(The letters/numbers after the harbour name relate to the numbers given to the port in the RCCPF Pilot)
Nuuk (G3)
Although the Nuuk Boat Club marina is reported as only suitable for small yachts, we met a 37’ German yacht who had successfully moored there. We were also offered the possibility of laying up our 38’ yacht for the winter ashore at the marina, but without the benefit of any shore side security.
Aasiaat (G20)
Good quality water can be obtained by hose from the Royal Arctic Lines jetty. There is supposedly a nominal charge for filling tanks, but this was waived when we topped up there.
Laying up ashore is still possible in the ship yard which is under new management, but prices have increased dramatically.
For those prepared to freeze in, it is also possible to spend the winter afloat med moored between the boat yard and a large fixed metal mooring buoy with electrical shore power available.
Ilulissat (G25)
We tried to reach Ilulissat in early Jul for a crew pickup. However we ultimately failed to reach the harbour because in the prevailing conditions (moderate SW winds) the entrance was blocked by ice. We followed the advice given by the local harbourmaster and in the RCCPF Pilot and headed north up to Rodebay before turning southwards and trying to find a route inshore of the bergs but even this ploy was unsuccessful.
In retrospect, Aasiaat, Sisimiut or Nuuk might have been better locations for a crew change relatively early in the season.
Nuussuaq (Vaigat) (G55)
We found this passage to be completely blocked with ice in mid-July and impassable.
Uummannaq (G56)
The ice boom between Kodo and Smedeo was no longer in place at the time of our visit and we were consistently bothered by growlers and bergy bits in the harbour. The local craft avoid the worst of these by mooring in the lee of Kodo or Smedeo, but visiting yachts are obliged to med moor off the western shore opposite the harbour entrance and are exposed to the full brunt of any incoming ice.
The narrow passage between Kodo and the main island of Uummannaq is no longer navigable as it blocked by local fishing craft moored fore and aft across the channel.
The hotel with bar is no longer open. It is understood that it is being converted into a boarding house for the local secondary school. Likewise getting showers in the local leisure centre is problematic.
Fuel is available 24/7 from credit card operated pumps in the small bay just to the south of the main harbour (70 40.39N 52 07.29W). Shoal draft craft may be able to come alongside the fuelling jetty at high tide, but deeper draft craft have to refuel by jerry can.
Good quality fresh water is available from hose at the jetty on the seaward side of the harbour used by local fishing boats to offload their catch (70 40.39N 52 07.14W) just underneath the large jib crane (being careful not to hit it with your mast!). Alternatively you can refill tanks by jerry can from any of the public stand pipes scattered around the town (located in brightly painted blue huts).
There are no public internet facilities ashore, although there is a very fast mobile 3G connection available for those with a Tele Greenland PAYG SIM card or for those prepared to pay astronomic data roaming charges on their normal SIM card.
Ikerasak (G58a)
A delightful well protected anchorage with plenty of swinging room despite the large number of small fishing boats moored in the harbour.
Large quantities of ice are to be found floating up the main channel between Ikerasak and the Drygalskis peninsula, but the prevailing currents seem to keep them clear of the bight in which the anchorage is located. We found this to be a far more sheltered and ice free anchorage than Uummannaq, despite the fact that it is some 20 nm closer to the Qarajaqs Isfjord.
The passage between Ikersak and the 112m high island Qeqertarssuaq is navigable with care and has between 3-4m of water at LW, with the deeper water lying on the Qeqertarssuaq side of the channel. The Ikerasagssuaq passage between Qeqertarssuaq and the Drygalskis peninsula carries far more water. However both of these passages are prone to becoming blocked with ice and under such circumstances the only approach to Ikerasak may be from the NW.
If leaving Ikerasak to the S using the channel between Ikerasak and Qeqertarssuaq care should be taken to avoid 2 uncharted rocks which are only visible at LW (see picture below for approximate locations).
There is a remarkably well stocked store ashore with a surprising range of goods ranging from rifle bullets, International antifouling and anchors at one extreme to freshly baked bread and pastries at the other.
A heliport offers connections to the STOL airfield at Qaarsut.
Fresh water is available by jerry can from the blue hutted standpipes in the settlement and fuel from pumps close to a floating pontoon in the main anchorage (dinghy access only).
Niaqornakavsak (G58b)
We enjoyed a pleasant lunchtime anchorage here in settled conditions, but when returning to seek shelter from an easterly gale, we judged the entrance to be too narrow to attempt under such conditions.
Appat (G59)
This anchorage did provide us with shelter from an easterly gale, without the violent squalls falling down off the mountains we encountered in other anchorages. However the anchor must be dropped extremely close to the shore (<20m) and even relatively small shifts in wind direction made it necessary to re-anchor in a sector of the bay most appropriate to the wind direction at the time. In more settled conditions this might have been avoided by taking lines ashore, but we did not have sufficient confidence in our kedge anchor holding to try this in the conditions we encountered.
Qeqertat (G60)
The anchorage at the mouth of the narrow channel leading into the inner pool, offers extremely good holding in sand. We sat out a full easterly gale without dragging, although the close proximity of rocky cliffs on either side made it a rather nerve racking experience! However in all our time in Umanaq fjord we found no better place to sit out strong winds from the east.
In contrast, the anchorage on the north side of the bay shown on the RCCPF chartlet (anchoring in 10m) has extremely poor holding (thick kelp on rock) and we could only recommend it as an anchorage in the most settled of conditions.
Oxford Greenland Expedition 2013 