In the Footsteps of Franklin

After eight years of being away from the polar regions, we will be scratching our "Ice Itch" with a Quark Expeditions voyage that will take us into the Canadian High Arctic. Read more

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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
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Ilulissat Ice Cruising
August 5, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Back onboard after our trek in Ilulissat, we grabbed a quick bite to eat in the dining room while Ultramarine repositioned for our afternoon zodiac cruise amongst the ice.

There is simply too much ice in the Icefjord to safely cruise there. No problem, however, cruising around the bergs that have left the fjord to begin their journey to wherever the currents take them. Some of these bergs, which head into the North Atlantic eventually, have been observed as far as 2,000 miles away from their place of birth.

Fabrice, who is one of our biologists on this expedition, took us on a fantastic cruise around the ice. His years of experience in the polar regions allowed him to go where others might not have dared. He knew how to read the ice, staying away from some of the bergs and approaching others … always at a safe distance. In fact, one of the bergs he said we should only appreciate from a distance gave us a good sized calving when one side fell completely apart.

The group size for zodiac cruises are kept to 8 passengers or less. On this cruise, however, we had one extra person … Dave, our expedition photographer. Thanks to him, we have a wonderful memory-shot by which to forever remember this outing.Read more
Traveler love that face!
8/24/22Reply
Two to TravelConcentrating or can’t see? A little bit of both 😉
8/24/22Reply
Traveler wonderful memories
8/24/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
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There Be Whales!
August 5, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
As the ship was positioning from Ilulissat to the nearby ice for our zodiac cruise, Mui and I spotted two humpback whales feeding near some bergs. They were too far away to photograph, so we enjoyed the sighting with our binoculars until they disappeared.

Little did I know then that we’d have a another encounter with whales on the way back to the ship after Fabrice called time on our cruise. I don’t know if they were the same whales, but once again there were two of them. And this time they were close … like right by the zodiac close.

Needless to say, we did take the time to enjoy their company until they disappeared into the depths of the sea once again.

What a great way to wrap up our day in and around Ilulissat.Read more
TravelerHow wonderful!
8/23/22Reply
TravelerI can read but here in Northern Nevada I have a hard time commenting or watching the videos. later.
8/23/22Reply
Two to Travel👍🏻
8/23/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Back South to Sisimiut
August 6, 2022 in Greenland ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
Remember how I said there are only two places around here where we can top off the ship´s fuel tanks? Well, that’s what brought us back south … to Sisimiut, Greenland’s second largest community. Although we’re still north of the Arctic Circle, this town — with a population of little more than 5,000 — is considered the island’s northernmost ice-free harbor in the winter.

Once Ultramarine was docked — yes, no zodiac landing today — off we went for a wander around Sisimiut. Quark had arranged for a tour with local guides and a “tasting of Greenlandic delicacies” … that included crab and shrimp, but also whale blubber and seal. Since we had done both the tour and the tasting in 2013, Mui and I decided to take off on our own this time.

(The story of our 2013 visit — in words and images (including the delicacies Mui tasted) — is at this link: http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2014/01/sisimiut-….)

Our wander first took us further into town … to places where the locals live and shop. People were going about their daily business and it just didn’t feel right to take photograph of them doing so. No photos, I’m afraid. I did, nonetheless, get plenty of memory-shots of the colorful houses dotting the landscape. And when the overcast, foggy conditions gave way to short-lived blue skies … well, all bets were off and the phone clicked away, creating new memories.

We had planned to have coffee and pastries at a cafe recommended by one of our expedition guides. By the time we arrived, however, the place was packed with locals. Nowhere to sit. Plus, we didn’t want to intrude. Time to retrace our steps.

On our way back to the ship, we stopped at the museum, which we visited in 2013 as well. Quark had once again pre-paid the admission for us, so we wandered around the buildings, checking out the various exhibits.

Once we returned to Ultramarine, there was a surprise in store for us all. While we watched from the ship, a local man demonstrated his kayak skills … essential to living and hunting in this part of the world. How he did not get a brain freeze as he rolled his kayak over and over again is beyond me. (No video this time, but there is a short gif file in the link I inserted above.)

An excellent time in Greenland — unexpected in terms of some of the places we visited — has now wrapped up. Ultramarine has been “fed” … the fuel tanks are topped off. Time to head west across the Davis Strait.Read more
Sonia GelmanSo incredibly beautiful! Love the colors of the houses.
8/23/22Reply
Two to TravelYou should think about going. I know Quark has accommodated people with mobility issues in the past. Or, Hurtigruten might be an option.
8/23/22Reply
Love the vibrant colors and your sharp artistic eye, Erin. Good to see you and Mui having so much fun! [Diana]
8/24/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Crossing the Davis Strait
August 6, 2022, Davis Strait ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
On arrival in Sisimiut, Ultramarine’s Master had docked with the ship’s bow facing out to the sea. Thus, when the time came to leave our berth, it was just a matter of letting the lines go. And off we went into the fog … with blue skies giving us hope that the heavy mist might burn off in time.

It wasn’t meant to be. Within a short while, the fog was as thick as could be. No hope of seeing anything — wildlife or otherwise. In other words, a good time to rest up a bit.

When we went down to the Ambassadors Theater later for the daily recap and briefing, there was one big question on our minds. Where are we going? OK, two questions. When will we get there being the second one.

Christian, our Expedition Leader, was ready with ice, wind, and sea charts. He didn’t have to say much. The ice in the south and middle coast of Baffin Island was still problematic. So, instead of a short crossing due west and then north along the coast of Baffin, we’d be taking a longer route, heading north and around the ice … fingers crossed.

The sea and wind conditions are expected to be kind to us. If that holds true, we should be where we want to go early on the 8th. That means we’ll have a day at sea tomorrow before we begin “expeditioning” anew.Read more
Traveleryour expeditions are so much fun to follow
8/24/22Reply
Two to TravelI’ve been reading our 2013 Greenland blog. And I really do like that story telling format better. But as you can see, I didn’t even have time to write my snippets on this busy expedition, so the blog is definitely out of the question.
8/24/22Reply
TravelerI totally understand. But I miss it. I go back and read some of yours now and then
8/24/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
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Baffin Bay … Crossing to Arctic Canada
August 7, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ ☁️ 34 °F
Our day was spent at sea, cruising through Baffin Bay … making the crossing from Greenland to Canada. We haven’t entered Canadian waters yet, however. Maybe later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Just because we spent the day at sea doesn’t mean that we had a slow day. Not by any means.

We got up at 7:00a to thick fog and northern fulmars flying around the ship. Since I’ve given up carrying a DSLR with a heavy, fast lens, I didn’t even attempt to photograph the birds. Just enjoyed their presence before heading down to breakfast.

After our morning meal, I did something I’ve never done while on an expedition before. I went to the ship’s spa for a hot stone massage. I can easily say that it was the best I’ve had anywhere … on ship or on land. Mui was equally pleased with his treatment later in the day. Thank you, Desiree.

Totally relaxed, I was ready for the rest of the day, which included a number of lectures — “Footsteps of Franklin: Into the Frozen Ice” … by historian Ken; “Permafrost: Frozen but Fragile” by glaciologist Jodie.

The daily recap & briefing consisted of a number of mini-lectures — why penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere (with the Galapagos Penguin the only species straddling the Equator … by ornithologist Adrian; the building blocks of the Arctic … by marine biologist Sam; zooplankton … by biologist Sylvia, who brought the house down with her description of how barnacles mate.

Christian, our Expedition Leader, wrapped up by saying that we changed course this afternoon to get closer to the edge of the sea ice. Later, during dinner, plates of broken up sea ice began banging against the hull as Ultramarine gently pushed them out of our way. Needless to say, we rushed through our meal to spend time on the outside decks to enjoy the experience that is always a highlight of polar voyages.

Tomorrow is planned as an expedition day. What that means is that we don’t know yet what we will be doing. Our progress overnight and weather conditions tomorrow will determine what activities will be in store for us.Read more
Traveler what an experience. is this a favorite?
8/24/22Reply
Two to TravelClose but the ice we cruised through in Greenland in 2013 and in the Ross Sea in 2015 was much better. but best probably was the North Pole in 2014.
8/24/22Reply
Traveler oh that's incredible.
8/24/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Back in Baffin Bay Sea Ice
August 8, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ ☁️ 34 °F
Heard some banging and clanging overnight, so obviously we came across more sea ice. It has slowed down our progress a bit.

When we woke up this morning, we were still in Greenland waters … in the ice once more … slowly making our way through the broken up pans … the more distant ones veiled from our eyes by fog. We enjoyed the experience from our veranda for a while, then went off to grab breakfast.

After our meal, we wandered the outside decks, checking out the ice views in every direction. We even caught sight of a distant but readily identifiable glimpse of a ringed seal, the favorite prey of the top predator of the Arctic … the polar bear. (I’ve attached an iPhone video of the encounter though it isn’t of the greatest quality.)

The planned lectures luckily came up on the schedule after we left the ice behind. They filled up the rest of our morning at sea. First, “Photography 102: Modes for Capturing the Arctic” … by expedition photographer Dave. Next, “Frankly Speaking” … designed to introduce us to Sir John Franklin … by guest lecturer/historian Laurie.

Our day remains fluid. Will we get to have an off-ship activity this afternoon or will we be attending more lectures? Still TBD. Mother Nature has not given us a hint of what she will allow us to do.

In the meantime, time to grab lunch in the Balena Restaurant.Read more
TravelerThe color of the ice is incredible. Loved seeing the seal slide into the water. :-)
8/26/22Reply
TravelerI haven't read about your ship but the hull must be very strong to push through the ice like this. What an experience!
8/26/22Reply
Two to TravelIt is rated PC6 under the new polar code … Summer/autumn operation in medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions. A lot of expedition companies have recently built ships in this class as without this lowest designation, a ship (think regular cruise ships) won’t be able to sail below 60S or above 60N.
8/26/22Reply
TravelerThanks for the explanation.
9/1/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
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Baffin Bay Ice Cruising
August 8, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F
Mother Nature decided to give us a break this afternoon.

At 2:00p, Christian, our Expedition Leader, came on the P/A system to announce a zodiac cruise amongst the sea ice littering the water around us. Yes! Time to bundle up with our woolens, fleece, and wet gear and head off the ship.

Juani, who hails from South Africa, was our zodiac driver. Mui jokingly suggested that landing on an ice floe would earn her extra points. Dont’cha know? She found us a solid piece of sea ice, revved the engine, and thrusted the bow of the zodiac onto the ice! Seeing us, other zodiacs followed suit, finding their own landing spots.

Once we resumed our cruise, we weaved in and out of the eroded bergs and ice pans, enjoying the amazing color of the ice … and the water. We even came upon a ringed seal amongst the ice. Juani, turned off the engine, so that we could quietly approach the animal without stressing it out. Great encounter.

So happy that we managed to get off Ultramarine, if only for a short zodiac cruise.

Tomorrow, if all goes well, we will be making land … in Canada.Read more
Sonia GelmanWhat an incredible pictures!
8/25/22Reply
Two to TravelNow you know why we keep going back. And this is nowhere near as impressive as our past trips to the Arctic and Antarctic.
8/25/22Reply
TravelerWhoa! What an adventure! And that photo showing the ice under the water makes my heart race.
8/26/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
N Baffin: Welcome to Arctic Canada
August 9, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ☀️ 41 °F
We have arrived in Canadian waters. Ultramarine is sailing through Pond Inlet, a waterway that lies between Baffin Island and Bylot Island. We have yet to step foot on Canadian soil, however. We have to clear customs and immigration before that can happen. The formalities will be taken care of later when the officials come aboard the ship.

In the meantime, here is the brief story of our morning thus far.

When I awoke at 5:15a, I felt quite rested … thanks to the extra hour we gained overnight. Even with the curtains drawn, the cabin seemed brighter. Aha! The sun must be out. And it was. What a joy. I tried to step out on the veranda, but …the door wouldn’t budge! The wind was so strong that I couldn’t push the heavy door open. Oh, oh! Was this going to keep us on the ship for another day?

There were lectures on the schedule this morning to continue our education in all things Arctic. I stayed in the cabin to watch the live-stream broadcast on the TV so I could keep an eye out for when land views replaced the ocean views.

The first lecture went ahead as planned; the second one was postponed so that we could all go out on deck to enjoy the views. We were now at the mouth of Pond Inlet … making our way to Eclipse Sound.

Luckily, by this time, the wind had died down so we could get out there and view the mountain landscape on either side of the ship … with glaciers streaming down the sides … jagged peaks reaching up towards the blue sky.

Beautiful!

Time for lunch and then … well, it all depends on the formalities to clear us for entry into Canada.Read more
What an incredible adventure at the top of the world! [Diana]
8/26/22Reply
TravelerI'm enjoying following along with your adventure and your gorgeous photos. How is the food onboard? You usually post photos of your delicious meals, but I haven't seen anything on this trip. Does that mean you're eating peanut butter and jelly? Which given the adventure you're having, would be just fine, LOL!!
8/26/22Reply
Two to TravelFood was really good … a little more on the gourmet side than we’re used to having on an expedition … especially at dinner, which was table service, with breakfast and lunch buffet.
8/26/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Welcome to Pond Inlet … Nunavut, Canada
August 9, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
Shortly after lunch, we arrived at our anchorage overlooking Pond Inlet — an 1800-strong Inuit hamlet that is known as Mittimatalik in the Inuktitut language. Names in the indigenous language are meant to be descriptive of the place. This one means “the place where the landing place is.”

First up, clearing the ship and the passengers for entry into Canada. We had all completed our ArriveCAN apps and our passports were in the hands of the purser’s office. Thus, no action was required on our part. Alex, our Assistant Expedition Leader, went ashore with the zodiac and brought back the authorities. I understand each passport was reviewed and stamped as part of the process.

At 3:00p, the announcement was made to say that the zodiacs were going into the water. The Fram group was advised to head to the ready room to get ready. And off we went. On the landing beach, we were warmly greeted by the local community members. After our names were checked off a manifest, we joined one of the many locals who would be acting as guides and escorting us around the hamlet.

Our first stop was at a sod-house still under construction. Here, one of the women had prepared tea, using Arctic willow to build her fire. The fragrant smell had added a smoky flavor to the tea … interesting; would take some getting used to.

Next we headed to the library where several locals had set up tables where they were selling their handmade wares. Inside the building was also a small museum with exhibits about hunting in the Arctic.

Our walk continued through the village to a hilltop for views of the mountains on Bylot Island across the waterway of Pond Inlet. And then onward we went to the supermarket … more like a Walmart … very well provisioned. Chatting with one of the locals, we learned that fresh goods are shipped up several times a week and other goods are replenished with once-weekly shipments.

The highlight of our visit was the stop we made at the community center. Here we were treated to a very special performance … a mini Inuit Games, if you will. These games consist of sport and cultural events. The participants are the circumpolar people who reside in communities/countries that border the Arctic Ocean. The games are intended to showcase activities that build endurance to survive the rigors of living in the harsh Arctic.

(More info here … https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/artic….)

After the performance, we made our way back through the hamlet to the landing beach. Bidding “Tavvauvutit” [goodbye] to the friendly locals, we hopped back into the zodiacs and returned to the ship to wrap up our first day in the northern reaches of Baffin Island.

We'll be continuing to play around the North Baffin area tomorrow.Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Welcome to Navy Board Inlet
August 10, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
An L-shaped series of named waterways separate Bylot Island from Baffin Island.

Yesterday, we entered the area through the bottom arm of the “L” via Pond Inlet and made our way to Eclipse Sound, visiting the Inuit community of Pond Inlet along the way.

Overnight, we transited Eclipse Sound and entered the upright arm of the “L” to arrive in Navy Board Inlet. We’ll be continuing up to the mouth of this inlet to eventually enter Lancaster Sound to get to Resolute on the 17th … stopping in places where the Franklin Expedition left its footprints in the mid 1800s.

But first, we’ll be playing around a bit in this area. Before we head off for our hike on Baffin Island, a quick glimpse of the scenery we beheld from the ship at breakfast this morning.Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Tundra Hike @ Low Point
August 10, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
Our first tundra hike in Arctic Canada came with a set of new rules. Basically, no meandering off on our own like we did in Greenland. No perimeter hiking here. Have to go with an armed guard/guide trained in safe-handling of guns. Polar bears don’t you know!

At yesterday’s briefing, Christian (our Expedition Leader) had explained that we’d be going ashore with different groups if the landing involved hiking in the wilderness. The groups would be … chargers, medium-fast walkers, medium slow walkers; contemplative walkers. The goal of the first group would be to go as high and as far as possible. The remaining groups … well, their names pretty much say it all. We would be called down to the ready room by these groups as well, so we needed to decide which group we wanted to go with before we left the ship.

We like to stop and “smell the tundra” when we are out and about, so a slower pace is optimum. But what if the medium-slow was too slow? We’ve had that happen before. So, we went ashore when the medium-fast group was called to get a better sense of the hiking plan and terrain. After talking with the group leader, we decided that there wouldn’t be enough stops for photos and such, so we waited for the medium slow group to form and joined them instead. Turns out that even that pace on this hike was too fast.

Normally, once you set off with your group, you can’t jump ship, so to speak. We lucked out, however. When we reached the 500-year old fox traps dating back to the Thule people, the forefathers of today’s Inuit, we found the contemplaters dallying about. After listening to Laurie, who was standing by to explain how the traps worked, we advised our guide that we were leaving to join the slowest group.

I’m so happy we did, as we had more opportunities to explore as we made our way back to the beach … took more tundra detail-photos. And even found the skeleton of a juvenile reindeer … which we had walked past on the way up … never even seeing it where it lay on the ground.

A fantastic two-hour hike ashore!

—————————————

By the way, I’m very happy that Laurie was ashore to point out the fox traps. Without him standing where he was to tell us how they worked, we would have passed by without recognizing the open-top cairns as being fox traps. Apparently, the design of the trap — narrow with an opening at the top and a very wide base at the bottom made it impossible for the fox to get out once it fell inside … lured there by the meat used to bait the trap.Read more
TravelerEven though we are fast hikers when we need to be, I think we would be happier in the contemplative group, too! Eric and I both like to take our time for photography and to identify birds and plants. Why rush? Beautiful photos of your hike.
8/29/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Zodiac Cruise @ the Grounded Bergs
August 10, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
After our hike at Low Point, we hopped on a zodiac for the promised closer look at the grounded bergs that had been tantalizing us with their presence.

Our zodiac driver, Lauritz (glaciologist/geologist), had already been out to the bergs and knew when and where to capture the “money shot.” I opted to take a video as that moment approached to make sure I didn’t miss my chance.Read more
Fabulous "money shot," Erin!!! [Mary O. Greenberg]
8/29/22Reply
TravelerYour photos have a wonderful, surreal quality. Beautiful.
8/29/22Reply
TravelerWonderful photos!
9/1/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
There Be Orcas in Navy Board Inlet
August 10, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
Back on the ship, we had some time to while away before we got to our next anchorage.

After watching Ultramarine skirt the grounded bergs to continue north in Navy Board Inlet, we grabbed some lunch and then settled down in the cabin to watch the live-stream of Laurie’s previously postponed presentation … the “Polar Bridge.” We listened and watched in amazement as he related the story of the 91-day long joint Soviet-Canadian expedition in which he participated in 1988. The goal of the expedition? To ski across the frozen Arctic Ocean from Siberia to Ellesmere, Canada … via the North Pole. Oh WOW!

(More on the expedition at this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet–Canadian_1…)

We were whiling away the time after the presentation, when a call went out over the P/A. Not for the expected zodiac cruise, but for ORCAS! WOW! WOW! WOW!

Orcas have only recently been showing up in these latitudes due to the warming of the Arctic waters. They come up to hunt narwhals and belugas. Their presence, of course, is tipping the balance of nature up here since they are not a native predator of the region. Sam, our resident marine biologist, identified them as North Atlantic Orcas and estimated that there were somewhere around 40 individuals in the transient pod that was arrayed all around us. They were heading in the same direction that we were, so we got to enjoy their presence for quite a while.

WOW again. What an encounter!Read more
TravelerFascinating info about the orcas! Didn’t realize they were moving north and hunting other whales.
8/29/22Reply
TravelerVery cool to see orcas...we've always enjoyed seeing them in the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. But definitely not good that they're in the Arctic because of warming waters.
8/29/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Zodiac Cruising @ Cape York
August 10, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 39 °F
Once we left the orcas behind, Ultramarine continued towards the north mouth of Navy Pond Inlet where it connects to Lancaster Sound.

The plan? To do a zodiac cruise. “Christian has selected an odd place for a zodiac operation,” I thought to myself. Except for four distant bergs, there wasn’t much to see in the area. The water was quite choppy. And it was drizzling. Nonetheless, when the Fram group was called, off we went to see what we could see.

We returned to the ship around 6:00p, removed our layers, and hurried off to the daily recap and briefing. Here we got some more news that I found odd.

Instead of heading further up into Lancaster Sound locations, the plan for the day will keep us in the northern reaches of Baffin Island. Perhaps the heavier winds we’ve been told to expect tomorrow has something to do with this. Or the fact that we need to pick-up some modern-day explorers who will be hitching a ride with us across the sound to Devon Island are impacting the plans. Anyway, the plan is what it is and we’ll go along with it.Read more
TravelerThose icebergs are so beautiful!
8/29/22Reply
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Colorful Formations in Admiralty Inlet
August 11, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F
We woke up to another overcast day … with on and off drizzle. Not unlike yesterday. But with a few differences in the conditions. The wind was much stronger. And even protected by the cliffs rising 1,000 to 1,500 feet on either side of Admiralty Inlet, the sea was considerably choppier.

Landscape-wise, the area was very different … but in a good way. Colorful formations — red and orange dominant — added cheer to the scenery.

The plan was to continue deep into the inlet to find calmer waters for zodiac operations. So, we bided our time, enjoying the scenery first from our veranda, and then by bundling up to go to the port side to check out the views there.Read more
TravelerWe just did a boat tour of Pictured Rocks in Michigan this afternoon. These rock formations look so much like what we saw! Except the formations in MI are only a couple hundred feet high, LOL.
8/29/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
We Make a Mistake
August 11, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F
When we reached Adams Sound, one of the many waterways that radiates out from the the sides of Admiralty Inlet, the call went out to prepare for a zodiac cruise.

Mui and I had already checked the conditions outside. The water was still very choppy. The wind was blustery. And there was nothing to see outside … except for the views we’d already enjoyed as Ultramarine transited Admiralty Inlet to Adams Sound … and which we’d be seeing again when the ship retraced its route back out.

Doing a zodiac cruise here made no sense whatsoever. We shook our heads, but decided to be good soldiers and participate in the outing anyway. After all, it looked like the sun was trying to break out. Perhaps conditions would improve. And thus the mistake we made. We definitely should have skipped this zodiac cruise.

With Wayne — the Inuit guide who is one of the members of the expedition team — at the helm, off we went on a bone-jarringly rough ride in choppy waters, getting splashed repeatedly. The wind was blowing so strong that we had to squint to see anything. Needless to say, our cameras remained in the dry bag and we used our hands to hang onto the rope on the pontoon to keep our balance.

Wayne tried to give us as smooth a ride as possible, but his efforts were to no avail. When he suggested we cut our ride short, we all agreed wholeheartedly that it was time to return to the ship.

It was a cold, wet ride … and one that we deeply regret … especially considering what has come to light since our return to the ship.Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
And Just Like That … Everything Changes
August 11, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
It was only 10:30a when we returned from our bone-jarring, cold, and wet zodiac ride. Yes, the wet gear had done its job and we were dry under our layers of clothing. But my back was killing me.

So, I decided to see if Desiree was free for a hot stone massage. Aaahhh! So relaxing. My aches diminished and my body warmed up as she worked her magic.

While I was being soothed, blissfully unaware of what was going on outside the treatment room, Mui was attending a mandatory meeting. It wasn’t one that had been on the schedule for the day.

I left the spa and went to find Mui. The ship was eerily quiet. People were huddled together here and there … whispering … some gesticulating wildly. Hmmm … something was up. But what? Mui filled me in when I found him eating lunch at the Balena Restaurant.

I’ll cut to the chase and just say that we are NOT going to be following “In the Footsteps of Franklin” after all. In fact, we are not going to be exploring much more of Arctic Canada … maybe one more day in the region and that’s it. After that we’ll be hightailing it back to Greenland as we will need about three days to get back to Kangerlussuaq.

Why are we going back? It’s not ice blocking the way to Resolute, our original point of disembarkation. It’s not an issue with the ship. Nor is there some kind of medical emergency. A worldwide disaster is not the predicament either. The problem is the charter flight that is supposed to return us from Resolute to Toronto on the 16th.

Only specially-equipped aircraft can land on the short, gravel runway at Resolute. These planes are smaller in size. We need two of them to fly everyone back to Toronto. One of these planes is now apparently down for a couple of weeks due to mechanical issues. There aren’t many carriers that operate this type of aircraft, so another charter from Resolute is not possible. We’re heading back to Greenland because the runway at the Kangerlussuaq Airport is paved … and can accommodate a wider variety of planes.

Christian, our Expedition Leader, apparently got word of a potential problem yesterday — or maybe it was the day before. That just might answer why we’ve been dawdling in this area instead of heading across Lancaster Sound. Anyway, he was waiting to hear what the resolution was going to be before breaking the bad news to a shipful of passengers who came up to these latitudes with the “hope” of visiting some of the places in the annals of exploration history.

This was depressing news, but hey … what can you do? Nothing. Got to go with the flow. We have some decent offers from Quark to make up for our troubles. Which offer will we take? That is TBD … we have some thinking to do.

In the meantime, here’s why we’re regretting this morning’s outing. Had we not gone on the “zodiac-outing-that-made-no-sense,” we would have jumped at the chance this afternoon to go ashore at the Inuit community of Arctic Bay (Ikpiarjuk in Inuktitut … meaning "the pocket" … probably a reference to the hamlet’s location overlooking a wide bay). Hindsight and all that.

As it is, we’re both drained … physically, and in light of the changes announced, mentally as well. My back is still achy. I just couldn’t face a rough-ish ride ashore. Missed opportunity for sure, but hopefully fellow-passengers will share some of their experiences for the expedition photo journal.

Now to take a couple of pain killers, get a cup of hot chocolate — laced with a tiny bit of Baileys or Amarula perhaps — and relax so we can be ready for whatever tomorrow has in store for us.Read more
TravelerOh, I'm so sorry. I'm glad it isn't something like a world-wide disaster (we've had enough of those!) but I know it's disappointing to have your trip suddenly, drastically altered. :-(
8/29/22Reply
Oh, Erin, I can just feel your pain on that zodiac ride! How do we know when to trust our inner voice when the experts are heading out on an adventure that makes it seem "not so bad"? I have a feeling I would have done the same thing! And how disappointing that your voyage was cut short – for a reason no one had anticipated. Yikes! As you say, you have to go with the flow... [Mary O. Greenberg]
8/30/22Reply
Two to TravelThe thing is, we have enough experience in polar region travel that our instinct said don’t go, but then … what if there was something exciting to see. We should have trusted our instincts.
8/30/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Into the Storm!
August 11, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
Once we left Arctic Bay and headed out of the calm-ish waters of Adams Sound for the Admiralty Inlet, it didn’t take long for us to encounter rough seas and high winds! The waves looked like they were at least 13 feet high. The winds … well, who knows … but going outside wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

Ultramarine is handling the waters well. And since we’ve experienced worse conditions, we’re doing OK. However, I hope things calm down overnight or tomorrow’s plan for a landing at Beechey Island — an important Franklin Expedition site where three of the men who died early on are buried — is going to go down the drain.Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Modern-Day Polar Explorers
August 11, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
Most of the post-dinner activities on the ship have been bar talks and the like where an expedition team member regales passengers with stories. We’ve not been attending them. For two reasons. One, we use the time to rest up for the next day. Two, gathering in large groups in an enclosed space for a couple of hours when COVID-19 can still rear its ugly head is not something we want to risk.

(You might say that we gather in large groups for the lectures, so what’s the difference? There is no eating and drinking in the Ambassadors Theater most of the time, so people are more prone to keeping their masks on then.)

Tonight, however, there were special guests onboard and they were going to give a presentation. So, we headed to the Ambassadors Lounge to be regaled by their story.

Our guests: Borge Ousland and Vincent Colliard, a pair of modern-day polar explorers.

The Topic at Hand: Borge’s winter crossing in the Arctic … entirely in the dark.

Borge is the first person to solo to the North Pole … and he also did a solo crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole. He and Vincent are in the midst of their latest quest … to ski across the 20 largest glaciers around the world as part of an expedition called the Ice Legacy Project.

In their words … “Glaciers are in fast decline due to rising temperatures, causing threat of long-term sea level rise. They are crucial as a fresh water source for millions of people worldwide. This is why glaciers need to be better known and protected. The world needs to find technical and political solutions to the environmental crisis. This long-term expedition is meant to be an incubator to that process, a visual example and a window to what is happening.” ~~ from the http://www.icelegacy.com/ website.

Christian had convinced Borge and Vincent to join us at our first scheduled stop in South Baffin Island. Well, we all know how that turned out. Instead, we picked them up in Arctic Bay this afternoon and will drop them off in Dundas Harbor on Devon Island tomorrow. From there … well their plan is to ski across the Devon Ice Cap. We wish them good luck!Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Beechey in Presentation Only
August 12, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
WOW! We certainly rock n’ rolled last night.

In his wake-up announcement at 7:15a, Christian, our Expedition Leader, said that the waves overnight were in the 15 to 20 feet range … with winds topping out at about 70 knots. He went on to say that the swells were not too bad this morning … the wind, however, was still a-blowing … at sustained speeds of 40-47 knots.

Christian’s next words came as no surprise. There would be no off-ship operations this morning. No kidding! Nor would we be going to Beechey Island as planned. I had figured this out for myself. After all, when I checked the ship tracker on the TV earlier, it was showing Ultramarine on the east end of Devon Island … nowhere near Beechey on the west side. C’est La Vie.

The plan now was to ride out the storm until the wind dropped to levels that would allow the captain to turn the ship around so that we could seek shelter in an inlet.

What to do in the meantime? Going out on deck 5 to walk around the ship wasn’t an option. Not much of a scenery outside to entertain us either. A good time to write and download photos between listening to a fascinating lecture? Sounded good to me.

I haven’t been writing much about the various lectures we’ve been attending on the ship. I’m going to make an exception in this case as the topic was directly related to what we’d had planned for today.

The presentation by Ken, our expedition historian, was entitled “Frozen in Ice.” He was to have given this lecture after our proposed landing at Beechey Island … after we’d seen for ourselves the graves of three of the men from the Franklin Expedition. Instead, he brought history to life in words and images.

The presentation, which came with the warning that there would be images of the dead, was based on a book in which the author, Owen Beattie, writes about how he and his team exhumed the bodies in an effort to determine the cause of death for the men … men who died well before the expedition met trouble … men whose remarkably well-preserved bodies allowed for scientific study after their families gave permission.

I’d read the book, “Frozen In Time.” Ken’s presentation solidified what I remembered was Beattie’s conclusion. These three men had died from pneumonia and tuberculosis, which was common back in the mid-1800s. But there was also high levels of lead in the three bodies … lead that was suspected to have come from the tinned food with which the expedition was partially provisioned.

Yes, these men died in the quest of Arctic exploration. Yes, that is tragic. But at least they did not have to endure the long-term sufferings of their shipmates … who eventually met their demise as well. The bones of those shipmates have been scattered across the Arctic tundra. These three men were carefully buried when they died. In fact, many books refer to them as “the lucky ones.”Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Croker Bay: Our Highest Latitude
August 12, 2022, Northwest Passage ⋅ 🌧 46 °F
At some point during Ken’s lecture, there was enough of a lull in the storm to allow the captain to turn the ship’s bow and head up into a sheltered fjord along Devon Island’s southern coast.

The deeper the ship went into Croker Bay, an arm of Lancaster Sound, the calmer conditions became. Still not good enough for zodiac operations, however. Nonetheless, we enjoyed seeing the two tidewater glaciers that drain the Devon Ice Cap … deemed as one of the largest in the Canadian High Arctic.

Here’s a bit of trivia … so big is this ice cap, in fact, that should it melt in its entirety, it would raise the world’s sea level by .4 inches. That number might seem small, but consider that the meltwater will be spread across approximately the 140 MILLION square miles of ocean that cover the globe. Today we caught just a miniscule glimpse of the cap where it terminates in Croker Bay.

We spent a bit of time in front of the southern glacier … the one further north barely visible through the mist. And then we turned south again to slowly traverse the fjord back towards Lancaster Sound.

Since we will be turning east when we reach Croker Bay and then heading south through Baffin Bay in the remaining days of our expedition, I believe this little jaunt put us at our highest latitude. I’ll have to wait for the official number, but some of my photos of the glacier put us at around 74°48'46.7" N.Read more
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Tundra Hike: Dundas Harbour
August 12, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
The storm that kept us on the ship during the first half of the day abated considerably by the time we were back out in Lancaster Sound. We even had patches of blue sky. And sunshine, too. Yay! Time to put the zodiacs in the water and get us ashore for one last landing.

Dundas Harbour (Tallaruti in Inuktitut; meaning “a woman’s chin with tattoos on it”) was where we were going to drop off our modern-day explorers for their quest to ski across the Devon Ice Cap. So, it made sense that we go ashore here for a tundra hike.

Once again, we were called down to the ready room by our hiking groups. We tacked ourselves onto the end of the medium fast group to get the lay of the land before deciding to go with the medium slow group instead.

The plan was to hike towards the south coast to check out some Thule ruins and then hike across a ridge to the site of an RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] station that was abandoned in 1951. The first part of the plan worked out just fine; the second part not so much.

Because we took our time walking across the tundra to the Thule ruins, we ran out of time to get to the RCMP station on foot. No problem. We were offered a zodiac transfer to get there instead … similar to the contemplative group. The problem? The ride required going out into open waters and making our way around a headland. The water was rough … the landing beach, even if we could get there, inaccessible due to heavy swells rolling ashore. So back to the ship we went.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, we have wrapped up our expedition. Yes, we still have several days left before we board the charter flight back to Toronto. However, those days will see us speeding back … no time to stop and explore along the way.Read more
Sonia GelmanAs always beautiful pictures and the flowers….
8/31/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
And the Saga Continues
August 13, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ 🌧 41 °F
Seeing a lone iceberg glistening under the sun soon this morning was a good start to the day. That was at 9:17a. A little more than an hour later, the seascape grew misty … but the light was bright … the sun looked like it was trying to breakthrough. By 1:00p, the mist was gone … but the skies had grown overcast and dull. We even had some rain. At least the motion of the ocean, which was better than yesterday but still noticeable, calmed down further as the day progressed.

This being a day at sea — and with not much more than expansive views of the blue waters of Baffin Bay stretching in every direction — there were a number of lectures on the schedule.

Fabrice kicked things off with “Life in the Freezer: Birds and Mammals’ Adaptation to the Cold” … morphological, physiological, and behavioral. Ken followed with “Mounties, Mushing & Muktuk” … what was the RCMP doing up here? … how did they survive and what did they learn? … these were the questions he pondered. Finally, Dave presented “Editing the Arctic” … covering basic editing tasks he undertakes on pretty much every photo he snap … good tips, and especially useful since he uses the same software I use.

But this isn’t the big story of the day that led to the title of this footprint. Nope, it surely isn’t.

Having Christian invite us to the daily recap and briefing is something we’re used to. That he said he had important news to share about the charter flights didn’t sound bad. Something in the tone of his voice after he said “we have a charter flight,” however, suggested there was a “but” that he wasn’t sharing. I could hear the “virtual groan” reverberate around the ship!

Here’s the short story … in bullets …

* We have a flight on the 16th
* Charter company cannot fly from Greenland to anywhere in Canada
* Flight will depart Kangerlussuaq around 5:45p
* Arrival Airport will be Niagara Falls International
* Buses will take us to the Sheraton at Toronto Pearson
* Arrival at hotel expected around midnight
* Everyone must complete ArriveCAN again
* Alternate arrangements for those who don’t have visas to enter the USA
* Work session scheduled for those requiring ETAS to enter the USA

There you have it. Another jiggle in the travel plan.

For a minute, Mui and I thought about flying from Niagara Falls to Denver and skipping the bus ride. We quickly scratched that idea. Not only do we have a bag at the Sheraton, but our flight home on the 17th is already set. No need to further complicate things.

We have two more days before we arrive in Kangerlussuaq. Could anything else possibly go wrong? Fingers crosssed that it won’t. Enough jiggles already.Read more
TravelerYou really do have to roll with the punches on an adventure like this, don’t you!
9/1/22Reply
TravelerWhere is the bummer button
9/5/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Nanoq Qaqortoq … For Real
August 14, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
I’ve been teasing you with images of polar bears … in the form of a painting, a tail logo of an airplane, a wallpaper in one of the stairwells on the ship.

Not this time. This polar bear — nanoq qaqartok in Greenlandic — is for real.

We were at breakfast when the call went out over the P/A that there was a polar bear on one of the ice floes near the ship. Mui had already left; I was enjoying a cup of tea. I stood up to go outside, glanced out the window, and there it was. Right by the ship. Good … all I had with me was my phone … it would do.

I walked out the access door to the outer decks — right behind the table — where I found Mui with his video camera in hand. No more than ½-minute had passed since spotting the bear. It was gone! Where? It had jumped off the floe and was swimming towards some distant ice.

Disappointing that the bear didn’t stick around? Sure, but not nearly as disappointing for us as it was for those passengers who’ve not had close encounters already.

By the way, the consensus amongst our resident experts, is that the bear was a young female.

(Link for our bear encounters in Churchill, Manitoba … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…)Read more
Sonia GelmanHandsome fellow!
9/1/22Reply
Two to TravelBeautiful gal, actually 😉😊
9/1/22Reply
Sonia GelmanOops
9/1/22Reply
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In the Footsteps of Franklin Two to Travel
Baffin Bay Crossing: Day 2
August 14, 2022, Baffin Bay ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F
I wrote about our bear encounter out of sequence, so back to today’s story.

Waking up to the banging and clanging as Ultramarine went through a band of sea ice had me jumping out of bed to enjoy the experience … likely our last time being in the ice on this expedition. It made taking a break to go to breakfast at. 7:30a difficult, but luckily I did or I might have missed our brief bear encounter.

There was a bit more ice after we saw the bear, but by 9:00a it was all left behind. Clear waters ahead for Ultramarine to speed up in order to get to Kangerlussuaq on time.

The rest of the day was filled with lectures — Jodie spoke about “Glaciers as Sculptors;” Wayne talked about the effects of climate change in the polar regions and the “Inuit Adaptations” to these changes; Adrian’s topic was “Feathers” … the small miracle that is the feather.

There was a bit of fun, too … Colin hosted a Greenlandic beer tasting in the late afternoon.

Our education continued with mini-lectures during the recap & briefing — Sam regaled us with tidbits about the top predator of the Arctic … the polar bear; Samantha talked about Arctic governance … underlining the fact that although there are a number of countries that have committed to supporting search and rescue operations in these latitudes, only one country has the wherewithal to actually conduct such activities … Russia.

One last day at sea awaits us tomorrow.Read more
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