Epic High Arctic Expedition

The magic and mystery of the far north can hardly be escaped as we once again combine its landscapes, people and communities into our favourite high Arctic adventure. We will undertake an exploration of Devon Island before visiting Grise Fiord - the community with the honour of being the furthest north in Canada. From here, we will journey further north (dependant on ice conditions, of course!) into the Smith Sound. Here the vista should be filled with ice - a perfect scene for photographers! After crossing the Davis Strait, we arrive in Greenland, a place where the ice comes alive in iridescent blues, jagged peaks reach for the heavens, delicate tundra flowers nestle in tiny crevasses, towns are a brilliant montage of colour and much of the landscape seems untouched by human hands. This self-governing province of Denmark is the largest island in the world, covering nearly 3.5 million km2, more than 80 percent is covered either by the ice cap or small glaciers. Throughout the voyage we have ample opportunities to view and photograph the unique wildlife that calls the Arctic home. Narwhal, beluga, polar bears, and the rare and immaculately white Ivory Gull are all found here. Nesting colonies on Coburg and Prince Leopold Islands host tens of thousands of Thick-billed Murres and Black-legged Kittiwakes. We are also likely to encounter shorebirds, Dovekie, Northern Fulmar, and, with luck, Gyrfalcon. At each stop, we board zodiacs to go ashore, or position ourselves for the best views or photographs of the wildlife, flowers, icebergs and landscapes.

Highlights

- Thousands of birds on the cliffs of Prince Leopold Island
- Visit the largest uninhabited island on earth during our stop at Devon Island
- Cross the Arctic circle while sailing in the shadow of the second-longest fjord in Greenland
- Visit the historic graves of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition
- Enjoy the town of Pond Inlet, with breathtaking peaks of Bylot Island and the hospitality of the townspeople
- Follow the route to the North Pole as we journey up Smith Sound
- Marvel at the Ilulissat icefield, where 90% of the north Atlantic's icebergs are born
- Enjoy a cultural presentation at Canada's northernmost community, in Grise Fiord

Itinerary

Day 1: Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay)
Arriving in Resolute early afternoon, we embark the Clipper Adventurer.

Day 2: Prince Leopold, Somerset Island and Beechey Island
The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top bird sites in the High Arctic both during the breeding and summering seasons. It is a breeding site for Thick-Billed Murre, Black-legged Kittiwake, Northern Fulmar, Glaucous Gull, and Black Guillemot. It was beneath these tall cliffs, that Sir James Clark Ross, perhaps the greatest polar explorer of the 19th century, was based in 1848-49. Ross's 1848-49 expedition in search of the Franklin expedition was not successful; they spent a frustrating winter locked by ice in Port Leopold on the northeast coast of Somerset Island and returned to England the following summer. It was also from this area that Sir John Ross (James's uncle) escaped in 1833 after abandoning the Victory and spending four harrowing winters in the Arctic.
Beechey Island

This island is best known as the epicentre of the Franklin search, for it was here that the lost expedition spent its first winter (1845-46). The only record of the expedition, and subsequent explorers making it to Beechey, is the remains of three storehouses, workshops, a washhouse, many empty meat tins, and of course, three eerie graves.

Day 3: Dundas Harbour and Croker Bay, 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.

Day 4: Coburg Island
At the entrance to Jones Sound is Coburg Island, whose spectacular seabird cliffs are a designated National Wildlife Area. 30,000 pairs of black-legged kittiwakes and 160,000 pairs of thick-billed murres crowd the rocky ledges on this island almost completely covered by an ice cap.

Day 5: 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.

Day 6: Smith Sound
We will spend a day exploring north into this fabled body of water that served as the main route 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, it is often packed with ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing.

Day 7: 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.

Day 8: Karrat Fjord
In Karrat Fjord we will cruise one of Greenland's most spectacular fjords. During ice breakup, narwhals and seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities

Day 9: Ilulissat (Jakøbshavns Isfjord)
With a population of just over 4,000 people, Ilulissat is Greenland's third largest town. The harbour is a picturesque mishmash of icebergs, fishing boats, hovering gulls and friendly faces. Once ashore we will learn about the inhabitants of Ilulissat and West Greenland at the museum and cultural centers. Art lovers can look for their very own Tupilak, a small carving, characteristic of the area, meant to ward off evil spirits. After our community experience we will walk to the ridge of the Ilulissat Icefjord, an awe inspiring setting where we can hear the fast moving glacial ice-stream and grumbling as the massive icesheets and bergs make their way out into the harbour set on a course for Newfoundland and beyond.

Day 10: Itilleq
A small town with a population just over 140, Itilleq became a trading station in 1847. Primarily a fishing community, its residents are closely tied to the land and surrounding seas for their food and livelihood. Located right on the Arctic Circle, Itilleq is the southernmost point for dog sledding in Greenland. The colourful buildings charm visitors as we engage the local soccer team in our annual match.

Day 11: Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord), Greenland
The final day of our journey brings us up Sondre Stromfjord, the longest (185km!) fjord in Greenland to Kangerlussuaq. Here we disembark the Clipper Adventurer and make our way home.

Featured Birds and Mammals:

• Dovekie
• Thick-billed Murre
• Gyrfalcon
• Rock Ptarmigan
• Northern Fulmar
• Pomarine Jaeger
• Long-tailed Jaeger
• Beluga
• Polar Bear

Dates: August 9 - 19, 2012

Duration: 11 days

Vessel: The Clipper Adventurer

Price: $4,045-$11,445 USD

Tour Starts: Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay)

Tour Ends: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland.

 What's Included:
All entry & park fees
Your complete itinerary
Team of resource specialists
Educational program and pre-departure materials
All shipboard meals
All Zodiac excursions
Service charges and port fees

What's Not Included:
Commercial flights
Mandatory medical / evacuation insurance
Personal expenses
Additional expenses in the event of delays or Itinerary changes
Discretionary gratuities to ship's crew (approximately $10 - 14 per passenger per day)
Visas, or inoculations, if required
Physician's fees confirming you are fit to travel
Possible fuel surcharges 
$250 Discovery Fund Fee

What to Expect

• Includes all meals
• Charter flights are additional
• Exact itinerary is weather and ice dependant
• Onboard educational program by diverse resource team
• Shore excursions by zodiac
• Easy to moderate walking

Our program features activities such as walking, wildlife viewing and Zodiac cruising, all at a relatively easy to moderate level of exertion. You will need to be able to climb in and out of the Zodiacs (assistance is provided), and some of our landings will be “wet”, requiring that you wear waterproof boots. A reasonable level of mobility is required to fully enjoy this travel program and to ensure the steady movement of the larger group of passengers. If you have any questions regarding your level of mobility, please contact us prior to booking. A complete clothing list and suggested reading list will be provided upon your registration. Meals are a great opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s adventures, and special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Safety is also a top priority with Eagle-Eye Tours – our team has extensive experience in the field, and all of our Voyages are run in conjunction with operators with the highest safety standards.

The Clipper Adventurer Specifications Deck and Cabin plan Adventurer

Capacity: 118 guests

Registry: Bahamas

Overall length: 90m (295 feet)

The 122-passenger Adventurer, among the very few vessels in the world specifically constructed for expedition voyages to the far reaches of this remote land. Her ice-strengthened hull permits her to glide easily and safely through ice-strewn waters that are not accessible to conventional cruise vessels.

She has advanced communications and navigation equipment, and newly installed, state-of-the-art Sperry Gyrofin stabilizers. In 1998 the Adventurer had a $13 million conversion done in Scandinavia. She is a handsome expedition vessel, done in the style of great ocean liners when ships were ships. With lots of varnished wood, brass, and wooden decks, the ship has all new outside cabins, with lower beds and private facilities.

There is a Main Lounge, bar, Clipper Club, library/card room, gymnasium, sauna, gift shop, and beauty salon. American staff serves American and Continental cuisine. The ship has a fleet of 10 Zodiacs and a special loading platform. An ice class rating of A-1 allows the Clipper Adventurer to go to places larger cruise ships can only dream of, and she does it in comfort and style unsurpassed by other vessels her size.

Cabins: All cabins have a window with outside view. Each has private facilities and climate controls.