Day 4. On the flight to Ilullissat (Jacobshaven) Greenland from Reykjavik it occurs to me that this journey is the culmination of much pondering! I’ve been brewing this project since 2005 and it was probably around 2006 when I first read David Shukman’s article about the sound of the ice sheet crashing into the Atlantic, it was his evocative description that planted the seed of an idea in my mind. But I wonder what I will hear?
We have an incredible view looking down onto a river of ice as we fly into the town. (note to Jacob Z – it’s definitely too wide to jump over). When I arrive at my hotel, I go to my room and from the window I see icebergs (note to Jacob Z – some icebergs are as big as you, some are as big as a boat, some are as big as a house and some are as big as a huge palace.) I head into town, it‘s warm, very bright and incredibly sunny. The air is so still – this place has interesting acoustics, sounds travel far. I hear the sound of people cheering, so I follow the sound.. it leads me to a harbour area in front of the zion church where there’s a kayak race in progress – I watch and record the atmos for a while before heading on to the local museum. I’m now back in the hotel, watching those icebergs and wondering how I’m going to sleep with this intense bright sunshine streaming in.
