Download - Arctic Odyssey Final Log
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Arctic Odyssey
July 12 July 20, 2008
EXPEDITION STAFF
Julio Preller (Expedition Leader)Sebastian Arrebola
Ken KnowlesShoshanah JacobsJason Annahatak
Mae Ningiurivik
Benoit HavardMichael Richardson
Susan Aiken
Tara RyanJari Leduk
Joe EtokAisa Pirti
Konstantin Petrosyan (Doctor)
HOTEL
Gloria Ensor (Hotel Manager)Jeff Chau (AHM)Melissa Ruston (AHM)
Randi Beers (Bar)
TRAINEE PROGRAM
Mitchell WhiteChantelle Andersen
Jenna AndersenJaiko Angnatuk
Amanda Barron
KITCHENFred Skanes
Blois CrawleyJason Whittle
George Courets
CAPTAIN OF THE SHIPAndre Rodenko
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OUR ITINERARY
July 12 KuujjuaqJuly 13 Akpatok Island
July 14 Diana Island, Opingivik Island
July 15 KangiqsujuaqJuly 16 Cape Wolstenholme and IvujivikJuly 17 At Sea
July 18 Marble IslandWalrus Island
July 19 Churchill
July 20 Churchill
EXPEDITION LOG
INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGE
Air Temperature 13CSea Temperature 2C
Sea Stage 0
Sky Blue Sky/CloudWind 15 Knots SW
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Kuujjuaq5810N, 06818W
Mileage 0 nm
Did you know?
The word arctic comesfrom the Greek Arktikos,the country of the Great
Bear. It is so named notbecause of polar bears(of which the earlyGreeks probably knewnothing), but because itsits underneath theconstellation Ursa Major the Great Bear. Thefact that nobody hadspent any time in theArctic is emphasised bythe impression the
We arrived in Kuujjuak at lunch time where it was also lunch
time for the local black flies who were eager to welcome us tothe north. We were greeted by the Cruise North staff who
guided us to our first important stop lunch at the local
restaurant.
After lunch there wastime to visit the craft
stores for a first lookat Inuit art. We soon
boarded the zodiacsfor a short ride on the
Koksoak River to the
Lyuba Orlovva, our
home for the nextnine days.
After settling into ourcabins we joined staff in the Forward Lounge and were given
an introduction to the ways of life aboard ship. Gloria told usthe what and the where, while Julio gave us the who and the
when. Ar high tide, the Orlova began to move out of the
Koksoak River on a stunningly beautiful evening, passinggradually from treeline to tundra to Ungava Bay as the long
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ancient Greeks had ofthis far northerly place it was a country of richsoil, warm breezes,many different animalsand trees that bore fruitall year long.
arctic evening progressed.
We practiced the safety and lifeboat procedures before
adjourning to the dining room for a welcome toast and our
first sampling of the Cruise North menu. The evening wasspent meeting friends, enjoying the evening on deck
(mergansers and loons!) or viewing the movie Climate at theEdge in the lounge. Many were rocked to sleep long before it
was over.
INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGEAir Temperature 15C
Sea Temperature 0CSea Stage 1
Sky Blue SkyWind 2 Knots NW
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Akpatok Island6030N, 06754W
Mileage in last 24h 144 nm
Did you know?
Polar Bear, common namefor a white bear found onthe sea ice of the ArcticCircle throughout theNorth Polar basin. Theonly marine bear, it islonger than other bearsand streamlined foraquatic life. Their five
We landed on Akpatok Island on a sunny day with a veryslight breeze that deterred most bugs. There were
interesting chunks of ice on the beach and fossils were
observed in the rocks of a tidal pool. The long walkersclimbed a short slope and found a relatively large
abandoned hut with significant metal debris that datesback to mining activity in the 1970s. A smaller abandoned
hut nearby made date back to scientific studies in the
1930s that used Akpatok as a base for studying iceconditions in Hudson Strait. The walk continued along a
relatively wide beach at the base of crumbling cliffs thatconspicuously lack nesting birds or vegetation.
At a suitable place in the cliffs walkers scrambled up a
barren slope to higher ground that commanded anexcellent view of the sea and the relatively flat surface of
the top of the island. The return walk was on higher
ground until just above the abandoned buildings. Herewalkers scrambled down the slope to the beach. Much of
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sharp, curved claws oneach foot are perfect forgrasping the sea ice andtheir primary prey: ringedseals.
the area was dessert-like with fewer than 15 species of
flowering plants. Contemplative walkers walked from thelanding beach inland beside a stream. They saw patches of
willows and slopes mainly covered in Mountain avens.During lunch the ship re-positioned to the side of AkpatokIsland where there are steep cliffs. On these cliffs is the
largest thick billed mure colony in the world. There is anarrow beach at the base of the cliffs. Highlights of the
afternoon were seeing the mures, and seeing a polar bear
swimming in the ocean. A second polar bear was watchedas it ate plants that it pulled off areas in the cliffs where
lush blue grasses and scurvy grass grow. After dinner thefilm Arctic Kingdom was shown.
INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGEAir Temperature 15C
Sea Temperature 0C
Sea Stage 1Sky Blue Sky
Wind 25 Knots SE
Monday, July 14, 2008
Diana Island6058N, 06957W
Opingivik I sland6055N, 06959W
Mileage in last 24h 101 nm
Did you know?
Musk ox, the long
haired, dark brown
ruminant related to
Our morning started with the ride aboard the zodiacs to
Diana Island on this windy but sunny outing. The walkalong the rocky shores led us to where Jason, our bear
monitor, was sitting quietly a little distance away looking
at our first musk-ox. It seems Julio may indeed havegotten in contact with the majestic animals in arranging
their appearance, because they appeared about half anhour after our 9AM landing, as suggested. After our first
sighting, passengers were split into two groups of walkers;short and long. The long walkers traversed around a small
hill and were treated to a sight of a herd of three othermusk-oxen up high grazing on the mountain. Around the
hill were another 3 musk-oxen in a meadow in the
distance. The short walkers were entertained by the sight
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goats and sheep. The
musk ox is found innorthern Canada and
Greenland and has
been introduced toAlaska and other
northern areas. Anadult bull averages 1.9
to 2.3 m in length,stands 1.2 to 1.5 m at
the shoulder, and haslong, downward curvinghorns with sharp,
upturned tips. Femalesare much smaller. Both
sexes have a denseundercoat and an
ankle-length outer coat
for protection againstthe cold. The male
emits a strong scent ofmusk when in rut,
hence the name.
of Julio quietly trying to get a closer look at an old lone
musk-ox. The enormous old musk-ox Julio triedapproaching didnt seemed phased by his curious onlooker.
However, he let Julio know to keep his distance by giving
him a bluff charge. The lone male was not intimidated or tobe messed with, and he was letting us know exactly that.
After establishing a safe distance and standpoint, Julioinvited small groups of guests to get just a little closer to
the lone male musk-ox.
The afternoon visit to a great archaeological site onOpingivik Island was led by Shoshanah. She showed usgraves that may have dated back to Thule times. Some of
the tombs still had human remains inside and allpassengers were kindly considerate not to move anything.
Traditional Fox traps that let foxes in but not out were alsostill standing functional around the archaeological site.
Another long walk was traversed and those on that walk
got to see more but different archaeological remains;foundations for three houses were apparent here. Several
passengers remarked on the remarkable and untouchedpanoramic views that this particular tiny island afforded.
Ken reported back to the passengers at the end of the daythe birds he had spotted; it was quite a long list that we
were surprised to learn. He also agreed with Julios
observation that the musk-ox was in fact male, albeitbased on different qualifications from Julios.
Passenger contributionI have never golfed on acarpet of flowers
- JW
Passenger contributionWhat a better way to celebrate our 35th weddinganniversary? After all, the essence of Canada, at least forus, has always been the wilderness that we have so much of.
Peter and Shirley Holt
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGE
Air Temperature 17CSea Temperature 1C
Sea Stage 0Sky Blue Sky
Wind 5 Knots W
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Kangiqsujuaq6136N, 07158W
Mileage in last 24h 102 nm
Did you know?
Inuit have an effectiveway of preventingfrostbite when the earlysymptom is localized,for example, on thecheeks or ears. The first
sign of frostbite isvisible when a smallpatch of skin turnsclearly white. When thishappens, the onlyknown remedy is toplace snow onto thewhite frozen skin areaand keep it appliedthere until the whitearea melts and returnsto its normal color. Thiscounterintuitiveknowledge is even more
fascinating consideringattempts to remedy thefrostbite with heat orbare hands only causethe frostbite to ensue.
Another glorious day, brilliant sunshine and warm
temperatures, not the average image of the arctic, much less
that of a town of Inuit. Today would be a day to partake inInuit culture and soak in a little sunshine.
Our morning was devoted to a visit to the small village of
Kangiqsujuaq. Greeting us at the landing site were two nativeguides who would lead us through the town. At the visitor
centre we were treated to an excellent interpretive display, a
favourite exhibit being the kayak made of sealskin. What away to travel and hunt! Across the road at the athletic centre
locals told stories of the old days and youngsters danced. Ascrumptious buffet of char tartar, mussel soup and herbal teas
was laid out. This small town is world renowned for thepeople that enter cracks in the ice and pick the delicious
bivalves as the tides recede.
A few people enjoyed another northern surprise, a game of
golf! The town has been working hard to attract tourists andthe development of the golf course has been one aspect of the
quest. After the cultural events all headed for the co-op and achance to purchase some carved soapstone. This most
famous of Inuit art forms was well represented in the smallshop tucked in the back of the store.
As lunch approached we headed to the familiar comforts of theLyubov Orlova. In the forward lounge we heard Jason speak
about Inuit culture. We all learned a few words in inuititukand how closely tied the Inuit are to the land and sea.
Surviving on caribou and seals for the bulk of their food, store-bought still makes up but a small proportion of most Inuit
diets.
Later Shoshanah gave a presentation on the Thick-billed
Murre, purportedly the king of the arctic birds. Studying these
birds for her doctorate, Shoshanah is considered a worldauthority on these fascinating birds. Breeding on steep cliffsin the high arctic, the young must jump from the nest and
glide to the water below. The young, unable to fly, swim with
their fathers to reach the north Atlantic ocean where theyspend their first winter and finally grown the feathers that will
allow them to fly.
What a day to learn about the people that have adapted to theharshest conditions imaginable!
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGE
Air Temperature 11CSea Temperature 0C
Sea Stage 0Sky Blue sky
Wind 0
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Cape W olstenholme6222N, 07754W
Ivujivik6232N, 07732W
Mileage in last 24h 209 nm
Did you know?
The flying penguin-likeThick-billed Murresweigh approximately 1kg and have theshortest wings of allflying birds. They areextraordinary divers,diving up to 200 metresmaximum with an
average of 100m perdive. These birds neston exposed cliffs indense colonies toprotect themselves frompredators. They are,without a doubt, thecoolest bird in theArctic.
It was hard to believe, but once again we awoke to a perfect
day. Calm seas and morning sunlight awaited our pre-breakfast zodiac cruise along the cliffs of Cape Wolstenholme,
home to half a million Thick-billed Murres. The glass-like seas
allowed the zodiacs close approach to the ledges for superbviews of Shoshanahs favourite bird. Glaucous Gulls were a
menacing presence, waiting their chance at an unguarded egg.
When the zodiac engines were turned off we could hear thegrating growl of the murres filling the air. Benoit learned toimitate the sound.
Afterwards, as we warmed up with coffee and breakfast theOrlova made the short trip to Ivujivik for our morning ashore.
Due to overwhelming passenger pressure (word had got out),it was agreed that the first stop would be the Co-op for crafts.
Both the highs and lows were the same as the previous cruise;high artistic value and low prices! The shelves were soon
emptied and meeting a few carvers, especially Benoits friend
Matoosie, made the purchases more special. Ivujivik doeshowever, need to invest in some bubble wrap.
The Co-op group then took to the hills and enjoyed the view
out over town and along the way spotted a snow bunting withyoung. Meanwhile the kayakers were upping the ante by
spotting a white gyrfalcon a stunning sight against the bluesky.
We zodiaced back to the ship for an on-deck barbecue in whatis possibly the best weather ever seen in Ivujivik. Just when
we thought it couldnt get any better they brought out thestrawberries dipped in chocolate.
After lunch the insane among the staff filled the pool directlyfrom the arctic waters of Hudson Bay and inexplicably jumped in! No-one knows why. Apparently most of them lived,
including a few brave passengers.
In a more sober vein, Ken gave his presentation on Arctic
birds, followed by Susans pornographic lecture entitled PlantSex. In a day full of surprises, the evening ended with Peters
recitation (from memory!) in the bar of poetry by RobertService, followed by a ghost story. It was a full day.
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGE
Air Temperature 13CSea Temperature 0CSea Stage 2
Sky CloudyWind 17 knots
Thursday, July 17, 2008
At sea in Hudson Bay
Mileage in last 24h 258 nm
Did you know?
Three species ofJaegers make theNorth their home, the
Pomarine, Parasiticand Long-tailed. Allthree birds areparasitic, harassingterns, kittiwakes andother seabirds andforcing them to dropor even disgorge theircatch which theJaeger then retrievesin mid air. As a resultit appeared tofishermen that thebird being preyed
upon was defecatingand the Jaeger cameto be known toNewfoundlandfishermen as theShit-hawk.
Today we woke up to calm seas as we crossed Hudson Bay.
We had a full program of lectures ahead of us as we at ourbreakfast.
In the morning, Michael told us all about the differences
between the Arctic and the Antarctic and we further developedour appreciation for these unique wildernesses. Benoit
followed up with tales of his adventures. Travelling by ship iscertainly more comfortable than bicycle!
In the afternoon, some of us gathered for a fun Quebecois filmwhile others took advantage of the warm weather and went
for a swim in the cold Arctic waters captured in the stern deckpool.
The evening was wrapped up with a presentation by Michael of
his favourite passenger questions; none of which had beenasked on our trip, of course!
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGE
Air Temperature 10CSea Temperature 0C
Sea Stage 1Sky Blue Sky
Wind 12 knots
Friday, July 18, 2008
Marble Island6240N, 09107W
Walrus Island
6207N, 09214W
Mileage in last 24h 139 nm
Did you know?
In the Arctic, themajority of the sealspecies are dependentupon the sea icewhere the femalesgive birth to theiryoung. It is thereforevery important forthem to perfectlysynchronise thedifferent stages ofreproduction with the
cycles of the ice.Mating occurs just atthe end of weaningfor that year. Thenthe adults disperseand do not meet upuntil the followingmating season.
Shortly after 08.00, the zodiacs left the ship and headed
through the mist to Marble Island. The island lived up to its
name with very large outcrops of white quartzite. We landed ona beach near the skeleton of a Beluga whale. There was Sea
lyme grass near the shore, then very abruptly an Arctic willowzone and behind that a dry mountain avens tundra. One group
of walkers crossed the island travelling across humock andhollow pattern ground, wet meadows and drained ponds where
geese had left footprint. Another group took a long walk
around a series of ponds where we spotted many duck species,including Eider Ducks, and the Long-tail Duck. A short climb to
the top of a rocky outcrop gave us a terrific view of the coveand the ship at anchor just outside. As the tide quickly
receded, we made our way back to the ship and tookadvantage of another meal time to fill our bellies.
In the late afternoon, after a much needed siesta, we boardedthe zodiacs and headed out to Walrus Island. Though we didnt
spot any of the big blubbery beasts on the shore, we cameacross large colonies of Arctic Terns, Eider Ducks, Gulls, and
Long-tail Ducks. A bearded seal poked its head above thesurface for a curious view as we made our way around the
island.
Back on board, we finished paying our accounts, and, following
yet another meal we gathered in the bar for a Staff fashionshow and throatsinging workshop led by Mae.
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGEAir Temperature 18C
Sea Temperature 0CSea Stage 1
Sky Blue Sky
Wind 7 knots
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Churchill
5847N, 09411W
Mileage in last 24h 261 nm
Did you know?
Beluga (whale) or WhiteWhale, toothed whale,closely related to thedolphin, with a clearlydefined head and shortfins. Belugas (derivedfrom the Russianbyelukha, meaningwhite) are born either
black or dark brown,without dorsal fins, andturn milky white inabout five years. Malescan attain a maximumlength of 7.0 m and aweight of 1 metric ton;females are somewhatsmaller.
One final day aboard the Orlova, one final day of wildlife andfun. We have arrived at the mouth of the Churchill River and
await our pilot to guide us home, but time is not to be
wasted. Today we can relieve the journey and maybe seeone last species of wildlife.
The highlight of the morning was the final recap. This recap
would be special as we would see a slide show of the entirevoyage. Over the course of the Arctic Odyssey trip staff had
gathered photos of all the activities and compiled these as a
slide show accompanied by music. Playing on the big screenin the forward lounge, memories of landings and adventures
were relieved, so much had happened over the previous tendays. We could scarcely remember all the good times. A din
of satisfaction arose as all were informed that the slide showwould be available to take home.
After lunch a zodiac cruise took us in pursuit of Belugas.These angles of the arctic are one of the most distinctive of
whales and all were stunned to finally see the ghost likecreatures. Sometimes also called canaries, for their
extensive vocal abilities, Belugas are the only whale able tomove their head and neck and one of the three whales of the
arctic.
Our last dinner together was the Captains dinner. This
cruise tradition allowed all to show their thanks for theCaptain, officers and crew of the Orlova as well as expedition
leader Julio and hotel manager Gloria. Most guests thenheaded to the bar to relive memories of the trip and
exchange emails.
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INFORMATION FROM THE BRIDGEAir Temperature
Sea Temperature
Sea Stage
SkyWind
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Churchill
5847N, 09411W
Mileage in last 24h
We woke up in the morning and placed our luggage outside our cabins on the way to
breakfast. It was time to start saying goodbye to our new friends and the Cruise
North Staff. As we exchanged our last business cards and email addresses, we madeour way to the airport with a short town tour on the way. Boarding the plane, we
made our way back home.
The Expedition Staff, Hotel Staff, and Crew thank you for traveling with
us. We hope to see you again soon!!