Davis Strait and some
Islands
Definition of a
zodiac cruise: an excursion by
zodiac where no landing is made. 8-10
people are aboard with an expedition staff member as ‘driver’ and guide. An
opportunity to get close to shore to spot wildlife in a safe environment. Great
for bird watching.
Definition of a
zodiac landing: an excursion by
zodiac where a landing is made, usually ‘wet,’ where the zodiac pulls up as
near as possible to the beach, we exit the boat into the water as gracefully as
possible and wade to the beach. For this
exercise, we are supplied with ‘Muck’ boots…that’s actually the brand name, and
they are really good! Waterproof and insulated (like strong ‘wellies’ that are
quite OK for short hikes.)
Davis Strait, a stretch of water not generally known for its
particularly gentle nature, is showing great respect for potentially squirmy
tummies today as we spend the whole day at sea, at some time entering Canadian
waters. The day is devoted to time on deck looking out for whales and seabirds,
lectures and discussions on history and culture, birds and photography, a
special “at sea” afternoon tea, and personal time which could always include a
cuppa and a chat.
24 hour tea/coffee/hot
chocolate is on tap and a quiet cuppa while looking out at the early morning sky at sea is a special way to start
the day.
The sea continues to be been kind overnight, gently rocking
us to sleep. And we are still sailing when we wake, arriving at Monumental
Island during breakfast. This island is owned by the Canadian
Territory of Nunavut, and a safe anchorage must be
found. As this voyage is the first
expedition by “Sea Adventurer” for Quark, it is very much a voyage of
discovery. Charts are incomplete for some areas we are visiting so zodiacs are
sent out as scouts to take soundings and relay them to the ship so safe
anchorage can be found.
Nunavut is the newest of the Canadian provinces, separated from the larger Northwest Territory to form the third
northwest province, along with the Yukon and the North West Territory.
This is our first kayak/zodiac cruise. What a debut!
Two polar bears, a mother and her 2nd year cub, are ambling
down the cliff towards the shore. They
most obligingly ‘pose’ on a snowdrift before moving across onto a rocky area
where they are easier to see. Did
someone prepare this earlier?? All
zodiacs and kayaks join in the spectacle before wandering off to make more
discoveries. Little did we know that two
zodiacs and the kayakers would see another polar bear around the back of the
island.
Our shore adventures
are all dependent on safety – the ship’s Captain must ensure that the sea
conditions are suitable for an anchorage, and along with the expedition staff,
must be sure that conditions are safe for a zodiac transfer. And the expedition staff must also secure the
area, particularly where polar bears are likely to be encountered, and that is
everywhere…who knows? Firearm-bearing
staff go ashore and scout the area and will remain on alert, sometimes taking
high points to look-out, and/or carry arms while guiding walking groups. Four
‘grades’ of walking group choices:
‘Chargers’ who enjoy the challenge (not for photographers!), ‘Fast
Medium’ for quicker walkers but with photographic opportunities, ‘Slow Medium’
for slower walkers who have a chance to take in the sights as well as take
photos, and the ‘Contemplative’ group who either don’t really want to walk
much, can’t tackle the high ground, or just want to “be.”
As we prepare to cruise by zodiac around Akpatok Island,
south
of Baffin island, a polar bear with cub is spotted but lost, so our
cruise focuses on the bird life on the sheer limestone cliffs. Thick Billed Murres nest here but far above
the narrow beach and difficult to see. Guillemots
are plentiful and accompany us both on the water and in the air as we return to
the ship via a large iceberg floating some way off. The intense blue of the water trapped in the
cracks is stunning! After dinner another
zodiac cruise finds a polar bear swimming towards one of our boats, but the
crews call the boats away so as not to cause stress to the animal. While bird watching along the northern end of
the island, yet another polar bear is spotted, this time a mother with two 1st
year cubs moving along the base of a cliff on a very narrow beach. We shadow them for a while but leave them be
as the cubs are obviously tiring.
Dinner is a great time
aboard. No seating plan can mean a
different set of companions at each meal and is one of the wonderful things
about this journey. The menu is always a
joy as well and tonight we revisit our first wildlife sighting of the
expedition – the Musk Ox. Except tonight
we are eating him, and delicious he is, too!
For more photos go to https://www.flickr.com/photos/112494332@N04/sets/72157646610262266/
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