EXPEDITIONS 2016 Cover Photo ©Scott Sporleder HELLO, ADVENTURERS!
Welcome to another exciting season with Adventure Adventure Canada has always undertaken a wealth of Canada. We’re back from our first summer of expeditions Arctic itineraries, and 2016 is no exception. We’re looking aboard our beautiful new ship, the Ocean Endeavour, and forward to returning to the Northwest Passage, as well as I’m pleased to report that she is exceeding expectations. Canada’s eastern Arctic regions, and Greenland. We’ll explore With a complement of twenty Zodiacs, a gorgeous top- the vast polar landscape and get out on the land, and we'll deck observation area, and multiple presentation spaces, experience the warm welcomes that can only be found in some the Ocean Endeavour allows us to make more stops faster, of the world’s most remote settlements. share more of our resource staff’s knowledge, and take in remote destinations like never before. As ever, we are travelling with a full roster of Canada’s best and brightest. Our expert resource staff of authors, musicians, We’re kicking off the summer with our award-winning archaeologists, historians, geologists, biologists, culturalists, Mighty Saint Lawrence itinerary, named one of National and naturalists will be on hand throughout each and every Geographic Traveller’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime in 2015. expedition to ensure that our voyages are steeped in culture, This extraordinary sailing begins in Québec City, and travels wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and human history. By the time down the river that was the historic heartbeat of Canada for so the summer rolls around, I can never wait to get back to the far many years. Famed for some of Canada’s best whale watching, north, and after seeing these regions for yourself, I think you'll not to mention the stunning natural beauty of areas like know why. Saguenay Fjord and Cape Breton, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated. Yours in adventure,
2016 represents a few exciting steps for us. Among these: we’re returning to Sable Island! This itinerary was a huge success when we launched it in 2014, garnering widespread press Cedar Swan attention and rave reviews from passengers. We’re heading Adventure Canada ceo back this year to explore the dunes and marvel at one of the world’s last remaining herds of wild horses. It’s sure to be an unforgettable trip. CONTENTS
THE AC EXPERIENCE 3 OUR RESOURCE SPECIALISTS 5
PARTNERS THE WALRUS FOUNDATION 6 CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC 7 NIKON 9 STUDENTS ON ICE 10 EXPLORERS CLUB 11 DISCOVERY FUND 12
EXPEDITIONS 2016 MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCE 15 SABLE ISLAND 23 NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 29 GREENLAND & WILD LABRADOR 37 HEART OF THE ARCTIC 45 ARCTIC SAFARI 53 ARCTIC EXPLORER 61 INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 69 OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 79
THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR 89 PRICING 93 IMPORTANT INFORMATION 95 REGISTRATION FORM 96
©Andre Gallant THE ADVENTURE CANADA EXPERIENCE
Travelling with Adventure Canada is an experience unlike any always onshore during excursions. Staff and passengers dine other—and not just because of our incredible destinations. together for lively, informative conversations; we believe We pride ourselves on an immersive cultural experience both laughter should be a part of every experience. on and off the ship. Our unique mix of entertainment and humour is integral to Our shipboard programming is fun and educational. We host our evening concerts, trivia nights, theme dinners, and dances. presentations, debates, and workshops to provide perspective Each day’s excursions are thoughtfully planned to make the and understanding; our expedition staff—experts in their most of the local environment and conditions. Hiking, wildlife respective fields—are approachable, available on deck, and viewing, historic sites, community visits, and Zodiac cruising
MURRAY WAGHORN
Twelve expeditions with Adventure Canada are regular activities. Engaging presentations and hands-on vision of tourism is a sustainable one. We are grateful to work activities are offered each day; these range from photography alongside so many talented individuals and have them invite and printmaking workshops to examinations of ancient peoples us into their home territories. In turn, we are proud to invite and current events. You choose activities that are best suited to community members on board to enjoy the hospitality of the your abilities and interests. Ocean Endeavour while sharing their stories and experiences with us. Our close relationships with local people in the regions we visit set us apart. Adventure Canada has a proud history of Fun and casual, rugged yet comfortable—Adventure Canada’s working with communities, hiring locally, and ensuring our expedition cruises are true voyages of discovery.
©Danny Catt
4 ©Michelle Valberg
OUR RESOURCE SPECIALISTS
Adventure Canada’s team travels to some of the world’s We are authors and painters, we are archaeologists wildest, most remote destinations. Polar bear sightings, and filmmakers. We are musicians and geologists Zodiacs zipping between waves, and towering icebergs are and anthropologists and marine biologists. We are all in a day’s work. Time and time again, it is our intrepid birdwatchers and songwriters, photographers and hunters, team of resource specialists that gives us our 35% return- culturalists, philosophers, politicians, meteorologists, customer rate. We fly the majority of our staff members in sculptors, historians, sailors, and swimmers of sub-zero specially for each voyage—this ensures that we have experts water. We hail from far and wide, and we are luminary minds in the specific regions aboard who are as excited to be there in our respective fields. Above all, we share in a deep love for as you are! discovery. For learning. For exploration and growth. And we are family.
5 In 2016 we are once again pleased to partner with the award- OUR PARTNERSHIP winning magazine, The Walrus, and the charitable, non-profit WITH THE WALRUS Walrus Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a forum for FOUNDATION conversation on matters vital to Canadians. Among its many contributions to the Canadian conversation is The Walrus magazine—winner of more awards in its ten years of publication than any other Canadian title.
The Walrus Foundation also publishes original high-quality content at thewalrus.ca, creates digital projects such as Walrus Ebooks, partners with Blue Ant Media to produce documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv, and trains young professionals in media, publishing, and non-profit development.
You can join members of the Walrus Foundation aboard our 2016 Mighty Saint Lawrence expedition. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROYAL CANADIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
Adventure Canada is proud to join the Royal Canadian The Canadian Geographic Photo Club is Canada’s largest Geographical Society and Canadian Geographic magazine online photo community, and the presenter of the Canadian in presenting two 2016 expeditions: Sable Island and Geographic Photo Contest, Wildlife Photography of the Year Greenland and Wild Labrador. contest, and others.
Our Canadian Geographic Photo Club voyage to Sable The Royal Canadian Geographical Society was founded in 1929 Island (June 11–19) with its iconic wild horses, windswept “to make Canada better known to Canadians and to the world”. dunes, and rare seabirds, will be a photographer’s dream For more than eighty-five years, the Society has published come true. Canadian Geographic magazine—the third most widely read magazine in Canada. Additionally, the Society fulfills its The Royal Canadian Geographical Society Expedition, Greenland mandate through its geographic education program, speaker and Wild Labrador, (June 29–July 11), explores the pristine series, research grants, and expedition programs. fjords of two sublime coastlines on a journey truly deserving of the term ‘adventure.’
We look forward to working with the rcgs and Canadian Geographic to create exceptional experiences and programming aboard these unique, thrilling voyages!
7 ©Mike Beedell ©Mike Beedell
“IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE IMPRESSED AFTER TAKING THIS TRIP, THEN NOTHING WILL IMPRESS YOU. THE WORD I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE THIS TRIP IS ‘AWESOME’.”
—ALEX TREBEK, JEOPARDY! HOST AND RCGS FELLOW, PICTURED HERE IN GREENLAND WITH HIS WIFE JEAN ABOARD OUR 2015 ARCTIC EXPLORER EXPEDITION OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NIKON
As the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics, and elusive combination of artistic creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, photo-imaging technology, Nikon is globally recognized for and community commitment, which is reflected in her diverse setting new standards in product design and performance for career and stellar reputation. Michelle’s work has appeared in its award-winning consumer and professional photographic many magazines including National Geographic, US Magazine, equipment. Nikon Canada distributes consumer and In Style, Above & Beyond, Ottawa Life, Canadian Geographic, professional dslr and hd-slr cameras, Nikon coolpix® PhotoLife, Reader’s Digest and Chatelaine. She is the founder of compact digital cameras, Nikon 1 advanced cameras with Project North. interchangeable lens system, nikkor optics, speedlights, and system accessories.
With this partnership, travellers aboard Adventure Canada expeditions will be able to experience first-hand the high image quality and optical excellence of Nikon cameras, lenses, and gear—and try out this precision equipment for themselves. Join Michelle on Some expeditions will feature award-winning Canadian our Newfoundland photographer and Nikon Canada Ambassador, Michelle Valberg, Circumnavigation who will host photography workshops. Michelle is known for her and Heart of the soulful portraiture and stunning landscapes. She possesses the Arctic voyages
9 STUDENTS ON ICE: INVESTING IN OUR ©Martin Lipman FUTURE
Adventure Canada is a proud partner, sponsor, and supporter Since 2011, Adventure Canada has worked with soi to support of the Students on Ice Foundation (soi), an award-winning Inuit students through the scholarship program and by organization offering transformative educational expeditions providing vessels for Arctic expeditions. for youth in the Arctic. Adventure Canada and Students on Ice are thrilled to grow Adventure Canada shares soi’s pioneering vision of the polar our partnership aboard the Ocean Endeavour. Adventure regions as the world’s greatest classrooms. Experience in the Canada clients contribute to the success of the Students on Ice polar world creates a tremendous platform for education across program through Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund. In 2016, cultures and disciplines, including science, history, arts, natural Adventure Canada is pleased to include soi alumni as part of history, sustainable development, and conservation. Over the our onboard resource staff. past fifteen years, more than 2,500 students from fifty-two countries have participated in soi expeditions. To learn more about soi and how you can directly support their work, please visit studentsonice.com. On every soi journey, scientists, elders, experts, artists, historians, innovators, musicians, and visionary leaders travel together with the students to foster a spirit of discovery, understanding, collaboration, respect, awe, wonder, and a deep Students on Ice Foundation is a connection to nature. registered Canadian charitable organization #83664 8766 RR0001
10 ©Scott Forsyth
EXPLORERS CLUB
The Explorers Club is an international multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research and the preservation of exploratory instinct. Since its inception in 1904, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. It supports research and education in the physical, natural, and biological sciences and its members have been first to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, and first to the moon. STEFAN KINDBERG JAMES RAFFAN
Adventure Canada is proud to be the Explorers Club’s exclusive polar provider, and delighted to welcome notable explorers aboard each of our expeditions. Together, we strive to spread knowledge about the vastness of the north—its beauty, its grandeur, and its vital importance to our planet as a whole.
In 2016, join special guest Explorers Club members James Raffan on our Sable Island and Heart of the Arctic expeditions, Milbry Polk on Out of the MILBRY POLK JIM HALFPENNY Northwest Passage, and Jim Halfpenny on Arctic Explorer.
11 ADVENTURE CANADA’S DISCOVERY FUND
Adventure Canada strongly believes in the importance of Student Program, the Grise Fiord Recreation Committee, sustainable social and environmental practices, and has The Walrus Foundation, Students on Ice, and the Royal Canadian long been committed to upholding standards of responsible Geographical Society, among many others. travel. We continually reaffirm our approach to conscientious operation by making sustainable business choices—and by encouraging our partners to do the same.
In nearly three decades of operation, we have been proudly involved in regional, national, and international efforts to make our world a better place.
In 1996, Adventure Canada established the Discovery Fund to help strengthen sustainable initiatives and projects in the regions to which we travel.
The Discovery Fund is supported by a $250 usd fee added to the price of each Adventure Canada tour sold. With this small contribution, passengers are taking active roles in the ©Danny Catt betterment of our beloved world—the north, the east coast, and beyond.
The Discovery Fund directly assists local and national We have built our company around a reverence and respect for organizations involved in social and economic community the wilds of our country—its land, its communities, its wildlife, development, in addition to environmental and wildlife its people, its culture. By travelling with Adventure Canada, you preservation. Each year, we endeavour to extend our support to too are helping ensure that these irreplaceable treasures will both high profile and grassroots ventures. Recently, Adventure endure for generations to come. Canada’s Discovery Fund has actively supported the following key organizations: Project North, Torngat National Parks Clean-Up Project, Atlantic Whales, Unikkausivut, kangdulsuk Thank You!
12 EXPEDITIONS 2016
©Jason van Bruggen ELLESMERE SMITH SOUND ISLAND Qaanaaq
M C C LU Aujuittuq Kap York R E (Grise Fiord) ST RA IT Coburg GREENLAND Melville Island Island Bathurst Quaasuittuq Melville Island Devon Bay (Resolute) Beechey Banks Island Island Karrat Fjord Island PARRY CHANNEL BAFFIN BAY AD Bylot M Prince Uummannaq PRINCE OF WALES STRAIT Island UN Somerset D Leopold Fjord S Island EN VICTORIA ISLAND Prince of Island G Ilulissat U Wales Mittimatalik Northeast LF Ulukhaktok (Holman) Island (Pond Inlet) Ban Fjords Bellot Strait Kangerlussuaq
D A Niqinganiq V Sisimiut (Isabella Bay) IS Coast BAFFIN ISLAND S West CORONATION T Itilleq GULF R Fjord Greenland Qikiqtarjuaq A I Kugluktuk QUEEN MAUD (Broughton Island) T GULF Usqsuqtuuq (Coppermine) (Gjoa Haven) YUKON Nuuk Pangnirtung
East Ban
Kinngait (Cape Dorset) MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCE NUNAVUT South Ban Kimmirut Coast (Lake Harbour) NORTHWEST SABLETERRITORIES ISLAND Digges Island Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) Akpatok Torngat Mountains NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION Island National Park Hebron NUNAVIK Kangiqsualujjuaq (George River) GREENLAND & WILD LABRADOR HUDSON BAY Kuujjuaq Hopedale LABRADOR HEART OF THE ARCTIC SEA Wonderstrands
ARCTIC SAFARI LABRADOR L’Anse aux Meadows Red Bay Conche
ARCTIC EXPLORER Notre Trinity Bay Woody Point / Dame Bay Gros Morne National Park QUÉBEC NEWFOUNDLAND St. John’s Miawpukek INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE (Conne River) Forillon National Park / Gaspé South Saint-Pierre ONTARIO Coast OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE Île Bonaventure Saguenay Provincial Park Îles de la Fjord Lower Madeleine St. Lawrence Cape Breton Island CANADA PRINCE The Gully EDWARD ISLAND Marine Protected Area These are our proposed routes. Weather, NEW BRUNSWICK sea, and ice conditions will determine our Québec NOVA Sable Island City SCOTIA daily progress.UNITED Actual itineraries STATES may differ ©Jason van Bruggen from those indicated. 2015 MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCE
JUNE 1–JUNE 10, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
We're kicking off our 2016 sailing season with one of National Geographic Traveller's 50 Tours of a Lifetime! This voyage incorporates the stunning coastal regions of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, including the Gaspé, the Magdalen Islands, Cape Breton, and Saint-Pierre.
Marine mammals should be plentiful—some of the best whale watching in Canada is concentrated between the high cliffs of Saguenay Fjord. Forillon National Park and Île-Bonaventure Provincial Park offer spectacular wildlife opportunities, including numerous migrating seabirds. The Magdalen Islands' mix of Acadian and English influences and a history of more than four hundred shipwrecks are among their unique features. They are also home to endangered bird species, including the piping plover and roseate tern. A stop at Cape Breton, famed for its rocky shores, glacial valleys, and barren headlands, is sure to be a highlight. We’ll also visit Prince Edward Island—Canada's smallest province, and the birthplace of Confederation.
We bring our voyage to a close at Saint-Pierre, the last remaining outpost of New France, where fine wine, good cheese and French fashion are to be found—just off the coast of Newfoundland.
This itinerary features some French programming.
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HIGHLIGHTS
• Experience Québec’s unique history and culture
• Search for the largest animal on earth—the blue whale
• See one of the world’s largest gannet colonies; over 50,000 pairs
• Enjoy the natural beauty of Cape Breton Island
• Sail the Saguenay, spectacular feeding ground for marine and bird species
• Photograph the famous red cliffs of the Magdalen Islands
PROPOSED ITINERARY CHARTER FLIGHTS Day 1: Québec City, QC
Day 2: Saguenay Fjord Outbound:
Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence Saint-Pierre, FR to St. John’s, NL
Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gaspé June 10, 2016
Day 5: Île Bonaventure Provincial Park Early-afternoon arrival
Day 6: Prince Edward Island $350 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)
Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS or join us for an optional overnight cruise from Saint-Pierre to St. John's aboard the Ocean Endeavour! Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC Contact us for more details. Day 9: Expedition stop, NL Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport Day 10: Saint-Pierre, France to Québec City and from St. John's.
17 DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Québec City, QC
One of the oldest European settlements in North America, Québec takes its name from the Algonquin word meaning ‘where the river narrows.’ The city that Champlain founded in 1608 was the capital of New France, and later, of British North America. Today, the proud capital of the province of the same name boasts the old-world charms of Vieux Québec, the world-famous Chateau Frontenac Hotel, and the only remaining intact citadel walls in North America. the famed Reford Gardens. The gardens are home to a Cultural riches, superb cuisine, and an incredible view sculpture park, art installations, and an array of unique over the river make Québec the perfect place to begin our floral walks and enclosures. voyage. Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gaspé Day 2: Saguenay Fjord The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspésie, separates The Saguenay drains fresh water from Lac St. Jean, but the the mouth of the Saint Lawrence from Baie de Chaleur. greater part of its volume is salt tidal water from the Saint Dominated by high cliffs on the north shore, the Gaspé Lawrence Estuary. The result is an ideal habitat for marine includes the eastern tip of the Appalachian Mountain mammals including four species of whales—fin, minke, chain and offers amazing views from its highland regions, blue, and the famous (and endangered) Saguenay beluga which jut above the treeline. population. Saguenay-Saint Lawrence Marine Park and Saguenay Fjord National Park both protect the region’s The first National Park in Québec, Forillon, is an important vast natural riches. bird and marine mammal habitat. Forillon also preserves human history in the Grand-Grave National Heritage Site, telling the story of the fishing families who once made Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence their homes here. The park contains Canada’s tallest Today we will be exploring the south coast of the Lower lighthouse, and fortifications remaining from the Second Saint Lawrence. Our stop is weather-dependent; ideally World War, when German U-boats threatened Allied we will have favourable conditions for an excursion to shipping.
18 Day 5: Île Bonaventure National Park / Percé leaving a massive column at one end. Fin, minke, humpback, and blue whales ply the nearby waters of this magnificent Parc National de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé is the coastal outpost. formal name of the park at the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. But most Canadians are more familiar with its best- known feature, the awe-inspiring Percé Rock. The area’s flora Day 6: Prince Edward Island
Canada’s smallest province in both size and population, Prince Edward Island is known by several other names, including “Garden of the Gulf” (for its lush agricultural lands) and the “Cradle of Confederation” (referring to the Charlottetown Conference in 1864). It is a realm of rolling hills, wooded glades, ocean coves, and famously red soil. The island’s landscape has a strong bearing on its inhabitants, and Prince Edward Island— often abbreviated aspei —retains a slow-paced, old-world flavour in its small, rural settlements. The island was made famous by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables (and its sequels)—and to this day the Cavendish farmhouse described in the book is a popular destination for visitors.
Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS
Today we call in at picturesque Cape Breton Island, an island comprising rocky shores, rolling farmland, glacial valleys, barren headlands, mountains, woods, and plateaus. A day of memorable hiking and cultural experiences awaits us here. and fauna are world-renowned, including famous colonies of northern gannets: the largest is on Bonaventure Island and comprises nearly 50,000 pairs. Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC
Long frequented by Mi’kmaq people, likely walrus hunters, Named by Samuel de Champlain, Percé itself is an internationally the Magdalen Islands (les Îles-de-la-Madeleine) in the Gulf of famed marvel, a huge natural arch within a mass of reddish Saint Lawrence were first sighted by Europeans when Jacques limestone and sandstone. A second arch collapsed in 1845, Cartier sailed among them in 1534. Today, although closer to
19 Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, they form a regional municipality of the province of Québec.
However, the islands have a history distinct from that of mainland Québec. When the British expelled the Acadians from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Magdalene Islanders remained, and to this day take great pride in their Acadian heritage. There are also long-standing English settlements, and a percentage of the population can claim descent from survivors of the many shipwrecks that have occurred among the islands. Iconic red sandstone cliffs are among the islands’ most striking features.
Day 9: Expedition Stop, NL
Newfoundland’s south coast offers many surprises, including vast stretches of virtually uninhabited wilderness. Fjords, cliffs, and islands offer excellent Zodiac cruising territory and terrific birding opportunities. We will be availing ourselves of all the area has to offer and may be stopping in any of several possible destinations depending on conditions.
Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR
On a trip that traces the history and geography of New France, it’s appropriate that we wind up in France. Saint-Pierre remains an official territory of the French Republic, albeit only a few dozen kilometres off the shore of Newfoundland.
You will have an opportunity to explore the town before transferring to our charter flight to St. John's, NL.
©Clayton Anderson PHIL JENKINS AUTHOR AND MUSICIAN
Phil is a newspaper columnist, travel writer, author, and performing songwriter. He has been a freelance columnist for the Ottawa Citizen since 1991 and writes for magazines, including National Geographic Traveler, Equinox, Canadian Geographic, and Toronto Life. He has written the non-fiction bestsellersFields of Vision, An Acre of Time, River Song: Sailing the History of the St. Lawrence, and Beneath My Feet: The Memoirs of George Mercer Dawson. Phil teaches and lectures at Carleton University.
JAY INGRAM AUTHOR
Jay hosted cbc Radio’s science program FEATURED STAFF Quirks and Quarks, Discovery Channel Canada’s Daily Planet, and has written twelve books, most of which have PIERRE RICHARD been bestsellers. He is Chair of the Science Communications NATURALIST Program at the Banff Centre. Along with Mary Anne Moser, he is co-founder of the arts, science, and engineering happening Pierre grew up in Québec City and has Beakerhead, which launched in September 2013. Jay is a travelled extensively along both shores of member of the Order of Canada. the Estuary and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It was there that he developed a life- *This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— long interest in marine mammals, and in particular, whales. for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com. He has co-authored two field guides on eastern Canadian marine mammals and spent thirty years working as a biologist and research scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
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PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SABLE ISLAND
JUNE 11–JUNE 19, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
Sable Island’s wild horses are world-famous, but there’s so much more to this remote sand island off the coast of Nova Scotia. The world’s largest colony of grey seals breeds here, as does the rare roseate tern and the endemic Ipswich sparrow, among many birds of note. Amid the island’s forty-two kilometres of beaches, dunes, and bogs you’ll find a plethora of plants: from iris, to sundew, to wild berries in abundance. Whales and sharks ply the nearby waters.
Sable Island’s history includes shipwrecks and salvage; sealing and walrus hunting; rescue and research. Still, the horses remain the island’s most charismatic residents. Free to roam, they represent one of the world’s last wild equine populations. Now protected as Canada’s forty-third national park, Sable Island offers an adventure unlike any other.
23 ©Michelle Valberg HIGHLIGHTS
• View one of the world’s last wild horse populations
• See the rare Ipswich sparrow in its sole breeding ground
• Photograph Sable Island’s many rare and beautiful plant species
• Visit the world’s largest grey seal colony
• Seek marine mammals in The Gully, a Marine Protected Area
PROPOSED ITINERARY DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1: St. John’s, NL Day 1: St. John’s, NL Day 2: At Sea We meet in St. John’s—Newfoundland’s historic, vibrant capital. Days 3-6: Sable Island Picturesque and welcoming, with a world-famous harbour, Day 7: At Sea — The Gully (Marine Protected Area) St. John’s has been continually fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America’s oldest European Day 8: Saint-Pierre, FR settlement. Day 9: St. John’s, NL We will offer an afternoon city tour to those interested. Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the to and from St. John's. Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper. Passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we head for open water, passing Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America.
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©Mike Beedell seen. The herd of wild horses for which the island is famous is a true highlight: we will observe them at their wildest as they race among the dunes. The sandy shores afford unmatched opportunities for Zodiac cruising, and you may expect to delight in observing the curious local seal population as we do so.
The historic sites of Sable Island—the old shipwrecks and abandoned settlements—are of particular interest, as the island’s shifting sands hide and reveal different landscapes ©Janis Parker each day. This ecosystem is in true flux: the vegetation and habitats, as well as the human relics, are at the whim of the ever-changing dunes and we will spend our days exploring Day 2: At Sea before the winds rise and hide all evidence of our passage.
Our presentation series will kick into full swing today as our expert resource staff delves into the fascinating history Day 7: At Sea: The Gully Marine Protected Area and ecology of Sable Island. While out on deck, keep your At sea today, we will be crossing The Gully, a Marine Protected eyes peeled for marine mammals and seabirds in the rich Area approximately two hundred kilometres off the coast of northwest Atlantic. Nova Scotia and to the east of Sable Island. Here, the sea floor
Days 3–6: Sable Island
Sable Island is the legendary location of hundreds of shipwrecks. The island is home to a population of feral horses, the rare Ipswich sparrow, seals, and seabirds in abundance. We’ll have a chance to meet some of the island’s handful of human inhabitants and learn about this unique habitat first-hand.
In the four days we will spend exploring Sable Island, expect to be dazzled by a natural habitat unlike any you have ever
©Michelle Valberg suddenly drops a dizzying two and a half kilometres into a Saint-Pierre’s architecture reflects its history: an eclectic submarine valley. The Gully is one of the most prominent collection of colours and style aligned on picturesque undersea features in eastern Canada and its unique ecology has cobblestone streets and alleys. We will have time for a tour of attracted the interest of many agencies, such as Parks Canada the city and independent exploration in the surrounding area. and Environment Canada. This is due to its significant coral Take advantage of this day in France to enjoy some wine and communities, its diversity of both shallow and deep-water fish cheese, and unwind in a tiny slice of old Europe nestled into the and its many whales and dolphins. North American coast.
As on our other days at sea, our resource staff will be on hand Day 9: St. John’s, NL to deliver contextualizing presentations. Out on deck they will assist passengers in spotting the myriad seabirds and marine After sailing through the Narrows, we will say our farewells and mammals for which this area is famous. begin the process of departure. Staff will be on hand to assist you with luggage and transportation arrangements.
Day 8: Saint-Pierre, FR
Explore Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of France’s colonial territories FEATURED STAFF in North America. The island’s 6,500 residents are of varied descent including French, Basque, Breton, and Norman. JILL MARTIN AUTHOR
Jill Martin is the author of Return to Sable (2015) and was a consultant- historian for the National Film Board and White Gate Films. Her most recent work, Sable Island: Through a Nineteenth-Century Lens—a pictorial look at life on Sable Island at the turn of the century—will be released by Nimbus publishers in April 2016. For many years she was an educator on Nova Scotia's South Shore, serving as the last principal of Lunenburg Academy. Jill sits on the board of directors of the Friends of Sable Island Society. She lives in Lunenburg with husband Carl in a home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
©Mike Beedell REE BRENNIN HOUSTON SARAH WONG
NATURALIST MARINE RESEARCHER
Ree is a zoologist with a passion for Sarah is most comfortable on the water, marine life and conservation. She searching for seabirds, marine mammals, worked at the Bedford Institute of and sharks. Her research as taken her Oceanography reviewing whale research to Chile, Dominica, the Galapagos, and and conservation threats in the vicinity of Sable Island, beyond—although she has spent most of her time in Canadian including the Scotian Shelf and the Gully Marine Protected Area. waters. She has been a seabird observer for the Canadian She taught Marine Environmental Issues at Queen’s University, Wildlife Service since 2007, and holds a Ph.D. from Dalhousie studied beluga whale population genetics, and helped launch University. For the past three winters, Sarah has helped with the right whale genetics program led by the New England the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ grey seal research Aquarium and Trent University. program on Sable Island.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
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©Mike Beedell NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION
JUNE 19–JUNE 29, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
This summer sailing is ideally timed for viewing whales, icebergs, and breeding seabirds. The island’s charm and geographic diversity are best appreciated when visiting by ship. At Gros Morne, the planet’s mantle frames fjords that would be at home in Norway; on the Avalon Peninsula, a chunk of what was once Africa meets remnants of the Appalachian Mountains. We will visit Red Bay, learn about the Viking history in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows, and see the legendary French Shore Tapestry at Conche.
Starting and ending in historic St. John’s, we experience Newfoundland’s lively culture and dramatic scenery in daily expedition stops. A visit to the French island of Saint-Pierre caps the adventure. The welcome we receive in Newfoundland’s outport communities is warm and genuine; the music and stories unforgettable. Experience the province’s legendary music, food, and hospitality the way it was meant to be experienced—by sea.
29 ©Dennis Minty PROPOSED ITINERARY
Day 1: St. John’s, NL
Day 2: Trinity Bay
Day 3: Conche
Day 4: L’Anse aux Meadows
Day 5: Red Bay
Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park
Days 7-8: South Coast, NL HIGHLIGHTS Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River) • Explore the phenomenal landscapes of Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR Gros Morne National Park Day 11: St. John’s, NL • Share the warmth of a classic Newfoundland ‘kitchen party’ Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from St. John's. Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in • Hear traditional stories and songs from our St. John's are available upon request. talented musicians
• View icebergs and whales at an optimal time of the year
• Discover the Viking history of North America
• Sail Newfoundland’s remote south coast
• Travel in the company of internationally acclaimed artist J.C. Roy
• Visit Miawpukek (Conne River), Newfoundland’s only Mi’kmaq community
31
©Dennis Minty DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: St. John’s
Welcome to St. John’s—Newfoundland’s historic, vibrant capital. Picturesque and welcoming, with a world-famous harbour, St. John’s has been continually fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America’s oldest European settlement.
We will offer an optional afternoon city tour to those interested. Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper. Passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we head for open water.
Day 2: Trinity Bay
Newfoundland’s history is intricately bound up with the cod fishery. In the heyday of sail, smaller centres like Trinity could claim to compete with St. John’s. Abandoned communities nearby, like the ghostly Ireland's Eye, add to the character of this region, as do the roles it played in the motion picture The Shipping News and the TV series Random Passage.
Day 3: Conche
On the Great Northern Peninsula, the people of Conche welcome us into their charming community. Complete with ties to its history, religion, fishery, and wildlife, Conche is made up
©Dennis Minty Day 5: Red Bay
Labrador is home to the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, Canada’s newest unesco World Heritage site. Beginning in the 1500s, Basque whalers operated out of the Red Bay harbour, making it at one time the largest whaling station in the world. The site includes six hundred acres of terrestrial and aquatic protected area. Among the important artefacts found at Red Bay is the whaling ship San Juan, lost in a storm in 1565 and found centuries later submerged in the harbour in only ten metres of water. A large number of tools, personal items, and ©Dennis Minty navigational instruments have been recovered from the wreck.
of mostly Irish descendants. We will explore the colourful town Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park on foot—and don’t be surprised if locals invite you in for a “mug Gros Morne is internationally famed for its geographic diversity up”! Conche is home to the legendary French Shore Tapestry, and majesty. The park’s mountains are both picturesque and over two hundred feet of linen and wool telling the story of highly unusual: the Tablelands, a 600-metre plateau, forms Newfoundland’s French history: its fishery, its conflict, and one of the world’s best examples of ancient rock exposed from its people. the earth’s mantle. The park’s fjords are equally stunning, and the town of Woody Point has become widely renowned for its Day 4: L’Anse aux Meadows annual Writers’ Festival.
A unesco World Heritage Site, L’Anse aux Meadows is the only There will be a choice of walks—catering to all levels of skill authenticated former Norse settlement in North America. and interest—as we explore the surrounding area. The beauty of The archaeological remains found here in 1960 date to Bonne Bay will surely be a highlight, as will the subtle charms approximately 1000 AD. Amazingly, the location of the ruins of Woody Point. was first established by a close reading of the Viking sagas.
Today, a superb interpretive centre and reconstructions of the Days 7 – 8: South Coast several Norse-style sod buildings make L’Anse aux Meadows a The wild and windswept coast of southern Newfoundland is must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland. home to a few remaining outport communities, still largely cut
33 St. Pierre’s architecture reflects its history: an eclectic collection of colours and style aligned on picturesque cobblestone streets and alleys. We will have time for a tour of the city and independent exploration in the surrounding area. Take advantage of this day in France to enjoy some wine and cheese, and unwind in a tiny slice of old Europe nestled into ©Dennis Minty the North American coast. off from mainstream travel. Visits here are often a highlight of Day 11: St. John’s our trips. There are many unique bays and coves to explore via Zodiac or land excursions. On the final day of our expedition, we will say our farewells and begin the process of departure. Staff will be on hand to assist you with luggage and transportation arrangements. Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River)
The First Nations community of Miawpukek has a mandate for economic self-sufficiency, guided by traditional values. It became a permanent settlement sometime around 1822. Before then, it was one of many semi-permanent camping sites used by the Mi’kmaw people—who, at the time, travelled throughout the east coast. Since its establishment as a reserve in 1987, Miawpukek’s employment rate has increased from 10% to nearly 100% and Indian and Northern Affairs often references the community as a model for other First Nations.
With the help of community leaders, we will receive a formal welcome into Miawpukek and meet the locals.
Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR
Explore Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of France’s colonial territories in North America. The island’s 6,500 residents are of varied ©Scott Forsyth descent including French, Basque, Breton, and Normand.
34 ©Dennis Minty
FEATURED STAFF DR. MARK ENGSTROM ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
KEVIN MAJOR After receiving his doctorate in wildlife HISTORIAN and fisheries from Texas A&M University, Mark worked as an assistant professor of Kevin has published seventeen books biology at Angelo State University for six and won numerous awards, including years. He joined the Royal Ontario Museum (rom) in 1988 as a Governor General’s Award for his first Assistant Curator of Mammals and held a variety of curatorial book, Hold Fast. The best-selling As Near positions over the next twenty-seven years before becoming to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador Deputy Director of Collections and Research in 2003. In 2014, traces the story of his homeland from continental drift to modern he led a team from the rom to Newfoundland to salvage two political upheaval. His novel No Man’s Land tells a tragic tale blue whale carcasses that washed ashore. He is also a professor of the Newfoundland Regiment in wwi. His most recent novel, at the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and New Under the Sun, explores the many cultures to inhabit Evolutionary Biology. He dreams of building the largest and southern Labrador and the northernmost tip of Newfoundland. most comprehensive research collection of whales in the world.
35 JEAN-CLAUDE ROY ARTIST
Jean Claude was born in Rochefort- sur-Mer in 1948. He first went to Newfoundland at seventeen as a marine electrician aboard a French cable ship, and fell in love with the landscape. Since 1971, he has divided his time between his two countries. In 2011, he published Fluctuat Nec Mergitur, a page book that includes paintings of every community in Newfoundland, the culmination of forty- five years’ work; he is now preparing a companion volume on Labrador. He and his wife Christina designed the French Shore Tapestry, for which he received the Prix Champlain in France.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
©Scott Forsyth ©Dennis Minty PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH
GREENLAND & WILD LABRADOR
JUNE 29–JULY 11, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
This extraordinary sailing showcases staggering geographic diversity, departing the rocky narrows of St. John’s harbour and heading north along the coast of Newfoundland. We’ll explore islands and inlets in Notre Dame Bay and stop at L’Anse aux Meadows to pay our respects to North America’s Viking visitors before leaving Newfoundland behind and pressing on to Labrador.
Once there, we’ll travel to dazzling, rocky coastlines and call at immense beaches and long-abandoned communities. We’ll visit Hopedale, the seat of the Nunatsiavut government, as we move further north, and eventually will find our way into the stunning fjords of the Torngat Mountains National Park. In the park, mountains will tower above us as the azure waters mark our passage below; we will be scanning the horizon for icebergs, whales, polar bears, and seals. Labrador has to be seen to be believed—and we will do more than see it, as we head ashore on daily Zodiac expeditions to hike the secret wilds of Canada’s hidden coast.
We then turn east and ever northward, crossing the Davis Strait en route to Greenland. Once there, we will explore the world’s northernmost capital city and plumb the many fjords for which the western coast is famed. We’ll drop in on small coastal communities and Zodiac cruise at the foot of an immense glacier. Our journey ends as we sail into Kangerlussuaq at the head of Sondre Stromfjord, nestled against one of the world's largest ice caps.
37 ©Mike Beedell HIGHLIGHTS
• Explore the remote reaches of Newfoundland & Labrador in summer bloom
• Visit the only reconstructed Viking settlement in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows
• Travel with widely respected naturalists and culturalists
• Search for polar bears, whales, and seals
• Visit the pristine wilds of Torngat Mountains National Park
• Explore the abandoned community of Hebron
• Sail one of the longest fjords in Greenland
• Cross the Arctic Circle by sea
PROPOSED ITINERARY
Day 1: St. John’s, NL
Day 2: Notre Dame Bay
Day 3: L’Anse aux Meadows
Day 4: Wonderstrands, Mealy Mountains Park Reserve
Day 5: Hopedale Day 11: Nuuk, Greenland
Day 6: Hebron Day 12: West Greenland
Days 7-9: Torngat Mountains National Park Day 13: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Day 10: At Sea—Davis Strait
39 ©Michelle Valberg
CHARTER FLIGHTS DETAILED ITINERARY
Inbound: Day 1: St. John’s, NL
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, ON We will arrive in St. John’s ready to explore and will offer an optional city tour to interested parties in the afternoon. July 11, 2016 Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the Early-evening arrival Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper; passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. $1,095 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we
head for open water. Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in St. John's and Toronto are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in St. John's Day 2: Notre Dame Bay and Toronto is recommended. Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to St. John's and from Toronto. Notre Dame Bay is known for the dozens of quaint villages that
40 ©Dennis Minty
dot its rocky shores, and it is to one of these small settlements Day 4: Wonderstrands, Mealy Mountains Park Reserve that we will be paying a visit today. We may look forward to a The Mealy Mountains encompass five of Labrador’s ten characteristically warm Newfoundland welcome upon our provincial eco-regions, including coastal barrens, high subarctic arrival. The bay itself is home to a plethora of islands and, tundra, high boreal forest, mid boreal forest, and string bog. seasonally, icebergs that drift in from the Atlantic; theOcean The mountain range reaches heights of more than 1,000 metres. Endeavour will chart a scenic course through these beautiful monoliths as we head north. When we think of Labrador, we may not think ‘beaches’—but the Vikings did. Two long trackless crescents of sand, washed by the Day 3: L’Anse aux Meadows cold Labrador Sea, backed by the Mealy Mountains were given the name “Wunderstrand” by the Norse seafarers, and earned A unesco World Heritage Site, L’Anse aux Meadows is the a place in their sagas. Hunted, travelled, and occupied over only authenticated Norse settlement in North America. thousands of years by various peoples, the Wonderstrands are The archaeological remains found here in 1960 date to still largely unknown and rarely visited by non-Labradorians. approximately 1000 AD. Amazingly, the location of the ruins was first established by a close reading of the Viking sagas. Day 5: Hopedale Today, a superb interpretive centre and reconstructions of the Today finds us entering Nunatsiavut, homeland of the Labrador several Norse-style sod buildings make L’Anse aux Meadows a Inuit. Our stop today is in the town of Hopedale, founded as must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland. an Inuit settlement named Agvituk, or “place of the whales”.
41 In the late eighteenth century, Moravian missionaries from as a cultural interpretation centre and it is these buildings that Germany arrived in the settlement to convert the population—a we will be visiting. They form a lonely monument to the cultural population with a long history of traditional nomadic Inuit past of the area, with hopes for the future of Nunatsiavut. occupation. The Hopedale Mission is still standing and is thought to be the oldest wooden-frame building in Canada Days 7–9: Torngat Mountains National Park east of Québec. It was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1970. The Torngat Mountains have been home to Inuit and their predecessors for millennia, with archaeological evidence Hopedale is the legislative capital of the Nunatsiavut reaching back almost 7,000 years. The fjords here reach deep Government. A new assembly building has recently been into the heart of the mountains, bounded by cliffs peaking at opened with local Labradorite stone tiling and sealskin seats. 1,700 metres, the highest point of land in Labrador. The rugged, An important historical location for Labrador is thus enjoying spectacular beauty of the Torngat Mountains underscores their continued vitality in the modern lives of its Inuit population. role as the spiritual homeland of Nunatsiavut.
We will be going ashore to meet with locals in the community and The Torngat Mountains comprise some of the oldest rocks on to learn about the mission and its history. There will be ample the planet and provide some of the best exposure of geological time for walking and exploration—a nearby derelict American history. Polar bears, caribou, falcons, and eagles are among the radar station affords spectacular views of the surrounding area. species hardy enough to make their homes here.
We’ll spend our time here getting out on the land for hikes, Day 6: Hebron searching for wildlife, visiting archaeological sites, and Zodiac Hebron is now abandoned. A Moravian Mission station was cruising through some of Canada’s most dramatic landscapes. constructed here from 1829 to 1831 but the main buildings— the church, the mission house, and the store—were not Day 10: At Sea — Davis Strait inhabited until 1837. In a highly controversial move, the station was abandoned in 1959 with the departure of the Moravians, Our presentation series continues as we head across the Davis forcing the relocation of the Inuit who resided there. In Strait towards landfall in Greenland. While out on deck keep 2005, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams your eyes peeled for minke and humpback whales (and other apologized to people affected by the relocations. In August of marine mammals), as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark 2009, the provincial government unveiled a monument at the our passage. site of Hebron with an inscribed apology for the site closure. Today, some of the buildings at Hebron are being repurposed
42 Day 11: Nuuk
Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and the world’s northernmost capital! Nuuk means ‘the headland’ and is situated at the mouth of a gigantic fjord system. Established in 1728, Nuuk remains the bustling centre of the country today. We have the chance to spot humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land, and birds soaring above. The town is home to the University of Greenland, a cathedral dating back to 1849, and Greenland’s National Museum. We will visit some of the city’s most important sites, and you’ll have some free time to explore on your own.
Day 12: West Greenland
There are a number of charming fishing villages along the west coast of Greenland—depending on timing and sea conditions, we will call in at one of these communities to experience small Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our town Greenlandic life, or we may navigate into the stunning way to the airport for our flights home. fjords that line the coast. This is a day in the true spirit of expedition travel and we will avail ourselves of any and all opportunities that present themselves.
Day 13: Kangerlussuaq
We will make our way up spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers (or late-nighters) will have a chance to experience its beauty. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery! Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord’.
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©Dennis Minty BILLY GAUTHIER ARTIST
Billy was born in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. In his early years he travelled eastern Canada residing and schooling in Ottawa, Yarmouth and Halifax in Nova Scotia. He returned to live in Goose Bay at the age of thirteen. In 1996, he began to carve after his mom arranged for him to visit his cousin John Terriak, a known sculptor in Labrador. Though early in his career, Billy is already widely exhibited—his innovative and personal style has established him as one of the definitive Inuk artists of his generation.
©Jerry Kobalenko LISA MOORE AUTHOR FEATURED STAFF Lisa won the 2013 Canada Reads competition for her novel February. DERRICK POTTLE She edited The Penguin Anthology of Canadian Short Fiction by Women, CULTURALIST and co-edited Great Expectations: 24 True Stories about Birth Derrick was born and raised in Rigolet, by Canadian Authors. She has written for Chatelaine, Elle, Labrador and lives a traditional Inuk The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the National lifestyle as a hunter and gatherer; he Post, and Canadian Art. She has also written for radio and loves being out on the land. He hunts television. She has taught at the University of British Columbia and prepares caribou, seal, polar bear, fox, and wolf hides in the and at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and holds a BFA traditional Inuit way. He is a stone carver, and experienced in the from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. challenges of long-distance travel in and around Nunatsiavut and Nunavik. While in town, Derrick teaches stone carving, *This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— bear safety, and traditional Inuit survival skills. for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
44 HEART OF THE ARCTIC
JULY 11–JULY 23, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
This journey encompasses the beating heart of the Arctic from Greenland to Nunavut, and finally, Nunavik in Northern Quebec. We’ll travel just after the summer solstice, when the midnight sun will be at its zenith. The chances of seeing wildlife, including polar bears, walrus, and musk ox are excellent.
Beginning in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, we begin by travelling down a majestic fjord to Greenland’s western coast. We will stop in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, and visit the famous Qilakitsoq mummies. Crossing Davis Strait, we’ll sail into Cumberland Sound and call at Pangnirtung, Nunavut, famous for its prints and tapestries. In Kimmirut (Lake Harbour), on southern Baffin Island, you can also enjoy Inuit games, fresh bannock, and local music. Across the Hudson Strait in Nunavik, we call in at the friendly town of Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) where we tour the town and meet with local people. We’ll visit Akpatok Island where the world’s largest population of thick-billed murres nests above the island’s polar bears.
Heart of the Arctic is far and away our most community- and art-focused Arctic expedition. Kinngait (Cape Dorset) is widely hailed as the Inuit art capital and is home to some of the most celebrated stonecarvers in the Arctic. In 2008, Kinngait Studios celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Throughout this itinerary we will be exposed to a wealth of creators and their creations. Steeped in a culture that is all its own, the heart of the Arctic will stay with you long after you return home.
This itinerary features some French programming.
45 ©Lee Narraway HIGHLIGHTS
• Cross the Arctic circle while sailing in the shadow of a spectacular Greenlandic fjord
• Spot polar bears, walrus, marine mammals, and bird colonies during our cruise of the Hudson Strait
• Mingle with world-renowned Inuit carvers in Kinngait
• Enjoy the sounds of talented throat-singers
• Marvel at the Arctic in summer bloom
• Visit Nuuk, the world's northernmost capital city
PROPOSED ITINERARY
Day 1: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Day 2: West Greenland
Day 3: Nuuk
Day 4: At Sea—Davis Strait
Day 5: Pangnirtung, NU Day 12: Akpatok Island Days 6–7: South Baffin Day 13: Kuujjuaq, QC Day 8: Kimmirut (Lake Harbour)
Day 9: Kinngait (Cape Dorset) This is our proposed itinerary. It is highly probable Day 10: Digges Island that weather, sea, and ice conditions will not allow us to travel this exact route. Our Expedition Leader Day 11: Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay), QC and the Ocean Endeavour's captain will determine our exact route day by day.
47 DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and ©Scott Forsyth boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’
CHARTER FLIGHTS We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord as the sun sets before us. Outbound: Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland Day 2: West Greenland July 11, 2016 There are a number of charming fishing villages along the west Early-morning departure coast of Greenland. Depending on timing and sea conditions, we will call in at one of these communities to experience small $1,328 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) town Greenlandic life, or we may navigate into the stunning fjords that line the coast. This is a day in the true spirit of Inbound: expedition travel and we will avail ourselves of the opportunities that present themselves. Kuujjuaq, QC to Ottawa, ON
July 23, 2016 Day 3: Nuuk Early-evening arrival Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and the world’s $666.73 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) northernmost capital city! Nuuk means ‘the headland’ and is situated at the mouth of a gigantic fjord system. Established as the very first Greenlandic town in 1728, Nuuk remains Round trip: the bustling centre of the country today. We have the chance $1,995 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) to spot humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land, and birds soaring above. The town itself is home to the Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Toronto and Ottawa are University of Greenland, a cathedral dating back to 1849, and available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Toronto Greenland’s National Museum. We will visit some of the city’s and Ottawa is recommended. most important sites, before free time to explore on your own.
48 Day 4: At Sea — Davis Strait as our expeditions to Baffin have proven unpredictable in both respects. The island is home to a wide variety of life, including a Our presentation series will continue as we steam across the notable bear population, and we will be on alert for these kings Davis Strait towards Canada. While out on deck, keep your eyes of the north. peeled for minke and humpback whales amid the pack ice, as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark our passage. Our two days at Baffin will be exploratory in every sense, and we look forward to seeing what the island has to offer us. Day 5: Pangnirtung
Pangnirtung—“the place of the bull caribou” in Inuktitut— Day 8: Kimmirut (Lake Harbour) is located on a narrow coastal plain against a spectacular Located on southern Baffin Island, the scenic oceanside backdrop of high mountains and a winding river valley. It is a hamlet of Kimmirut is considered one of the most charming small community bordered by snow-capped mountains on one communities in the region. “Kimmirut” means “the heel” in side and the ocean on the other. Inuktitut, and refers to an outcrop of marble across the bay from the community that holds a striking resemblance to a human Pangnirtung, or ‘Pang’ as locals call it, is famed for its art. One heel. Art has played a major role here and the newly renovated of the great attractions is the Uqqurmiut Inuit Arts Centre. The Dewey Soper Building is home to a gallery of outstanding works Centre welcomes visitors to the print and weave shops, where of art. local artists create beautifully woven tapestries and prints. Artists from Pangnirtung are known around the world and are exhibited widely across Canada and beyond. The acclaimed Day 9: Kinngait (Cape Dorset) “Pang” hats, colourfully patterned crocheted toques, can also be Along the northwest shore of Dorset Island, surrounded on purchased at the centre’s gift shop. one side by rocky hills and on the other, by Hudson Strait, lies “the community that art built”. Between 1950 and 1962, Days 6–7: South Baffin Kinngait hosted a historic collaboration between James and Alma Houston and local Inuit—the collaboration that launched We will spend two days exploring the southern coast of Baffin Inuit art onto the world stage. In 1959, the West Baffin Eskimo Island, the fifth largest island in the world. Our objective is to Co-operative was established: it remains the oldest arts spend half the time out on the land—hiking, exploring, and organization in the Canadian Arctic and the oldest professional taking in the sights—and the remainder cruising the shoreline Inuit printmaking studio in Canada. in our fleet of Zodiacs. We will be adaptable to weather and ice conditions, and be open to the possibility of wildlife sightings,
49 ©Dennis Minty
Old and new generations of outstanding artists, carvers, Day 11: Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) and printmakers have made Kinngait the Inuit art capital of Kangiqsujuaq, which means “the large bay” occupies an the world. exceptional site. The village is snuggled in the hollow of a splendid valley surrounded by majestic five-hundred-metre Day 10: Digges Island high rocky hills: a landscape of remarkable beauty. The bay takes its name from Captain William Wakeham who, in 1897, Digges Island features a range of spectacular bird cliffs. In led an expedition to determine whether the Hudson Strait was season, these sheer rock faces, rising hundreds of feet into the safe for navigation. The bases of what were once Himalayan- air straight from the water, are home to multitudes of thick- scale mountains are found in the narrows. billed murres. There are estimated to be a staggering 287,000 breeding pairs, almost 20% of the Canadian thick-billed murre Today, Kangiqsujuaq has a population of 605. A nearby copper population, in addition to a wide array of other seabirds. and nickel mine draws a large percentage of its workforce from the community. Local archaeological sites date back as far as On the other side of the island lies an ancient Thule site. the late Dorset period some 1,200 years ago. Ancestors of the present Inuit eked out lives on the shoreline and from the sea. The stone foundations of their meeting place and dwellings can still be seen amongst the rocks and boulders Day 12: Akpatok Island along the shoreline, and the bones of whales, seals, and walrus Uninhabited Akpatok Island features soaring bird cliffs and still lie where they were dropped so many years ago. small rocky beaches. Indeed, the island is named for the akpat—
50 the thick-billed murres—that live on the ledges of the limestone cliffs that surround it. Here we’ll use our Zodiacs to scout the beaches in search of walrus and polar bears.
Day 13: Kuujjuaq, QC
Kuujjuaq lies approximately forty-eight kilometres upstream from Ungava Bay. It is the largest village in Nunavik, the Inuit homeland within Québec. The community is located on the western shore of the Koksoak River, and daily life is closely tied to its ebb and flow. The tidal action continually reshapes the landscape and imposes its rhythm upon the lives of Kuujjuaq’s inhabitants. Today, Kuujjuaq is a community that combines traditional Inuit culture with the conveniences of modern day life.
On the last day of our expedition we will say our farewells and ©Lee Narraway disembark from the ship. Adventure Canada staff will be on hand to assist with all stages of the departure process. FEATURED STAFF
JOHN HOUSTON CULTURALIST & FILMMAKER
John spent the first seven years of his life in the Arctic in Kinngait. He studied art in Paris and graduated from Yale University in 1975; that same year, he took up the position of Art Advisor to the Pangnirtung Co-operative’s printmaking project. He is a published author and the founder of the Houston North Gallery. He is also a celebrated filmmaker and has won international awards for his work.
©Lee Narraway LYNDA BROWN CULTURALIST
Lynda was born in Nunavut. Upon graduating from Trent University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Native Studies and Psychology, she moved to the nation’s capital, home to Canada’s largest southern Inuit community. She is the President of Inuit Non-Profit Housing Incorporation, and has been serving on this board for six years. She participated in the 2008 Governor General's Leadership Conference. Lynda is a traditional throat singer and drummer, and shares her cultural knowledge through demonstrations, information sessions, and workshops.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— ©Lee Narraway for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
JON TURK EXPLORER
Jon received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1971, wrote the first environmental science textbook in North America, and continued writing textbooks for forty years. He has climbed first ascent big walls in the Canadian Arctic, mountain biked through the Gobi desert, and skied first descents in the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzia. Jon chronicled his journeys in a trilogy of three books: In The Wake of the Jomon, The Raven’s Gift, and Crocodiles and Ice, A Journey into Deep Wilderness.
52 ARCTIC SAFARI
AUGUST 4–AUGUST 15, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
Our classic Arctic expedition begins by exploring Greenland’s dramatic fjords and dynamic maritime communities. The great icefjord at Ilulissat, a unesco World Heritage Site and source of the majority of the icebergs in the North Atlantic, is one of many highlights along Greenland’s spectacular western coastline.
Across the Davis Strait in Nunavut, the Canadian Arctic experience begins in Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island). As we head north, opportunities for polar bear, whales, and musk ox abound on Devon Island, while Prince Leopold Island remains one of Canada’s best birding areas. Abandoned rcmp and hbc posts offer a haunting glimpse into the region’s rich history of exploration and trade.
At Beechey Island, we’ll pay our respects at the graves of three of Sir John Franklin’s men, along with a crewmember from the search ship Investigator. Our disembarkation point, Resolute Bay, memorializes the courage of the Inuit of Canada’s Arctic.
This itinerary represents Adventure Canada’s definitive approach to expedition travel and we will spend our days searching for every exploratory opportunity. It is our most wildlife-oriented expedition. In the winding fjords of Greenland, in the multitudinous islands of Nunavut, we will live and breathe the natural history of some of the planet’s most striking features. We will search for the animals that eke out their lives in hostile conditions and find beauty in the immense and indomitable north.
This itinerary features some French programming.
53 ©Michelle Valberg CHARTER FLIGHTS
Outbound:
Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
August 4, 2016
Early-morning departure
$1,267 usd per person HIGHLIGHTS PROPOSED ITINERARY (includes all taxes and fees)
• Search for bears, whales, and walrus Day 1: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland in their Arctic feeding grounds Inbound: Day 2: Itilleq Fjord • Learn first-hand about the history Resolute, NU to Ottawa, ON Day 3: Ilulissat and culture of the Inuit August 15, 2016 Day 4: Uummannaq Fjord • Voyage along the magnificent fjords Early-evening arrival of Greenland’s coast Day 5: Karrat Fjord $928 usd per person • Explore Niqinganiq in Isabella Bay, Day 6: Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton (includes all taxes and fees) an Inuit-organized bowhead whale Island), NU sanctuary Day 7: Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay) Round trip: • Cross the Arctic Circle by sea Day 8: Northeast Baffin Fjords $2,195 usd per person Day 9: Mittimatilik (Pond Inlet) (includes all taxes and fees)
Day 10 Devon Island Pre- and post- expedition hotel nights in Day 11: Prince Leopold / Beechey Toronto and Ottawa are available upon Islands request. Overnight accommodation in Day 12: Quaasuittuq (Resolute), NU Toronto and Ottawa is recommended.
55 DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’
We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord as the sun sets before us.
Day 2: Itilleq Fjord
The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing communities, many islands and complex coastal waterways. We will be making an expedition stop here to explore the ©Andre Stewart Greenlandic landscape.
significantly added to the understanding of ice-cap glaciology, Day 3: Ilulissat climate change and related geomorphic processes. Venturing 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle we find the stunning coastal community of Ilulissat. Ilulissat translates Day 4: Uummannaq Fjord literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance Uummannaq Fjord in northwest Greenland is the country’s to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the second-largest system of fjords. It empties into Baffin Bay and great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs is characterized by its developed coastline and various bays, in the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. islands, and peninsulas. It is considered to be the sunniest spot The icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the in Greenland, and favourable weather—coupled with proximity most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres to coastal travel routes—has made the fjord system a popular per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometres of ice destination for Greenlandic Inuit. It has been settled and annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention re-settled continually for the last 4,500 years. for 250 years and, because of its relative ease of accessibility, has
56 ©Dennis Minty
Day 5: Karrat Fjord short) is known as the iceberg capital of Nunavut and was home to a norad military station that formed part of the Distant Early Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, Warning (dew) in the 1950s. known for plentiful marine life and awe-inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region Qikiqtarjuaq also boasts a burgeoning traditional Inuit craft to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes industry, and local craftspeople are eager to share their wares. within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see Talented local artists produce Inuit carvings—with a particular colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result focus on intricate ivory work and jewellery. The community is in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable famously warm and welcoming of visitors. photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces.
Day 7: Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay) Day 6: Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island) Niqinganiq is a 336,000-hectare marine region off Baffin Island Qikiqtarjuaq, a community located on Broughton Island, is that is a crucial feeding area for threatened bowhead whales. known for its wildlife, whale watching, and as an access point for This is the world’s first Inuit-initiated and managed marine Auyuittuq National Park. It is one of the Nunavut communities mammal sanctuary. The area includes two deep offshore closest to Greenland. Qikiqtarjuaq (fondly called “Qik”, for
57 troughs rich in copepods, which are a main food source for the another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay bowhead whale. Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars. Day 8: Northeast Baffin Fjords
Today will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate Day 11: Prince Leopold / Beechey Island the fjords of northeast Baffin Island. Baffin’s fjords are striking, affording stunning perspectives on geological processes. The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for exploring these bird sites in the high Arctic both during the breeding and hidden treasures of the north, as her manoeuvrability allows summering seasons. It is a breeding site for thick-billed murres, her to access regions that would be impassable to larger vessels. black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, glaucous gulls, and We will be on alert for changing weather and ice conditions and black guillemots. In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition use our judgement as to which route along the coast will be of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a the most spectacular. As ever, our team will be on deck for the soul returned from the fateful expedition, and it was two years duration, searching for wildlife and contextualizing the mighty before search parties were launched. Aside from the bodies of landscape through which we travel. the three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The three graves found at Beechey Island
Day 9: Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet)
Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) is a bustling Arctic community surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the eastern Arctic. We will have a chance to explore the town and meet many local citizens who will gladly share their culture. We will be treated to a cultural presentation at the Community Hall. Mittimatalik is a famous region for viewing marine mammals, including the elusive narwhal.
Day 10: Devon Island
Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for
©Larry Frank left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party— until recently. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.
Day 12: Quaasuittuq (Resolute), NU
Qausuittuq, or “place with no dawn” is truly the land of the midnight sun—daylight persists constantly from about April 29 to August 13 each year.
Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and transfer to the airport for our return flights.
FEATURED STAFF
ANDRÉ GALLANT PHOTOGRAPHER
André is a freelance photographer who travels the world over in search of expressive images. He is the author of multiple books and his photographic work has appeared in numerous magazines (Outdoor Photographer, Canadian Camera, Canadian Gardening, Canadian Living, Gardening Life, En Route). He regularly contributes to Photo Life. Andre is the recipient of two National Magazine Awards for his photography.
©Jerry Kobalenko ©Michelle Valberg
CHARLOTTE MOUGEOT AARON SPITZER GEOLOGIST HISTORIAN
Charlotte is a professional geoscientist, Aaron is the former editor of Up Here long-term northern resident, and magazine, the journal of Canada’s north. spent over twenty-five years as an He has served as the managing editor of environmental specialist in BC, Nunatsiaq News, and went on to positions Alberta, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. in the Yukon and Northwest Territories with the cbc and Lonely She has developed a broad knowledge of Arctic Canada Planet. During his time at Up Here, the magazine was named the (specializing in terrain analysis) with extensive experience in best in Canada by the National Magazine Awards Foundation. permafrost-affected areas and environmental assessment. As part of exploration teams, she has worked closely with *This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— geologists, geophysicists, and groundwater specialists. for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com. She has led consultation and engagement programs with Inuit communities and developed educational materials for high school students.
60 ARCTIC EXPLORER
AUGUST 15–AUGUST 26, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
Arctic Explorer begins in the land of the midnight sun, in the place with no dawn. After departing Quaasuittuq (Resolute), we’ll visit the final resting place of three members of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition at Beechey Island and search for polar bears and walrus in far north Baffin Island. In Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) we will visit a vibrant, traditional community surrounded by towering cliffs and nesting habitates for seabirds, narwhals, and bowhead whales. At Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), our hosts will welcome us with throat-singing and Inuit games, before we explore Baffin’s mighty fjords. We’ll seek bowhead whales in Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay)—the world’s first Inuit-initiated whale sanctuary. Crossing Davis Strait, we’ll encounter Greenland’s stirring icescape. There, we’ll marvel at Uummannaq’s heart-shaped mountain, zip among the freshly calved bergs off Ilulissat in our Zodiacs, and hike around Itilleq Fjord. Spectacular Sondre Stromfjord makes a glorious finale to our trip.
Join us as we explore the far northern reaches of Nunavut and Greenland on our most culturally-focused itinerary. See what has been wrought without the hand of man, and learn about the lives carved out in some of the world's most inhospitable—yet beautiful—places.
61 ©Mike Beedell CHARTER FLIGHTS
Outbound:
Ottawa, ON to Resolute, NU
August 15, 2016
Early-morning departure
$928 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) HIGHLIGHTS PROPOSED ITINERARY
• Call at Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay)— Day 1: Quaasuittuq (Resolute), NU Inbound: a bowhead whale sanctuary, the Day 2: Beechey Island Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, world’s first Inuit-managed reserve ON of its kind Day 3: Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) August 26, 2016 • Marvel at the Ilulissat Icefjord, where Day 4: Devon Island 90% of the north Atlantic’s icebergs Early-evening arrival are born Day 5: Mittimatilik (Pond Inlet) $1,267 usd per person Day 6: Northeast Baffin Fjords • Visit the site of the famous (includes all taxes and fees) Qilakitsoq mummies' discovery near Day 7: Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay) Uummannaq Round trip: Day 8: Karrat Fjord • Hike gorgeous Arctic landscapes $2,195 usd per person Day 9: Uummannaq • See the lonely graves of the Franklin (includes all taxes and fees) Expedition Day 10: Ilulissat Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Day 11: Itilleq Ottawa and Toronto are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Day 12: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland Ottawa and Toronto is recommended.
63 DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Quaasuittuq (Resolute), NU
Qausuittuq is also known the “place with no dawn”. This is truly the land of the midnight sun; it shines twenty-four hours a day from about April 29 to August 13 each year. From archaeological excavations, it has been concluded that there have been at least three stages of occupation at Resolute Bay. The Dorset culture was the first, followed by an early phase of the Thule culture, in which the artefacts found show strong Alaskan affinities. These were probably both short periods of occupation, possibly by only a few families. A late or developed phase of the Thule culture was of longer duration, with a considerably larger population. In 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak (former Port Harrison), Québec and Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) were relocated to Resolute by the Canadian government.
Day 2: Beechey Island ©Michelle Valberg In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition, and it was two years before Day 3: Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) search parties were launched. Aside from the bodies of the three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the Ikpiarjuk, on the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on disappearance. The three graves found at Beechey Island left no Baffin Island, has been occupied in some capacity for over 5,000 indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party. In the years. The bay itself is surrounded by high hills on all sides; the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants hamlet deserves its Inuktitut name, which means “the pocket”. of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, To the southeast, the flat-topped King George V Mountain a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region. dominates the skyline.
64 Day 4: Devon Island As ever, our team will be on deck for the duration, searching for wildlife and contextualizing the mighty landscape through Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and which we travel. Today will feature an expedition stop and an comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first opportunity to get out on the land. sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars.
Day 5: Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet)
Mittimatalik is a bustling Arctic community surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the eastern Arctic. We will have a chance to explore the town and meet many local citizens who will gladly share their culture. We will be treated to a cultural presentation at the Community Hall. Mittimatalik is a famous region for viewing marine mammals, including the elusive narwhal.
Day 6: Northeast Baffin Fjords ©Michelle Valberg
Today will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate the fjords of northeast Baffin Island. Baffin’s fjords are striking, affording stunning perspectives on geological Day 7: Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay) processes. TheOcean Endeavour is the perfect vessel Niqinganiq is a 336,000-hectare marine region on Baffin Island for exploring these hidden treasures of the north, as her that is a crucial feeding area for threatened bowhead whale. manoeuvrability and shallow draft allows her to access regions This is also the world’s first Inuit-initiated and maintained that would be impassable to larger vessels. We will be on alert marine mammal sanctuary. The area includes two deep for changing weather and ice conditions and use our judgement offshore troughs rich in copepods, a main food source for the as to which route along the coast will be the most spectacular. bowhead whale.
65 Day 8: Karrat Fjord We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in theunesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The Icefjord is home to Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. Seals moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt more than thirty-five square kilometers of ice annually. the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, Day 11: Itilleq not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities of the The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing majestic rock faces. communities, tiny islands and complex coastal waterways. Itilleq was founded in 1847 on another nearby island, and later Day 9: Uummannaq moved to its present location. Its main trades are fishing and hunting, and a desalination plant provides the community with Archaeological excavations at Qilakitsoq, due south of all of its fresh water. Uummannaq Island, revealed the existence of the ancient Saqqaq culture. Recent evidence indicates that these groups settled Greenland between 2500 BC and 800 BC, and further, Day 12: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland that they migrated from Siberia to arrive in Uummaanaq. We will make our journey up spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers will have a chance to experience its beauty. Midway up the west coast of Greenland along the fjord of the same name is the town of Uummannaq. Proud home of the world’s northernmost ferry terminal, Uummunnaq also boasts a canning factory and a marble quarry, and is an important hunting and fishing base for the region. The town is dominated by its namesake—Uummunnaq Mountain—1,170 metres in height and nearly 600 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.
Day 10: Ilulissat
Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice.
©Mike Beedell ©Scott Forsyth
Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and FEATURED STAFF boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’ DAVID REID Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our EXPLORER way to the airport for outbound charter flights. The last Scottish recruit for the Hudson’s Bay Company, David moved from Glasgow to Canadian Arctic in 1989 and made the move to Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) on north Baffin Island in 1991. For the past fifteen years, he has been involved in the adventure travel business and has since led, organized, or participated in more than 260 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. A member of the Explorers Club, David travels extensively in the off-season, working on a variety of projects as well as promoting and marketing the Baffin region, Nunavut, and Arctic Canada.
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©Mike Beedell KATHLEEN MERRITT CULTURALIST & MUSICIAN
Kathleen is an Inuit throat-singer, poet, writer, and collaborator from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. She released her first album, Ivaluarjuk: Ice, Lines & Sealskin in summer 2015. Kathleen also works as an arts administrator, coordinating and facilitating the National Art Centre’s Music Alive Program in Nunavut, and is a board member of the Qaggiavuut! Society for a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre. She is passionate about sharing her culture and music, and providing opportunities for youth to become engaged in conversations important to their communities through the arts.
JOHN BLYTH EXPEDITION TEAM
Hailing from Fort Smith NT, John has a propensity for exploration. He has worked in every region of the Northwest Territories and parts of northern Alberta and BC, as well as in Nunavut. John’s professional background stems from anthropology, traditional knowledge research, and archaeology. Due to the deep interconnection between the culture and the environment in the north, he has expanded his work to be closely associated with a diversity of fields in the environmental sciences such as biology, hydrology, and regulation and assessment.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
68
©Andre Stewart INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE
AUGUST 26–SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
The Northwest Passage represents the pinnacle of Arctic exploration. On this voyage, like our explorers before us, we go where the ice allows. We’ll explore the quaint villages, dramatic fjords, and calving glaciers of Greenland, working our way north to spectacular Kap York. Then, crossing Smith Sound, we’ll visit Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), Canada’s northernmost community. The bird cliffs at Coburg Island National Wildlife Area teem with kittiwakes and murres.
At Beechey Island, the Franklin expedition gravestones stand watch. Melville, Banks, and Devon Islands offer opportunities to spot Peary caribou, polar bear, walrus and musk ox—and visits to ghostly rcmp and Hudson’s Bay Company posts. Prince of Wales Strait affords a striking, narrow passage to Amundsen Gulf and our destination: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), the end of our epic journey above the Arctic Circle.
To sail the Northwest Passage is to sail through living history, to sail the haunting landscapes that have enchanted explorers for centuries. In its fierce and untameable wilds lies a stark beauty—the remote reaches of the north have a power that is all their own. Join the ranks of the fearless adventurers who have been lured by the spirit of the Northwest Passage.
69 ©Scott Forsyth This is our proposed itinerary. It is highly probable that weather, sea, and ice conditions will not allow us to travel this exact route. Our Expedition Leader and the Ocean Endeavour's captain will determine our exact route day by day.
HIGHLIGHTS PROPOSED ITINERARY
• Join the select few who have travelled Day 1: Kangerlussuaq, Day 13: Melville Island this legendary route Greenland Day 14: Banks Island, NT • Photograph birds and wildlife in their Day 2: Sisimiut Day 15: Prince of Wales Strait remote wilderness habitats Day 3: Ilulissat Day 16: Ulukhaktok (Holman) • Marvel at the Ilulissat Icefjord, where Day 4: Karrat Fjord 90% of the north Atlantic’s icebergs Day 17: Kugluktuk are born Day 5: Melville Bay (Coppermine), NU
• Travel to Greenland, Nunavut, and Day 6: Kap York the Northwest Territories within one CHARTER FLIGHTS sailing Day 7: Smith Sound Outbound: • Learn about Inuit communities, Day 8: Aujuittuq culture and worldview first hand (Grise Fiord), NU Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland • See haunting artefacts of the Day 9: Coburg Island August 26, 2016 northern explorers, hbc, and rcmp Day 10: Devon Island Early-morning departure Day 11: Beechey Island $1,326 usd per person Day 12: Bathurst Island (includes all taxes and fees)
71 ©Andre Stewart
Inbound: DETAILED ITINERARY Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU to Edmonton, AB Day 1: Kangerlussuaq September 11, 2016 Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and Early-evening arrival boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’ $995 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)
We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord as Round trip: the sun sets before us. $2,395 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)
Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Toronto and Edmonton are Day 2: Sisimiut available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Toronto and The second-largest town in Greenland, Sisimiut has been Edmonton is recommended. inhabited for the last 4,500 years, first by the Inuit peoples of the
72 Saqqaq, the Dorset, and then by the Thule. Their descendants Day 4: Karrat Fjord form the majority of its present-day population of some 6,000 Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular inhabitants. It is the largest business centre north of Nuuk and fjords, known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. the fastest-growing town in Greenland. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes Day 3: Ilulissat within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces. town and a chance to hike out along a boardwalk to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in theunesco World Heritage Day 5: Melville Bay Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. To the north of the Upernavik Archipelago, Melville Bay opens to the southwest into Baffin Bay. Its Kalaallisut name, The icefjord is where we find the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one Qimusseriarsuaq, means “the great dog sledding place”. Ice does of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen not clear from the bay each summer and it is totally isolated and metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square uninhabited. Because of local winds and extensive ice, Melville kilometres of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of Bay is the site of dramatic landscape views. scientific attention for 250 years.
©Dennis Minty Day 6: Kap York
The rugged coastal environment at Kap York is rich in wildlife and part of an extensive network of traditional hunting grounds. During the spring and summer months the skies and cliffs are dotted with millions of birds, primarily auks and murres. This district boasts the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland. Whalers and explorers often entered these waters; Admiral Robert Peary’s family raised a monument in honour of his achievements on the cape. Sailors’ and ships’ logs record multiple climbs of the cape in order to survey the ice conditions in Qimusseriarsuaq (Melville Bay).
©Jerry Kobalenko Day 7: Smith Sound
We will spend a day exploring this fabled body of water that served as the main route for explorers and adventurers Our activities will centre in the village where we will have a searching for the North Pole. Adolphus Greely, Sir George chance to meet members of the community and learn about Nares and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with their way of life. varying degrees of success. The Sound was named by William Baffin after Sir Thomas Smythe, promoter of voyages to find Day 9: Coburg Island a Northwest Passage. At the entrance to Jones Sound is Coburg Island, whose Between forty-eight and seventy-two kilometres wide—and spectacular seabird cliffs are a designated National Wildlife eighty-eight kilometres long—Smith Sound is often packed with Area. Thirty thousand pairs of black-legged kittiwakes and ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing. 160,000 pairs of thick-billed murres crowd the rocky ledges on this island, which is itself almost completely covered by an ice cap. Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU
Aujuittuq means ‘place that never thaws.’ It is an apt name for Day 10: Devon Island this peaceful hamlet, 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle— Canada’s northernmost civilian community. We’ll be welcomed Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and by the population of about 165. comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first
74 ©Deanna Leonard Spitzer
sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for were launched. Aside from the bodies of three souls buried here, another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The three Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined of the rest of the British party. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the planet Mars. frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.
Day 11: Beechey Island Day 12: Bathurst Island In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from Good soil conditions and a rare wetland environment produce the fateful expedition. It was two years before search parties abundant vegetation here, making Bathurst a major calving area
75 for the endangered Peary caribou. Here we also find the Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area, a migratory route for polar bears from March to November. The north half of the island is the proposed Tuktusiuqvialuk National Park.
Day 13: Melville Island
British explorer Sir William Parry first visited Melville Island in 1819. Not only did he discover the island; ice forced him to spend the winter in 1820 at what is now called ‘Winter Harbour’. The island is named for Robert Dundas, second Viscount ©Danny Catt Melville, who was First Sea Lord at the time.
Melville Island is one of two major breeding grounds for a small Day 14: Banks Island sea goose, the western High Arctic Brant. dna analysis and field observations suggest that these birds may be distinct from other In 1820, Sir William Parry named Banks Island in honour of Brant stocks. Numbering only 4,000–8,000 birds, this is one of British naturalist and botanist Sir Joseph Banks. Two federal the rarest goose stocks in the world. Migratory Bird Sanctuaries were founded in here in 1961. The island is home to two thirds of the world’s population of lesser snow geese, and also supports barren-ground caribou, polar bears, and birds like robins and swallows. The first grizzly- polar bear hybrid found in the wild was sighted here in April 2006, near Sachs Harbour. Musk ox, numbering over 40,000, are the most striking of the abundant wildlife on the island.
Day 15: Prince of Wales Strait
Prince of Wales Strait is part of the Arctic Ocean, extending northeastward for 275 kilometres from the Amundsen Gulf to Viscount Melville Sound and separating Banks and Victoria Islands. It was discovered in 1850 by Irish explorer Robert McClure, who came within sight of Viscount Melville Sound
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©Brenda Nutter before heavy ice forced him to turn back. with qiviut, one of the warmest and most luxurious fibres in the world, used to make all manner of clothing and coverings. Named after Albert Edward, then the Prince of Wales, the strait was not navigated until the rcmp patrol of Sgt. Larsen in 1944. Day 17: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)
Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River, southwest Day 16: Ulukhaktok (Holman) of Victoria Island on the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the Found on the west side of Victoria Island, The Hudson’s western most community in Nunavut. Coppermine reverted Bay Company post was opened at Prince Albert Sound in to its original Inuinnaqtun name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place 1923, moved to Walker Bay in 1928 and finally to Ulukhaktok of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine (Holman) in 1939. The large bluff that overlooks Ulukhaktok River itself is designated a Canadian Heritage River for the was the source that provided the slate and copper used to make important role it played as an exploration and fur trade route. ulus—traditional Inuit knives—and gives the community its Copper deposits along the river attracted the first explorers to name. Printmaking is popular in Ulukhaktok, as are beautifully the area. intricate pieces carved from the horns of the abundant local musk ox population. The musk ox also provide the community Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet our charter flights home.
FEATURED STAFF
CAROLYN MALLORY FIELD BOTANIST
Carolyn is a field botanist and writer. Her work includes Common Insects of Nunavut, Common Plants of Nunavut, and the children’s picture book Painted Skies. She is hard at work on a novel. Carolyn can often be found ashore with her nose a few centimetres above the Arctic permafrost, studying the local flora and fauna.
©Andre Gallant TAGAK CURLEY CULTURALIST
Tagak is an Inuk leader, politician, and businessman—he was a prominent figure in the negotiations that led to the creation of Nunavut. He worked with the Federal Department of Indian Affairs from 1966–1970 and has held leadership positions with the Inuit Cultural Institute, Nunasi Corporation, and Nunavut Construction. He received the Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, was named to the Order of Canada in 2003, and was named to the Order of Nunavut in 2015. Photo credit: Chris Windeyer
SUSAN AGLUKARK MUSICIAN
Susan is Arctic Canada’s first-ever Juno Award-winning Inuk singer/songwriter. She has won three Junos and was the recipient of the Order of Canada in 2005. She is the founder of the Arctic Rose Project, an advisor on the Collateral Damage Project, and chaired the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation from 2007 to 2011. Susan was a member of the Arctic Inspiration Prize selection committee (2012– 2013) and spent three years with the University of Alberta as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence. Her work is powerfully informed by the experiences and narratives of her people, which she helps to share with the world through her art.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
78
©Dennis Minty OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE
SEPTEMBER 11–SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
A truly iconic journey, the Northwest Passage remains one of the world's last true frontiers. This expedition takes you to its heart. Leaving Kugluktuk, we head east, traversing Coronation Gulf en route to Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven), where Amundsen honed his polar skills. We sail the Queen Maud Gulf, while stopping daily for hiking and Zodiac cruising. Passing through Bellot Strait, we watch for whales, walrus, polar bear, and musk ox. At Beechey Island we pay our respects at the Franklin expedition graves. On Devon Island, we visit the ruins of the Dundas Harbour rcmp and hbc posts, before calling in at Canada’s most northerly community, Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord).
Continuing north into the wilds of Smith Sound we expect ice, ice, and more ice! We trace the routes of famous explorers such as Rasmussen and Peary as we call in at Greenland’s northernmost community, Qaanaaq. Sailing south amidst towering icebergs, we’ll witness calving glaciers, explore deep fjords and visit theunesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord.
Experience the untamed might and majesty of the far reaches of the north. The crown jewel of Arctic expedition travel, a trip through the Northwest Passage leaves one forever changed. See our world in a new light as you join the ranks of the fearless explorers who came before. It has been said of the Northwest Passage that for those who haven't been, no words can describe it—but for those who have, no words are necessary.
This itinerary features French programming.
79 ©Scott Forsyth HIGHLIGHTS PROPOSED ITINERARY
• Travel the route that has enchanted explorers for centuries Day 1: Kugluktuk Day 9: Smith Sound (Coppermine), NU • Enjoy visits to vibrant Inuit communities Day 10: Qaanaaq, Greenland Day 2: Cornation Gulf • Find and photograph the wild creatures of the Arctic Day 11: Kap York wilderness—excellent opportunities to encounter whales Day 3: Usqsuqtuuq Day 12: Melville Bay and polar bears (GjØa Haven) Day 13: Karrat Fjord • Experience the Arctic with our expert artists, lecturers, Day 4: Prince of and hosts Wales Island Day 14: Illulissat
• Visit the historic graves of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition Day 5: Bellot Strait / Day 15: Sisimiut Coast Fort Ross • Land at the largest uninhabited island on Earth during our Day 16: Kangerlussuaq, stop at Devon Island Day 6: Prince Leopold / Greenland Beechey Island • Cruise the Ilulissat Icefjord, a unesco World Heritage Site and home to the world's fastest-moving glacier Day 7: Devon Island
• See the northern lights in all their majesty Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)
81 ©Dennis Minty
CHARTER FLIGHTS Round trip:
$2,395 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) Outbound: Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Edmonton and Toronto Edmonton, AB to Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in September 11, 2016 Edmonton and Toronto is recommended.
Early-morning departure
$995 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Kugluktuk (Coppermine) Inbound: Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River, southwest Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, ON of Victoria Island on the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the September 26, 2016 westernmost community in Nunavut. Coppermine reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place of Early-evening arrival moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine River itself is designated a Canadian Heritage River for the important $1,326 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) role it played as an exploration and fur trade route. Copper deposits along the river attracted the first explorers to the area.
82 Day 3: Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven)
In 1903, explorer Roald Amundsen, while looking for the Northwest Passage, sailed through the James Ross Strait and stopped at a natural harbour on the island’s south coast. Unable to proceed due to sea ice, he spent the winters of 1903–04 and 1904–05 at Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven). While there, he learned Arctic living skills from the local Netsilik Inuit, skills that would later prove invaluable in his Antarctic explorations. He used his ship, Gjøa, as a base for explorations in the summer of 1904, sledding the Boothia Peninsula and travelling to the magnetic North Pole.
Amundsen finally left, after twenty-two months on the island, in August 1905. The harbour where he lived is now the island’s only settlement, Gjøa Haven, which he called “the finest little harbour in the world”. Today, the town is home to some 1,300
©Dennis Minty inhabitants, an airport, and an air defence North Warning System site known as cam-b.
Because the tundra is close to the tree line, a variety of wildlife Day 4: Prince of Wales Island can be viewed in the area, including grizzly bears, wolverines and moose, as well as tundra wildlife, such as musk ox, caribou, One of the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Prince foxes, and wolves. of Wales Island is an isolated and tundra-covered mass devoid of any human habitation. Its European discovery came in 1851 by Francis Leopold McClintock's sledge parties as they searched Day 2: Coronation Gulf for the Franklin Expedition. We will make an expedition stop on Separating Canada’s mainland from the Arctic Archipelago is the the island and explore its striking wilderness by Zodiac. Coronation Gulf. Named by Sir John Franklin in honour of the coronation of King George IV, the Gulf receives the Coppermine, Day 5: Bellot Strait / Fort Ross Tree, Rae, and Richardson rivers. It is host to several hundred islands and small islets. Fort Ross was the last trading post built by the Hudson’s Bay
83 Company in Canada’s Arctic. Established in 1937 it was meant locked by ice in Port Leopold on the northeast coast of Somerset to bridge the eastern and western Arctic fur trading districts Island and returned to England the following summer. through Bellot Strait, a narrow thirty-two-kilometre passage separating the northernmost tip of continental North America from Somerset Island. Rising out of the vast Arctic wilderness, Fort Ross had two buildings— a manager’s house and a store— and was also home to a number of Inuit families. It was operated for some eleven years, but eventually abandoned because of the ice that constantly choked the strait. When Fort Ross was finally closed in 1948, the operation was moved some 250 kilometres south to Stanners Harbour, establishing the town of Spence Bay, now known as Taloyoak.
Bellot Strait marks the first meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific tides north of Magellan Strait. The strait was missed by John Ross and wasn’t discovered until 1852 by William Kennedy, who named the strait after his second-in-command, Joseph- Rene Bellot.
©Danny Catt Day 6: Prince Leopold / Beechey Island
The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top bird sites in the High Arctic both during the breeding and In 1845, Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men in two summering seasons. It is a breeding site for thick-billed murres, ships into Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, glaucous gulls, and fateful expedition, and it was two years before search parties black guillemot. It was also from this area that Sir John Ross were launched. Aside from the bodies of three souls buried (James’s uncle) escaped in 1833 after abandoning the Victory here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The and spending four harrowing winters in the Arctic, and it was graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate beneath these tall cliffs, that Sir James Clark Ross, perhaps the of the rest of the British party. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian greatest polar explorer of the nineteenth century, was based in archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the 1848–49. Ross’s 1848–49 expedition in search of the Franklin frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has expedition was not successful; they spent a frustrating winter re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.
84 Day 7: Devon Island Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)
Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and Aujuittuq means ‘the place that never thaws.’ It is an apt name comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first for this peaceful hamlet, 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for Circle—Canada’s northernmost civilian community. We’ll be another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay welcomed by the population of about 165.
Our activities will centre on the village where we will have a chance to meet members of the community and learn about their way of life.
Day 9: Smith Sound
We will spend a day exploring north into this fabled body of water that served as the main route for explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole. Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares, and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with varying degrees of success. The sound was named by William Baffin after Sir Thomas Smythe, promoter of voyages to find a Northwest Passage.
Between forty-eight and seventy-two kilometres wide—and eighty-eight kilometres long—Smith Sound is often packed with ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing.
©Jerry Kobalenko Day 10: Qaanaaq, Greenland
Artistic talent runs high in this northern community, and visitors are often in search of the distinct art pieces that are Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian created here. An outstanding museum featuring geological gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined samples and historic artefacts is among the town's highlights. with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the One of the hardest places to reach in the Arctic, it is easiest to planet Mars. visit by ship.
85 Day 11: Kap York Day 14: Ilulissat
The rugged coastal environment at Kap York is rich in wildlife Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be and is part of an extensive network of traditional hunting a more fitting name for this stunning coastal community. grounds. During the spring and summer months the skies and cliffs are dotted with millions of birds, primarily auks and murres. This district boasts the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland.
Whalers and explorers often entered these waters and later Admiral Robert Peary’s family raised a monument in honour of his achievements on the cape. Sailors’ and ships’ logs record multiple climbs of the cape in order to survey the ice conditions in Qimusseriarsuaq (Melville Bay).
Day 12: Melville Bay
To the north of the Upernavik Archipelago, Melville Bay opens to the southwest into Baffin Bay. Its Kalaallisut name, Qimusseriarsuaq, means “the great dog sledding place”. Ice does not clear from the bay each summer, leaving it totally isolated and uninhabited. Because of local winds and extensive ice, Melville Bay is the site of dramatic landscape views.
Day 13: Karrat Fjord
Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic ©Michelle Valberg opportunities of the majestic rock faces.
86 Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out along a boardwalk to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs through theunesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord.
The Icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometers of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years.
Day 15: Sisimiut Coast
The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing communities, various islands and complex coastal waterways. We will be making an expedition stop here to explore the Greenlandic landscape.
Day 16: Kangerlussuaq
We will make our journey down spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers will have a chance to experience its beauty. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery! Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’
Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet our charter flights home.
©Peter Croal MARK MALLORY NATURALIST
Dr. Mallory is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Coastal Wetland Ecosystems at Acadia University, Nova Scotia. He lived in Iqaluit from 1999– 2011, working as a government biologist. He has written over 180 scientific papers and two books. His studies, including using Inuit local ecological knowledge, led to the creation of two new
©Andre Gallant national wildlife areas (Qaqulluit and Akpait nwas) on eastern Baffin Island, and the uplisting of ivory gulls to Endangered status in 2009. In 2014, Mark was appointed to the Royal Society FEATURED STAFF of Canada, College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists— Canada’s leading scientific academy.
LATONIA HARTERY EDNA ELIAS ARCHAEOLOGIST CULTURALIST Latonia has a Ph.D. in circumpolar archaeology from the University of Edna is the former mayor of Kugluktuk, Calgary. Her exploration of this topic the director of the gnwt Language has taken her to the Canadian Arctic, Bureau, and an interviewer for the McGill Greenland and Scandinavia. For the past decade she has University Inuit Health Survey aboard conducted excavations on Paleoeskimo sites in Bird Cove-Pond the Amundsen for the Canadian Coast Guard. She is an Inuit Cove, Newfoundland. At this location she integrates research, language and culture advocate and is founder of the Women tourism and public education. She is also the president of aara, in Action—Steps of Hope Arctic Treks to raise breast cancer a non-profit organization dedicated to Arctic and sub-Arctic awareness. Her term as the fourth Commissioner of Nunavut studies. She has worked on independent documentaries and ended in May 2015. Now, Edna lives in Kugluktuk and operates other films for a wide range of broadcasters including aptn Inuinnait Services Ltd. and the cbc. For her community efforts, and for preserving and promoting Arctic and sub-Arctic culture, she was recently given *This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff— jci Canada’s Outstanding Young Person Award. for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.
88 THE
OCEAN ENDEAVOUR ©Dennis Minty
The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition aboard the Ocean Endeavour are optimal locations for seminars, cruising. Outfitted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation events, and conversation. equipment, multiple lounges, and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote The Ocean Endeavour’s accommodations are stylish and environments. TheOcean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, comfortable. All cabins have private washroom facilities, enabling her to freely explore throughout the Arctic summer. a phone for internal calls, TV, and temperature control. Launched in 1982, she has had numerous upgrades, most There are a variety of cabin categories available ranging from recently in 2010 and 2015. 9–30m2 (90–300ft2).
At 137 metres in length, the Ocean Endeavour has plenty The Ocean Endeavour’s crew is experienced and friendly. of interior and exterior space. Ample deck space offers The ship’s shallow draft and manoeuvrability allow her to access comfortable lounge chairs, a swimming pool, a sauna, and even isolated fjords, bays and secluded communities. Enjoy the class a hot tub! The spacious interiors allow for varied workshops and comfort of a boutique hotel while venturing to some of the and presentations to occur simultaneously. The three lounges world’s last great frontiers aboard the Ocean Endeavour!
89 POOL DECK
COMPASS CLUB POLARIS RESTAURANT
YOUR EXPEDITION INCLUDES
Ashore: Aboard:
• Introductions to local people and customs • Educational presentations
• Sightseeing • Interactive workshops
• Museums' entry, parks' access, and port taxes • Evening entertainment
• Access to pristine wilderness areas • All shipboard meals, including on-deck barbeques and afternoon tea • Zodiac tours and cruises • 24-hour coffee, tea, and snacks • On-site archaeology workshops • Hors d’ouevres and snacks during daily evening recaps • Community programming—local performances, presentations, and demonstrations • 24-hour film and documentary programming in cabins
• Rubber boots for expedition landings • Fully stocked library • Access to all ship's amenities, including sauna, gym, pool, and hot tub
90 DETAILS CABIN CATEGORIES
Type of Passenger Cruise Ship vessel:
Year built: 1982: Szczecin, Poland (keel laid 1980)
Refurbished: 2001 / 2004 / 2010 / 2015
Registry: Bahamas
Length: 137 metres / 450 feet
Breadth: 21 metres / 69 feet
Draft: 5.8 metres / 19 feet
Ice Class: 1B POLARIS RESTAURANT Main Engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6ZL40/48
Propellers: 2 x variable pitch MERIDIAN propellers CLUB GYM COMPASS DAY SPA Stabilizers: Gyrofin stabilizers CLUB
MUD Bow-thruster: 600 kW / 800 hp ROOM
SAUNA
DECK 9 NAUTILUS AURORA LOUNGE LOUNGE
POOL DECK 8
DECK 4 DECK 5 DECK 6 DECK 7
* Photos are a guide only; actual cabins may differ from those shown. 91 DECK 7 PICTURED DECK 8 PICTURED
CATEGORY 10 | SUITE CATEGORY 9 | JUNIOR SUITE CATEGORY 8 | SUPERIOR TWIN CATEGORY 7 | SELECT TWIN Deck seven, forward- Deck five (picture windows, Deck five (two picture windows, Deck five (picture windows, facing picture windows, unobstructed view; matrimonial bed, unobstructed view; two lower berths, unobstructed view; two lower unobstructed view; sitting area — approx. 270 sq. ft.), deck sitting area — approx. 210 sq. ft.), deck berths OR matrimonial bed, approx. matrimonial bed, private seven forward (forward-facing picture seven forward (forward-facing picture 190 sq. ft.) and deck eight (oversize bath with full tub, windows, unobstructed; matrimonial windows, unobstructed; matrimonial windows, partial obstruction refrigerator — approx. 310 bed, private bath with full tub, sitting bed, private bath with full tub — matrimonial bed — approx. 145 sq. sq. ft. area — approx. 290 sq. ft) private bath, approx. 180 sq. ft.), deck seven midship ft.) private bath, refrigerator refrigerator (picture windows, partial obstruction; matrimonial bed — approx. 190 sq. ft.) private bath, refrigerator
DECK 4 PICTURED
CATEGORY 6 | COMFORT TWIN CATEGORY 6 | SITTING AREA CATEGORY 5 | MAIN TWIN Deck four (two porthole windows, unobstructed view; two lower Deck five. Picture window, berths OR matrimonial bed — approx. 175 sq. ft.), deck seven unobstructed view; two lower (picture window, partial obstruction; two lower berths — approx. berths, private bath — approx. 135 sq. ft.), and deck eight (picture windows, obstructed view; 115 sq. ft. matrimonial bed — approx. 160 sq. ft.) private bath, refrigerator
CATEGORY 4 | EXTERIOR TWIN CATEGORY 3 | INTERIOR TWIN CATEGORY 2 | TRIPLE CATEGORY 1 | QUAD Deck four. Porthole window, Deck five. Interior cabin, two lower Deck four. Interior cabin, three Deck four. Interior cabin, four unobstructed view; two lower berths, private bath — approx. 125 lower berths, two private baths — lower berths, private bath (separate berths, private bath — approx. sq. ft. (twin) / 110 sq. ft. (single) approx. 200 sq. ft. shower room and powder room) — 100 sq. ft. (Twin) / 90 sq. ft. (Single) approx. 240 sq. ft. 2016 ALL PRICES ARE IN U.S. DOLLARS AND ARE CASH/CHEQUE DISCOUNTED EXPEDITION & CREDIT CARD PRICING AVAILABLE ON PAGE 92
BERTH PRICES Cabin Class Categories Charter Date 2016 Days flights 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Mighty Jun 01–Jun 10 10 Saint Lawrence $350 $11,995 $10,995 $9,995 $8,995 $7,995 $6,995 $5,995 $4,695 $3,395 $2,595
Sable Island Jun 11–June 19 9 $11,095 $10,095 $9,095 $8,095 $7,095 $5,995 $4,995 $3,995 $3,195 $2,395
Newfoundland June 19–June 29 11 $14,995 $13,695 $12,395 $11,095 $9,895 $8,695 $7,495 $6,195 $4,795 $3,795 Circumnavigation
Greenland & June 29–July 11 13 $16,195 $14,895 $13,595 $12,295 $11,095 $9,895 $8,695 $7,395 $5,995 $4,995 Wild Labrador $1,095
Heart of July 11–July 23 13 $15,395 $14,095 $12,795 $11,495 $10,295 $9,095 $7,895 $6,595 $5,195 $3,995 the Arctic $1,995
Arctic Aug 4–Aug 15 12 $16,995 $15,695 $14,395 $13,095 $11,895 $10,695 $9,495 $8,195 $6,795 $5,795 Safari $2,195
Arctic Aug 15–Aug 26 12 $16,995 $15,695 $14,395 $13,095 $11,895 $10,695 $9,495 $8,195 $6,795 $5,795 Explorer $2,195
Into the Northwest Aug 26–Sep 11 17 Passage $2,395 $22,595 $21,095 $19,595 $18,095 $16,595 $15,095 $13,595 $12,095 $10,395 $8,995
Out of the Sep 11–Sep 26 16 $21,595 $20,095 $18,595 $17,095 $15,595 $14,095 $12,595 $11,095 $9,395 $7,995 Northwest Passage $2,395
Discovery Fee $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250 $250
2016 EXPEDITION COSTS INCLUDE: 2016 EXPEDITION COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE:
*Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour *Pre-departure materials *Special access permits, *$250 Discovery Fee *Commercial & Charter flights *Gratuities (suggested $15 usd per entry and park fees *Team of expedition staff *Applicable taxes *Educational program passenger, per day) *Personal expenses *Mandatory medical evacuation insurance *Interactive workshops *Evening entertainment *Guided activities *Sightseeing and *Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes *Possible fuel surcharges community visits *All Shipboard Meals *All Zodiac excursions *Port fees *Pre & post hotel accommodation *Optional excursions *Additional costs associated with payments made by credit card *Please see credit card rates on page 92
93 DISCOVERY FEE No refund will be given if costs are reduced. The company PAYMENT POLICY reserves the right to amend all or part of any tour price Each area we visit has rich cultural experiences and wild for any reason including, without limitation: increased A deposit of $1,000 usd per person is required upon treasures to offer. As guests, we have made a point of fuel costs, airfares, airport charges or increases in ground booking to confirm participation. The balance of the sourcing and supporting local projects in the areas through operator service fees. If the price increase is more than 7% payment is required 120 days prior to your departure date. which we travel. A contribution from each passenger, billed (except increases resulting from an increase in retail sales The Company reserves the right to cancel reservations if separately as the Discovery Fee, represents a portion of the tax or Federal Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized payments are not received in time. Prices are cash/cheque money we donate to ensure the longevity and success of Sales Tax) the customer has the right to cancel the contract discounted, if you wish to pay by credit card please refer educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives in and obtain a full refund. Tour fees quoted are based on to our credit card pricing. Please make cheques payable to: these regions. Our Discovery Fee is $250 usd per person group participation. Prices are cash/cheque discounted, ADVENTURE CANADA. Please review our Cancellation & for all shipboard expeditions. and in U.S. dollars. Refund Policy for a full outline of our cancellation terms.
PRICING 2016 CREDIT CARD PRICING IS AS FOLLOWS IN USD: As a registered Ontario company, we are licensed to sell travel packages through the Travel Industry Council of Rates are in U.S. dollars, per person, per voyage based on Mighty Saint Lawrence: C1 $2,699 C2 $3,531 C3 $4,883 C4 Ontario. We are required to keep all customer deposits in double occupancy except for C1 and C2, which are quad $6,235 C5 $7,275 C6 $8,315 C7 $9,355 C8 $10,395 C9 $11,435 Client Trust Accounts and may only use the funds once and triple cabins, respectively. Discovery Fee and charter/ C10 $12,475 Sable Island: C1 $2,491 C2 $3,323 C3 $4,155 the trip has begun or to make a deposit to an operator on commercial airfare are not included in the berth price. C4 $5,195 C5 $6,235 C6 $7,379 C7 $8,419 C8 $9,459 C9 behalf of the client. Our Client Trust Accounts are reviewed Single occupancy cabins are available in select cabins on $10,499 C10 $11,539 Newfoundland Circumnavigation: C1 by a CPA on an annual basis and regularly inspected by Ocean Endeavour. Please call for availability. $3,947 C2 $4,987 C3 $6,443 C4 7,795 C5 $9,043 C6 $10,291 TICO auditors. C7 $11,539 C8 $12,891 C9 $14,243 C10 $15,595 Greenland CURRENCY & Wild Labrador: C1 $5,195 C2 $6,235 C3 $7,691 C4 $9,043 C5 $10,291 C6 $11,539 C7 $12,787 C8 $14,139 C9$15,491 Although we are a Canadian company, most of our C10 $16,843 Heart of the Arctic: C1 $4,155 C2 $5,403 C3 operating costs are paid in U.S. dollars. For this reason $6,859 C4 $8,211 C5 $9,459 C6 $10,707 C7 $11,955 C8 all tour prices are in U.S. dollars. We will accept Canadian $13,307 C9 $14,659 C10 $16,011 Arctic Safari: C1 $6,027 dollars at an incentivized exchange rate; please call for C2 $7,067 C3 $8,523 C4 $9,875 C5 $11,123 C6 $12,371 C7 details. We are not responsible for bank exchange rates on $13,619 C8 $14,971 C9 $16,323 C10 $17,675 Arctic Explorer: credit card transactions. C1 $6,027 C2 $7,067 C3 $8,523 C4 $9,875 C5 $11,123 C6 $12,371 C7 $13,619 C8 $14,971 C9 $16,323 C10 $17,675 Into TOUR FARES the Northwest Passage: C1 $9,355 C2 $10,811 C3 $12,579 C4 $14,139 C5 $15,699 C6 $17,259 C7 $18,819 C8 $20,379 Published prices are based on exchange rates and tariffs C9 $21,939 C10 $23,499 Out of the Northwest Passage: C1 in effect at the time of printing (October 2015) and are $8,315 C2 $9,771 C3 $11,539 C4 $13,099 C5 $14,659 C6 subject to change without notice. Once the deposit has $16,219 C7 $17,779 C8 $19,339 C9 $20,899 C10 $22,459 been received changes will not be made to the base price.
WE ARE SAILING SOLO? WE LOVE FAMILY FRIENDLY BAGPIPERS! We have a select number of single cabins Family is important! To promote available at no extra charge! Please call us for If you can play the multi-generational travel, we details. bagpipes, bring are offering a 30% discount to them along and ask travellers under 30 years of age. about our bagpiper’s Please call us for details! rebate! 94 IMPORTANT INFORMATION
HOW TO REGISTER ACTIVITY LEVEL To register for an Adventure Canada expedition, each participant must complete the registration Adventure Canada expeditions are intended for people in reasonably good health. Zodiac cruises form and return it to our office with a$1,000 usd deposit. THE REGISTRATION FORM IS DOUBLE- and transfer times can be lengthy. You must be able to climb stairs between decks on the ship. SIDED AND YOUR SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED ON SECOND PAGE. By returning the registration You must also be able to climb the external gangway stairs to transfer between the ship and the form and deposit, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Release Zodiacs. Our guides and ship crew are available to assist you in and out of the Zodiacs, both required for participation on any Adventure Canada excursion. All cheques must be made out to on shore and at the gangway. Adventure Canada expeditions may involve extensive walking in Adventure Canada and MAY NOT BE CANADIAN CHEQUES MADE OUT TO usd; ask your bank variable weather conditions over sometimes sandy or uneven terrain. Wherever possible on shore for information on foreign currency. Full payment by credit card is subject to credit card pricing. excursions, we break into smaller, guided groups according to interest and physical ability. This may mean one small group going off on a strenuous, two hour hike on steep terrain, while another explores the area in and around the landing beach, keeping to relatively level terrain and short ITINERARIES distances. Generally speaking, once a few people are ready to return to the ship, the Zodiacs are Weather, ice, and government regulations may necessitate changes to the itineraries and/or the usually available to take you back at the time of your choosing. cancellation of certain shore excursions. Every attempt—within the limits of law, time, and safety— will be made to adhere to the itineraries described. There may be a planned alternate for your route: ZODIAC CRAFT please inquire at the time of booking. In the event of itinerary changes, passengers are not entitled Zodiacs are the favoured means of transportation for all our expeditions and, indeed, wherever to any refund or other compensation. Should the tour be interrupted for any reason repatriation shallow waters and beaches ring the shoreline. They are stable, versatile craft that cruise at costs and expenses relating to prepaid travel expenses will be at the sole cost of the traveler. There approximately four knots; in windy weather they can make for rather splashy rides. We therefore will be no refund for any portion of the tour already taken. Adventure Canada recommends that recommend wearing wet weather gear for Zodiac transfers. Life preservers are absolutely the passenger obtains full travel insurance coverage and purchases refundable air/train tickets. compulsory and will be provided. Zodiac landings will generally entail disembarking onto rocky or Expedition fees are based on group participation. Should you choose not to take part in any activity gravelly beaches. The beach landings may be wet, meaning that there may be some spray en route or make use of services provided, no refund will be given. Vessels and dates are subject to change. to shore, and that you may have to step into water up to 25 centimetres / 10 inches deep. Rubber boots will be provided. SINGLE TRAVELLERS On the Ocean Endeavour, single travellers willing to share their accommodation will be guaranteed MEDICAL FACILITIES the published rate even if a roommate is not available in categories one through seven. There are This expedition is intended for persons in good health. Passengers who are not fit for long trips for a limited number of single-occupancy cabins available in categories three through seven with no any reason, including disability, heart, or other health conditions, are advised not to join the tour. single supplement charge. A single supplement charge of 1.5 times the published rate will apply Should any such condition become apparent, we reserve the right to decline embarkation. Our when single cabins are not available. vessel is not equipped to handle serious medical conditions. Medical and Emergency Evacuation insurance is mandatory. A ship’s doctor will be in attendance in the ship’s small medical clinic to PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION attend to passengers’ basic health needs. If you require specific medications, please ensure that Prior to your expedition we will send you a pre-departure package including a statement of account, you bring a supply adequate to last you for the duration of the journey and take care to properly pack login details for your online profile, a handbook of practical guidelines, a briefing (on local history, them to ensure safe transport. Once aboard ship, we will be travelling in remote communities where flora, and fauna), a reading list, and packing suggestions. prescriptions cannot be replaced. There is a fee for consultation and treatment by the onboard doctor. Any charges will be debited from your onboard account. ONLINE PROFILE Adventure Canada collects personal information from our passengers via secure online account. GRATUITIES You are required to provide select medical and personal information, as well as acknowledgement Our ships’ crew work hard to please, and tips are heartily appreciated. In fairness to all those who of select liabilities. Online accounts are established by booking reservations. This means that work together to make your trip enjoyable, tips are collected at the end of the voyage and distributed all passengers on a given reservation will have access to each others’ information. You will be equitably among the crew. Although we leave tip amounts to your discretion, past passengers have asked to acknowledge this process on our reservation form by checking the box ‘I/we agree that all asked for a recommended amount. We suggest a rate of $15 usd per day, per passenger. Gratuities passenger details will be viewable by all persons on this registration/reservation’. If you prefer to will be automatically added to your shipboard account: you may advise the purser onboard if you have individual access to the online account please do not check this box on the reservation form would like to increase or decrease the tip amount. Adventure Canada staff does not accept tips. and advise your Adventure Specialist by phone or email. If you prefer to provide your personal information to Adventure Canada by mail or fax, please contact us and we will send you paper AIRFARE copies. We ask that your personal information be completed at your convenience, but no less When purchasing your airline tickets to meet us at our point of departure, please ensure that they than 120 days prior to departure. You will not receive your final documents until these forms are are changeable or refundable; Adventure Canada is not responsible for missed connections due completed and submitted. to late charter flights or changes/delays/interruptions in the ship’s intended itinerary and will not reimburse you for rebooking fees or new ticket charges incurred. PASSPORTS & VISAS Passports are mandatory and must be current, with a date of expiry at least three (3) months after the trip’s conclusion. Participants are responsible for obtaining personal visas, passports, health certificates and other required documents and inoculations at their own expense. Entry to another country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete.
95 REGISTRATIONREGISTRATIO FORMN FORM 250.385.3001 PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM AVAILABILITY BEFORE SENDINGPlease call IN to COMPLETED confirm availability REGISTRATION before sending in FORM.completed registration form. 1.877.815.4327
SELECT YOUR TRIP SELECT PREFERENCES Trip: ______Category: ______Double Single To Share Smoker Non-Smoker
Passenger 1 Passenger 2 Full Name: Title: First: Last: Middle: Title: First: Last: Middle: (as on passpo rt) Preferred Name: First: Last: First: Last: Preferred Language:
Date of Birth: DD/MMM/YY Nationality: DD/MMM/YY Nationality: Address: Street: Street: City: Prov/St: City: Prov/St:
Country: Postcode: Country: Postcode: Email:
Telephone: Home: ( ) Work: ( ) Home: ( ) Work: ( ) US Shoe size:
Emergency Medical & Evacuation Please provide a quote for: Emergency medical insurance Cancellation and interruption insurance All-inclusive Insurance is mandatory for this program. No, I do not require insurance; I will provide you with my policy information.
PAYMENT OPTIONS VISA Method of Payment for Card Number: Exp: $1,000 USD deposit per MASTERCARD person to hold space Cheque Enclosed Signature: Where did you first hear of this trip?
Please complete and sign both pages of the Registration Form and return with payment to: Please send both completed and signed pages of this registration form with payment to the address on the SIGNATURE(S)SIGNATURE(S) REQUIRED REQUIRED Far and Away Adventures 103-4430 West Saanich Road Victoria, BC V8Z 3E9 Canada OR back cover. Please give us a call or send us an email if you have any questions. ON REVERSEON REVERSE SIDE SIDE email [email protected]
96 TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PASSAGE CONTRACT TICKET On tours which neither embark, disembark nor call at any port in the United States, Adventure Canada and the carrier shall These Terms and Conditions and Passage Contract Ticket (“terms and conditions”) are entered into between 750207 be entitled to any and all liability limitations, immunities and rights applicable to it under the “Athens Convention Relating to Ontario Inc., operating as Adventure Canada (Ontario Registration Nos. 0400 1400 / 5002 1860) (“Adventure Canada”) the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea” of 1974, as well as the “Protocol to the Athens Convention Relating and the passenger (as detailed on the Registraion Form). to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea” of 1976 (“Athens Convention”). The Athens Convention limits the carrier’s liability for death or personal injury to a passenger to no more than 46,666 special drawing rights as defined Adventure Canada is a sub-charterer of the Ocean Endeavour from Endeavour Partners Ltd. (“carrier”). These terms and therein (approximately U.S. $70,000). In addition, and on all other tours, all the exemptions from and limitations of liability conditions shall serve as the Passage Contract Ticket in use by the carrier, which is the standard passenger contract and provided in or authorized by the laws of the United States (including title 46, United States Code Sections 30501 through liability waiver of the vessel mentioned herein. In accepting these terms and conditions, the passenger is agreeing that 30509 and 30511) will apply. these terms and conditions shall also serve as the Passage Contract Ticket. In case of a medical problem arising during the voyage, either on board or on shore, which results in costs for evacuation, RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY use of aircraft or repatriation, the responsibility for payment of these costs belongs solely to the passenger. The passenger hereby agrees to these terms and conditions and in consideration of the services and arrangements provided by Adventure Canada, further agrees that neither Adventure Canada nor its owners, officers, directors, COMPENSATION agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees shall have any liability or responsibility Compensation for personal injury is limited in accordance with the provisions of any applicable International Conventions. whatsoever for damages to or loss of property, loss of services, or injury or wrongful death or any other loss, expense, These include, for example, in the course of road travel, air travel, rail travel, sea travel, or hotel accommodation and are damage, delay or inconvenience which may be sustained or which may be incurred by reason of, or while engaged on, limited to the provisions of, respectively, the Geneva Convention 1973, the Warsaw Convention as amended by the Hague any Adventure Canada tour, whether due to Adventure Canada or the carrier’s ownership, maintenance, use, operation Protocol 1955, the 1961 Berne Convention, the 1974 Athens Convention and the 1962 Paris Convention. or control of any manner of conveyance used in carrying out the tour; (ii) the use of transportation or other services of carrier, owners, operators, or public carriers for whom Adventure Canada acts only as agent and for whom Adventure EXPRESS ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY/PARTICIPATION Canada is not responsible; (iii) passenger’s lack of proper travel documentation (such as visas, passports, etc.); (iv) The passenger hereby certifies that he/she does not have a mental, physical, or other condition or disability that would any act, omission or event occurring during the time that passengers are not aboard Adventure Canada carriers or create a hazard for him/her or other passengers. The passenger agrees to honestly complete the personal information conveyances; (v) any act of war, insurrection, revolt or other civil uprising or military action occurring in the countries request from Adventure Canada via its website or by requesting paper copies, prior to departure. Adventure Canada of origin, destination or passage, or changes caused by sickness, weather, strike, quarantine or other causes beyond reserves the right to request further information from the passenger’s physician. The passenger clearly understands the control of Adventure Canada or carrier or (vi) defects or failures of any aircraft, vessel, automotive vehicle or other that the liability of Adventure Canada is definitively limited as aforesaid. The passenger has carefully read the terms and equipment or instrumentality under the control of independent suppliers. If for any reason, Adventure Canada is ever conditions set out herein as well as the materials regarding the tour provided by Adventure Canada and is aware that found liable for any matter, Adventure Canada’s maximum liability, for any reason whatsoever, will be limited to the such tour involves the risk of personal injury or death and damage or loss of property. The passenger also acknowledges amount paid to Adventure Canada for its services. Without limitation, Adventure Canada is not responsible for any that risk and dangers may be caused by the negligence of Adventure Canada, its owners, directors, employees, negligent acts, or acts which are beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of God or force majeure, weather contractors, officers or agents or the negligence or participation of other participants. The passenger acknowledges that emergencies, breakdown, or failure of diving or mechanical equipment, government actions, inclement weather, risk and dangers may arise from foreseeable and unforeseeable causes, including weather and other acts of nature. sickness, attacks by animals, availability of medical care or the adequacy of the same, criminal activity of any kind, The passenger acknowledges that the aforementioned risks, dangers and hazards are a potential in connection with terrorism, war, civil disturbance, sanitary conditions, quality or sanitation of food, quarantine, customs, regulations, recreational activities which may take place during the passenger’s tour. In consideration of the benefits to be derived epidemics, strikes, hotel overbooking, safety and/or security standards at hotels or other accommodations, or for any from participation in the tour, the passenger voluntarily accepts all risk of personal injury or death and property damage or other reason beyond the control of Adventure Canada. other loss arising from participation on the tour and hereby agrees that he/she and his/her dependents, heirs, executors, administrators, legal personal representatives, successors and assigns, do release and hold harmless Adventure Canada The passenger hereby waives any claim it may have against Adventure Canada, its owners, officers, directors, agents, and its owners, employees, officers, directors, agents, contractors, trustees and representatives from any and all claims, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees for any such damage, loss or injury. Adventure including claims of negligence, illness, personal injury, death or property damage or loss, however caused, arising from Canada acts only as agent for all services described herein. Adventure Canada and its sponsoring organizations do not or related to this tour. The passenger has read carefully these terms and conditions, and will abide by the conditions set assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any claims, damages, expenses or other financial loss related to the by Adventure Canada and in the terms and conditions hereof or elsewhere published. The passenger affirms that he/she operation of this tour. has not received or relied on any oral or written representation of Adventure Canada as a basis for agreeing to the release contained in these terms and conditions. The passenger specifically understands and agrees that the passenger is releasing, discharging and waiving any claims or actions that the passenger may have presently or in the future for the negligent acts or conduct of Adventure Canada, Adventure Canada and the carrier shall be entitled to inspect passengers and their luggage for security purposes and its owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and/or employees. the passenger hereby acknowledges that this may involve a physical search of the passenger and/or his/her property.
Regardless of the situation or circumstances giving rise to a claim, the passenger waives any right to seek indirect, Should any passenger not arrive on board the vessel at a scheduled time of departure, Adventure Canada shall have no special, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages against Adventure Canada, its owners, officers, directors, agents, liability for any delay or interruption in planned itinerary of the vessel and Adventure Canada shall have the right, but shall contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees, for any reason whatsoever. not be obliged, to continue with the cruise on its planned itinerary.
Please complete, sign and return.
DATE: DD / MMM / YY 97 CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY All requests for cancellations must be received in writing. Upon Adventure Canada receiving a written notice of will be required prior to embarkation. All passengers must carry a minimum of $75,000 usd per person emergency cancellation at least 120 days prior to the scheduled date of departure, the passenger shall receive a full refund of medical and evacuation coverage. This may not cover the full cost of a medical emergency. Additional expenses its tour fees, less an administrative penalty of $500 usd per person. If a written notice of cancellation is received by are the full responsibility of the passenger. Any losses sustained by the passenger as a result of the passenger Adventure Canada between 91 and 120 days prior to the scheduled date of departure, the passenger shall receive failing to obtain proper insurance coverage shall be the sole responsibility of the passenger. For full coverage, a refund of 35% of its tour fees. Please note that within the 90-day limit, all fees, deposits and tariffs received by including cancellation coverage prior to departure, passengers are strongly recommended to obtain travel insurance. Adventure Canada are forfeited. For these and other reasons mentioned below, passengers are strongly advised As the passenger firms up their travel plans the passenger may insure additional trip related expenses (for example to obtain trip cancellation insurance at the time of deposit. No refunds shall be made to passengers who do not commercial airfare, accommodations, pre and post excursions and discrepancies in currency), please contact your participate in any part of, or otherwise do not complete, the tour for any reason whatsoever. client services specialist to do so.
BAGGAGE Baggage is solely at the passenger’s risk and expense. Baggage is limited to a maximum weight of 20 Kg or 44 lbs for all excursions involving an Adventure Canada charter flight. Also, commercial airline luggage allowance differs from carrier to carrier; please check with the passenger’s airline for current standards and weight restrictions. Excess baggage is not permitted on charter flights. Any excess baggage charges for commercial flights are the responsibility of the passenger. Passenger’s baggage is restricted to suitcases and hand luggage of such size and type as can comfortably and safely be stored in the passenger’s cabins. Cabin trunks are not acceptable and will not be permitted on board the vessel.
DELAYS & INTERRUPTION IMAGES AND PRIVACY In the event of a delay, passengers will be responsible for all costs and expenses associated therewith, including, On these trips Adventure Canada takes many photos, some of which are used for promotional purposes. If the without limitation, any additional food, lodging, transportation costs, or charge fees resulting from such delay. Should passenger would not like photos which include the passenger to be used, please let Adventure Canada know the tour be interrupted for any reason repatriation costs and expenses relating to prepaid travel expenses will be at in advance. Adventure Canada may also celebrate the passenger’s birthday or special events: please advise the sole cost of the passenger. There will be no refund for any portion of the tour already taken. Adventure Canada Adventure Canada if the passenger would like to abstain. recommends that the passenger obtains full travel insurance coverage and purchases refundable air/train tickets. EXCLUSIVE GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION INSURANCE These terms and conditions and any actions and proceeding brought hereunder shall be governed by the laws Due to the nature of the tour in which the passenger will be participating, passengers should have in place prior of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein without regard to conflict of laws principles. to departure, comprehensive insurance coverage including without limitation medical, emergency evacuation, trip Any action or legal proceeding to enforce any provision hereof, or based on any right arising out of, these terms cancellation and interruption, accident and baggage insurance. It is the responsibility of the passenger to secure and conditions shall be exclusively in the courts of the City of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, and all of the insurance for the level of protection they desire. Adventure Canada’s cancellation terms apply to all passengers. parties hereto hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and of the appropriate appellate courts Emergency Medical and Evacuation Insurance is mandatory for participation in all Adventure Canada expeditions and in any such action or legal proceeding and waive any objection to venue or jurisdiction in connection therewith. may be purchased through Adventure Canada at the time of booking and onward. Evidence of policy documentation
©Scott Forsyth 250.385.3001 1.877.815.4327
103-4430 WEST SAANICH ROAD VICTORIA, BC V8Z 3E9 CANADA [email protected] www.farandawayadventures.com
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