Arctic Safari

There are not many ways to fly North without spending a heavy number in dollars and time. We heard from staff that a charter flight to Resolute could cost a person around $7,000 US! Fortunately, Adventure Canada and similar companies have the chance to charter airlines to transport the group to and from the ship all at once. Making it all the much easier for coordination and time savings, as well as a chance to build relationships.
 
On a map, it may not look like the Arctic is that far away but it really is! Each flight to and from our embarkation/disembarkation cities was longer than our total time in flights to get from Missoula to Toronto.  Canada is a large country and its northern provinces extend beyond the paper map.
 
Here is a brief snapshot of our charter flight day:
 
Our welcome briefing was full of fun introductions of the staff we’d get to know on board, the office staff of Adventure Canada, the plan for what Plan A, B, and C were for travel to Kangerlussuaq. There were a total of two flights departing at 07h00 to head north. Our flight, #1, had a scheduled technical stop in Goose Bay, Labrador to refuel. We would then land about 30 minutes after flight #2 and would be transferred to the ship.
 
We woke up bright and early the next day and learned that our airplane had experienced a mechanical failure and we would be waiting for a bit to take off. Flight #2 left a good hour before us and we finally were loaded on the plane. This is the true spirit of expedition travel: be flexible, have fun and know that you’re all in this together. The true beauty of polar travel is that you can never expect Plan A to always be the plan. I think our flight delay put us on Plan C. We had our brief stop in Goose Bay (which looked amazing) and took-off for the final destination: Greenland!
 
Coming over those icecaps was an amazing and exciting moment. Almost 83% of Greenland is covered by one ice cap. The outlying coastal areas are the most habitable places for small communities and Kangerlussuaq was our destination. The airport of Kangerlussuaq was once a US Air Base for use during WWII due to its relatively mild weather and location to Europe. It is now Greenland’s main international and domestic airport. Any flight to Greenland has a first stop here. Kangerlussuaq is also home to Greenland’s longest road of just 13 kilometers!
 
Once we landed, we climbed into our transport bus and had a customs agent walk down the aisle with passport stamps. After traveling down the road, the Ocean Endeavour came into view! We received our first zodiac briefing, donned our life jackets, and jetted towards our home for the next 12 days. 
 

Programming on the Ocean Endeavour sticks to a similar schedule for each full day on board. Of course, expedition travel can change within minutes so, again, you always have a Plan A, B, C, D and sometimes E.
 
Fortunately, we had such great weather, our programming stayed mostly on track each day!
 
Here is what a typical day on the Ocean Endeavour looked like when we visited land:
 
0347: Sunrise
0600: Early bird breakfast in the Compass Club
0700: Breakfast served in the Polaris Restaurant
0730: Wake- Up call
0900: Shuttling to Ilulissat shore
0930: Green and White Zodiac Cruise
1000: Long hike departure from meat market
1230 -1400: Lunch served in the Polaris restaurant
1130-1300: Yellow and Red Zodiac cruise
1330: Long hike departure from meat market
1400-1530: Orange & Blue Zodiac Cruise
1630: Last zodiac from shore to the Ocean Endeavour
1645: Lecture in Nautilus Lounge
1800: Daily Recap and Briefing in Nautilus Lounge
1900: Dinner is served in the Polaris Restaurant
2100: Concert/After dinner programming
2331: Sunset
 
As you can see from above, there is a lot of scheduled time but there was always a break between programs to step outside, get coffee/tea, or even some afternoon pastries in the Compass lounge. None of these programs are required to attend but we enjoyed each and every one. We also spent a lot of early mornings and late nights looking over the bow at the wondrous beauty that is the Arctic.  Some of my favorite memories are from waiting on the bow for the sun to set or rise while holding a steaming cup of coffee and my eyes peeled to the horizon for puffs of air and splashes for signs of life. 
 

Packing for the Arctic felt really daunting and tricky in the heat of our Missoula summer. Our winter clothes had been packed away for some time and the thought of temperatures below 50F seemed like a dream.
 
Luckily, we had a packing list to help us start the process. The biggest and best thing you can do is think in lots of layers. They will always be your friend in the Polar Regions and incredibly useful for the various activities and weather you might experience in one outing. Sweat is also the last thing you want in the Arctic. Too much moisture can lead to extreme situations, especially if you go from too warm to too cold (thinking hiking uphill and then stopping at the top to be sweating and in wind without movement).
 
Your outer layer (both jacket and pants) is most important and should be waterproof and windproof. We wore ours every day on every water transfer and landing.  Even when the sea is calm, the knowledge that a rogue wave hitting us would not result in a wet few hours was reason enough. Next, a fleece or down coat/vest is recommended along with additional layers of synthetic long underwear and sweaters/fleece.
 
On our coldest zodiac cruise (35F on water), I wore long underwear, fleece pants, and waterproof pants. On the top: long underwear, a thin wool sweater, fleece, down coat and my raincoat.
 
We also always wore a ball cap and beanie combination (even started a trend on board!) for warmth and protection from the sun.  Two pairs of socks for zodiac cruises just to keep our feet extra toasty in our boots and gloves for our hands. Again, with our fabulous weather, the gloves went off and on as we floated between icebergs and on shore.
 
It was never too cold for comfort on our zodiac cruises and the length of time spent on the water was just enough before the body starts to protest.
 
We chose to pack very light for our time on board and wore many of the same clothes each day. While having more variety in clothing could have been nice, it was great to just throw on a pre-determined set of gear and get outside. My only wish is that I had grabbed at least two extra pairs of cotton socks for inside use (wool was much too warm for my feet) but I survived. We also chose to bring one pair of light hikers for the trip. My feet felt great the whole time but we were quickly wanting some sandals for evening programs and wear around the ship. Socks and sandals anyone? It’s totally cool on a boat. 
 
The other critical piece of gear you’ll want is a good pair of waterproof boots. Fortunately, these are provided on the ship! They are good quality but more the croc boot variety. Very useful for getting on and off the zodiacs to shore but I wouldn’t hike in them for too long. There was always a staffer around to watch the pile of boots and life jackets so changing into our hiking boots was the perfect option.  Beyond clothing, other essential items are bug spray, chapstick and sunscreen. It’s a bright world on the water and the wind dries everything out. The next time I get up to the Arctic, I’ll also bring some really nice lotion for my face and hands so that they aren’t too dry.
 
With these items and clothes, you’re all set for your adventure!
 

Every expedition has a list of animals and birds that one MIGHT see on an expedition. Of course, no one can guarantee a sighting so it is good to take trips without expecting a sighting. This helps to keep the excitement high when a critter IS spotted.
 
This is what I tried to do. I have had a National Geographic picture of Polar Bear on my computer screen since I started at Adventure Life. It has been a dream to see these amazing mammals in their home. I was prepared our cruise dates were late in their season and that a sighting might not occur. However, we had five polar bear sightings! It was magnificent. The first bear was during our circumnavigation of Sillem Island. We got to spend an hour plus just watching him wander over rocks and then into the water. He swam for a good 45 minutes before getting out. He then proceeded to strike poses for the delight of the passengers and all you could hear was “click, ooo, click, ahh, click”.
 
We also had an amazing moment early in our adventure with a family of humpback whales. Our camera did a great job of capturing a tiny shot of a tale so we have proof of the sighting. We also saw harp, bearded and ringed seals throughout the expedition. A few saw dueling Arctic hares, two Arctic foxes (one deceased), and a recently devoured seal carcass. Pretty crazy but so interesting to see.

For birds, we visited two bird colonies (Upernavik and King William Island). At Upernavik, we saw the White Phase Gyrfalcon teaching it’s young to hunt as well as Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Thick-billed Murre, Northing Fulmar, Terns, Cormorants and Black-legged Kittiwakes. I’ve never been a big birder but it was an amazing site to see these homes on cliffs housing so many birds.
 

Sisimiut was our first official stop in Greenland after our journey down the Sondre Stromfjord. The community has been around for 4,500 years. From the Saqqaq culture, we saw additions of the Dorset people, the Thule, and then from Canada and Denmark. Sisimiut means “the inhabitants at the foxhole” and remains ice free all year. These conditions, coupled with some of Greenland’s deepest fjords, make the bay home to some of the areas many whales and seals. Sisimiut is known largely for its fishing industry and is a busy port! We saw many families leaving by boat with food and goods for their home.
 
Sisimiut was also our first view of the bright colored homes that are so iconic to the Arctic. When Denmark colonized Greenland back in 1721, the arrival marked the new colonial style of wooden homes sent over from Denmark in timber kits. They also found that it was easier to paint the homes with colors for what was in the building while the locals were still learning to speak Danish. Commercial homes were red; hospitals were yellow; police stations black; the telephone company was green and fish factories were blue.
 
Nowadays, you’ll also find orange, pink and purple scattered about the village. I think this is a wonderful contrast to the tundra brown.
 
We had a lovely time walking the village with our guide. We visited the local heritage museum, saw the many sled dogs resting in the summer sun, and visited the grocery store to stock up on my favorite Scandinavian chocolate bar: Daim med melk sjkolade.
 

A true must on any polar expedition is the polar plunge. To be honest, I wasn’t too enthused to jump into icy water but I am so glad I did. Twice. Now, I’ve jumped into glacial lakes in Montana but the sheer thought of the Arctic water was daunting. I had no idea how cold I would really feel and I was happy to be pleasantly surprised. The water was only 38F in Greenland and 35F in Canada.
 
Karrat Fjord hosted our first experience. After a spectacular day of hiking and exploring, we changed into our suits. Walked up to the Aurora Lounge in our bathrobes and chanted “Polar Plunge” as a group on our way down to the zodiac gangway. In a line, we waited for our chance to jump into the water and then let the current carry us to the next gangway to climb out of the water.
 
My nerves were on high alert and I was so excited to get it over with. My turn came, I yelled “Pura Vida” and dove in. The initial shock was terrible but I quickly warmed up as my head came out of the water. I swam to the gangway and pulled myself out. Smiling from ear to ear, I was given a warm towel and a shot of vodka for a congratulatory toast. My energy also reset and I was ready for another adventure.
 
The group of plungers was large enough that we asked the staff to please try to fit in a second plunge in Canadian waters. We were able to receive this chance while cruising in Croker Bay. That afternoon, a smaller group took turns diving in. I thought “I must be crazy to do this twice” but it was still spectacular! Warm towels greeted us again with a treat of rum to warm us up.
 
We received our green glove and patch for our plunges. Proud to say we have done it twice! 
 

Our itinerary had intentional stops to communities throughout Greenland and Canada.
 
Ilulissat and Sisimiut were our two Greenland stops. These bustling towns were full of families and guests. From fishing to hunting, teaching and learning, the communities seemed vibrant and full of life. The heat of the summer led to families walking along the roads and preparing for the winter. Sled dogs napped in fields and looked scruffy as their coats shed fur. The residents were still shy but welcoming to the ship and were excited to sell their many carvings and goods. We enjoyed these visits and saw how much the Danish have made their mark in these towns. Greenlandic and Danish are spoken first followed by English. Lots of smiles and pointing were how we communicated to ask for a picture. The homes were colorful and seemed really inviting.
For Nunavut, we had stops tentatively scheduled in Qikiqtarjuaq, Pond Inlet (Mittimatilik) and Resolute. Unfortunately, Qikiqtarjuaq was covered in thick fog and our customs agents were not able to land so we could not visit the community. It was a heartbreaking reality but a reminder that the weather is unpredictable and that itineraries are always tentative. We did make it to Pond Inlet to clear customs and had a wonderful afternoon exploring the town.
 
Baffin Island seems so different in comparison to Greenland. The homes were not brightly painted but still looked cozy. The ports were not as commercially busy but still had families headed out to fish and hunt. We were taken to the community center and a presentation of Inuit culture awaited. We heard traditional throat singing by the women, Inuit games (They are strong and athletic) as well as singing and dancing by all. It was a beautiful moment of pride for the Inuk people and the whole ship was so appreciative for the chance to see the performance. We then spent some time after the presentation to watch some locals and Adventure Canada play baseball on the a newly made ball field before we wandered back to the ship. We stopped by the grocery stores to see what one can eat up north. Turns out there was a lot of familiar brands but the prices were three or four times more than we would pay back home. I believe families still try to hunt seal and whale for the community as the main source of food but regulations and money have made the addition of processed food necessary in these communities.
 
We disembarked in Resolute and were taken straight to the airport so we did not have a chance to see this community. It is home to about 250 members (quite small) and they see some of the darkest winters. Imagine five full light months, five full dark months and two months in between for the transition.