Wild souls of the Arctic
A force that goes through my whole body, adrenaline rushing through my veins and before I realize it, the cold wind of the Arctic is whipping my face. Tears run down my cold, almost numb cheeks - whether it's the wind or possibly some tears of joy, I don't know. What I do know is that this is one of the most beautiful moments in my life, a dream that is now coming true.
As far back as I can remember, dogs have always been my favorite animals. Their loyalty and faithfulness fascinate and touch me deeply. The more and more the dream grew in me to one day get to know the most original dog breed of all dog breeds. The Greenland Dog is said to be one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. Qimmeq Qimuttoq, this is how they call them. For the Inuit, it is essential for survival and has always been used as a transport and hunting dog. Strength, robustness, tenacity and endurance - these are the characteristics that this breed brings with it and makes it so special. Throughout history, the existence of entire peoples has depended on such dogs. The dogs' nature has always remained primal and they are a living bridge to the wilderness of the far north.
Again and again in recent years I watch documentaries about the history of the Polar Region, about Greenland and its sled dogs. A region that still excites me the most on our planet. In April 2022, I actually get the opportunity to accompany an expedition ship to Greenland and capture it photographically.
We set off in Reykjavík, sailing through the Denmark Strait until we see the first big icebergs towering on the horizon. Our ship: Le Commandant Charcot - the first ice breaking hybrid exploration ship in the world. It hosts research facilities and scientists during their sails between the poles. So on every cruise, data is being collected and processed. Almost silently, we sail through the sea which feels more like floating trough a giant mirror, from time to time we crush into the sea ice and a deep rumble went through the whole ship. We stand on the outside deck watching a truly mesmerizing scene that leaves me in awe - the sky is paint in beautiful pastel colors. A mix vibrant hues of light blue, purple and pink standing in strong contrast to the deep blue of the sea and the icebergs. When the sun eventually sets, the night comes in casting the landscape in an otherworldly blue glow for hours until the sun rises again.
The next morning we spot a small white strip on the horizon. Land in sight - Greenland. The first place we plan to land is Tasiilaq (Ammassalik) - a small and remote settlement on the wild East Coast of Greenland. And at that time of the year impassable for almost every ship, even supply ships are not able to go there due to the thick sea ice. Fortunately our icebreaker is capable of going through the ice in the fjord and with the agreement of the local community we proceed to the town. First time seeing the colorful houses splattered around the land, I am able to notice a subtle noise in the background - the howling of hundreds of Greenland dogs almost brings me tears into my eyes and gives me goosebumps.
65° 36′ 42″ N, 37° 37′ 56″ W
While we land, the Inuits are already gathering around the landing place of the ship. With happy faces they greet and welcome us to their beautiful town. They invite us to visit their town and show us around their local viewpoints, shops and give us a small impression on how life must be in this remote part of the world. In exchange our captain invites them to our ship and quickly almost the whole village of 2,000 inhabitants visited the ship over the next two days. So, happy and satisfied, we end our excursion on the ice and let the evening fade away on board. The next day is supposed to be a great one.
We are wrapping ourselves up in warm layers against the biting cold of the Greenlandic Coast to head out on the ice. The first mushers are already waiting for us and my first encounter with the dogs was so much more than I have ever dreamed of. If you've been reading about their history for as long as I have, you might think they are rather cold, disinterested and focused on their work. In any case, you do not assume that animals growing up in this harsh environment are cuddly animals as we know them at home, with whom we share our house and not infrequently our bed. But against all expectations, the dogs couldn't wait to have their bellies scratched, lick my face and just show so much love and affection that it's almost heartbreaking.
After an extensive cuddle and greeting, the time has come. I can already feel the tingling in my stomach as I take a seat on the sledge with my partner and two friends. I'm at least as excited as our team of dogs, who can't stop barking with impatience and excitement and are already pulling hard forward. The musher takes his place and after a few commands to the dogs, he finally releases the brakes.
A force goes through my whole body, adrenaline rushing through my veins and before I realize it, the cold wind of the Arctic is whipping my face. Tears run down my cold, almost numb cheeks - whether it's the wind or possibly some tears of joy, I don't know. What I do know is that this is one of the most beautiful moments in my life, a dream that is now coming true. The fact that I am riding on a traditional Inuit sledge with a team of Greenlandic dogs is at least as surreal as the majestic landscape of East Greenland around us. We drive deep into the fjord and stop at the very end on the ice, where the mushers show us how they get their fish in winter - ice fishing. Again, I take the opportunity to spend some time with the dogs. I am especially drawn to two of them: Pongu and Siku. Pongu reminds me a lot of my dog Odin. He has long fluffy fur and a very majestic appearance, he definitely stands out. Siku is the lead dog of our team, he has rough black fur, is big and strong and yet he has such a calming aura. The lead dog is usually the smartest and most experienced of the team, the one the musher trusts the most. I immediately understand why it is Siku. I lose myself in his deep brown eyes and could spend hours cuddling him. I will never forget him!
Back to the ship we go over some hills, often the mushers and their dogs have a race, you can really feel how proud they are of their sled dogs and exactly these moments touch me the most at the end and make this experience so special. The dogs are not just part of life for the Inuit - they are their life. Almost nowhere in the world do dogs play such a big role as here in Greenland and rarely do humans and animals work so close together.
A few days later, when we visit the remote village of Kuummiut deeper in the fjord, I begin to understand that the dependence of the dogs is not just a story of the past. No, it is all present. Kuummiut is a small village with no roads and no cars, a village that can only be reached by helicopter, snowmobile or dog sled for most of the year - here the sled dog is not a tourist attraction like in most of the places we know in Europe, here it is essential for survival and still has the same importance as many hundreds of years ago.
65° 52′ 0″ N, 37° 1′ 0″ W
We experience so many incredible things on this trip, kayaking between giant ice bergs, jumping into the Arctic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures, seeing polar bears, orcas and probably the most beautiful sunsets, but none of this touches me as much as the people of Tasiilaq and Kuummiut with their sled dogs.
These places now have a place in my heart forever.
Watch the video of our Greenland Journey:
Photos by Natascha Klein | @tashi_ka | nataschaklein.com and Daniel Ernst | @daniel_ernst | danielernstphoto.com