Snow dunes and arctic tundra (5/3/22)

When we left the ship and climbed into the coach we really didn't think much would happen but I had muttered my comments to the weather and by the time we hit the arctic tundra, whisps of sunshine were starting to show themselves.

By the time we had been travelling for about 20 mins the clouds parted and blue skies adorned the landscape. The snow drifts looked like sand drifts and in the same way, the fine powdery snow was whipping off the tips and creating a fine dusting which was permanently moving. 

We travelled along ice roads cut by the snow ploughs which constantly cleared the snow. All vehicles, by law, have to have winter studded tyres for the winter months and if you stood beside a road you heard that gravel sound as the studs bit into the ice.

The paths are also packed ice but because they are dry, they aren't slippery so walking was fine. It was fun to watch people used to British ice walking like penguins, worried they'd lose their footing.

The Northern Cape is exquisitely beautiful, but catching it in favourable weather is a bit of a hit or miss affair. We were lucky and enjoyed the edge of the world in sunshine which glistened on the snow's surface.

We stopped at several places not only for photo opportunities but also to visit places. 

One was to visit an artist I have seen on the TV who uses collage as her way of 'painting'. Her work is truly unique and sells for hundreds of pounds. I was more interested in the tiny hamlet she lived in. As with everywhere in the northern region, there are two trades; fishing and tourism. This village had the same number of fishing vessels as houses so one presumes ......it also had a drying area to produce clip fish.

Next we stopped at the North Cape itself, well not the globe monument but at one of the other promontaries and looked out over a strange rock formation called The Horn. To me it looked like a rhinoceros' tusk, even the shape of the headland seemed suited to the concept of a rhino.

I managed to get some lovely images from there which I will upload when I get home.

Our final stop was the Christmas Shop. It was really lovely. We had strong black coffee and waffles with gingerbread; it would have been rude not to buy things and we did, but then I was told (the last one to leave of course) that we were the very first cruise ship to come in three years! Must have knocked her revenue tremendously. 

I managed to get a replacement pair of gloves made by the Sami people (always glad to support local craft) and a couple of fridge magnets, of course.

No, we didnt see reindeer but I did see arctic fox tracks in the snow, so they were about even if I couldn't see them in all that white ( I think I may be getting a snow-tan) especially with the sun bouncing off it.

We came back still in daylight and I managed to get more images as we drove back. 

I was truly blown away by the majesty of the Arctic Tundra and so glad I went on that trip.

Would I come again to the most northerly point? You bet I would ... now where is the latest catalogue...?