2009 Explorers and Adventurers Itinerary

Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord)
Arriving from Ottawa, we will board the Clipper Adventurer via Zodiac and prepare to steam out of one of the longest fjords in the world with 168km of superb scenery! Although the fjord crosses the Arctic Circle, the waters here do not freeze, making this part of Greenland a year-round centre for fishing and hunting.

Sisimuit
A busy coastal town with characteristic colourful 18th century wooden buildings, Sisimuit?s human history dates back 4,500 years. Today the community is an important center for education and the Greenlandic fishing industry. Sisimuit houses Greenland's oldest wooden church.

Ilulissat
Venturing 250 km north of the Arctic Circle we find the stunning coastal community of Ilulissat. Ilulissat translates literally into "iceberg", and there couldn't be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of zodiacs in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The Icefjord is where we find the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at 19 meters per day and calving more than 35km3 of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years and, because of its relative ease of accessibility, has significantly added to the understanding of ice-cap glaciology, climate change and related geomorphic processes.

Qimusseriarsuaq (Melville Bay)
In Qimusseriarsuaq, formally known as Melville Bay, the Greenland Ice Cap reaches for the sea. Large icebergs, calved from Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, are carried north here by the West Greenland Current before heading west to Baffin Bay. In the days of wooden ships, the bay was dubbed 'the wrecking yard' by British, Dutch and American whaling fleets because of the damages caused to many a vessel's hull. Today Qimusseriarsuaq is still strewn with icebergs, but global warming is taking its toll. The Greenlandic government has created a shoreline reserve to protect summer beluga and narwhal populations as well as breeding polar bears.

Kap York
The rugged coastal environment at Kap York is rich in wildlife and is part of an extensive network of traditional hunting grounds. During the spring and summer months the skies and cliffs are dotted with millions of birds, primarily auks and murres. This district boasts the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland. Whalers and explorers often entered these waters and later Admiral Robert Peary's family raised a monument in honour of his achievements on the cape. Sailors' and ships' logs record multiple climbs of the cape in order to survey the ice conditions in Qimusseriarsuaq. We will hike the tundra landscape and enjoy our own magnificent vistas.

Qaanaaq
It is in Qaanaaq, the world's most northerly municipality, that you can get closest to what many people think of as the original Greenlandic hunting culture. Originally located 100km to the south, the present day community of Qaanaaq was relocated to accommodate the American Air Force base extension at Thule in 1952. The region, however, has a much more lengthy history, with archaeological evidence suggesting habitation over the past 4,000 years. It was from Qaanaaq that seven of Knud Rasmussen's expeditions set out, and it was also from here that the American explorer Robert Peary embarked on his journey to reach the North Pole in 1909. The inhabitants, Inughuit, are fine artisans and beautiful small carvings and jewellery can be purchased.

Karey Islands
The Karey Islands straddle the border between Greenland and Ellesmere Island and support Dovekie colonies that breed in this area.

Smith Sound (3 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, Sir George Nares and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with varying degrees of success. The sound was named by William Baffin after Sir Thomas Smythe, promoter of voyages to find a Northwest Passage. Only 48-72km wide and 88km long, the sound if often packed with ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing.

Cape Norton, Ellesmere & Philpots, Devon Island
The area comprising Devon and South Ellesmere is one of few known breeding sites of the elusive Ivory Gull. They inhabit the rock outcrops sticking through ice sheets, known as nunatacs. We'll be on the lookout for these beautiful gulls as we pick our way through the ice into Jones Sound.

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.

Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)
Aujuittuq means 'place that never thaws' and at 1,150km above the Arctic Circle, it is Canada's northernmost civilian community. With a population of 165, we will be welcomed into this peaceful and warm hamlet. Our activities will center around the school where we will have a chance to meet members of the community and learn about their way of life.

Devon Island
The largest uninhabited island in the world supports significant concentrations of wildlife, including 26 species of seabirds and 11 species of marine mammals. At Dundas Harbour we find the lonely remains of an RCMP station dating from the 1920s. We have also spotted walrus, polar bear, muskox and caribou here. At nearby Croker Bay, we have a chance to Zodiac cruise though this scenic bay and marvel at icebergs, freshly calved from the glacier at the head of the bay.

Prince Leopold, Somerset Island
The dramatic 244m limestone and sandstone cliffs of Prince Leopold is home to close to 375,000 migratory birds. Seabirds nest on the ledges from May to late September. The entire island is a heaven for birds and is included in the 311 km2 Prince Leopold Bird Sanctuary. Species found here include: Thick-billed Murre, Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Black Guillemots, Atlantic Brant, Parasitic Jaegers, Common Eider, Common Raven, Glacous Gull and Snow Bunting. Weather permitting we will cruise under the cliffs in our zodiacs for a better view.

Beechey Island
Of particular interest to history buffs, Beechey Island is a "must visit" for any Arctic traveller. A site of tremendous significance in Arctic exploration, it was the protected harbour of Beechey Island that inclined Sir John Franklin to over winter here at the onset of his search for the Northwest Passage. Over half a decade later the remains of Franklin's camp, including three graves, were discovered by search parties looking for the lost men. The island served as a search and rescue base in the years to come. Today three headstones and cairns are found, dedicated to northern explorers.

Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay)
Arriving in Resolute in early morning, we disembark Clipper Adventurer today. We will say our farewells to the captain and crew before boarding our charter flight south to Ottawa.