With an improving forecast we let go the lines that held us alongside the Maud’s ancient Norwegian tug and slid out of Aasiaat harbour bound for the Basiso in the Groenne Islands where we planned to anchor and spend the night. We knew landing was prohibited as the island is a sanctuary for a large Arctic Tern colony and the chart clearly marked the prohibited sea areas. The Anchorage was emphatically not prohibited and we knew of several yachts that had enjoyed this wild and remote stopping place.
Weaving our way NE through the islands and icebergs that guard Aasiaat we passed through a belt of light drizzle and emerged into the sunshine of Disko Bay. At first there was scarcely any wind and we were able to drift around the gleaming icebergs that studded our route.
A yacht was anchored in the cove on the S side of the island but there was room for two and we slid in to find our own spot . We had just about got the anchor set at the second attempt when we were accosted by a boat claiming to be ‘fishery protection’ manned by two very shouty Greenlandics who rudely proclaimed we had transgressed Greenlandic law and must leave immediately or pay a massive fine. We, of course, did as we were told and made fulsome apologies even though we were pretty sure we had done nothing wrong. The picture below is of the ‘fishery protection’ boat and the chart marking the prohibited area and the non prohibited area. Future cruisers can judge from the evidence of the pictures the rights and wrongs of this mildly unpleasant episode.
As it happened the afternoon passage to Qasigiannguit was an absolute treat. The wind was 10 knots and on the beam. Shimshal delights in light airs and with our working jib and main we sped along at a very comfortable 6 knots until we entered the harbour, downed the sails and motored in to anchor in 5m. Perfect!