Disko Bay is located on the west central coast of Greenland,in East Baffin Sea , opposite Disko Island.
It was discovered in 985 by the Viking Eric the Red. At that time the area was uninhabited. Now on the coast of the bay are the settlements of Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Kasigiannguit, Okaatsut. The largest peninsula of the bay is Nuussuaq.
Disko Bay is home to the largest native iron deposit in the world, which was used by the Inuit to make tools. Disko Island is the largest island in the bay.
The coast is extremely indented by numerous and deep fjords and the water teems with icebergs that detach from the surrounding glaciers, the islands of the bay are reached by airplanes, ferries and in some cases even helicopters.
Today, Disko Bay is the main tourist destination in Greenland and is served by numerous cruise ships.
Access : Coordinates: 69, -52 / Disko Bay located on the western coast of Greenland.
Highlights :
- Disko Bay served as the starting point for two exploratory expeditions, one made by Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld in 1883 and the other by Robert Peary in 1886. Both were intended to cross Greenland for the first time in history, but managed to penetrate the interior only about 160 km before returning.
- In 2004, the Ilulissat Isfjord Fjord, which is part of Disko Bay, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Go next : Qasigiannguit , a town located in western Greenland on the southeastern shore of Disko Bay / Ilimanaq , a settlement in western Greenland.
