By now, this years dog-powered vacation feels ages ago, just about one month after it came to an end. But since I promised to do a ”Part 2”, I will :-).
The second part of march and first week of april, Ingkasi and I did a couple of guided dogsled tours. So yes, I was still on vacation, having a break from everyday life and duties in Ittoqqortoormiit, but on the other hand, I was at work. The kind of work, I enjoy the most…

Vavaqa enjoys working, too … especially at lunch-time

Our first trip brought us back to Jameson Land – this time we travelled through Gåseelv, the river just north of Constable Point, up to the plateau to look for musk-ox. The temperatures dropped down to about -28 degrees Celsius, and when a storm approached, we decided to head back and spend a night at the airport. After spending the former nights at hunting cabins and in our tent, the heated rooms and delicious meals at Constable Point felt like heaven. Next morning, well rested, we left for Cape Hope, where another storm waited for us. On that first trip I hardly took any pictures. Taking care of not just my dogs, but also another person on my sledge, in bad weather, did take most of my attention.

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Our next trip, at the end of march, brought us to Carlsberg Fjord. This time, the weather was much better. Our mission was to transport two skiers and all their gear for their month-long journey somewhere close to their starting point at Carlsberg Fjord. It took us two days to get there, and two days to come back home.

In Klitdal

With the skiers, at Carlsberg Fjord, we left one of my dogs, named Kaju, who was going to accompany them on their journey. His father, Traktor, was one of the first dogs I bought when I moved to Ittoqqortoormiit in 2006, and, quite a character, he became my favourite dog. When Traktor died in 2011, his son, Kaju, born in 2007 as part of the first litter I brought up myself, took over his fathers special place in my heart. I was going to miss him!

Kaju

Ingkasi has been on several hunting-trips by dogsled into the National Park, as far as Daneborg. That was before I met him. A month-long dogsled tour into the National Park is still on my list about things to I definitely want to do in the next couple of years. At Carlsberg Fjord, I felt a bit closer to that dream, and I promised myself to make it come true.

A beautiful morning …

… at Carlsberg Fjord

I really didn`t want to go home, didn`t want to leave this amazing landscape, that morning. But for this time, I had to leave Carlsberg Fjord and the North behind, since we had made plans with other clients in the days to come.

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Our next trip brought us to Kap Swainson. It was a welcome change to get out to the sea, after spending much time in Hurry Inlet and Jameson Land previously.

Kap Swainson – view towards the ocean – next stop – Iceland

We did enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the well-furnished cabin. Hunting conditions, though, were disappointing, due to the lack of safe sea-ice in the area.

Huge ice-blocks, washed round by autumn and early winter storms, were almost surrounding the cabin …

More than enough ice to melt for making coffee …

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On our last trip before Easter, we found ourselves up in the hills behind Kap Hope, enjoying the view down at the mouth of Hurry Inlet and Scoresby Sund.

A beautiful day in the beginning of april

So, that was my spring break :-).

I will soon be back with news about a recent happening in Ittoqqortoormiit!