FAQ

Geo-Adventure FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

There has been a great exchange of questions and information about various items and details regarding an adventure to Greenland. As issues are raised which apply to the whole group they will be added here. A lot of questions revolve around camping from past years and are only applicable if you decide you will spend some nights in the field.

“Items listed in italics are quotes from outside contributors/geo-adventurers. The names have been removed as some have requested anonymity. If anyone would like their quote “credited” please let me know.”

Items colored like this paragraph are statements from the webmaster

Don’t forget to review a lot of the other great sites out there all about Greenland (listed on our “green Links” page) - the better informed you are, the more fun you wil have.

Travel to/from and within Greenland, Hotels:

Clothing:

Camping:

UV Lights and Lamping Techniques:

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Batteries:

Other Tools, Equipment and Supplies:

Carrying your finds and Shipping them home:

Greenland - Topography, Flora, Fauna, and Weather:

Miscellany:

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Travel to/from and within Greenland, Hotels:

What are the departure cities from the USA?
“Also, my inference is that Iceland Air doesn't particularly care where we depart from or arrive back at. Is it essentially the same price for the US to Iceland leg from all US sites? Consider letting them do the work sorting us out, and see if connections run easier for us at the same prices using all their US departure points. It might be easier for one to get to Boston and for others to get to JFK. Last year they had no problem with me going from JFK and meeting in Keflavik, and fortunately you found that the same is true this year. “

Baltimore, JFK, and Washington are all departure cities for Iceland. The flights all leave late afternoon/early evening. The return flight doesn’t allow much time for connections to places like Miami so you will most likely spend the night in your favorite departure city.

On the return leg to the states we have to stay in Iceland. What about hotels? What is there to do?
“You mentioned that you would find Iceland accommodations for the way back (we pay). I believe that you are looking in Reykjavik (pop 171,000), since Keflavik is so small (pop ~10,000) Right? I can provide you with the list of places from the Lonely Planet book and contact information. Lonely Planet does a very good job of listing places to stay (30), categorizes and describes the accommodations by Budget(hostels)1000 to 4000Ikr, Mid-range(Guesthouses)4000 to 7000Ikr, Hotels 8000 to 12,000Ikr, Top End 15,000 to 20,000Ikr. It also lists the prices.

Examples

  1. Mid-Range: Salvation Army Guest House (Hjalpraeoisherinn) 561 3203 single/double/triple 3300/4300/5500Ikr also has 6600/8100Ikr 4 & 5 bedroom with sheets central location, says do not let the name fool you
  2. City Hotel 511 1155 single/double 7300/10,100Ikr with shower
  3. Keyhotel Garour (summer hotel, 44-room residence hall on th university campus) May-September single/double 6100/7200Ikr shared bath I hear the women are hot in Iceland, but maybe that does not compare to Miami.

These are 2001 prices so I am sure they have gone up, plus the lousy exchange rate. Let me know if you want me to give you any other places or are curious about a particular place. I also have a location map and only 1 hotel is near the airport and it is about the most expensive one, but we have the morning in Iceland and may want to look around a little, an option at least. Let me know, I am sure the web provides more up to date info, but maybe not the incite. “

What can we expect from the hotels in Greenland if we elect not to camp?
“Still planning to camp, but am curious about the hotel. $50 to $75 per person for MULTIPLE occupancy? Or, can we save by buddying up? “

Hotels - $50 to $75 per person is about right. We have three rooms rented in the event of an emergency (simply could not risk stranding y'all in a famous Greenland storm). If you wish to buddy up in those rooms we can do that. I would ask that you help defray the expense of the rooms if you use them just for creature comforts, rather than emergencies (around $35/nite). They are also rented so we can take showers. If you prefer your own private room, they can be had for around $50-$75 (up to $100) per night (depending on exchange rates). There's one guesthouse run by the "old lady" that is very nice.

On all three of my first trips I stayed in hotels. I enjoyed my time immensely. This time I want to try camping as the BEST time I had were the times I collected at night and simply stayed "on the rocks". Plus, I enjoy the outdoors. I worry about showering. I don't worry about sleeping as you are sooooo tired, you can sleep anywhere. I don't worry about food, as I don't eat very healthy no matter where I am, and Howie taught me the extreme value of peanut butter and "marmalad" - I practically lived on that (along with canned spaghetti and canned hot dogs. 

If we want to go somewhere else (instead of collecting rocks), how do we get there?
Once you arrive in Narsaq you can only travel out of Narsaq by boat, helicopter, or on foot. Often tourists will charter a boat to the Icecap, or hire a helicopter for a one-hour tour. The Narsaq tourist office can arrange many of these tours for you.

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 Clothing:

Coats:
Y'all saw a pic of me and my ONLY jacket, a sheep lined "jeans" jacket. I wear layers and pretty quickly strip down to the last two. The coat becomes baggage :-( Nighttime though it is needed. I bought thermals but have never used them. Warm socks keep 'em dry and be happy. (IMHO)

Layers:
“I always do layers now. Got rid of the down for thermolite and other types of fleece. Have a watertight and wind tight layer that lets water vapor out too. If down gets wet, it's not too practical. This new approach has been warmer and drier for me too. My feet get cold easily, so I'm thinking of bringing my insulated boots....not just hard-rock hikers. “

“When the weather's like that and you're up high, wouldn't it make a lot of sense to wear very dark clothes, even black. To keep warm - and if you were camping there, with tents, you'd think a black tent would help a bit too.......for sunny days, not as useful, granted. Were you guys wearing specially-warm down jackets up there or just regular trip clothes in layers?”

I never thought about the dark clothes part - makes sense. But, truthfully about the only time I felt cold was when I got back to the hotel. After a shower the nip in the air catches up to you. But during the day I found myself wiping the seat away. Layers were absolutely in order.

Nighttime hunting can get chilly and you’ll put your coat back on.

Three layers of clothing are recommended; the inner layer must be able to transform perspiration to outer layers; the middle layer must insulate against cold and outer layer must be wind and rain proof.

Other clothing tips
“Also, FYI, In 2002 I packed a lot of my clothes in the large Ziplock bags (2 gallon size). This kept them dry and also I squeezed all the air out of the bag and clothes inside making it almost vacuum packed for added space. To save space on socks I bought a few pairs of sock liners (much thinner) and then put my thicker wool/synthetic socks on top. This way I brought much fewer thick pairs of socks and I could wear them the whole trip and just change the liners.”

If someone needs to, clothes may be laundered at my partner’s house... - but it’ll cut into your rock collecting time! 

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Camping:

Tents
“As for the tent, I do not have any direct knowledge about Sierra design tents. That tent packs small and is light (~3lbs) which is good, but it is also a 1 person model. Again my recommendation would be to go see the floor model at the store and try to get in and out of it and image you in it with your gear, lamp and anything you want to keep dry. A 2-man tent weights about twice as much ~6lbs but gives you much more room to live, sleep and stay dry. Additionally, we are not going to be traveling long distances (on foot) with these tents, so weight is a little less of an issue in my mind. I have read some reviews about the North Face RoadRunner 2 and the Kelty Raptor 2, both were reported to do well in Alaska and in windy and rainy conditions. Both these tents are 2 man, 3 season tents and originally retailed for about $250, but because they are now last years model they can be found for $150 to $175. However, with any tent in windy conditions its performance is highly dependent on being well secured to the earth and in Greenland about the best you can hope for is a thick layer of moss on top of rocks which still makes securing tent stakes nearly impossible. As for the tent, I think 2-man is the way to go. This tent seems to be one of the lightest 2-man tents available without getting into serious $$. One minor thing about this tent that may make it good or bad is that it is not free standing. This means it may be a little harder to set up, but if blown down, it will just be blown down and not blown away like a free standing tent could. Well any gear inside the tent should be enough to keep any tent from blowing away too far. I would recommend checking the tent stakes that come with your tent and consider upgrading if they seem inadequate. Plastic and metal "coat hanger" type wire stakes will likely not work too well in the rocky areas of Greenland. I recommend the aluminum angled type ("L" shaped) which are stronger and can be pounded into the rocky ground by a rock hammer. They generally cost about $1 a piece. metal tent poles are superior to fiberglass”

My only experience in a tent was at Kangerlussaq. We pitched a small dome shaped tent, lines taught and well secured. The wind started to pick up and the ten was obviously in danger. We found a large piece of plywood and set it up as a wind break - but to no avail. When we had returned the fiberglass poles had snapped and the tent flattened. We all found a nice comfy rock to curl up behind and slept wonderfully ‘till the morn.  I am convinced that low tents, aluminum poles are the way to go.

Sleeping Bags
“A 20 degree bag is fine. One thing you will want to do is actually try out the sleeping bag in the store. They make sleeping bags in regular (<6ft)and long for people over 6ft, but the long bag can also give you a little more room, but the trade off being extra weight & size to carry and a little more space that your body has to warm up. If you are over 6ft, then you definitely want the long. Some new bags now have pockets on the bottom side of the bag for an air mattress or pads like the one you purchased. Others sleeping bags have tie loops so that those that already have a mattress or pad can strap them to the sleeping bag. Same idea anyway.”

I spent one night atop Taseq using a sleeping bag someone from Miami had brought (down - $9.99 Kmart special). It started drizzling and without a tent, I was in trouble. I used my UV tarp as a “rain fly” but by morning the bag was soaked. I still slept like a baby! Another time I spent atop KV only in sleeping bags - but this time the “mummy” type, well insulated and waterproof - wonderufl evening, even though my water bottle froze during the night!

Get a good, synthetic insulated, waterproof bag - don’t skimp here.

Black Tents
“I'm researching tents, in particular Black Tents. Lots of good reasons; it would be easier to sleep in Greenland sunlit nights, might help for lamping the day's haul of specimens and lastly, it should be warmer.

The problem with anything black that you crawl under turns into an oven in about three minutes. You will be using black tarps, BBQ grill covers, etc for UV viewing tents during the day and will find that it becomes unbearable after just a few minutes. A black tent would probably be suffocating! But then again, it might be pretty cold, especially at night - ????

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What kind of backpack should I bring?
“In 2002, and I think that I will do this again for this trip, especially with my intention to do nothing but camp. I brought 2 packs, but this is just how I decided to do it. One large pack and one day pack.

The large pack was about 5000 cu inches with a lightweight internal frame for about 40 to 50lb load. This large pack I used for my clothes, food, supplies, tent etc. For travel purposes I purchased a large duffel bag (~$20) which are made for back packs, a circular zipper at the end of the bag, like an old army duffel bag. This insured than nothing fell out of it during travel and made the airline happy because all the straps were contained.

The second smaller pack, a Lowe Alpine Attack 40 was about 2500 cu inches (I showed a picture of this pack with hammers previously) and I used this for strictly collecting. I carried this on the plane with all my personal and fragile stuff in it. My second piece of checked luggage was actually a pelican waterproof case that I had made up for my SuperBright and 2 battery packs, but I am not sure if I will bring that this year (see photo). “

My choice for a hiking pack is one with well padded shoulder supports (adjustable), good waist belt, very strong bottom and lots of straps and pockets. It doesn’t have to be too large as you will be stuffing it with 20 kilos of rocks (which doesn’t take a lot of space) and then the rest of your gear. Make sure it has pockets for water bottles so you can reach them easily. I like to tie my sleeping bag on the outside (and hopefully my tent), along with my UV viewing tarp.

Camp Stoves
“I also brought my camp stove in 2002, but I never used it because I only camped one night at a time. I will likely bring it again this year and I plan to use it. If anyone else is considering buying/bringing a camping stove, be sure that it can run on multiple fuels because you have to buy your fuel in Greenland, fuel can not go on airplanes for obvious reasons. “

I will bring my Coleman stove (2 burners) and probably leave it there for the next tour. We also have two other stoves already in Greenland, a small one and a big one. All are powered by the standard Coleman propane fuel tanks.

Tent Heaters and Campfires
Candle lantern gets pretty hot, and can also be used as a “beacon” to find your tent at night. There are catalytic heaters which run off propane cylinders and use up very little oxygen - I may try that this year to take the chill off at 3am (bedtime).  Campfires are pretty much out of the question in the Kvanefjeld/Taseq Slopes area (no wood) but perhaps a charcoal fire would be a nice substitute to gather around? 

On Kangerlussaq you can typically find firewood (nice and dry!) that has washed up on the shore (driftwood). Makes a roaring fire.

Portable generator
“The portable generator system was something I looked into, mainly for recharging batteries at our campsites. (and maybe for making coffee....well, if had enough power we could run a small electric coffee pot theoretically - at least we'd have that luxury without resorting to camping stoves). But I gave up on the idea. Someone mentioned it again yesterday (forgot who).
Wouldn't that solve a lot of problems IF we could get one there and it was portable enough to bring on some of the longer camping forays? We'd always have charged batteries, even at the remote site. “

A portable generator can be leased but it’s not really very portable. This year (2004) we will try it without a generator using the truck to carry batteries back to town for charging. Maybe a small genset would make sense for next year - we’ll find out.

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OK - Here's the blunt facts on camping:
Two of the people who have been there before are mutinying (before we've even left!!!). They may be the wise ones.

 may not "see the cliffs through all the rocks" - camping could be a bitch! Howie and Herb have decided to book rooms at Narsaq and camp out at their leisure (which may be never, which means I get all the pretty rocks) :-) I just want to make sure that my enthusiasm for camping has not gone beyond reason and led the newbies astray (remember, I'm an old man who hasn't camped anywhere but in a tent on a deserted Key (island) down here in Miami over the last 30 years (or on a boat). I think it'll be a blast, but I want to give everyone a chance to make their own decision. Using a hotel as a base of operation is not a bad alternative in any manner - I've done that every year for the past three years and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Costs will be about the same - tents vs.. hotel, and everyone has had a blast before, starting out from the hotels.

I will still bring my tents and bags and plan on staying atop the mountain as far away from civilization for as long as I can. Hotel rooms will cost around $50 to $75 per night I think.....

“Let me clarify, I have no objection to camping nor do I foresee any drawbacks to doing so for anyone- in fact I'm looking forward to doing so. My desire for the hotel as base camp is unrelated to any negative feelings about camping. Its just going to be more enjoyable for me to do several things that will require the home base. The biggest one is that I enjoy walking around the town and visiting, incl the hospital last year. I also enjoy the kitchen aspects and the bathroom aspects, but have no trouble sacrificing same for however long I wind up camping out. My main draw is that the organizational aspects for my stuff and my rocks is most comfortable in this setting. For all who do camp out the entire time, in addition to coming into town for showers, I think it'll be a special treat to see the way Herb and I arrange our rocks- mine in Mongol hordes and his is perfect regimental order (no one drop a red flag please or we'll never get our piles sorted out). So I guess in the final analysis, my preference is both due to sociological interests and to a desire to "live" spread out rather than consolidated. Any time we want we'll bring up the beer, coffee, potato and poker chips, Eva, (the sheep are already up there), whatever.

PLEASE don't interpret my preference as wisdom borne out of experience for the last two trips. Just determine your plan from whatever makes you most enthusiastic and most comfortable- for me it'll be a jolly mix of gentleman rock farmer interspersed with bursts of amateur boy scout.”

Hints for campers:

  • “Stoves, lighter, waterproof strike anywhere matches. I brought all 3 of these items in my checked luggage in 2002 without any problem and will again this summer.
  • I will also be bringing some MREs, I also brought some powdered Gatorade in 2002 and some energy bars.
  • I only bring one backpack, and a duffel sack. Framed backpack (have to get a new one - my old one has been torn apart by the Mts). Leave the big bags at base camp (or even in one of the hotel rooms and we can get fresh clothes when we shower).
  • I will simply camp (as opposed to camping simply ). But without a doubt, I will take to a shower after 10 days like a quack to agua! (10 unwashed men eating beans?--ugh!) Of course, we could all go in together on a 'day room' midweek to share-a-shower (separately of course like a KOA). I have done that once before and it worked out well. OTOH, a self-administered sponge bath can make you feel surprisingly refreshed. A soaked sponge or wash cloth in a black plastic trash bag heats up OK, enough to take the chill off.
  • I am game for camping only. I came in 2002 prepared to do this type of camping and did not follow through with it. I have the equipment and I am determined to do so this time around. I want to find, eat and sleep nothing but rocks. Yes, there may be some rainy/foggy times but that is what a poncho and a GPS are for.
  • Take a thing ONLY if you will really use it. From experience, I know what I use and don't use. You can always practice in the back yard. Ziplocs are a gift from God. Bring them!
  • AMEN!!!! This is NOT Arizona, Buckwheat, or any other flat country. We will be hiking about 1km everyday from 300m to 500-600m altitude. Every ounce you carry up will be an ounce you hate. And you will have to carry it back down with the rock you find. WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT - lose it! “
  • I plan on taking a portable shower bag with a foot powered pump (to be left at base camp). No trees to hang a shower from for gravity feed, so the foot power will provide the pressure, solar power the heat. From my experience under the BBQ grill covers, the water should heat nicely after 12 hours in the sun.
  • Coleman propane tanks are sold in town, plus they even have the big BBQ tanks. Don't worry about those at all - no need to carry that weight. The local store is stocked with almost anything you need. Camping in the summer time is a big hobby by even the locals. You'll see tents pitched everywhere.
  • Packing: Ziplock bags have been pointed as God’s gift to campers. Pack socks, clothing, etc - squeeze out all the air and you have a compressed pack which is water proof. Another method is to take plain old (strong) plastic bags, pack them individually with what you’ll be using, suck the air out with a vacuum cleaner, and twist the top shut. Reduce volume by as much as 75%. They also sell large vacuum bags for sleeping bags - might be nice to reduce volume in the field.

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UV Lamps

How will we be able to lamp rocks during the 20 hours of sunlight?
BBQ grills cover, plastic landscaping fabric (opaque), viewing box, a white (but opaque and non FL) blackout cloth. There are many options. Black vinyl BBQ grill covers seem popular - they do a great job of blocking the light, allow you to get under them with some head room, and generally work well. I find them a little heavy and difficult to “get dark” - all the corners have to be “sealed to the ground so no light gets in.

I personally prefer opaque landscaping fabric (plastic) that you buy in rolls at Home Depot. It spreads out into a huge 12’ x xx’ sheet (cut to the length you prefer). I simply find a relatively flat spot, put my sheet down and hold the edges down with rocks.  Leave one end oopen to crawl in with my finds, and I’m snug as a ..... 

Problem with all these solutions is they are black. After ten minutes the heat is unbearable and you have to get out. I’ve seen painters drop cloths that are white and also opaque and non FL. That might work better, but they are also pretty heavy!

UV Lamps
More about lamps + Mid-range field lamp: Is it true the SuperBrights don't have LW? I was hoping they made SuperBrights with both SW/LW. My current field lamp has the ability to do SW, LW and SW/LW. My wife's lamp has a mid-wave tube installed at the moment but I'm not sure that's worth lugging around. Some of those rocks did have 3-way glow so maybe I should bring it.

Should we bring LW UV lamps?
“If you want to find tugtupite, especially the hard-to-spot-in-daylight tugtupite, these LW LED sources -- even the good ones that work really well -- can be your worst enemy. Here's why: tugtupite has a set of emission lines in the yellow-orange that's best stimulated by UV in the 350-400 nm range; i.e. the excitation peak for the orange response lies squarely in the LW. But an indistinguishable emission (same color) occurs in sodalite, of which there is megatons of at Ilimaussaq, and which you typically need no UV source to spot (it looks like sodalite). The trick, then, is picking the stealthy tugtupite from the sodalite (and other stuff).

SW works a charm of course as only one of 'em glows that vivid red we all love. But LW sources will make both look exactly the same. Ouch. Of course, if you're not after tugtupite then just ignore my rant. Also, of course there's other stuff out there yet that it may be neat to shine LW on -- just be careful you're not pushing aside a $1,000 "killer" tugtupite in the process.. “

I’m always having trouble with my SuperBright connector and/or fuses - what can I do?
"I would recommend losing (get rid of it, toss it, burn it, stomp on it, sacrifice it to the Gods) the power connector on the SuperBright altogether ." I have seen more grief from that connector - falling out, blowing fuses, etc. I have eliminated it from my superbright and simply have a cable sticking out the hole (through a strain relief) to a serious power connector on my battery pack. Once I did that, I have NEVER had a lamp problem. (But - check your warranty first!)

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What kind of UV lamp should I bring?
“I agree the SuperBright SW (~13w-SW) is the most powerful field lamp on the market and the way to go for strictly SW. If you are interested in a powerful field lamp with all three wavelengths built in then the Way Too Cool DC version is the way to go. We had a brief discussion on UV field lamps and there was some question about weight (at least in my mind). Here is the answer.

SuperBright SW
Weight: 2lbs
Size: 8" long, 4" wide, 4"or 8" high (without or with handle)
Bulb: 13w SW "U" shaped
Price: $385

Way Too Cool SW/MR/LW (DC version)
Weight: 3.5lbs
Size: 8" long, 6" wide, 3" or 5.5" high (without or with handle)
Bulbs: 9w-SW, 9w-MR, 9w-LW, all are "H" shaped
Price: $335?, I know the AC version is $325, much heavier)
(not much additional weight&size when adding two bulbs, two fans and additional switches and more filter area)

Obviously the Way Too Cool lamp is about 1.5 times wider than the Superbright to get all 3 bulbs to fit. I am considering buying one, even with all the discussion about only needing SW only, just to see what I find. Maybe a complete bust though.

Also I have recently operated my SuperBright SW lamp next to a Way Too Cool Lamp (AC version) and Yes there is a difference in the brightness of the fluorescence of minerals, but that comes with the lower UV output when going from 13w to 9w. Still both are very powerful field lamps and if a mineral's fluorescence is dull under the 9w of SW UV chances are you do not want to carry it back or put it in a display case anyway, unless it is Sorensenite or another rare mineral.

FYI, I have owned a SW SuperBright since 1998 and it has never let me down, but I see the advantage of multiple wavelengths in a field lamp as an area where the Superbright can not compete”

“Don has just gotten in his u-style MW tubes. I saw his photos and they worked well. You might want to look into that. I don't find it too handy to switch bulbs back and forth though. Do we really need MW??”

It's not easy to switch tubes in the field. I "plan" on bringing a multi wavelength unit this year that I will build - we'll see. There are a couple of minerals we have noticed that can only be seen under MW, so I think MW is worth a shot. If my plan works, I will have a unit to share ((Superbright w/ Don's new MW tube if I can get one). But, one way or another, I will have a MW unit (UVLP advertises a U tube MW - I requested pricing, but he has not gotten back to me.

What happens if I break my filter on my UV lamp?
“Actually, I forgot to mention this about the Way Too Cool lamp, the wire mesh is an option. If you do not have the time, are lazy like me sometimes, or have all your tools in storage like me, The Way to Cool Lamps can be outfitted with this square wire mesh for an additional $10. This wire mesh is also very easy to get at the local hardware store usually sold by the foot. Also, if you get galvanized mesh it will not rust. You also want something rigid and sturdy, not flimsy like chicken wire. Mark has two metal bars on his lamp and another has some type of protective screen if I remember correctly. Highly recommended, I just looked and a replacement SW filter for a Superbright is ~$70. Although I risked it and went without in 2002.”

PROTECT YOUR FILTER! You have been warned. It would be foolish to travel thousands of miles and end up without a light because you tripped while lamping a hot spot and used the lamp to break your fall (it WILL happen). I simply put two 1/8” steel rods as an “X” across the filter - screwing the ends down with the existing screws in the rubber feet. I bent the wires out a little (away from the filter glass) and they act as a great guard. It seems that chicken wire flat against the filter plate may not prevent breakage in a serious fall.

What kind of rocks should we focus our attention on?
“Generally we agree that what works best has been to trust our rock collector instincts modified by our local experience, bring back everything that catches our interest, and then study back here. There are enough fascinomas that make there way back to keep us busy until the next year, "tugtulite" being the perfect example. Look at how much unknown and partially unknown stuff we're still working on! I've always done well collecting by speculating on where rocks like to hide, and in being prepared to adjust to the tricks they like to play on us.”

Do not expect to find great rocks your first time out. EVERY person I have brought out has been dissapointed that first time. This is not Buckwheat where the rocks have been hammered, split, turned over by a backhoe, etc. This is nature. Rocks erode, weather, and turn into mung. Typically the outside of a brilliantly fluorescent piece of tugtupite will not even glow. The weathering seems to have a pronounced effect of the FL. You just have to learn to recognize what rocks are worth “cracking” - and do a lot of cracking. Sodalite is usually recognizable from the outside (but not always), tugtupite - just ‘cause it’s a white rock, doesn’t mean it won’t glow a bright red. You will learn after a bit what signs to look for.

Tips:

  • Sodalite will be everywhere - not indicative of much
  • Ussingite - an indication of other rare minerals. Ussingite is a nice purple “quartzite” like rock. Sometimes FL orange, sometimes green, sometimes not at all.
  • Chkalovite - a white (milky quartz) rock, glows green - the mother of all rare FL minerals it seems - keep looking
  • Polylithionite - it appears anywhere, but is a good hint.
  • Eudialyte - so far, extensive red deposits of eudialyte have proven to be lacking in FL minerals
  • Analcime - good hunting grounds.
  • White rocks more often glow than darker rocks.
  • When a rock is split and you see an initial purple color that fades pretty quickly that is a good indicator of FL. It does not mean it is tenebrescent too. The purple color is often a “one-shot” deal.
  • WANES! WANES! WANES! Look for the white veins - that’s where the good stuff is. Look for intersecting veins.
  • Keep crackin’

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Batteries

How many batteries should we bring?
I think maybe having 2 batteries might work best. Maybe use each days visit from the truck, one could exchange the battery back used the day/night before for a freshly charged one. We can then charge battery packs each evening in town. And obviously you would have a battery pack for 24 hrs and it only provides ~6 hrs of use, in the best conditions. You could then also bring 2 battery packs on an extended trip to Kangerlussaq, where there would not be an option for exchange or using the 4x4 truck battery as a charger.

Something to consider is a different battery (pack) made out of NiMH batteries - much lighter and longer lasting (see below).

“In 2002 I had 2 batteries packs with no problems and I even went so far as bringing extra fuses and an extra SW bulb because replacements are not available, which we found out the hard way, at least bypasses were able to be made. Also, be sure that your batteries are reasonably new before you go. One of my batteries in 2002 was nearing the end of its lifetime and I should have replaced it before the trip. A new battery can be purchased for about $20 at any local battery store. If your battery pack is approaching 5yrs old I would suggest testing it before the trip. I am speaking of the heavy (6lbs) sealed lead-acid batteries that are 7 amp-hour and provide ~6hrs of use.”

Solar charging for your 12v packs in the field
Solar charger actually a great idea for charging lead acid batteries. Useless on the NiMH though..... We could leave the Lead Acids hooked up to it all day while exploring and then use them for "examining" our finds (a lot of that goes on! "Why'd I pick this one up?" "Mine's prettier than yours!", "Whaddya think this is?"," etc etc etc

“They work and there is going to be (I hope) a lot of sun in Greenland--20 hours / day?. Ganged in parallel, these charge faster--like use a 3-in-1 car cigarette lighter power adapter--power simply goes the other way! I use a large, heavy one that I carry in my Jeep, but it puts out 3 Amps. Needless to say, the 7AH battery charges in fairly short order (but I use mostly the lighter/smaller 5AH batteries). Three hot dogs, a can of beans and short hike later, the thing is done. I'd say many of these trickle chargers are the 10 to 15 hot dog variety. BUT, they do work!!! Strap it to the top of your back pack while you hike.”

A note about solar panels: yes, the sun is out 20 hours a day, but it travels VERY quickly across the sky, low on the horizon. I bet that would effect the efficiency somewhat. FWIW

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What’s the difference between lead/acid and NiMH batteries?
I think a short discussion about the pros/cons of NiMH vs Lead Acid is in order:

    Lead Acid: typically 7AH (provides 1A of current for 7 hours). The Superbright eats 1A every hour, thus theoretically should last for seven hours. But in reality, a lead acid battery drains evenly over time. After 4 hours +/- it gets down to 11 volts and your lamp dims. After about 5 hours +/- it get down to under 10 volts and your lamp stops working.

    NiMH: typically 9AH (1A of current for 9 hours +/-). Using the same Superbright these batteries will provide a constant voltage for the first 8 hours +/- (a full 12 volts) then start to drop off quickly. They maintain a constant voltage much longer than lead acid.

    A standard Superbright Lead Acid weighs around 8lbs and is hung from your shoulder on one side of your body. NiMH weighs less than 4 lbs. Each 2lb cell is put in pockets on each side of your body, balancing the weight.

    Lead acid batteries can easily be charged by just about anything.

    NiMH batteries require a very special charger (Maha) - especially considering that 10 batteries in a row have to be charged at one time. That's another $40 to $90 expense (but the Maha charger can charge anything you have around the house - NiCD, NiMH, Lead Acid, phone batteries, etc).

Summary: NiMH pretty much last twice as long as lead acid, NiMH weighs a lot less and the weight can be distributed, lead acid is easier to charge.

I hope this helps in your analysis. For me the bottom line is weight vs lamp time. Cost was not a factor (considering the cost of going all the way to Greenland). If you already have two lead acid batteries, it might not be a wise investment. If you need to buy one more lead acid, I would consider instead one NiMH pack for a little more money, but a little less weight. If money is no object - buy two sets

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Other Tools, Equipment and Supplies

Packing material/ bubble-wrap: do we need to bring that? Or can we get some there?
Bubble wrap may be purchased in large 100’ x 5’ rolls. Newspapers are rare. It might be wise to bring a roll of stretch wrap (the stuff like saran wrap) to use for your more delicate specimens. I often wrap them in dirty clothes and then seal the package with the plastic wrap.

Are kneepads useful?
 “I tried kneepads too but found them clumsy to use; I busted one pair and discarded the other.”

I tried them once, got sick of them falling down around my ankles. But they saved my backpack as the bottom was falling out and I used them as a “floor” to support my rock load.

What are the proper field collecting tools and equipment for Greenland beyond the UV lamp and battery pack?
“Pack LIGHT. with each years trip more is learned about what is essential for good collecting and what is a luxury item or not needed. What tools do other experienced adventurers recommend to be in your ideal Greenland collecting "day/night pack"? Maybe there are some things that would make life easier that others use when they go field collecting?

Please comment, I am sure things were added or removed for the 2003 Greenland trip and things will change for this trip(new lighter battery packs, for example). I have attached a photo of the pack I used for hikes up Kvanefjeld, Taseq and Tunulliarfik in 2002. I would recommend a pack definitely with the belt option for weight distribution. We are going to overload these packs with rocks and descend slopes! An adjustable strap between the 2 shoulder straps at the chest level is also helpful for weight distribution. I also used the ice ax loops, available on many packs, to attach my cracking hammer and rock hammer (see photo).

My pack included:

  1. 4lb extended handle cracking hammer (I used this all the time, I left no rock behind that I did not want)
  2. extended handle rock pick (I actually never used this, will likely not bring this year)
  3. Chisel, with oops guard for hand (I used this a few times, but mostly on ledges/veins, may not have been worth its weight)
  4. Safety glasses ( I did not want to worry about a rock chip in my eye in the wilderness of Greenland)

Other optional items

  1. At night, a LED head lamp (made it easier to navigate in the dark, less twisted ankles)
  2. I wore cargo pants (good for temporary storage, but rocks tended to bang around into my legs on the steep awkward descents).
  3. Rain poncho (I did use mine in 2002, but most of the time just drizzle&fog like Mark has mentioned)
  4. Water bottle or plastic water bladder, they comes in various sizes 1,1.5, 2 liter (The bladder I used slid into a pouch in my pack along the rigid back "spine" of the pack and did not really use up any of the space for rocks in my pack and had a drinking tube)
    Bug net for head (I had one in 2002 and did not use it and the only time I noticed bugs was at dusk one night at Taseq when I was sitting and taking a break eating.)
  5. Coffee, just kidding, I actually do not drink coffee (more for you all). I prefer to get my caffeine from coke or other cola beverage.

Items that I did not have and borrowed in 2002 which are useful and have been mentioned in prior emails:

1)canvas collecting bags (light, pack small, and easier than collecting directly into your pack, I think Mark has mentioned using a "rock pile" technique before packing the load down the slope. options galore here.

2)BBQ grill cover (obviously for daytime collecting). “

“My wife got me a vest very similar looking to the one Mark is wearing in the Greenland, it's that fisherman/photographer type of outdoor, with a zillion pockets. I really like it, should have got one years ago!”

Big advantage to the Fly Fishing vest are the pockets. Two large pockets can carry two sets of batteries (distributing the weight). The smaller pockets handle cameras, GPS units, small but delicate rock specimens, etc.

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“Rocks are falling on my head” - what about hard hats?
Hard hats I don't hate - I hate ALL hats. My damn head's too big and I can never find one that fits. But certainly anyone who wants to bring one along should. There are none available in town, and there have been times that someone is swinging a sledge hammer a ways up the cliff while I was down below - I moved!

Remember guys - you're on your own. My partner and I are around to show you where you can go, what rocks to find, and hopefully help steer you in the right direction. But ultimately, your safety is up to you and your limits. Caution is, and should be, the key word! This is mountains, remote, slippery rock, and lots of unknowns..... I avoid dangerous situations and will do my best to keep y'all out of them too.

But it's hard to watch everyone all at once. (One guy got lost once - it took us days to find him! <joke> (he was missing for 15 minutes before we figured out where he was). He was grounded for a week after that for leaving the group ;-))

I’m a techie nut - what kind of gadgets are useful in Greenland
For those of you who love techie gadgets, another traveler and I spent most of our time playing with my Garmin Rino 110 combination GPS and FRS/GMRS walkie talkie while hanging around the airport in Iceland for seven hours. They are really neat! I have one and my partner has one. We also have four other radios that are used by our helpers. If you bring an FRS/GMRS radio, it will be compatible....

My GPS was invaluable to me several times - once when we were descending Taseq into the fog. With out it we would not have found the bridge (easily). Another time I had to use it to get back to my campsite from which I had wandered without paying any attention to landmarks (all these rocks look the same!)

What if I forgot something? Is there a place in town where I can buy camping stuff?
Narsaq has two stores which sell almost everything you might need from backpacks, shoes, to medicines and other supplies. For really major items (tents, picks, sledge hammers etc.) you have to travel to one of the larger cities - not easy to do.

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Carrying our finds off the Mountains and Getting them Home

Carrying rocks: nowadays I take along a plastic bucket, fill it up and then carry it back to the camp or car, etc, in addition to putting them in a backpack.
Carrying your finds thru the mountains of Greenland requires a good sturdy backpack with plenty of support. Forget about buckets and bags - you need your hands for balance. Plan on carrying all your weight on your back. You’ll spend all day at the top of a mountain/slope and hike down at the end of the day with your rocks. It’s not possible to make several trips as time would not allow it, even if your body were willing (which it won’t be).

How do we get our finds off/down the mountain?
“This morning before office hours I explained our situation to a fellow who consented to work on an inexpensive way to transport minerals over large distances using just the power of telekinesis. And the best part is that its powered by any regular food other than hospital food. What's particularly convenient is that he has a lot of time on his hands, and claims to have a large amount of experience in these matters dating over several centuries and various planets. Apparently, if he has the proper GPS coordinates , he will also be able to help us with broadcasting ultraviolet light to Greenland; SW on MWF, LW on TTh, MW on Sat- but he insists on resting on Sun. He was actually intrigued by the idea that lithium comes in mica form, as he's getting bored with capsules and tablets. He also has some interesting ideas about Mark's tackle-vest idea, although he's apparently not familiar with the sleeveless model. His experience is mainly with a garment in a size 16" neck and size 76" sleeves. I told him that I'd get back to him on Monday, and in the meanwhile we'd see if chlorpromazine (Thorazine) would be of some benefit at increasing his telekinetic powers. Apparently the chlorine atom draws neg charge enabling the gaps in his brain's crystal structure to either absorb more UV light or fit more stereotactically into whatever dopamine receptors he has left after his last collecting trip to Arizona (although I think flora was more his goal as opposed to minerals- he did describe seeing remarkable colors, though, for hours even after his Superbright was turned off.) I'll let you know whether this remarkable man may be able to help us further, as I'm confident that he will be able to be discharged by July. “ (Written by a “shrink” rock collector who goes to Greenland ever year to regain his own sanity.)

The reality is that you will be carrying them down in your backpack. That is why weight is so important - not only will you have to carry up your lamps, batteries, hammers, etc - you will add 10 - 15 kilos of rocks to that to carry back down. Then, once back at base camp you will be trimming and selecting the best of the best for shipment back home.

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Camping atop a mountain and carrying down two days worth of rocks
As we have been discussing this camping stuff, on and off the list, one more thought came to me: On previous trips I made my way up the mountains, down the mountains, and felt like a pack mule at the end of the day. But - at the end of the day I had hauled all my rocks off the mountain and got them back to the hotel.

If we spend three days in a row on top of Taseq we will have collected three days worth of rocks. Impossible to haul back down in one trip. Two trips up the mountain are out of the question (you WILL die) and most likely you would need to do four trips given the amount of time we'll have to collect rocks. For me it is not a problem as I plan on leaving caches for my partner to retrieve at a later date (won't he be happy to hear that?). I won't be hauling a lot of rock around the mountains.

Perhaps the idea of spending more than one night on the mountain is not reasonable because you guys have to get your rocks down (as opposed to getting your rocks off). Or, you could relegate yourself to finding that “monster” specimen at each spot we visit.

How much should we plan to carry in our backpack?
“After your first trip UP a mountain trial/slope/rock gully you will eagerly remove everything from your backpack that is not absolutely essential - and I mean everything.”

“Amen, brother. If you guys are not careful I may appear this year in speedos. Okay, that ain't gonna happen, but believe me there will be nothing in my pack I don't absolutely, positively HAVE to have. I left a lot of my "great ideas" behind the second time I hiked up top. Woof. Real work for this slug. (But damn fine fun.)”

“My own sense is that all the fuss really boils down to manpower for rock transport, not gadgetport. I think the techie stuff is fun, must be especially so for you non-biosci guys, but its ultimately man vs. mountain. I'd hate to see the mountain armed with tech support! My plan is for Superbright SW only, grill cover, whatever the lightest batteries are, hammer, food and drink, tent and sleeping bag, camera, and that's all (did I say "all"?). Attention focused on clothing and food, and as you correctly point out, on the proper backpack, and then working out to get into proper physical condition is where our efforts best lie.”

The local Greenlanders will laugh at you if you have anything less than 50 kilos on the way down the mountain. On the way up you have to plan for 10lbs of hammers and chisels, 4 pounds of batteries, 10lbs of camping equipment, food and water - I figure that’s about 30lbs - 15 kilos. Not a bad load to carry up considering that often we have to carry up 30 kilo drills, drill rods, and the like. The hardest part will be to not pick up rocks on the way up! Wait until you get up there - if you don’t find anything (LOL) you can always pick them up on the way down.

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We can ship back only 15 kilos. Is that + or - a kilo? Or exactly 15? (sneak in just under one more kilo OK?) Are we limited because of law? Can we also carry out separately from the stuff we ship back? If so, how many ounces/pounds can we take in our carry on or pockets??
As all rules are, these are guidelines. MinerShop is in the business of selling rocks. When MinerShop decided to also run tours we realized the risk of guiding the competition to the goldmine. We also realize the risk of individuals wanting to ship 40 or 50 kilos of rocks back - obviously far beyond a collector's needs. So we had to set a limit.

First of all - Greenland (Customs) allows only "fist size" pieces of tugtupite, greenlandite, etc to be hand carried out. Reality is that I have never been checked at the airport - but they have their laws.

Second - an export license is required to ship rocks out of Greenland. JSG has the only one in Narsaq and is limited to a certain tonnage. The first year one of the attendees got my partner’s brother to ship back 50 or so kilos without us realizing it (unintentionally - under his license) - luckily, it did not affect our limits that year, and he was careful in how he sold/traded the lot - did not really compete with me. Last year one of our customers shipped back LOTS of kilo of scientifically interesting rocks (non FL common country rock for the most part). That affected our ability to ship what we needed for sales this year. But because it was rock that could not possibly compete with our FL mineral sales we did not mind (until later on when we realized it had screwed up our export limits!)

If each person ships 15 kilos - that's 90 kilos for 6 of you. If we say that's the limit, everyone will want to ship 30 kilos for a total of 180 kilos (and we probably won't complain much - unless you also have 30 kilos in your hand luggage too!). But if we say the limit is 30 kilos, then everyone will want to ship 60 kilos, etc etc etc. Basic common sense and fair play is all we ask; collect REALLY NICE rocks. If you find a honker that weigh 15 kilos and want to ship it back as the centerpiece of your collection you won't find me standing in your way (especially as you're carrying it off the mountain). And it only seems fair that you still have a bunch more to collect - after all, that's only one rock! But, if you try to ship back 20 kilos of green sodalite (20 pieces of the same rock- if there were any left) obviously it's not all just for your collection and we will frown on that. If y'all find 30 kilos of DIFFERENT rocks than that's collecting, and the rules will be bent. But we have limits due to our export license.

We DO NOT expect anyone to compete with me on Ebay, at rock shows, etc. I DO expect to see people trading (as we all do), and maybe selling a rock or two at shows to try and recoup some of the cost of the trip. (One NICE rock can sell for $1,500.00) But I don't want to compete with the very good friends I've made on these tours. Previous tour participants will back me on this I believe as they have followed the "rules", and seem happy about it....

One interesting note: One fellow asked last year if it would be OK for him to sell one big showpiece to recoup some costs. When he got back, he refused to part with even the smallest pebble. I even offered to bring a choice specimen to the Franklin show to sell for him; he looked at me like I was a #$%@# idiot. After carrying those rocks off the mountain you get attached to them!

One final note - last year I was left to finish packing and carry everyone's finds down to the dock. This year YOU will carry your finds, packaged, down to the dock. They will be put in a cargo container with your name on it and shipped along with our next regular shipment (usually within a couple of weeks after we leave). The charge for shipping is $300.00 flat rate per person.

Also, some people may want to buy a rock from MinerShop while still in Greenland (you guys will find great rocks, but we know the spots well and typically bring back honkers - my partner will probably have already collected a bunch before we get there). We'll show you where the rocks are (if you're around), but it's up to you to get 'em.... If you buy one, that don't count towards your weight limit.

 “Canada also is starting to look dimly at Americans making off with their mineral wealth so when another guy and I crossed back into the US, we purposely chose a remote, out of the way, upstate New York border crossing. They never knew we were "international rock raiders!" Were any laws broken that day? I don't know, actually. But we need to be careful this summer so we don't get surprised.”

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Greenland - Flora and Fauna +

Tell me a little about the food in Greenland
“My experience with Greenlandic foods:

  • Seal: I would not try seal, hard to get over its smell, but I support their hunting of seal and no parts are wasted.
  • Whale: I had it once and was told I had the best part. I had it with vegetables and potatoes, which they grow in Greenland now, but they are no bigger than a baseball, more like golf balls because of the short growing season and thin soil cover. The whale was chewy and eatable, but I would not say that I crave to eat it again. Shoe-leather comes to mind.
  • Musk Oxen: I agree with Mark, a little stringy though
  • Reindeer: very good
  • Smoked Salmon: Outstanding (lox)
  • Arctic Char: Very good and fresh, you can visit the fish market in Narsaq
  • Cold water shrimp: Very good, but you can not find them here in the states, most are exported to Europe. The main industry in Narsaq is a shrimp processing facility.
  • Lamb: I did not try it, but the lambs are truly free-range during the summer.”

Two stores in town carry almost any food you might want to buy. Fresh meat, vegetables, canned food, etc. Drinks, liquor, beer, snacks are all available. On lucky days, premade sandwiches offer a great lunch in the field. There’s also a great little Danish danish shop/bakery.

What can you tell us about the beryllium/uranium content of the base camp water supply? Not too bad, is it?
“I work as a geologist in the environmental consulting industry so I can provide some incite in response to the potential for Be/U in the water. No risk that I can see. I do not know if any testing has been done, but the Narsaq River and/or Taseq Lake supply the drinking water for Narsaq. Locals probably have to worry more about elevated mercury in their blood. A recent study which planned to use Greenlanders as a "control" for testing mercury blood levels, found surprisingly elevated mercury levels in their blood, presumably because of all the fish, seal and whale meat that they eat. Additionally, the Narsaq River, at least in the summer, is mainly composed of glacial melt water straight from the small alpine glaciers around Ilimaussaq, not so much ground water that may have been in contact with the Be/U rock. So dilution would also be in our favor as well. This is probably some of the purest water you will find. I think any risk would be from the sheep, as Howie mentioned, not Be/U. If you suppose there was Be/U dissolved in the water it likely would only amount to a chronic risk not an acute risk and we are only going to be there 10 days. I know that health based standards are very low for Be and U but I think that in Greenland it is locked up in the rock, not like the mercury, selenium, lead, arsenic, and chromium problems we see in water here in California and around the US. Ground water chemistry and solubility are not my strong point though. Chemistry background anyone?”

How can I find out how to pronounce the names of these rocks? How about the Greenlandic names of cities and mountains?
Go here to get mineral pronunciations: (Gaidonnayite shown for example) http://www.webmineral.com/data/Gaidonnayite.shtml

For pronouncing Greenlandic names, do what I do - mumble a lot! (I hope to have some recordings of the more commonly used names on the web site soon).

How big is this place? How far will we be hiking?
Another thing that should be pointed out - distances are extremely deceiving in the complex. What looks like a short hike is a very long climb. Just before the film ends (at the piles of rocks) look up towards the top of that gradual slope. That is Taseq West - a prime hunting spot, and it is about 1.8km away from where the camera was, and about 300 - 400m higher. 1 1/2 hours to get up there from where we are - more if you're carrying more than you should be.

I heard there were diamonds in Greenland?
“Here's some of the details of the "Greenland Diamond Rush - http://www.infomine.com/press_releases/fm/oct15-97gmsr.html
You can also read about on the Greenland department of mines, don't have that link handy at the moment.”

There’s also a gold mining operation on the southern tip of Greenland - and I would not be surprised to find gold even in Ilimaussaq.

What if I decide I want to go off hiking on my own?
This section was posted on a long since forgotten web site but carried good common sense info:
Hiking outside inhabited areas in Greenland is mainly for experienced hikers and it is necessary that your physical condition and sense of direction are good and that you know how to use a map and a compass.

On long tours you will be able to enjoy untouched nature far away from an inhabited place. Always assume that you will be left completely to your own devices and that only very limited assistance is available for the hill walker, such as marked paths, designated routes, sign posting, bridges, etc.

When you have planed the route on the map carefully, you must inform the police, family, friends, hotel or the tourist office of the planned route, estimated duration etc., and remember to notify them when you have returned safely. The planned route should be followed as closely as possible as this is where a search will be initiated in case of emergencies. If you are too far away from the planned route, there is a risk that you will not be found. It is recommended to bring clothes with loud colors that can be seen from far away.

  • Don't start off on long walks without some previous training and planning.
  • Let someone (the tourist office of the place where you are staying) know where you are heading and when you expect to be back.
  • Pay attention to the weather and the weather reports.
  • Follow the advice of experienced hikers.
  • Be prepared for bad weather and accidents, even on short walks.
  • Always remember a map and a compass.
  • Never hike alone.
  • Turn back before things get critical.
  • Be aware of your strength; look for shelter while there is still time.
  • Always take along the necessary emergency gear.
  • Always bring warm clothes - even on short day tours.

 

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What kind of wildlife can we expect to see?
“Eagles: Yes, but you will likely not see them in the Ilimaussaq complex area. In 2002, I saw a White Tailed Eagle and its nest on a cliff, but this was from a boat on the way to visit the Inland Ice, west of Narsaq. I did not get a good picture, digital cameras just have poor optical zooms, or I would share it with the group. “

In the mountains you will often find Arctic Terns circling you if you get to close to their nest. They have been known to swoop down and take chunks of hair and scalp - so be aware. You may see an Arctic fox, many different types of birds, lots of fish, seals, and if really lucky a small beluga whale. There are no snakes, lots of mosquitoes. Polar bears rarely reach this far south (but have been seen). Reindeer run wild, as do Musk Oxen. Sheep are everywhere.

What kind of weather/temperatures can we expect?
“In 2002, mostly in the 40 at night and 50s to even 60s on sunny days. Maybe lower 30's overnight on top of the mountains especially if there is a cold snap. The wind can make things much worse. Mark, you have experienced 3 summers of weather in Greenland? “

Weather: The coldest it ever got in my three trips was a night one other person and I slept atop KV. My water froze! 50 to 60 average in the day, 40's in the nights. It can often rain but it's more just a drizzle. Any last year we found that even though they were complaining about the weather in town, on top of the Mt it was bright blue skies (with dense fog below). The fog can get so dense you can't see 3' in front of you. GPS required to find your way down. Rain ponchos good idea I think.

There also can be very strong winds -a fohn - which wreaked havoc with some campers first year I was there, but only lasted one day. We will not be affected as we are too smart for that :-)

Climate: The weather in Greenland changes a lot faster than in other countries. In 10-15 minutes it can get foggy, or a storm can rise. Foehn is a dry and warm wind. It arises from a high pressure area on the ice cap. A sure sign of a coming foehn storm are tall cumulonimbus clouds. The foehn can last 1-2 days and can occur several times during the same month.

How do we cross the stream to get to the Taseq Slopes?
“Crossing the stream: maybe someone already has a pair of rubber boots, everyone in Alaska has a pair, at least. If he did, we could ask to borrow them and just take turns crossing the stream with 'em. It would save time. I'd be happy to get a pair and even leave them there for next year.”

Rubber boots work when the river water level is not too high - but that’s not been the case for the last two years. This year we will bring two pairs of size 11 and size 12 hip waders. There is a footbridge in the middle of the slopes so there really is no problem getting across - it’s just so much handier if we can cross closer to the east or west side instead of having to trek all the way from the bridge.

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Miscellaneous Stuff

Who is MinerShop?
I realized that many of you may have no clue of who/what I am! Perhaps a short description will help explain my zaniness... you may have the impression that I know something about rocks - NOT!

In real life (career) I was a "EE" working on things like modems, encryption, computer design, and assorted telecom stuff. After years of mentoring, I started a company with a couple of partners making Data Communications Equipment (Equinox Systems). After 12 years and an IPO, left to start another company - NetRunner, an ISP (since sold BBB (before bubble burst). So I am pretty well versed in electronics, and the internet. Currently I am Mr Mom with two lovely daughters (and no lovely wife), no job and no plans to get a job (Isn't this enough of a job???)

I live in Miami, but also live in TN as much as I can. We have a home up there on the side of a mountain, which sits atop a cave (http://www.minershop.com/thecave/Cave_Vacation/cave_vacation.html) - an old link) (The cave is literally right out my backdoor).
I know next to nothing about rocks! It was a hobby when I was a kid growing up on a farm in NH and now is an obsession. I met my partner in Greenland over the Internet and we have developed a great relationship. He makes jewelry, I sell fluorescent rocks. FWIW - I make no money off these tours, all the profit goes to Peter as he does most of the work and I really just get to enjoy it just like everyone else (although I do haul a lot of rocks). Peter does supply me with several large shipments of rocks each summer, which we sell over the internet as a joint venture.

Who is Jewel Stones of Greenland?
JSG makes high quality gemstones from Tugtupite, Nuummite, Greenlandite, and other Greenland gemstones. His jewelry is found in all the airports and larger stores in Greenland, and he sells actively on Ebay (http://stores.ebay.com/id=3146407). MinerShop and JSG have a partnership through which they offer these tours. JSG also exclusively supplies MinerShop with fluorescent minerals through monthly summer shipments and MinerShop takes care of the fluorescent sales for the companies.

Pre shipping Supplies and Equipment
“Sending stuff by mail/FedEx: am considering sending some stuff to arrive before we get there. But maybe that's just a stupid idea ($$$$$$$$!!!)”

Generally there are only two ways to mail stuff to Greenland - airmail and boat mail. Large items can be shipped by freight forwarders but that gets complicated. It can take two months by boat, and 3 weeks by airmail. And - if you’re bringing so much stuff that you have to pre ship it, you’re bringing too much!

Medical Emergencies (and not emergency)
Narsaq has an excellent hospital in town, staffed by resident nurses (my partner’s wife is one of them). A doctor is also available and major trauma centers are located in the larger cities. Narsaq has a Heliport and can transport victims to other areas as needed (as well as rescue from the mountains).

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