Marilyn's Odyssey

Port Leopold and Leopold Island

Port Leopold is an abandoned trading post in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut. It faces Prince Regent Inlet at the northeast tip of Somerset Island and was the site of the winter encampment for the first major Royal Navy search for Sir John Franklins expedition. It is a vast plateau of barren gravel dotted with Arctic plants that stretches out towards distant grey cliffs. Our plans for our landing here had to be changed at the last minute as there were a couple of bears hanging around close to the old trading post site so that area was of course no longer accessible so a planned hike had to be cancelled but our time on shore exploring and looking at the old Thule sites where Inuit lived hundreds of years ago was really interesting and always great to stretch the legs. Guides are always situated all around the landing sites to explain any interesting features.

After exploring the Port and going to some on board lectures we cruised slowly by Prince Leopold Island where the vertical cliffs rise 750 feet from the ocean. These cliffs are notable as they are the breeding grounds for Thick billed Murres, Northern Fulmars and Black legged Kittiwakes. Their nests are glued to the cliffs with guano made of bird excrement. The colony is estimated at a quarter of a million birds which occupy the site from May until the end of August but many still remained though we are into September. As we cruised along there were hundreds of birds in the water and many could be seen on the cliffs. The bird specialist Mark Mallory was on deck providing info as this is a place that his grad students do bird counts.

Sailing into Port Leopold

The abandoned trading post around which the bears were lurking

The beach up to the land. Tides here are only about 20 centimetres

Well preserved skull of a bow head whale on the beach

Close to shore the tundra was quite colourful with small arctic plants

Gradually slopes up into the hills where there is almost no vegetation

These are the remains of old Thule home sites situated high above the water

A single Thule home

A good example of an arctic willow. Very different from the willows we have at home these crawl along the ground

Though the Arctic plants tend to be small many of them are very colourful

This orange lichen on the rock almost looks like paint!

Marc St Onge can always be found explaining interesting rock formations. This one is fossilized rock of worm casings

A very broad expanse of tundra with nothing to protect one from the wind

The gun cases which are the proof of the ever present bear guards everywhere we go. They set up a bear perimeter and keep a constant lookout for bears the whole time we are on the ground

The cliffs of Leopold Island

They look like small dots but there are hundreds of birds on this cliff

Evening setting in in the Arctic

Coningham Bay and Bellot Strait

Tuesday September 5th was indeed an exciting day. After a lecture on polar bears after breakfast we suited up for the cold weather and extended time on the water. We spent two hours in the zodiacs exploring Coningham Bay which is on th southeast coast of Prince of Wales Island in Nunavut. It is a very shallow protected bay where the water is warmer and belugas come here for two reason, to feed and to rub on the bottom. However belugas were not our main attraction today but the polar bears who come here to feed on the poor whales who get stranded on the falling tide were. We were more than rewarded with multiple sightings. We were treated to a sow and cubs feeding on a carcass, swimming bears ahead of our boat, solitary large bears ,a ring seal, a quick glimpse of a female narwhal and sadly a dead polar bear. Despite the cold the time flew but we all returned to the ship with permanent grins.

Cruising on we travelled trough Bellot Strait which separates Somerset Island from Boothia Peninsula.During this passage we passed the northern most point of North America, Zenith Point, which is marked with a cairn. All eyes were on deck watching for wildlife but with none to be seen we enjoyed the magnificent scenery instead.

Beluga whale bones dotted the beaches of the bay

These bears decided they did not want to visit with us

Mother and cubs feeding on a beluga carcass

They are wondering who we are

Love the sitting cub!

This bear was swimming in front of our zodiac

This big guy wandered into the water watching us all the time and then decided against a swim and off he went

This sadly is a polar bear who has come to the end of his life. In the next days he will become food in the circle of life

These three bears just thought there was way too much company for their liking

This ring seal nicely showed us the ring around his neck for identification. These are the favourite food of the polar food

The fin to the left of the seal is that of a female narwhal whale

Was quite special to watch the bears actually feeding on the carcass. The mom seems to be keeping watch

This is an example of part of a narwhal tooth which is hollow as the two rings show

The view looking up Bellot Strait

Beautiful scenery but no wildlife to be seen

Light trying to break through causing interesting patterns in the sky

Crew preparing our toast for our journey past the northern most point of North America

Eric,Bea and I toasting Zenith Point as we sail past

Zenith Point. The cairn is to the left and hard to pick out unless you know where it is

Our ship entertainment.. All very educated guides with great musical talent!

Gjoa Haven

Early Monday morning on September 4th we set anchor just off Gjoa Haven for our visit to this northern town. After a splashy zodiac ride we arrived on the Sandy beach where we were warmly welcomed by the locals. Everyone we saw during our visit was warm and friendly and we felt very lucky to be there. We were in small groups with a local guide as well we had Joe in our group who is an Inuit who is an on board guide. The Inuit here were prolific hunters for caribou seal and Arctic char. The Arctic adventurer Roald Amundsen visited Uquqtuuq during 1903-1905 and named this sheltered harbour for his boat the Gjoa where he spent two winters during his transit of the Northwest Passage. The oral history preserved here played a crucial part in the discovery of Franklin’s ships the Erebus and the Terror in 2017. We visited the cultural Center which had some wonderful displays of Inuit art and culture. The descriptions of Inuit life in the past were very open and honest even describing how they would leave infants outside to freeze to death if they had too many children to feed. There are many carvers living in the community today and many of the carving depict their way of life. All of the buildings are raised off the ground so not to thaw the permafrost. Boats rested on the seashore and the majority of homes had ATVs and snowmobiles outside as opposed to vehicles. The only store in town is the Co-op and major supplies are brought in by freighter only once a year.

The residents put on a cultural display for us in the community Center with singing,drumming and throat singing followed by square dancing by some of the youngsters. During their dance they got some of the audience up and Eric was a good sport and got up and danced with a young Inuit girl. I have video proof! Adventure Canada is involved with a project called Project North and at the end of the program David, one of the guides with Joe translating to the elders presented the community with 50 complete sets of hockey gear which is the sport of choice here for both boys and girls. The children present were so excited and eagerly started opening the boxes. The smiles on their faces as they held a new stick in their hands was priceless and heartwarming. A wonderful way to end our visit to this community.