An Arctic Cruise along Canada’s Wild Baffin Island, Nunavut
(Previously published in 2008, this article is a compilation of blog posts from that time.)
The best way to kick off the fall season is to go on an exhilarating trip. Luck is with me this year, then. I’ve just returned from an epic journey to Baffin Island, Nunavut. 12 days aboard a small cruise ship took me along the eastern coast of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic.
I’d never been on a cruise before, and honestly, have always been quite sure I wouldn’t like it, but the company I went with was amazing. Adventure Canada has small ships (100 passengers) and uses zodiacs to transport guests to northern communities and other remote spots.
The Village of Kuujjuaq
Trips start in Toronto or Ottawa, Ontario, with flights north to various communities depending on the cruise itinerary.
Our first stop was the community of Kuujjuaq (ᑰᑦᔪᐊᖅ or ᑰᔾᔪᐊᖅ, meaning great river) in northern Quebec. The mayor welcomed us “southerners” with a speech in the new-ish info centre, musician Barney Bentall performed a few of his songs, and Aaju Peter introduced us to the lighting of the oil lamp, which Inuit ignite as a welcome. (A note about Aaju: she is an Inuk lawyer, activist and sealskin designer. She received the Order of Canada in 2012 and a new documentary about her is currently playing in theatres called Twice Colonized).
Kuujjuaq looked quite like any other northern town I’d seen in photos: enormous rocks in place of trees, elevated houses to separate the building from the permafrost, and a sense of open, empty space.
I was just settling into this new northern world and was getting ready to watch a group of local children perform Inuit dancing when we got word from our ship’s captain that the wind had picked up quite considerably (ie. get to the ship NOW).
Like the good passengers that we were, we rushed out to the shore where waiting zodiacs were to take us on a 15-minute ride to the ship. By the time we arrived, though, the captain had already moved the ship another few kilometres away from the mouth of the Koksoak River. The first group of passengers were equipped with lifejackets and sent on their way.
Two hours later, on heaving waters and descending mist, the zodiacs returned, one by one, to pick up the rest of us (and our stranded luggage). The water had become choppy and we bounced along hanging onto our carry-on bags and the ropes along the side of the zodiac.
A simple trip from shore to ship turned into a 45-minute rough ride of bum-jolting, adrenaline-producing fun before we arrived on board the Lyubov Orlova. The exhilaration was enough to whet my appetite for more zodiac adventures. When do we get to go again?!
A zodiac near Pond Inlet, Nunavut (Canada). Photo by Lori Henry.
Polar Bears and Bowhead Whales
After a few days of sailing north across choppy straights and past Auyuittuq National Park in Nunavut, we entered the Isabella Bay area, just south of the community of Clyde River. This is a summering spot for bowhead whales. (The area is now called the Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area, a 336,200 hectare protected area, the largest national wildlife area in Canada. Ninginganiq translates roughly as “the place where fog sits.”)
Paula, a regular passenger who had been on numerous Adventure Canada cruises, commented that she had seen four bowhead whales at this time last year. Shannon Fowler, our ship’s Marine Biologist, counted upwards of 40 today. Every few minutes over the course of an hour, jets of water would spray out of the ocean, often followed by the flick of a flute or an emerging back. We were all dazed at the fortunate sightings, negotiating the impulse to snap photos but not wanting to miss a moment of the spectacle.
Not long after passing through Isabella Bay, an announcement came over the loudspeakers: we were passing a polar bear lounging on an iceberg! Out to the decks we ran again. Indeed, the majestic creature had just perked it’s head up as it noticed our ship nearing.
It was a spectacular morning for wildlife viewing and the excitement pulsed through the passengers as we all compared photos and chattered with glee.
Clyde River, Nunavut
To finish off an already fantastic morning, we stopped in the community of Clyde River in the afternoon. Locals greeted us as we were taken in on zodiacs, the children grinning and walking us up to the community hall (60% of the population is under 25 years old).
Eric was the first to befriend me, a fifth grader with boundless energy and a toothy smile. I raced him all the way to the community hall, where we entered breathless and giddy from the cold northern air.
Inside, there was a gymnasium full of Inuit, some with gorgeous art for sale, others just enjoying the company. Grins were wide on both sides as we mingled with the bright-faced kids and their quietly welcoming parents. The hall was abuzz with energy and we soaked in every minute of it. Then the party began.
The local hip hop group showed us their moves to original Inuktitut beats, followed by the local band playing their own tunes. Their show ended with Inuit games: the one-foot high kick, where competitors have to kick a hanging target (a ball, cloth or piece of sealskin) dangling from a high height; shoulder-punch, where two people punch each other in the arm to prove their strength; and knuckle hop, where they hop on their knuckles and toes to see who can get the farthest.
In a farewell, we sang the community two songs in Inuktitut that we had learned, which were a hit: the locals sang along too and took our photos. We slowly made our way to the community hall doors, not wanting to leave. Suddenly, Eric showed up with a friend and they both challenged me to one last race. After four breaks to catch our breaths, we made it to the zodiac launch site grinning from ear to ear, our faces red and happy. I watched them waving frantically at the dock as we pulled away, their smiling faces getting smaller and smaller.
A family in Clyde River, Nunavut (Canada). Photo by Lori Henry.
Royal Society Fiord, Paterson Inlet
Our next land trip was around the Royal Society Fiord in Paterson Inlet. Some of us hiked up a mountain for a stunning view of the calm fiord below. Soft foliage covered the ground with small plants and bursts of colours, with large rocks interspersed to make climbing an exercise in concentration.
At the top of the peak, the Royal Society Fiord was laid out below like a watercolour painting. Mist hovered lightly and kept the sun at bay, while snow geese glided, swooped and landed. There was not a sound except the birds and our voices.
We finished off the day with a BBQ on the deck of the ship as we stayed anchored in the fiord. Eating local char, char tongues (not my favourite!) and burgers with the snow-capped mountains surrounding us was a true wilderness experience.
A man hiking at the Royal Society Fiord in Nunavut, Canada. Photo by Lori Henry.
Pond Inlet, Nunavut
Welcomed by an Inuit mother and her child in an amauti, we disembarked at the community of Pond Inlet next. Double the size of Clyde River – with 1,700 residents – Pond Inlet was a picturesque sight. Snow-capped mountains faced the town, shimmering in the afternoon sunlight.
A few of us were invited to visit a reproduced traditional sod house from a local elder. While the majority of the group went to the ice rink to play soccer with the locals (they lost, as is customary, we were told!), a few of us were led by Aaju Peter into the house to talk to the elder about her life.
Sitting on a caribou fur blanket, Aaju translated as she told us stories about growing up here, what it means to be Inuk, and laughed at our silly questions. She showed us a qulliq, a soapstone lamp that holds oil for burning. This is how she would boil water to make tea. When someone asked how long that would take, she laughed and said, “as long as it takes.”
Devon Island and Beechey Island
Our last stops before the end of the trip were at Devon Island and Beechey Island, both significant archeological and historical areas. Devon Island (ᑕᓪᓗᕈᑎᑦ) is the largest uninhabited island on earth at 55,247 km2 and its surface is often compared to that of Mars. Archeologists have found evidence of tent rings from what appears to be temporary camps that are consistent with Paleo-Eskimo (or pre-Inuit) inhabitants.
Beechey Island was our last exploratory stop, the island where three Franklin Expedition members (and a later searcher) are buried. This British voyage led by Sir John Franklin in 1845 went in search of the last sections of the Northwest Passage that hadn’t yet been navigated. They all perished and the two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, were only found in 2014 and 2016 respectively.
Resolute, Nunavut
Our flights from the High Arctic left from Resolute, one of the northernmost communities in Canada and one of the coldest inhabited places on earth (averaging -15.7 °C yearly). From there it was a jolt to arrive back in Ottawa to the bustling concrete streets and city life. What an adventure!
See images from this trip here: Photos of the Canadian Arctic.
Arctic book recommendations: Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez and Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada's Arctic by Adam Shoalts.*
* The above links are to Amazon and are for your reference. I receive a small referral fee if you buy from Amazon. But I encourage you to buy books from any retailer, ideally your local bookstore!
