Prince Christian Sound

Prince Christian Sound
Ikerasassuaq
Location
Location Arctic
Coordinates 60°9′N 43°53′W / 60.150°N 43.883°W / 60.150; -43.883Coordinates: 60°9′N 43°53′W / 60.150°N 43.883°W / 60.150; -43.883
Ocean/sea sources Labrador Sea / Irminger Sea
(North Atlantic Ocean)
Basin countries Greenland
Max. length 100 km
Max. width 2.7 km
Surface area S Greenland

The Prince Christian Sound (Greenlandic: Ikerasassuaq;[1] Danish:Prins Christian Sund) is a waterway in Southern Greenland. It separates the mainland from Sammisoq (Christian IV Island) and other islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago near the southernmost tip of Greenland. The name was given in honour of the prince, later king Christian VIII of Denmark.[2]

Geography

The Prince Christian Sound connects the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Sea. It is around 100 km (60 miles) long and it is narrow, sometimes only 500 m (1500 ft) wide. There is only one settlement along this sound, Aappilattoq.

The long fjord system is mostly surrounded by steep mountains reaching over 1200 m height. Many glaciers going straight into its waters calving icebergs. There are often strong tidal currents limiting the formation of ice. It has many offshoots, such as Kangerluk Fjord to the north midway through the fjord, Ikeq Fjord in the south, and in the west Ilua Fjord, Ikerasaq Fjord (Akuliarutsip Imaa), Utoqqarmiut Fjord (Pamialluup Kujatinngua) and the Torsukattak Fjord.[3]

View of the shore.
View of the head of a glacier.

Tourism

The Prince Christian Sound offers beautiful scenery and several times every summer cruise ships go through this sound, sometimes as large as the Eurodam.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Den grønlandske Lods - Geodatastyrelsen
  2. ↑ Prins Christian Sund (Den Store Danske Leksikon) (in Danish)
  3. ↑ "Torsukattak". Mapcarta. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Scenic Cruising on Eurodam
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