Life Aboard the Donna Wood

Greenland is the world's largest island and an autonomous Danish dependent territory with limited self-government and its own parliament. The massive island lies between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Much of its land surface is covered in ice. Most of its small population lives along the ice-free, fjord-lined coast, particularly in the southwest. Its northerly position, largely above the Arctic Circle, results in natural phenomena such as summer’s midnight sun and winter’s Northern Lights.

Our home for the next 8 days and 7 nights sailing in Greenland is the beautiful two-masted oak ship Donna Wood built in 1918. Representing Danish shipbuilding tradition at its very best, Donna Wood was originally built as a lighthouse ship, but in 1990 the ship underwent massive restoration and was equipped with rigging and sails.

The ship is our floating photography workshop lab providing us access to some of the most remote areas in Greenland.  Operating from the vessel and our zodiacs, we will find ourselves among some of the most towering and majestic icebergs in the world.  As we board the vessel, it is like taking a step back in time.  As I walk the halls, master workmanship from the old world is evident everywhere.  Highly polished oak finish and oak planking on the deck speaks to her character and strength. Everyone is abuzz with excitement as wet get settled in and make our way to the salon for our safety briefing.  The engine start, lines are released and we are off on another exciting Muench workshop in remote Greenland.  

Greenland enjoys perpetual daylight for two months each year but over 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap 4km thick in places. We will be facing nearly 20 hours of daylight with the sun never really setting.  It will be non-stop photography for as long as we can take it, and I can take a lot.  The riggers of photographing above the Arctic Circle will be a welcome challenge for many and I for one, I can’t wait to photograph the towering Icebergs. Marc and I are totally excited to be leading this workshop and we look forward to our clients bringing home many award winning photographs.

*Photos courtesy of Muench Workshops