Canadian High Arctic & Greenland

We start at the western end of Lancaster Sound, a wildlife super-highway that connects the waters of the North Atlantic and Baffin Bay to the Arctic Ocean and the Canadian High Arctic Archipelago. We explore the majestic fjords of Northeast Baffin Island before crossing Baffin Bay to Greenland. Our first view of Greenland will be of the icecap and dramatic mountains. As we get closer to the coast we will encounter a steady stream of icebergs slowly drifting up the coast of Greenland, riding the West Greenland Current as part of a vortex that travels counter-clockwise around Baffin Bay and ends up on the coast of Labrador and out into the North Atlantic. Long hikes on the tundra and in the fjords will open up an incredible vista of wildflowers and lichens, showcasing a vibrancy of landscape that is at odds with a region often referred to as the ‘Barrens’. A zodiac cruise along the base of the bird cliffs at Prince Leopold Island will overpower the senses as you strain your necks to look up at the many thousands of nesting guillemots, murres and kittiwakes. Perhaps you will see the wily Arctic fox bounding from rock to rock, looking for a hapless chick on a nest or a polar bear waiting at the bottom of the cliff to catch the fledging murre chicks as they leave their scrapes (nests).

02 August 2010 – Resolute Bay, Numavut

Board charter flight in Edmonton, Alberta and fly to Resolute Bay, Nunavut. We will be met in Resolute by local guides and by our shipboard staff. We will embark the zodiacs at the beach and make our way out to our expedition vessel.

03 -05 August 2010 / Lancaster Sound and Devon Island

Our first shore excursion will be at Beechey Island, the last known wintering site of the Franklin Expedition. Here we will see some of the only graves of members of that expedition, along with monuments to the expedition and the many searchers who followed in the tracks of Franklin, looking for some sign of what happened to them. We will crisscross Lancaster Sound as we make our way east, stopping at other sites including the bird cliffs of Prince Leopold Island and Dundas Harbour, site of an abandoned RCMP outpost.

06 August 2010 / Pond Inlet

We will visit the town of Pond Inlet and make our base at the Natinnak Centre there. A spectacular cultural exhibit at the Natinnak Centre will be the background of a display put on for us by the Elders and youth of Pond Inlet. Inuit Carvings, Jewellery, and other local craft will be available to purchase from the local artisans here.

07 August 2010 / Fjords of Northeast Baffin Island

Rising straight out of the water and almost blotting out the sky, the cliffs of these fjords are incredible. We will sail up a few of these fjords, looking for a place to get out and stretch our legs (that does not require a rope and harness). The mouths of these fjord complexes are often rich in wildlife due to the confluence of fresher glacial melt water from the fjords mixing with the seawater of Baffin Bay.

08 – 09 August 2010 / Baffin Island

We will cross Baffin Bay, looking for any remaining sea ice as we make the crossing.

10 August 2010 / Uummannaq Fjord, Greenland

We will visit the town of Uummannaq after sailing into spectacular Uummannaq Fjord. Sculpted castellated icebergs will accompany us as we cruise into the fjord. Keep an eye open for whale blows as we sail these waters.

11 August 2010 / Ilulissat and Jacobshavn Icefjord

One of the wonders of the world, the Jacobshavn Icefjord spews massive tabular icebergs out into Disko Bay. Our approach to Ilulissat will be dependant upon the amount of ice in and around the mouth of the icefjord. Ilulissat was the hometown of Knud Rasmussen, one of Greenland’s most famous explorers and anthropologists, born here in 1879.

12 August 2010 / Sisimiut

We will explore the fjord behind the town of Sisimiut before visiting the town in the afternoon. We will hope to meet a few of the traditional Greenlandic kayakers and perhaps see a demonstration of “Eskimo Rolling” by one of the former champions of the Greenland Kayaking Championships.

13 August 2010 / Evigheds Fjord and Sondre Stromfjord

We will cruise these fjords, stopping to zodiac cruise and hike this stunning coast as we go. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the world’s longest fjords and cuts into the interior of Greenland.

14 August 2010 / Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

We will disembark the vessel at the head of Sondre Stromfjord and make our way to the airport for our charter flight back to Toronto, Ontario, Canada’s capital city.

Please note

Specific sites visited will depend on ice and weather conditions experienced and the itinerary will be updated throughout the voyage in order to take advantage of favourable conditions.