We couldn’t have asked for more beautiful weather, and we made the most of it.

We dedicated the morning to hiking ashore, and almost every guest took advantage of the calm and sunny conditions to hike across the tundra and along a road (a rare sight!) that goes up to a small airstrip on top of a ridge. From the high points, we could see several lakes, and a few of us were lucky enough to spot plovers, ducks, and even cranes. One group also saw an arctic hare dashing across the tundra.

Our choice spot for the afternoon was just around the corner and offered enough protection for our second kayaking opportunity of the voyage. Guests had a choice of paddling, Zodiac touring, or hiking. A group of ten dedicated walkers went ashore for the second time today and enjoyed a panoramic view of the surroundings. Most of us were warm enough to strip down to our t-shirts.

During both the morning and the afternoon, we found many signs of grizzly bears, including scat and many diggings. These animals dig for roots, and we could see lots of evidence that they frequent this area.

Today was our second day on Victoria Island, home to Cambridge Bay, which we visited yesterday. Though we are still in Nunavut, the border between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories runs across this island, so when we travel to the community of Uluhaktok tomorrow, we will arrive in a new Canadian territory.