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Summer comes early to Hudson Strait,
traditional hunting ground for nomadic Inuit
cultures. The deep undercurrents of the
Atlantic Ocean rise to meet the Arctic seas,
and nutrient-rich waters stimulate the growth
of phytoplankton that feed the entire marine
food chain. Tides exceed 16 metres (50 feet),
some of the highest in the world, and icebergs
drifting down from Greenland gather in the
calm waters of Ungava Bay.
Here, under the circling midnight sun,
wildlife sightings are more predictable. Polar
bears patrol the ice floes in search of dozing
walrus and seals, and we call in at a few of
the small, traditional Inuit communities to
learn more about this fascinating culture.
Day 1: Kuujjuaq
We depart from Montreal to Kuujjuaq, a name
that means “Great River” in Inuktitut, the
language of the Inuit. After a brief tour of
the town and buffet lunch, we transfer to the
ship and prepare for our expedition. We may
have time to visit the restored Hudson’s Bay
Company fur trading post at Old Fort Chimo,
the site of the original settlement dating
back to 1830.
Days 2-8:
We spend these days exploring the Arctic land
and seascape. Among the places we may visit
are:
Akpatok Island
An uninhabited island of soaring bird cliffs
and small rocky beaches. Here we’ll use our
zodiacs to scout the beaches in search of
walrus and polar bears.
Kangiqsujuaq
Passing through a deep fiord with steep rocky
walls, we anchor in Wakeham Bay. We feast on
locally harvested foods, and enjoy an amazing
performance of traditional Inuit throat
singing and drum dancing.
Digges Island
At Digges Island, we visit the spot where
Henry Hudson first encountered native Inuit.
We cruise along the cliff face, home to
hundreds of thousands of nesting thick-billed
murres, walrus and wandering polar bear.
Cape Dorset & Mallikjuak Territorial Park
Cape Dorset is widely known as the Inuit art
capital of the world. We’ll take time to enjoy
the artists’ creations – scrimshaw, fine
soapstone carvings, stonecut printing,
lithographic printmaking, etching and
sculpting. At nearby Mallikjuaq Island we
explore archaeological sites dating back three
millennia.
Kimmirut & Katannilik Territorial Park (Soper
Heritage River)
We hike along the shores of Soper Lake and
picnic beside the emerald-green waters of
Soper River. We’ll visit the community of
Kimmirut for demonstrations of soapstone
carving and stencil printmaking.
*As with all
our expeditions, weather, ice, tides and other
conditions will dictate our itinerary and
shore excursions. Unusually strong tides and
currents combined with drifting sea ice means
our route and landing sites will vary from one
expedition to the next. The earlier in the
season the departure, the more sea ice we will
encounter. This increases the chance of seeing
marine mammals at home on the ice, even though
it may slow our progress on some days and
prevent visits to some communities. Wildlife
sightings and some activities depend on
favourable conditions. |
