We sailed through the night and slept with the motion of the ship as it navigated towards our first landing at Port Epworth. This area is now know as Qurluqtualuk as many places in the Arctic are reverting to their Inuit names. There was a small settlement here once upon a time but other than two grave sites there is little evidence of such. The landscape however is stunning and it is here that has the best display of stromatolites in the world. These are fossilized blue green algae that once lied under the sea 1.9 to 2.3 billion years ago and were responsible for oxygenating the earths environment and making it habitable. Their name is of Greek origin and means stone mattress. The vegetation was vivid fall colours with soft boggy footing. The hills in the background were composed of satiated stone which added to the quiet beauty of this magical place. With guides setting up a bear perimeter we were free to explore though experts were stationed strategically to point out special features. Weather cooperated and we had a wonderful day. The next day was a sea day and was packed with lectures and special workshops to choose from. Learned about things from geology, archeology, whales and tips on using the iPhone for photography. No animal sightings as of yet but we live in hope.
The ship is anchored off and we made a wet landing by zodiac
Beautiful fall colours with low satiated hills in the background. We are of course above the tree line
Last of the flowering plants before the cold sets in
Susie was dressed in the traditional clothes of the area. The fur is fox and the beading is all hand done. The are to her left is where a building would have once stood
Smallest cemetery These 2 died in the early 20s , one a Hudson Bay worker and the other a RCMP officer
These are Stromatolites that have lost most of their layers
A very well preserved Stromatolite of which there were many
Ocean,colourful landscapes and mountains. Stunning
Hearty plants nestle into the rock crevices
Beautiful expansions of stromatolites in various stages. They were truly fascinating
Lovely waterfall tucked into the area
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