Eastern Baffin Island, 9/3/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Arctic
Today was marked by wind and waves. It seemed impossible to get off the ship with gusts of 40 and 50 knots outside and we enjoyed our sea time with thrilling lectures about geology, Inuit Culture, Northern Lights, and whales.
During the day we managed to spot walruses and killer whales amongst the waves. Spirits were high on board, but they soared even higher just after dinner when the winds started to die down, the waves reduced, the sun poked out for a beautiful sunset, and we were able to get off the ship for an after dinner sunset cruise.
Nestled in our little Zodiacs amongst the massive white glacier carved cliffs near Leopold Island, we soaked in the grandeur of our remote surroundings. The icing on the cake of this phenomenal day was the first spotting of a polar bear in the glow of the evening twilight!!!
As a little kid, Jackie Weston flew internationally with a bag of animal bones she found on the beach as her carry on. You could do that back then… Raised in Ontario, Canada and in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, Jackie has had an insatiable curiosit...
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
Thanks to fair winds and currents, we arrived at the community of Battle Harbour earlier than expected, and our hosts welcomed us ashore. This site focuses on the history of the Labrador cod fishery, and one of the buildings dates to the late 1700s. The last time anyone lived in this community year-round was 1968. It now runs as a small but vibrant summer community with guest accommodations and day trips. During our stay we hiked a gorgeous nature trail, visited numerous historic buildings, shopped in the little store, and listened to a local musician; we even sampled delectable cod cakes and homemade cheesecake with partridgeberry and cloudberry sauces.
The morning program for today began with relaxation. National Geographic Explorer needed to keep her itinerary, so we started the day at sea. This extra rest was much welcomed by most, as the evening prior was a fun-filled night of music and dancing, all hosted by the ship’s band the “Spice Boys and Girls. We enjoyed a leisurely brunch, followed by a variation in landscape as we sailed into a lower region of Canada. The towering fjords and mountain peaks were exchanged for low-lying glacier-swept rocky islands. The local forest of willow, birch, and alder grew slightly taller, and the temperature outside warmed in these lower latitudes. In the afternoon we approached our next landing in Mugford Tickle (nothing funny about it). However, the bridge spotted two polar bears on islands just north of our intended landing point. The expedition team headed out early to conduct a thorough scouting of the area before we came ashore. We departed the ship and headed to the island under slightly overcast skies. We were excited for an afternoon of walks in this archeologically and botanically rich location. The long walkers headed out at a brisk pace — but were quickly stopped by the abundance of ripe blueberries, bog cranberries, and cloudberries. We were not the only ones that enjoyed these wilderness fruits, as many signs of berry-eating bears were also found on our walks. After an hour of rewarding explorations, we headed back to the ship. The wind had picked up, so the ride back featured some splashy water that added to the adventure. Back on board, we found the chef and hotel director barbecuing on the back deck. We enjoyed the transit outside with a snack while we swapped stories about our day. Shortly it was time for recap and dinner. After yet another great meal, expedition guide and cultural specialist Jenny gave a talk in the lounge; it was a very educational presentation thoroughly enjoyed by all. We then headed off to bed, full from the day’s activities and ready for more.
We spent this beautiful day in North Arm, Saglek Fjord, with invigorating activities for the morning and afternoon: a scenic Zodiac cruise on the fjord and a hike to a beautiful waterfall. We were accompanied by Parks Canada Staff and local Bear Monitors, and they shared stories of the Nunatsiavut Inuit ways of life. We learned about setting up camp, collecting firewood, and picking berries on a calm summer day. We also learned how one could mark a route using Inuksuit (stacked rocks) to indicate various meanings, such as: lots of animals, no animals, graveyard, or hunting caribou. As an Inuk from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, experiencing this park and seeing how the Nunatsiavut Inuit help control it was especially interesting. They can show their culture in their own voice, on their own terms; it is an incredible sight to behold. To see the differences and similarities of the environment and the landscape made me really think about how, despite the distances between us, our culture is what connects us. We finished the day by dancing the night away with the Spice Boys and Girls, the crew band of National Geographic Explorer.
