It was a rough crossing over the Davis Strait toward Canada, and Dad and I spent the first afternoon at sea confined to our cabin. Nothing really helped that first night—not even the combination of wristbands and Dramamine—except simply lying horizontal. I hated to miss some of the lectures happening during the sea crossing, but thanks to a camera set up in the common lounge and our cabin TV, we were still able to watch the talks live from the comfort of our beds. The 24-hour camera gave us a pretty good idea of who onboard could stomach the rough seas—Dad and I incredulously watched some of the passengers stroll through the lounge with a cup of tea steadily in hand, even as the ship rocked and rolled with the angry swell.
It was well into the next day of open water crossing when we finally got our “sea legs” and were able to keep a meal down. The dining room was still far emptier than normal, but Dad and I were ravenous after missing lunch and dinner the day before and piled our plates high with food. We spent the rest of the day looking for seabirds and other wildlife out on deck, thankful for some fresh air and a little unscheduled time.
We were able to step foot on land again shortly for our next stop at the remote community of Kangiqsualujjuaq, also known as George River, where we received an overwhelming welcome by the local Inuit residents. The guests of the Ocean Endeavour were free to wander the village and tour the elementary school and community center. Everywhere we went, we received a welcoming smile or generous offering; at the border of the village, residents had set up tents, serving bannocks and tea inside and assembling handmade items for sale such as beautiful pairs of caribou mittens. The warmth and resilience of the people here was clear, as well as their pride for their way of life closely tied to the vast surrounding land and water. As we walked back to the landing site and boarded the zodiacs, the comforting smell of spruce and wood smoke lingered.
Adventure Life has been an extraordinary travel resource for us over the years and today was no exception. Our River Cruise booking was handled by Jess (who has been our personal trip planner for several years) the same day as our inquiry. Suggestions were given for cabin choice and pre-trip options (that were not shown on the cruise line's website) like airport transfers and prepaid gratuities. Trip insurance recommendations followed and we were assigned a travel co-ordinator till the end of the tour. All we have to do is show up! Great service from friendly folks.
APtravelwell
1 day ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
1 day ago
Although there was a lot of paper work, I received help and guidance when I needed it.
Donna Kirby
2 days ago
Our travel was flawless! The rider pickup (airport, hotel, ship) was seamless. Jane's recommendation for Emerald Cruise Sakara was everything I wanted but the experience was soooo much more. Adventure Life took care of each and every detail and this was the easiest of all my travels.
Anne Petty
3 days ago
Follow up was effective any questions were answered in a timely manner