Storch from Narsarsuaq: Soon we may be 30 people left

Wednesday, April 15, was a sad day in Narsarsuaq. The day with the last flights, with fine speeches from politicians and business people and a farewell party in the evening.

In the future, there will be a long time between activities in the airport settlement, which for decades was the usual stop on the way to or from South Greenland.

The airport was the heart of Narsarsuaq, and Storch Lund was at the heart of the airport until 2017. Overall, he managed to celebrate 40 years of service at the site, the last many years as airport manager.

– Yes, it is a strange day. It's a tough day for many of us. It's the last flight, says Storch Lund.

– We've already said goodbye to many who have gone to Qaqortoq or other places. It's tough for us to say goodbye to so many who will probably never come back here. But of course we have to accept what happens.

Storch Lund grew up on a sheep farm and had just turned 18 when he started as an apprentice auto mechanic in Narsarsuaq in 1975. There was plenty to do, he says. Even though the Americans had left their base in 1958, there were still American cars left to fix for many years afterwards.

Quickly became a manager

Just a few years later, Storch Lund was the manager of the same workshops he had just trained in.

– It was at a time when Narsarsuaq was still developing, there were maybe 10 of us in the workshop at that time. Later I became the fire and rescue manager and then the airport manager for about 20 years.

It was a different time in the first period in Narsarsuaq as a civil airport, says Storch Lund.

– It was a station, and it had a station manager, and so he is the king and runs everything.

– There was a big difference between the situation of those called and the locals back then, fortunately that changed later. But back then, we locals were not allowed to have family living here. My girlfriend and our children could not live here.

Fortunately, love finds its way in Narsarsuaq, even then.

– I remember an attempt to smuggle my girlfriend in, where we were driving up the road and suddenly saw the station manager ahead. My girlfriend tried to hide in the car, and the station manager kept going. We thought we had it figured out.

– The next day the station manager came to me and said, “Storch, you know…” and of course I understood what he meant. “Yes, I know,” I replied. Okay, okay, so it went anyway.

An uncertain future

Thousands of people have felt love in Narsarsuaq and for Narsarsuaq over the years. Almost all the speakers on this sad Wednesday emphasized this – with Storch Lund sitting in the front row.

If you still have doubts about it, you can go to Facebook and see that thousands of people have signed up for groups about the settlement.

They are helping to hold on to the memories that Air Greenland CEO Jacob Nitter Sørensen called for on that sad Wednesday.

But how many people will actually live in Narsarsuaq next year?

– Yes, of course it is a big topic of conversation right now. We have talked about maybe 30 people staying. According to the statistics, we were around 130-140 last year, says Storch Lund.

– It is difficult to say anything with certainty right now – also because we do not know enough about what the future holds. What will happen to shops and healthcare and services after the airport is gone tomorrow? That makes it uncertain that we do not get enough information at all, he says.

– It is not just about the village of Narsarsuaq, but also the area where many of the sheep farmers have worked with tourists, emphasizes Storch Lund.

Storch Lund has three boats and spends a lot of time sailing, including charter sailing. These activities will logically follow the airport and take place more in Qaqortoq and other towns.

Does this mean that Storch Lund will be the next to move? The answer is no – at least for now.

– If it becomes completely impossible to live here, we will have to find something else. But my wife and I have decided that we will stay here for the time being and see how it goes. It may be that it will be like a big family, now that we are only 30 left, Storch Lund hopes.