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Following in the footsteps of the early Arctic adventurers we explore the islands and channels that comprise Canada’s High Arctic. This region is home to the polar bear, musk ox, caribou and walrus – as well as numerous species of birdlife – and we enjoy many spectacular sightings along the way. There is also plenty of historical interest and the ill-fated expedition by Sir John Franklin, more than 150 years ago, is central to our journey. Franklin made his last heroic foray into the Arctic in 1845 with two ships and 129 men, never to be heard from again. We visit the last known wintering site of his ships, the Erebus and Terror, and other sites along the way where traces of the expedition have been found. |
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14 Aug
We fly to a former American airbase where we board the Akademik Ioffe and commence sailing along the dramatic Sondre Stromfjord. In due course we turn north out of the mouth of the fjord and cross the Arctic Circle, remaining north of this point for the rest of the voyage.
15 & 16 Aug
We explore the fjord behind Sisimiut and visit the town itself, where we hope to meet some of the local kayakers and perhaps see a demonstration of “Eskimo Rolling”. We then cruise into the magnificent Jacobshavn Icefjord where massive tabular icebergs spew out into Disko Bay. Our approach to Ilulissat will be dependent upon the amount of ice in and around the mouth of the icefjord, but it is a truly spectacular day.
17-23 Aug
The next five days are spent cruising east to Baffin Island, Beechey Island and Fort Ross. Pilot whales, numerous species of Arctic seal and countless seabirds can be seen in Baffin Bay. At Pond Inlet we enjoy a fascinating cultural exhibit and a display put on by the town elders. At Lancaster Sound, rich in nutrients and home to a staggering variety of wildlife, we hope to make stops along the shore. We reach Beechey Island, where Franklin’s expedition spent its last ‘comfortable’ winter in 1845 before disappearing into the icy vastness. We then sail south towards Prince Regent Inlet, stopping at Prince Leopold Island, one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the High Arctic, with a massive population of thick-billed murres, black guillemots, northern fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes. We hope to sail south through Prince Regent Inlet to Fort Ross, a former Hudson’s Bay Company fur trading outpost, and then attempt the challenging Bellot Strait, where the mixing of waters provides ample food source for marine mammals. We keep our eyes peeled for harp seals, bearded seals and even polar bears.
24 Aug
Little is known of how the Franklin Expedition spent its last months in the frozen Arctic. The vessels, abandoned in Victoria Strait, have left no trace. We visit Victory Point and reflect on the quest for exploration that opened up the Arctic, while sacrificing some of its bravest explorers.
25 Aug
We hope to visit Cambridge Bay, a remote hunting and fishing community on Victoria Island. Amundsen spent two winters in this area, learning how to master dogsledding from the locals. We disembark here, and make our way ashore by zodiac. Later we board our charter flight for the short trip back to Edmonton, where our trip ends. |
