Arctic
7 mins read
Disko Bay, Greenland: Why This Stretch of Coast Is Called Iceberg Alley
Every summer, off the west coast of Greenland, ice the size of city blocks breaks free from a glacier and drifts silently into open water. Fishing boats slow down. Cameras come out. Quark Expedition Leader David “Woody” Wood, says his team will sometimes cut the engine mid-channel so guests can hear it: a low crack, then a rolling roar, as a slab the size of an apartment building tips into the sea. This is Disko Bay, and locals have a fitting nickname for the water where it happens: Iceberg Alley. Quark Expeditions sails two Arctic itineraries through this region: the 11-day West Greenland: Discovering Massive Icebergs and Inuit Communities, Northbound, where Disko Bay is a headline stop, and the 16-day West Greenland: Exploring the Far North, which adds a push to Greenland’s northernmost communities. Why Disko Bay Produces Such Massive Icebergs The short answer is Jakobshavn Glacier, known locally as Sermeq Kujalleq. It drains about 6.5% of the entire Greenland Ice Sheet and, according to NASA and European Space Agency observations, produces around 10% of all Greenland’s icebergs. It pushes ice toward the coast at speeds that have exceeded 40 meters a day during peak summer flow, among the fastest rates ever recorded for any glacier on Earth. When that river of ice reaches the sea, it does not melt gently. It calves in enormous, sometimes thunderous fractures. This is the source of Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 and the channel through which Jakobshavn’s ice reaches Disko Bay. The fjord acts almost like a funnel, concentrating an extraordinary volume of ice into a narrow channel […]
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5 mins read
Arctic Foxes and Musk Oxen: Life on the Tundra's Edge
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Chasing The Eclipse: Behind the Scenes of an Epic Greenlandic Voyage
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The Lilliehöök Glacier: A Frozen Giant Shaped by Millennia of Arctic Ice
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Isbukta: Glaciers, Icebergs and Kayaking Adventures in Southern Spitsbergen
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Iceland’s National Parks by Sea: Vatnajökull to Snæfellsnes Peninsula
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Cultural Encounters in the Faroes: Local Traditions, Food, and Island Communities
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Alkefjellet: The Steep Seabird Cliffs
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Fair Isle: The Ultimate Hidden Gem for Viking History and Seabird Lovers
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Walking in the Footsteps of the Norse: Sailing Ancient Viking Routes Today
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Jan Mayen: The Remote Volcanic Island Most Travelers Will Never Step Foot On
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The Lesser-Known Westfjords and Remote East Iceland: Hidden Gems on the Voyage
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Kayaking Among Icebergs: A Bucket List Experience in Greenland
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What It’s Like to Sail Across the North Atlantic to the Arctic
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Whales of the High Arctic: Species You’ll Encounter in Svalbard
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Polar Trips Filled with Active Off-ship Adventures
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Practicing Wellness on an Arctic Expedition
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Polar Bear Viewing Ethics and New Distance Rules in Svalbard
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The Power of Solitude and Self-Reflection in the Polar Regions
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Iceberg Photography Tips from Expedition Experts
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Bird Migration Stories: Barnacle Geese in Svalbard
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Learn About the Rich Inuit Culture on an Arctic Cruise
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Discover the Northern Lights on an Arctic Cruise
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Witness the Midnight Sun: An Unforgettable First Journey to the Arctic Summer
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