Labrador in 2009!

It always amazes me how Canada is so vast, spacious and yes, still pristine.

I will never forget my first trip up north navigating Hudson Bay, being wrapped by intense darkness, the clearest of moons and the dancing northern lights, night after night. How the crisp ocean air and the sound of the ship breaking waves had paralyzed me in the moment. Yet, I was so close to home, but felt so far away.

Last July, I discovered another breathtaking region of my country: the Labrador coast. I traveled from St. John’s, NL, stopped in Anse aux Meadows, many stops along this beautiful coast then finishing in Ungava Bay towards Baffin Island. (July 10 to 22nd 2008). Great trip! Great weather (12 days of sunshine), 12 polar bears sightings, artsy icebergs, amazing Torngat Mountains, interesting historic Viking, Moravian and Inuit settlements, colorful and unique flora, caribou, birds, whales, seals, ice on calm waters, breathtaking sunsets and full moon risings, diverse and fun company, great tour leader and staff, delicious food....what else can one ask for???

There are two departures up the Labrador coast in 2009, and I invite you to discover the coast that welcomed most historical newcomers to our land. The first departure is July 2nd, for 10 nights, departing from St John’s Newfoundland, ending in Kuujjuak; and the other one leaves Halifax at the end of the season, September 26th to October 6th. Please feel free to contact me for more information.

Check below my ship’s travel log and photos for more information regarding my 2008 trip.

Labrador Explorer Voyage Update [view picture gallery]

July 10th , St John’s NL

We have arrived to St. John’s to meet the Akademik Ioffe and travel along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to the Canadian Arctic.
All the crew and staff are excited to have you all aboard and to set sail to new adventures together.

Some of you have travelled with us before and some are new to our fleet, but we hope you all have found your accomodations confortable and are adapting to the slow movement of the vessel as we sail towards St. Anthony’s and L’anse aux meadows.

Our first day at sea, and as always a very hectic time. After getting our cabins assigned and exploring the ship, most of us made our way to the top deck to watch our ship depart from the harbour. The beautiful city of St. John’s slowly faded away as we made our way through the Narrows. People were waving their good-byes to us as we sailed past and headed out into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The smell of the cool sea and the huge number of seabirds that flew around the ship was a treat as a lot of us kept busy identifing the different species of seabirds. Many of us spotted whale blows in all directions and a lucky few witnessed dolphins leaping out of the water as we passed them by.

Soon it was time for the lifeboat drill and the mandatory zodiac safety explanations. We are now set to embark from the ship and adventure in the zodiacs in search of wildlife and landing along the coast. We are all looking forward to meeting more Newfoundlanders on our excursions today.
After a scrumptous dinner some of us went out on the decks until darkness set, still searching for a whale, while the rest of us hit the sack in order to get ready for todays adventure.

July 11th  from St Anthony to L’Anse aux Meadows NL

Wake up revealed blue skies and sunny, summer Newfoundland weather: a great way to start a day that would be packed with adventure.  The morning got off to an official start with the last of the mandatory briefings on the topic of Safe Operation in Polar Bear Country.  With such beautiful weather, the rest of the morning was devoted to sea watching and birding outside.  Multiple different birds of interest were seen well from the viewing decks throughout this time, including Northern Gannets, Thick-billed and Common Murres, Arctic Terns, Black-backed Gulls, Black Guillemots and Fulmars.  There was also much debate about the true identity of objects in the distance, obscured and reorganized by mirages – a testament to the temperature of the day we experienced and an interesting guessing game!

This afternoon provided the opportunity for the first excursion of our voyage.  Although the zodiac to St. Anthony was short, the stiff wind made for an exciting ride into the little village, nestled in its picturesque protected harbour.  Meeting buses at the dock, we headed off to L’Anse Aux Meadows, the National Historic Site preserving the remnants of eight, 11th-century Norse buildings.  This small site on the coast is famous because it is the first known Viking site in North America, and provides the earliest evidence of Europeans in the western hemisphere.  After a guided walk and exploration of the Parks Canada site, we had the opportunity to further our understanding of this time period and the Viking people, by visiting Norstead, a re-created Viking Village and Port of Trade, with many “Vikings” in residence to answer questions and demonstrate different aspects of life in the year 1000.

The evening ended with tales of Arctic intrigue told by Blake in the bar, capturing our imaginations and enriching the historical focus of the day.

July 12th, 2008  Red Bay and Battle Harbour

Waking up this morning we looked out our portholes to see nothing but a milky whiteness enshrouding the ship in the cool calm of dawn, the fog horn proudly trumpeting our presence for all to hear; Delight ensued when the fog lifted to reveal Red Bay right before our eyes.
 
Red Bay was the prior site of massive whaling by the Basques in the 1500s, coming all the way from Europe to profit from the abundant population of Right Whales in the area. Signs of old settlements littered the shore as we trekked across Saddle Island under the sunny sky as Antarctic Turns and Northern Fulmars circled above.

Lunch was full of excitement as we scrambled to the windows and desks to catch a look at the Humpback whales lazily making their way across the sea. As we sailed towards our next destination we were up on deck enjoying the fair weather to be greeted by a fantastic iceberg, dazzlingly white in the bright sunlight against the dark sea.

Down in the presentation room Kyle gave us insight on the most important aspect of photography composition, in addition we will be sharing our photos with the “best of”, all our best photos from the trip!

We arrived in Battle Harbour, a fantastic cod fishery that, contrary to the way it sounds is actually named after the Spanish word for boat. This settlement started in the 1560’s and supported productive fisheries by processing cod, salmon seals and herring. The settlement thrived until the decline of the fishing industry in the 1990’s after the sites occupants re-located. The settlement is now a historic site where previous locals showed us a glimpse into daily life; the church, stores and nautical history. As we departed, our “liquid sunshine” continued to pour as the light began to peak out from behind the clouds presenting us with the most perfect rainbow visible off the harbour, perfectly framing our warm home floating on the sea, the Akademik Ioffe.

Later in the bar Scott told us tales of the great Captain Bob Bartlett of Newfoundland.

July 13th, 2008 White Bear Islands

We awoke to fair skies, calm seas, and Labrador looking much more enticing than “The Land God Gave to Cain”, as French explorer Samuel Champlain first described this coastline.  Our original intention was to spend the day at sea, and that is indeed how we passed the morning, keeping watch for passing wildlife, and enjoying the superb weather.  It was an opportune time for presentations, and Blake began with an introduction to Arctic flora, and how the plants adapt to the rigors of the polar climate.   This presentation was interrupted when a large congregation of Harp Seals swam past the ship, but the audience soon regrouped.

 Later in the morning James provided a necessary (and sobering) description of the ongoing process of climate change, and how it is affecting the Arctic, perhaps more than any other area of the earth. 

At lunch we enjoyed the traditional Newfoundland “Jam-Jam” cookies with our luncheon dessert.

The morning was just the “warm-up” for the afternoon.  As we had sufficient time for an exploration, and given the continuing fair weather, Hayley stuck a pin in the map and we boarded the zodiacs for an investigation of the White Bear Islands, at the northern mouth of Hamilton Sound.  We found a suitable landing site, and most passengers chose to ascend the modest summit of South Island, a trek which offered stunning views, a variety of “belly-plants” to photograph (including the locally rare Mastodon Flower, Senecio congestus), the remains of former fishermen’s summer houses, and enticing stories portrayed in the rocks, the latter kindly interpreted by James.

Since these islands were a new destination for all the staff, as well as the passengers, it was fitting to celebrate with “enriched” hot chocolate on the Ioffe’s bow.

July 14th, 2008, Hopedale

We were back to the 7.30 breakfast yesterday morning as we were due to arrive nice and early in the Inuit community of Hopedale. A grey, slightly misty scene greeted us as we cruised steadily through the islets towards our anchorage. Hopedale was established by Moravian Missionaries in the 1700s as an outpost of Christianity in Northern Labrador. We were met at our rocky landing point by our local guide, David. Whilst we were seated in the township's church David told stories of the history of the town, who founded it, when and why. He also pointed out some of the oldest buildings in the town one of which, the storehouse, is the oldest building east of Quebec!

From the church we spread throughout the town. Some shopped, others photographed and were photographed by the local children and some simply sat and enjoyed the sun that had come out midway through the visit. Eventually we all made our way up the hill to the local schoolhouse where some of the townsfolk had local crafts for us to peruse. Some of the local children also entertained us with a demonstration of their local games and sports. Blake was even moved to join in.

Finally it was time to leave Hopedale and make our way further north. During lunch we raised the anchor and headed out on to the sun drenched sea.  As we traveled, Robin gave us an idea of blubbery creatures we may encounter, letting us know all about the whales and seals of the area.

Just before Hayley gave us her "Lets go to Nunavut" presentation we were surrounded by a number of large icebergs. Carved by wind, sea and sun they were a treat for all and most of us stopped to admire these uniquely beautiful sculptures.

During her "Let's go" Hayley let us know where we've been and where we're going, maybe. She also pointed out who the 'real' expedition leader is, Mother Nature.  As the afternoon was so gorgeous it was decided that Happy Hour would be held on the bow deck and Andy came up with a cocktail that reflected the almost tropical feel of the day.

A small number of guests forwent the bow for a red wine tasting party in the library with Duncan. For all accounts the wine was good but the company even better.

Our evening was rounded out with Blake in the bar with part one of his own 'Arctic Adventure".

July 15th, 2008 Okak Bay and Cape Mugford

We awoke to a grimy cloudy day as Maggie called us all down for another delicious breakfast. But the adventure only began upon departure as a Golden Eagle was spotted gladding along the shore of Okak Bay.

Individual exploration was the name of the game as we all headed to different direction and at a definitely different speed! The chargers charged gaining altitude and views of the bay, encountering on their way a large and complete set of caribou antlers. The medium walkers spread out into the lush green tundra and walked their way to the Graveyard, finding on their way fresh droppings of black bear. But the real surprise was the contemplative group, the prostrate flower worshipers who ended up rock climbing in search of the barrenland beautiful flowers!

The kayakers had another fantastic paddle, starting against the wind paid off because on their way back they all enjoyed the company of three ringed seals before landing at Okak Bay.

Interest abounded in the afternoon as we cruised through complex geology, interesting cloud formation, glistening icebergs and green tundra with frolicking caribou. Another true adventure in Cape Mugford took as all cruising, enjoying the cliffs, the sun, the icebergs and the company of small flocks of black guillemots.

Slowly all cruisers came to set foot in such a stunning spot where evidence of the past generations of Inuit whom have known the beauty and abundance as we discovered the tent rings on the plateau.

We all had a chance to have a close look at the precious rock, the Ramah Chert, which was of such importance to the people of the past. A short walk at leisure on the tundra took us to the great water falls and lookouts of the bay.

Upon our return the lovely hotel team was ready to warm us up and feed us well and prepare our bodies, minds and souls for yet another great adventure to come!

July 16, 2008 Hebron and the Torngat National Park, Saglek Fjord, Branagin Island

 We figured our luck had run out on the good weather, so we all put our warmest gear on and headed for our morning landing at the vacated village of Hebron. It has been a ghost town since 1959, but the Moravian Church, the old HBC building and a few smaller wood structures remained in this well protected harbour, where the fishing and hunting would have been excellent for the Thule Eskimo, 1000 years ago, and the Inuit of 20th century. As we were arriving to the rock beach, the blue sky appeared and soon after the sun shone and it was another amazing summer day. Most of us took in the tour of the church which was being renovated by a team of workers and Tom (foreman) explained how they have been working at restoring this classic historical site since 2004. We all took our time visiting the nearby graves and exploring over the tundra and hills, while the charging hikers dashed over the hills to explore the area.

In the afternoon we made our way along the coast, smothered in a fog, heading to our next destination Saglek Fjord. It was sun-tanning weather again as we sailed along a stunning waterway looking for wildlife in both the water and the nearby land. Hayley decided to take a zodiac cruise and enjoy the late afternoon, and wouldn’t you know it, the one mammal we so desperately wanted to see was spotted on Branagin Island. When you least expect it, there it is. All the zodiacs carefully made there way to observe the king of the north polar region, and we were treated to a wonderful show as she made her way along the coast, gradually leaving the water and making her way up on top of a plateau to watch us go by. During our watch a Caribou came into view and duplicating the bear, swam and ran the opposite way of the bear, out of harm's way.

We made our way back to the ship to enjoy a splendid BBQ on the stern deck as we cruised Saglek Fjord.

July 17, 2008  Nachvak Fjord in Torngat National Park Reserve, Razorback Harbour

 To awake to sunshine and glassy calm waters was a treat, improved upon only by the stunning scenery we were surrounded with at the entrance to Nachvak Fjord in Torngat National Park Reserve.  After satiating our appetites, the adventures of the day began with an interpretive ship cruise along the rock edge, to see the patterns and colours and understand the processes that were at work to create it.

“PB and double J” was the call that went out over the radios shortly after the scout zodiac went off from the ship to begin our first outing of the day.  The mother polar bear and her two magnificent cubs were making their way along the rocky coastline at the entrance to Razorback Harbour.  After joining them on their travels along land and in the water, we went on our way and left them to theirs.

Multiple small groups spread out on the land and explored.  The Chargers aimed for an increased heart rate and a peak with a beautiful view.  The Contemplators studied many an interesting flower that hadn’t yet been seen on our voyage.  The Happy Mediums enjoyed the best of both worlds, covering some ground along the coast, seeing some wildlife and taking the time to stop and discuss as they went.

After an afternoon full of the coastal scenery of the Torngats and iceberg sculpture, we arrived at Helga River and donned our expedition gear for another landing.  Surf, sun and sand was the name of the game, and after the adventure of unloading zodiacs, various groups fanned out over the landscape in the soft evening sun.  Reports of spectacular views, interesting bones, lots of scat and a landscape full of flowers abounded upon return.

Sailing off into the impending fog, Duncan and Thomas capped the day off with an entertaining account of some of the funnier questions that have been earnestly asked on previous voyages.

July 18th, 2008 Button Islands and Akpatok Island, Ungava Bay  

 Waking up amidst the morning fog we sailed closer to the looming shapes of Button Islands; named after its discoverer Sir Thomas Button in 1614 on his way to exploring Hudson Bay.

“The excessive tides which rush in and out of the straits, the blinding fogs, prevalent storms, and often impenetrable pack ice have made landing there a hazardous procedure”. True to the tales, the wind picked up and the fog continued to roll in, and we decided it was not safe for a zodiac excursion, so we sailed on towards our next destination.

Down in the presentation room Robin educated us on Arctic ecology and the unique adaptations life has taken to thrive in this special environment. Icebergs gingerly floated by and Blake presented some fantastic `Northern Reflections`, songs, writings and reflections on everything north.

After lunch the sun was shining and the plunge pool was filled with ocean water fresh off the coast of Quebec at about 3ºC. Our intrepid “plungers” warmed themselves up in the sauna in preparation for a daring dive, and survived! Salsa music played and hot chocolate and cookies were enjoyed all around, we then moved to the upper decks, for some wildlife and iceberg watching.

After an early dinner we thought it would be a good chance for an excursion and Akpatok Island came into view. We headed towards the towering cliffs laden with Thick billed Murres, its rocky shores lined with icebergs, its waters rich with life, including small comb jellyfish. As we got closer, polar bears came into view, a mother and 3 cubs as well as one other male, four in total! We observed these incredible animals in the orange glow of the setting sun until the light burned to a dim glow. We headed back to our warm home on the ocean, lights blazing as the red moon rose opposite the sun.

July 19th, 2008  Lower Savage Islands

We awoke to clear skies off the southern approach to the Lower Savage Islands.   There was ice aplenty in every direction, mostly young ice-of-the-year, but there were also a few chunks and bergs of glacial origin.  So, a northern vista, but tempered by calm seas, sunshine, and tolerable temperatures.  The captain and crew manoeuvred the Ioffe carefully among the broken ice, and sharp-eyed passengers picked out several Polar Bears.   Two were meandering among the floes, while the third was taking an extended nap on an icy perch.

Since our forward progress was impeded we decided upon a zodiac cruise among the ice, and along the shore of Lower Savage Island.  The zodiac drivers had the opportunity to exhibit their skill in picking safe routes through the maze of pack ice, which shifted in unpredictable ways due to the intersection of strong currents.  We didn’t find any more bears, but there were some Ringed Seals for our pleasure, and a lone Dovekie in a sheltered island bay was a complete surprise -- this species is usually only present in this area in winter.

After a decadent lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs we discovered that the ice had shifted, so we continued around the island, during which time Kyle continued educating passengers regarding photographic skills.  In the late afternoon we tried in vain to discover a suitable spot for a landing, so we instead launched the zodiacs once more, this time into a glassy sea, dotted with ice pans and sculptures.  For once there were no polar bears to distract us, so we cut the engines, and drifted silently among the ice, meditating on how the Arctic combines beauty with the sharp edge of danger.   We finished our day with a sumptuous supper, and then joined Caro in the bar where she hosted a Liar’s Club event.   Happy sailing!

July 20th, 2008  Brewers Bay on Resolution Island, Yellow Beach

 We awoke to yet another warm, sunny day with little wind and a calm sea. During breakfast our Captain manoeuvred our good vessel through the iceberg laden waters. Our destination was Brewers Bay on Resolution Island. As we arrived at our anchorage, John the most eagle eyed of our local guides spied another Polar Bear on shore. Fortunately for the landing it was heading away from the area we had selected as our disembarkation point, Yellow Beach. Brewers Bay was the site of one of the more than 50 DEW Lines stations. The DEW or Distant Early Warning lines were an early warning system put in place in the North Atlantic by the United States in the 1940s. The station at Brewers Bay is one of the larger. As we pulled into the bay we spotted a team of people who were engaged in an ongoing decontamination program. Teams spend 2 weeks monitoring soil and water contamination levels. The chargers definitely charged with Carolina leading them to the top of a mountain for stunning views over the bays and towards the ship sitting at anchor. As we left the landing site some zodiacs were treated to a visit by a minke.

More ice awaited us as we pushed north towards Frobisher Bay and our date with the Canadian Coastguard Ice Breaker the “Terry Fox”.  Those who weren’t out on deck enjoying the sunshine were enthralled by a presentation on the adaptations of Arctic land animals by Robin. Just before Happy Hour Jim the Rock Guy gave us a sneak peak at the Voyage DVD in the presentation room. It was great to see where we have been over the last 10 days. Again the sunset amazed all with pink and purple hues being touched off with gold highlights on the sea.

July 21st, 2008 Iqaluit, Baffin Island

The morning wake-up call we’ve all become so used to over the past week and a half was almost unnecessary today.  During the early hours of the morning, the Akademic Ioffe met with our scheduled Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker escort.  The sea ice littering the surface of Frobisher Bay was thick and strong and often covered the entire surface of the water.  The sound of ice against our bright red hull and the shudder of the ship as it connected with chunks of dense multi-year ice was enough to wake most and send us out to the bow to take in the action.  To great whops and hollers as the icebreaker ahead crashed through the heavy ice, our day began.

Later in the morning as we continued our slow progress up Baffin Bay, Scott entertained those passengers intrepid enough to brave the presentation room with the tale of the Franklin expedition.  The sound of ice grinding against our own hull was appropriately atmospheric as the tale of adventure, tragedy and mystery was told.

After saying goodbye to the Terry Fox in the early afternoon we enjoyed sunny, blue skies and warm summer temperatures on deck, with hardly a piece of ice in sight.  A yoga session was held on the top deck for those needing to stretch out muscles and drink in the fresh summer Arctic air.  Scott finished the afternoon off with a presentation on voyages to Antarctica and a description of how travel in the two poles differs, accompanied by tantalizing photos of the other end of the world.

Inevitably Iqaluit crept on the horizon – the final stop for this trip.  Our day ended with the Captain’s dinner.  After many hours awake on the bridge, guiding the Ioffe safely through the heavy ice conditions,  Captain Viktor Lysak bid farewell to us. 

July 21st, 2008 Iqaluit, Baffin Island

On a personal note, with the bit of time in Iqaluit (and my third visit), I decided to try and find Elisappe, the mayor of Iqaluit who was on the ship with us last year. I tried her coffee shop, to find out she had just left. Her colleague paged her by cell and told her it was important that she come back to the shop. What a fun meeting with her. Gerard and Louise had met us also last year and came with me.

She was on her way to listen to Paul Kennedy, CBC RADIO announcer who was speaking at their Global Warming Conference. We all decided to join her and managed to squeeze his talk in our visit. But I thought it was important for our Brazilian friends who were on board to be here. They had been filming and preparing a documentary on Global Warming. After the talk, we went looking for them and found them. Elisappe re-escorted them to the conference and they managed to get two interviews under their belt. We all met at the airport after this rushing around, and long and behold, via Elisappe, they managed to interview an important  key Inuit  Elder and speaker at the airport, before his take off.

The pun of all this, was that is was 26 degrees celcius in Iqaluit!  The day prior, they were the warmestCanadian Capital, and by chance they are having a Global Warming Conference in their city. Funny how things present themselves.

The Frobisher Bay Inn did not offer air conditioning in their conference hall, as you know what? They never needed it before. It was actually warm and many would not tolerate that here in Ottawa.

It was a very heart warming, fun, short and sweet get together with Elisappee and what a great way to end a memorable voyage…with a friendly Inuit hug!