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Explore beyond the fabled Northwest Passage to
the south coast of Ellesmere Island, the most
northerly island in the Canadian Arctic
archipelago. In this land of true
polar desert we find mountainous coastlines
capped by shining glaciers, impassive icebergs
and a rich archaeological record of ancient
Inuit habitation. But that was long ago, and
the only humans living beyond the Northwest
Passage now are a small community of Inuit
that were brought from their homes in the
south many years ago in a controversial
relocation program. Here along the margins of
the permanent polar pack, we will follow the
whim of nature and go where the ice permits.
Excursions there will be, but exactly where we
land is difficult to predict, and the terrain
may be challenging for hikers. We recommend
this expedition only to the most adventurous
of our clients!
Day 1: Resolute
We fly from Montreal to Resolute Bay on
Cornwallis Island. Situated west of Lancaster
Sound, at the approximate centre of the Arctic
archipelago and the Northwest Passage.
Days 2-7:
We spend a week exploring the lands and inlets
along and beyond this historic waterway. Among
the places we may visit are:
Prince Leopold Island
An important migratory bird sanctuary, the
spectacular sandstone cliffs that characterize
this island are the summer nesting home to
thousands of thick-billed murres, northern
fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes.
Beechey Island
First visited in 1845 by the British explorer
Sir John Franklin, who chose this protected
harbor for his first winter encampment with
his two ships HMS Erebus and Terror. It was a
tragic decision, as the ice failed to clear
the following summer and the crew was forced
to spend a second winter in the ice. Some did
not survive, but most did and sailed free the
following summer, but no record of their
intentions – or any sign of the ships or crew
themselves – has yet been found.
Port Leopold
The site of a former Hudson’s Bay Company
trading post, it is also the place where the
English explorer James Clark Ross wintered in
1848 during his search for the missing
Franklin expedition.
Truelove Lowlands
This area of raised beaches on the north shore
of Devon Island contains numerous ponds and
rich vegetation that attract a variety of
wildlife, including water fowl, Arctic hare
and muskox. Used extensively by the Inuit for
several thousand years, it also contains many
ancient camp sites.
Grise Fiord
Canada’s most northerly community, Grise
Fiord. The fiord itself (the village came
later) was so named by the Norwegian explorer
Otto Sverdrup, who charted this area from 1899
to 1903. Grise Fiord means “pig fiord” in
Norwegian – it must have seemed a logical
name, given that the many walrus in the area
sounded so much like the grunting of pigs! Its
Inuit name, Aujuittuq, means ‘place that never
thaws’.
Dundas Harbour
Abandoned in 1951, the relic building and
artifacts of this former RCMP post provide a
fascinating glimpse into a bygone era, and a
stark contrast to the nearby remains of
ancient Thule-era stone and sod dwellings and
meat caches
Day 8: Resolute Bay
Return Flight to Montreal.
*As with all
our expeditions, weather, ice, tides and other
conditions will dictate our itinerary and
shore excursions. Wildlife sightings and some
activities depend on favourable conditions. |
