Greenland's National Day

Overcast but brilliant! Uummannaq has been celebrating their National Day and the introduction of Self Rule including, not least, the UN recognition of Greenlanders as an independent people. This is a major first step on the way to independence.


I was invited to join in the qajaq demonstration and I brought along my modern monstrosity - no offence intended Folbot! ; ) I did okay in the 100m informal race, but I left the rolling to the experts!




I really have to get back into rolling. It has been way too long since I started learning to roll in the swimming pool at Strathclyde Uni. I switched to canoes shortly after that. However, rolling aside, I did get my hand in at fishing today ... literally!


The kids called me over to help them catch capelin that were swimming in huge shoals in the harbour. I took a modest four to begin with but came back for more when Jane joined me with the camera!


It has been a good day - paddling with the pros and catching fish with the kids. A nice way to see in the first day of an exciting future for Greenland!

First day on the water ... finally!

After several days of repairs to the hull of my Folbot Cooper, I was finally ready to get on the water. I have been late this year and I could feel it as the anticipation of paddling began to creep into my bones. Of course, I can feel it now too - in my muscles!


Marie and I took our Coopers out into some fun waves to play around a little. I chose to take the Cooper instead of the Kodiak as I will be using that later this summer on a shakedown cruise to get used to it before the expedition this time next year. Without mentioning too many Folbots ... Jane and I will begin our summer paddling trip in a few days time using the double Greenland II. Can't wait!


Back to today though ... after an hour or so of fun I experienced the highlight of my paddling "career" in Uummannaq. After having taken the boats up by the side of the road, Marie and chatted a bit about the waves, work and what not. While we stood there the chairman of the local Qajaq club drove past. He stopped and said we could put our kayaks on the rack if we wanted to! Amazed, I double checked and then thanked him enthusiastically in Greenlandic.

Feeling honoured we moved one boat at a time only to have a few puppies start chewing on my cockpit coaming while we went back for Marie's boat. A few more holes won't hurt my already patched boat and little can take the edge off my feeling of pride at our new found parking place!

The first days of June

1st June: there is still a lot of ice in the fjord. Small floes and lumpy bits that can easily be pushed aside by fishing cutters but not so much fun for a folding kayak - I have the holes to prove it!


2nd June: the day of the general election in Greenland. For once the nature of Greenland was outshone by the remarkable goings on in the Home Rule Government of Greenland. With the advent of Self Rule to be initiated on the 21st June, Greenland's National Day, it was fitting that the current ruling party, Siumut, that have held power for 30 years, was toppled by a landslide victory for the Inuit Ataqatigiit party. The future of Greenland is about to become very exciting indeed.


4th June: more movement on the water and the bergs are most definitely free to roam, sail, or whatever it is that icebergs do.


5th June: the Cooper is dragged out of storage and put in "dry dock" for maintenance and the patching of holes. You don't need to put holes in folding kayaks but I had way too much fun paddling up onto ice floes last June. Repairing kayaks could and perhaps should be a winter job, but at minus 20 Celsius it was never very appealing, and I don't think the dogs would have been too happy either!


6th June: paddling season can clearly begin! I have heard that some of the locals have already been out in the skin on frame kayaks. I had better get those holes fixed so I can join them.

The Waiting Game

After the icebreaker ploughed a channel through the ice over a week ago it has been very tempting to get on the water. Last year I was paddling by the 2nd of May. I am curious as to whether I will be paddling before June this year, a month later than last.

The shops are well stocked again and there is beginning to be signs of "boat life" out on the water but it will be a least a week or more before any serious traffic will be seen on the water. Right now there are plenty of large slabs of ice to be shoved aside and, having made a hole or two in my kayak last year, I am waiting for a bit more open water before paddling.


The ice situation from the island of Uummannaq deeper into the fjord is still prohibitive to kayaks and smaller craft. I just hope it clears within the next three weeks as my wife and I will be paddling in that direction on our summer holiday. Good training for the expedition and the first time away from the island since January.

Breaking up the ice!

I borrowed this video from our family blog to show the lengths at which I will go to to start paddling!

Okay, so there was a greater purpose for the arrival of the icebreaker from Royal Arctic Line. It will still be a couple of weeks before I can get on the water in the kayak!

End of the season

We still have good solid sea ice but for these two pups and me our sledging days have come to an end this season as work has to take precedence. The 10th graders in Uummannaq are currently taking their end of school exams and I will soon be marking many exam papers from different parts of Greenland. Busy times ahead!

While the sea ice is still thick enough for cars to drive on it is starting to get spongy around the icebergs and the lack of provisions in the local store might suggest that the first supply ship of the year would be very welcome. Until then, life goes on in Uummannaq.

While waiting for the paddling season in Uummannaq you might also want to check out Bryan Hansel's Around the Great Lakes Expedition here. Bryan starts his 5 month long expedition on May 2nd.

Old and New

I built the Kodiak in the living room. Owners of folding kayaks and canoes will appreciate that the obligatory "living room build" is very important. Sure, there is certainly not enough space. Yes, I nearly put the longerons through first the computer screen and later the television. But all this is worth it as you are within the comforts of your own home and, more importantly, away from the hordes of curious onlookers. While it can be very enjoyable sharing the building experience with others it is nice to make those first-time mistakes by oneself!



I am happy to say that the Kodiak is as easy to put together as its bigger sibling the Folbot Greenland II. What took time this first time around was finding all the parts that were carefully wrapped for transport. Adding the velcro for the spraydeck was also a little time consuming, but fun. All in all I used about an hour and twenty minutes to unpack and find everything, add the modifications (e.g. spraydeck) and fiddle. Fiddling with all the bits is interesting and makes for a huge distraction, so much so I failed to check the clock. I am confident that the next build will take about 30 minutes or less.

I was again impressed by the quality of the materials and the design of the kayak. The improved spraydeck which is a lot stiffer than its predecessor is very satisfactory and I would recommend that people buy this accessory. I was also impressed by the contents of the repair kit included with the kayak and feel that a lot of thought has gone into it.

I have now put together several very different folding kayaks and a folding canoe. Of the Folbot kayaks I have assembled the Kodiak is by far the easiest. I have also put together a Feathercraft Klondike. While I must admit that the Feathercraft achieves a slightly more rigid shape the effort involved, read: blood, sweat and tears, makes the assembly of a Folbot very relaxing compared.

Strangely, the more I assemble the modern folding kayaks the greater my interest in actually building a Greenlandic skin-on-frame kayak. Luckily, I find myself perfectly situated to research and attempt such a project. But while thinking of the old I am very content with the new!

It's HERE!

The Folbot Kodiak has arrived in Uummannaq!

My original intentions were to collect the kayak in a box from the Post Office by dog sledge. That may seem cool to us but it is just plain silly by Greenlandic standards! However, undeterred I created this photo op down on the sea ice where I will be starting the expedition in a little over one year from now.



Why, you might ask, have Folbot and I agreed that the Kodiak be sent so far in advance? In terms of shipping, the Kodiak has travelled by plane and helicopter to get this far. We will not get any goods shipped by boat until an icebreaker visits us sometime in May. The sea will still be frozen at this time and perhaps even into June. The expedtion will start in late June/beginning of July in 2010 and if I am going to paddle the Kodiak before then to try it out then I want to do it in good time.

So, Folbot agreed to send the kayak early and I get to put it through its paces, even during ice break up! That's always exciting.


Greenlandic hunters traveled with their kayaks strapped to the sledge in search of open water to hunt for whales. While not as slim as a Greenlandic kayak, I think I have proven that it at least fits on a dog sledge!

Thanks Folbot!

Ah ... winter in Uummannaq!

This is what life is about during the winter in Uummannaq!

Hunters work hard throughout the year in all temperatures and all kinds of weather. They use boats in the period when there is no ice, roughly June to November. They then have a tricky period when the ice is forming in November and December. If they are lucky they can begin to drive dog sledges and snowscooters out to their fishing lines and seal nets from January. The ice season currently lasts from mid-January until late May.


When not working hard, many hunters are playing hard and training for the annual dog sledge races. We have recently had the Greenland Championships held in Ilulissat. Last year the championships were held in Uummannaq. Hundreds of Greenland Dogs were brought to the island. They ran here from several settlements and were freighted in with Sikorsky helicopters. There was easily 1,000 plus dogs here last year!

Dog sledging in Greenland is as much a part of the culture, especially in the North, as kayaking.

There are two seasons in this part of Greenland: kayaking and dog sledging!