Worldwide Quest and Canadian Universities Alumni

Canada's Northwest Passage and Greenland Page 1 of 7

25 August to 6 September 2013

Female Polar Bear with two cubs on Prince of Wales Island in the Canadian High Arctic on 27 August 2013

 

I thank Laurielle Penny of Worldwide Quest for inviting me to be on the resource team of the Canadian Universities Alumni Expedition Cruise to Canada's Northwest Passage and Greenland aboard the Akademik Ioffe. I also extend appreciation to alumni travellers for their enthusiasm and camaraderie. The captain and crew of the Ioffe and the OneOcean Expedition Team are commended for excellent service and a successful trip.

 

Akademik Ioffe at Pond Inlet, Nunavut, on 31 August 2013

 

Beginning on 25 August 2013, we sailed from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, north through Bellot Strait, east on Lancaster Sound, through Eclipse Sound to Pond Inlet. After leaving Baffin Island we crossed Baffin Bay and spent three days on the west coast of Greenland, ending our trip at Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on 6 September.

 

Bearded Seal on pack ice in Prince Regent Inlet, Nunavut, Canada on 29 August 2013

 

Sailing into Gibbs Fjiord, Baffin Island. Nunavut flag on left and Canadian Flag

 

Gibbs Fjiord, Baffin Island. where we saw 70 Narwhals

 

Left: Speckled adult Narwhals. Right young Narwhal. Most of the 70 Narwhals were females with young.

 

At Pond Inlet we watched a large grounded iceberg topple with a great splash and break up. 31 August 2013

 

Beechey Island, Nunavut: three graves on right are sailors from the 1845-1846 Franklin Expedition. Left grave is from a later search party in 1854. We were unable to land because of Polar Bears. 30 August 2013. 

 

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