We are on top of the world. Not literally of course – although we are at 70.67 degrees N, so pretty close to the top of the world – but, figuratively speaking, we could not have had a more spectacular day. We woke up to panoramic views of Uummannaq: colorful buildings, icebergs, and a heart shaped mountain top. We spent the morning exploring Uummannaq. We explored the museum, visited an art exhibit, and listened to traditional cultural drumming. We also applied what we have learned about visual storytelling through photography, thanks to photography instructor Kim Nesbitt and National Geographic photographer David Wright.
After lunch we explored Qilakitsoq, a remarkable archaeological site where eight perfectly preserved mummies were found in 1972. We learned that these mummies date back to 1475 AD, and as we hiked up the steep rocks we thought about what life would have been like for this community of people. Our day ended with a literal splash when, during our iceberg Zodiac tour led by undersea specialist Paul North, we saw a piece of an iceberg calf off into the ocean.
As we approach the end of this expedition, we are so thankful to be representing the Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship. We are part of the first cohort of teachers back on board since the pandemic, and we are grateful to everyone for making this an unforgettable experience, from the Lindblad personnel to staff, crew, and officers. We would like to thank the guests for making us feel so welcome on board; it is amazing how connected you can feel in just a few days. We are, as we said, on top of the world.
