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26-506: The urbanized area of the settlement is centered around the harbour in the northwestern part of the island, on the shores of the Torsuut Tunoq sound. Industrial utility buildings are also scattered in the vicinity of the airport, to the northwest of the runway. The island measures 8 km (5.0 mi) from north to south and 11 km (6.8 mi) from west to east. It is hilly throughout, with several distinct mountains dominating

52-469: Is crucial, so mushers take extraordinary care of these dogs. Another important detail is to have powerful wheel dogs to pull the sled out from the snow. Point dogs (optional) are located behind the leader dogs, swing dogs between the point and wheel dogs, and team dogs are all other dogs in between the wheel and swing dogs and are selected for their endurance, strength, and speed as part of the team. In dog sledding, Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes are

78-555: The Arctic Circle , the celestial phenomenon of Aurora borealis can still be observed in the village. [REDACTED] Media related to Kulusuk at Wikimedia Commons Torsuut Tunoq Torsuut Tunoq (old spelling: Torssuut Tunoq ) is a sound on the southeastern coast of Greenland . It is an inner waterway of the North Atlantic . The sound separates Kulusuk Island in the south from Apusiaajik Island in

104-612: The Greenland Sea . Although the average winter temperatures are higher than in the more northerly settlements on the west coast of Greenland−often in single digits below zero−the ferocity of winds brings the effective temperatures down by more than an order of magnitude. During a quarter or more January days the island experiences wind speeds between 8 and 10 on the Beaufort scale , qualifying as fresh gales, strong gales, or storms. Wind speeds exceeding 100 km/h occur throughout

130-544: The Kulusuk Airport are ferried to the settlement on both, using the frozen waterway. In the summer, the cargo boats of Royal Arctic Line connect Kulusuk and Tasiilaq , providing an ad hoc alternative for the helicopter flights of Air Greenland . Polar cruises bound for, or returning from the coastal voyages in the Kangertittivaq fjord and the shores of Northeast Greenland National Park often visit

156-468: The airport are ferried to the settlement on both. Dogsleds are then left briefly untended, albeit accidental escapes amongst the dogs are rendered impossible through overturning the sled, and binding of the front paws of the dog pack leaders. As an outlying island in the small archipelago of islands in the Ammassalik region, Kulusuk Island is the most exposed to the persistent northeasterly winds from

182-587: The area on their way from/to Tasiilaq, albeit without anchoring in the harbour due to the shallowness of the coastal waters in the sound. 65°36′00″N 37°10′30″W  /  65.60000°N 37.17500°W  / 65.60000; -37.17500 Dog sled A dog sled or dog sleigh is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing . Traditionally in Greenland and

208-471: The central pump installation. As in most settlements in Greenland, pipe waterworks are led above the ground due to permafrost . The village is served by the communal all-purpose Pilersuisoq store with an integrated a post office of Post Greenland. The village has a small Lutheran church, which includes elegant stained glass windows donated by a German glassworks owner. Unemployment is high and many of

234-508: The coastal voyages in the Kangertittivaq fjord and the shores of Northeast Greenland National Park often visit the area on their way from/to Tasiilaq, albeit without anchoring in the harbour due to the shallowness of the coastal waters. The population of Kulusuk has decreased by 23% relative to the 1990 levels, and by over 19% relative to the 2000 levels. The village is served by Kulusuk Airport , one of two international airports in eastern Greenland. It provides direct connections to Nuuk on

260-538: The eastern Canadian Arctic the Inuit had the dogs pull in a fan shape in front of the sled, while in other regions, such as Alaska and the western part of Northern Canada the dogs pull side by side in pairs. Dog power has been used for hunting and traveling for over a thousand years. As far back as the 10th century CE these dogs have contributed to human culture. Assembling a dog sled team involves picking lead dogs, point dogs, swing dogs, and wheel dogs. The lead dog

286-464: The eastern and southern coast. The southernmost point is Cape Naujaangivit, formerly Cape Dan ( Danish : Kap Dan , a name previously extended to the settlement and island) under the Isikajia mountain. The highest point on the island is the summit of Qalorujoorneq , at 676 m (2,217.8 ft) topping a wide mountain massif in the southeast, directly above the airport. The Saqqaq people were

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312-505: The first to reach eastern Greenland, arriving from the north through what is now known as Peary Land and Independence Fjord . They were displaced by the Dorset culture around 3,000 years ago. The Thule people passed through the area in the 15th century, finding the southeastern coast uninhabited. Due to back-migrations to the more densely populated western coast, the southeastern coast was deserted for another two hundred years. The region

338-400: The freeze of the much wider Torsuut Tunoq sound. The tidewater Apusiaajik Glacier drains into the sound in its northernmost part. Kulusuk is the only settlement in the area, located on an island of the same name on the southern coast of the sound. The inhabitants of Kulusuk use snowmobiles and traditional dogsleds as additional means of transport during wintertime−families arriving at

364-532: The freeze of the wider Torsuut Tunoq waterway. Conversely, when the Greenland High pressure area from the Greenland ice sheet ( Greenlandic : Sermersuaq ) moves towards the area in winter, Kulusuk can be as wind-free and sunny as the inner parts of the Uummannaq Fjord region known as the sunniest spot in Greenland. Kulusuk experiences one of the windiest winters, with rougher weather than

390-504: The help of local adventure companies. In winter it is possible to cross the frozen sounds, making Kulusuk no less attractive for mountaineers , climbers, and polar adventurers than the neighboring Tasiilaq. The mountains on Apusiaajik Island dominating the Kulusuk panorama culminate in several summits, whilst the front of the active Apusiaajik glacier can be reached on foot or by snowmobile . Polar cruises bound for, or returning from

416-415: The main types of dogs that are used for recreational sledding because of their strength, speed, and endurance as well as their ability to withstand the cold. However, Alaskan Huskies are also a popular dog for sled dog racing , because of their endurance, good eating habits, speed, and dedication to running even when tired. Sometimes, for sprint races, mushers use short-haired hounds that are faster than

442-625: The northeast, and from the small Akinaaq island and smaller skerries in the northwest. The strait waterway connects Ammassalik Fjord in the northwest with the North Atlantic in the southeast, through the Ikaasaartik Strait . During winter pack ice and small icebergs pushed forth by the East Greenland Current ram against the northeastern coast, blocking the narrow Ikaasaartik Strait and facilitating

468-517: The region, after Tasiilaq and Kuummiit , and the fourth-largest on the eastern coast, although the number of villagers dipped below 300 in the late 2000s. Due to its relative and longstanding isolation, the dialect of Greenlandic spoken in Kulusuk, Tunumiit oraasiat , differs from that of its relatives of the western coast. Amongst Greenlandic dialects, it is considered the most innovative. Medical services are provided by one resident Danish nurse and one resident educated local helper. The school, which

494-407: The rest of Greenland. A particular feature of the local climate is the instantly freezing rain , covering the northeast-facing surfaces with layers of rime ice. There is little snow in winter, with the island remaining icebound for several months, the ice forms varying from solid firn , through glazed surfaces, to rime ice. Even though Kulusuk lies approximately 110 km (68.4 mi) south of

520-459: The southern and northern slopes of a small hill. No names appear on the crosses in honour of the Inuit tradition that the name of the deceased is passed on to another at death and lives on to the next generation. In the 1930s the population reached 165 inhabitants, the village surpassing the older Tasiilaq as the largest settlement in the region. As of 2013, Kulusuk is the third-largest settlement in

546-418: The village was constructed in 1908 by the crew of a Danish sailing vessel that ran aground on the nearby coast and constructed from the timbers of the ship itself. A model of the ship still hangs above the organ of the church, rebuilt and brought into its present state in 1922. The village cemetery is located about 200 m (656.2 ft) southeast of the village center, on permafrost ground, straddling

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572-470: The villagers depend upon tourism to supplement the more traditional pursuits of hunting and fishing. The village is served by Hotel Kulusuk which was erected in 1999 and provides a base for tourists and hikers. Day trips organized by the hotel and Icelandair focus on the traditional culture of eastern Greenland, including drum dance performances and dogsledding . In summer, activities as glacier walks , ice climbing and visiting ice caves can be done with

598-528: The western coast, Reykjavík in Iceland , and Tasiilaq on Ammassalik Island , which links many other villages in the region through settlement helicopter flights. In the summer, the cargo boats of Royal Arctic Line connect Kulusuk and Tasiilaq, providing an ad hoc alternative for the helicopter flights of Air Greenland. In the winter, the inhabitants of the village use snowmobiles and traditional dogsleds as additional means of transport−families arriving at

624-622: The year, often causing flight cancellations at the Kulusuk Airport. Neighboring Tasiilaq−where the main local weather station is located−holds the settlement windspeed record for Greenland: on 7 February 1970 the speed peaked at 54 m/s or 194 km/h. Pack ice and small icebergs pushed forth by the East Greenland Current ram against the northeastern coast, blocking the Ikaasaartik Sound and facilitating

650-440: Was not settled until the late 18th century, with the current town of Tasiilaq – then known as Ammassalik – surviving as the only permanent settlement in the 19th century. Population increased however from the 1880s, dispersing over several villages in the area. The small Kulusuk Island was not permanently settled until the early 1900s, with the village founded only in 1909, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2009. The church in

676-469: Was rebuilt in 2005, has about 70 pupils with a high proportion of educated teachers. In 2009 the village received permission from the Sermersooq municipal authorities to convert the old Royal Greenland fish processing plant for school use. Few families have access to running water. Despite the harsh, icy winter, potable water drawn from the centrally located lake is available all year round through

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