The town of Paamiut is located at the mouth of the Kuannersooq Fjord and the town's name also means 'inhabitants at the mouth'. The town was built in 1742, and the very characteristic wooden church dates from 1909. The interesting local museum located at the town center is fitted up in 19th -century buildings that include a former carpentry workshop and a salt house. To all appearances, the area has been inhabited since around 1,500 BC. Like the other towns of West Greenland, the sea does not freeze over during winter and the primary occupation for the 2,100 inhabitants in Paamiut and its only settlement of Arsuk is fishing. In spring and summer however, the fishing and other maritime traffic can be obstructed by field ice floating along the east coast of Greenland and continuing up the west coast - but even so the field ice is a fascinating sight. The sea's great importance to the town is also emphasized by the fact that Greenland's maritime-trade training programs are housed here. Perhaps Paamiut ought to have been called 'the land of the white-tailed eagle', because the area has the largest population of white-tailed eagles in Greenland. If visitors choose to sail out on the open sea instead, they are almost certain to see whales in late summer and autumn. The whales will usually be rorquals, fin whales, killer whales or humpbacks.