Sermilik

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Sermilik
Egede og Rothes Fjord (Danish)
Helheim Fjord in eastern Greenland.jpg
Helheim Fjord, part of the Sermilik system.
Greenland edcp relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Sermilik
Location in Greenland
Location Arctic
Coordinates 66°0′N37°52′W / 66.000°N 37.867°W / 66.000; -37.867
Ocean/sea sources North Atlantic Ocean
Basin  countries Greenland
Max. length81 km (50 mi)
Max. width14 km (8.7 mi)

Sermilik (Danish : Egede og Rothes Fjord) is a fjord in eastern Greenland. It is part of the Sermersooq municipality.

Contents

The settlement of Tasiilaq is located about 15 km to the east of the mouth of the fjord.

Geography

Sermilik
Sermilik

This fjord, whose Greenlandic name 'Sermilik' means 'place with glaciers' is located at the southern end of King Christian IX Land, west of Ammassalik Fjord. It is one of the largest fjords in the southeastern coast of Greenland. Its waters are fed by the Helheim Glacier, Fenris Glacier and Midgard Glacier among others. The fjord stretches inland in a roughly northern direction and splits into two branches at its head —at the southern limit of Schweizerland, the western one being the Helheim Fjord and the right one the Ningerti. [1]

Sermilik's mouth is located between Kitak Island and Cape Tycho Brahe in the Denmark Strait area of the Atlantic Ocean. Kangersivartikajik is the next fjord to the east along the coast. Near the fjord's entrance on the western side there is the island of Qeertartivatsiaq at the mouth of Johan Petersen Fjord and its eastern branch, the Stoklund Fjord. Sermilik is surrounded by jagged mountainous landscape and its coast is mostly very irregular and steep. [2]

History

Initially Fridtjof Nansen had thought that Sermilik would offer a route up to reach the ice cap for his projected westward overland crossing. On 3 June 1888 Nansen's party was picked up from the north-western Icelandic port of Ísafjörður by Norwegian sealer Jason . A week later the Greenland coast was sighted, but progress was hindered by thick pack ice. On 17 July, with the coast still 20 kilometres (12 mi) away, Nansen decided to launch the small boats; they were within sight of the Sermilik Fjord, which Nansen had deemed a good place to reach the ice sheet in order to cross it and reach Christianshåb. [3]

The expedition left Jason "in good spirits and with the highest hopes of a fortunate result", according to Jason's captain. [3] There followed days of extreme frustration for the party as, prevented by weather and sea conditions from reaching the shore, they drifted southwards with the ice. Most of this time was spent camping on the ice itself—it was too dangerous to launch the boats. By 29 July they were 380 kilometres (240 mi) south of the point where they had left the ship. On that day they finally reached land, but were too far south to begin the crossing. After a brief rest, Nansen ordered the team back into the boats and to begin rowing north. In the end Nansen finally began his crossing at Umivik Bay. [4]

Seal hunting vessel Jason stuck in the ice off Sermilik in 1888. The ship had the members of the Greenland Expedition on board. No-nb bldsa 3b098.jpg
Seal hunting vessel Jason stuck in the ice off Sermilik in 1888. The ship had the members of the Greenland Expedition on board.
Nansen's 1888 route across Greenland showing Sermilik and Umivik in the east coast. Nansen Greenland Crossing Map af.png
Nansen's 1888 route across Greenland showing Sermilik and Umivik in the east coast.
Map of Ammassalik Island with Sermilik in the left. Angmagssalik map.jpg
Map of Ammassalik Island with Sermilik in the left.

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

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Tasiilaq, formerly Ammassalik and Angmagssalik, is a town in the Sermersooq municipality in southeastern Greenland. With 1,985 inhabitants as of 2020, it is the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Greenland. The Sermilik Station, dedicated to the research of the nearby Mittivakkat Glacier, is located near the town.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midgard Glacier</span> Glacier in Greenland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Sermilik</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umivik Bay</span> Bay in Greenland

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King Frederick VI Coast is a major geographic division of Greenland. It comprises the coastal area of Southeastern Greenland in Sermersooq and Kujalleq municipalities fronting the Irminger Sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by King Christian IX Land on the north and the Greenland Ice Sheet to the west.

Ikersuaq, old spelling Ikerssuak, is a fjord in southwestern Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Kujalleq municipality.

Griffenfeld Island, Griffenfeldt Island, or Umanaq, after the name of the highest peak. is an uninhabited island in the Sermersooq municipality in southern Greenland.

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References

  1. ↑ "Sermilik". Mapcarta. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Prostar Sailing Directions 2005 Greenland and Iceland Enroute, p. 104
  3. 1 2 Huntford, pp. 97–99
  4. ↑ Reynolds, pp. 48–52
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