us about how this village relies on deliveries a few times a year to provide all the goods and most of their food supplies. With winter approaching, the deliveries stop with their little harbor socked in by ice. These villagers need to hang on to what they have. We were told of a local visitor’s center where we could buy homemade souvenirs and other items to remind us of our visit. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the little tourist hut, a line was backed out the door. We decided to skip it.

We arrived just in time to see the sled dogs at their feeding time. The dog huts were scattered along a rivulet of water (creek? river?) that emptied into the sea. The dogs were on long tethers so they could move around securely. The local dog handler was out with helpers filing pails to feed to the dogs up and down the line. There was loud barking going on with a lot of wagging tails and jumping up and down. We watched the dogs for a while and then wandered back to the main street to walk into “town”. I use that term lightly. Most of the buildings, whether homes or storage and public buildings are scattered around the foothills as if they had been thrown out from above, landing willy-nilly in no particular order. Every building is painted in bright, primary colors, mostly red and blue. I’m sure that helps shipping and others identify the place during the harsh winter. They have a small hospital/clinic that is painted bright yellow. There is a heliport that is used for transports back and forth to Reykjavik, if necessary, which is closer (less than 500 mi) than the larger cities on the west coast of Greenland, such as Nuuk, which is 893 miles away…if you could get there at all. There is a small village further south where one can catch a ship As we walked along, we saw a storage area by a house, where sledges and dog sleds were stacked up. Young women with their children sat on their steps watching the wild, yellow-clad tourists wandering about their town. Young dogs, not much older than puppies, wandered around freely.

Some in our group hiked up the foothills to the edges of the settlement and probably got some terrific pictures. We weren’t so ambitious. The locals earn a living through hunting polar bears and whales as well as fishing in the summer. Because of the sea ice blocking them in, the summer months are the most productive. Tourism has become more important with extreme Arctic researchers and expeditions, like us. I can’t say for sure, but like most cruise ship stops, especially in remote areas, I’m sure the settlement gets paid for putting up with us for a few hours.

I walked down a steep slope (all over the place here) and entered a little church. I think I took pictures inside, but my phone recently wiped itself and I don’t think I got everything downloaded before that wonderful techno tsunami happened. Oh well. I’m not sure what denomination the church is, but since the Danes settled here with 80 Inuit and 70 people from a declining village in 1925, it may be Lutheran. A smiling woman stood at the door to welcome us and handed out little leaflets about the church, which I cannot find now. (Sigh).

I found this picture of the church interior, which, although fuzzy, is a fair representation of what I saw. To give you an idea of where we were, focus on the area jutting out on the mid-right of the picture of Greenland. That is Scoresby Sound, which is inside the Arctic Circle. The tip of the land above the entrance to the Sound is where we were in Ittoqqortoormiit. You can get an idea of how the ice will close everything up in winter. Iceland is off to the right, falling off the map.

This is where we were, the most remote place in Greenland. I have to tell you when we crossed into the Arctic Circle, it was mind-boggling. Most of us live our entire lives never once giving a thought to stepping into a place as remote and as beautiful as what we saw when we traveled to Greenland. I am forever grateful I had such a wonderful opportunity to see it. Like it is now and has been for generations. I hope and pray that we continue to respect lands and people all over the world who don’t need to feel our hands grabbing and changing what belongs to them. It is enough to be allowed to visit. Happy travels as we travel through this crazy and exciting life! I hope you enjoyed my post. Like and Comment, please. I’ll see you next time.

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