2008 High Arctic Itinerary

Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay)
Arriving in Resolute early afternoon, we embark the Akademik Ioffe and set sail for our adventure.

Beechey Island
In 1845, Sir John Franklin commandeered his expedition of 128 men in two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition. It was two years before search parties were launched. Only relics were found as clues to the disappearance, along with the bodies of three souls buried here. The three grave markings had left no clues as to the fate of the rest of the expedition.

Devon Island
Devon is the largest uninhabited island in the world! The region surrounding the island supports a significant concentration of wildlife, including 26 species of seabirds and 11 species of marine mammals. Extensive archeological sites from the Thule people can be found along the shores of Devon Island, indicating the area has been inhabited for centuries longer than the southern world knew it existed.

Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)
Aujuittuq means “place that never thaws,” and at 1,150km (720mi) above the Arctic Circle, it is Canada’s northernmost civilian community, with a population of 165. We explore the charming town, getting a taste for life in the Arctic.

Smith Sound (2 days)
We will spend a couple of days exploring north into this fabled body of water that served as the main route between Ellesmere and Greenland for explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole. Adolphus Greely, Sire George Nares and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with varying degrees of success.

Cobourg Island
Cobourg Island is 65% covered with ice, but the remaining ragged land is a haven for wildlife. Cliff ledges are filled to capacity with 30,000 pairs of Black-Legged Kittiwakes and 160,000 pairs of Brunnich’s Guillemot (Thick-Billed Murres) among other seabirds. As we tour the area, we will keep our eyes peeled for the rare Ivory Gull and Northern fulmars also known to breed in the area.

Bylot Island
Nestled in the northeastern corner of Baffin Island, at the entrance to Lancaster Sound, Bylot Island hosts bold, rugged coasts, glaciers and an interior not conducive to habitation. It is prime habitat for seabirds including Thick-billed Murres and Black-legged Kittiwakes.

Buchan Gulf
We’ll investigate the rugged coastline and towering fjords of the Buchan Gulf and Northeast Baffin by Zodiac. Virtually unknown to modern travellers, these fjords are known for dog-tongued glaciers that spill into the sea and mountains that have been sculpted by the ancient Laurentian ice sheet which once covered North America.

Igaliqtuuq
Also know as Isabella Bay, this is a late summer and fall feeding destination for many Baffin Bay/Davis Strait bowhead whales. We were lucky enough to find a pod of 60 bowheads here in 2005.

Cumberland Peninsula
We will make an expedition stop along the north coast of the spectacular Cumberland Peninsula. The scenery here should take our breath away as we take time for photographs and wildlife viewing from our sturdy Zodiacs.

Cumberland Sound
The mixing of ocean currents from Hudson Strait creates a rich environment for ocean life. The tides here are some of the strongest in the world; depending on ice and tide conditions we will explore the area in search of polar bear, walrus and whale.

Iqaluit
Sitting amid rolling hills is the transportation hub of the Arctic, Iqaluit. A major transfer point between flights to other northern communities, Iqaluit is also the smallest capital city in Canada with a population of just over 6,000! In late summer, the hills are coloured with the bright blooms of Arctic wildflowers. We will say goodbye to the Arctic landscape as we board our flight home.