Uqsuqtuuq / Gjoa Haven, 7/29/2022, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Arctic
Today was spent exploring King William Island from National Geographic Endurance. An expedition morning at Booth Point didn’t disappoint. This is the site where the remains of a body from the Franklin Expedition were found in 1981. After nearly 36 hours on the ship, everyone was keen to stretch their legs and discover the area’s natural history. Twenty species of birds, an arctic fox, and some distant reindeer kept us entertained. We observed wading species in their feeding flocks, with seven species of sandpipers feeding together on a sandy spit.
In the afternoon, we visited the community of Gjoa Haven, once described as “the finest harbor in the world” by Amundsen. We were welcomed ashore by community members who gave us a tour of the town, which culminated in a display of arctic sports. We were then left to explore on our own, and many of us opted to visit the Heritage Centre and read up on the successful search to find Erebus and Terror.
Jamie is from England. He grew up in Oxford, about as far from the sea as you can get in the UK, yet somehow decided he would work in marine biology and conservation. Ever since he reached his teens, he has dedicated time to this passion, working and...
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How did the three weeks of our voyage fly by so quickly? Today is the last day of our Northwest Passage expedition. As we rounded the northwest corner of Alaska this morning, bowheads and fin whales surrounded the ship. We continued to learn from the experts on board about the history and nature of the region. Kevin outlined the history of Alaska in his talk – from prehistoric cultures in the area, to the sale of the land by Russia to the U.S., to the Alyeska pipeline. Jamie showed some harrowing images of how some of humanity’s activities are influencing birds, specifically seabirds and shore birds. He gave some advice that each of us can follow. For example, pet owners can put a bell on outdoor cats so birds can hear them approach, and we can participate in beach cleanup days. After lunch, Lisle gave a disembarkation briefing. Then Erin shared about her experience working for BBC as a researcher for their segments for nature history TV. Her photos of working on St. Lawrence Island and on the eastern side of Greenland were incredible. We are all excited to see the film when it comes out in September. When the credits start rolling, we will all be able to say, “I know Erin!” Steve brought it all home for us with his all-encompassing presentation, “A is for the Arctic.” He invited us to shout out terms related to our trip, starting with each letter of the alphabet. In the evening, we had another chance to reminisce about our experience when Sue presented the Guest Photo Slideshow. We laughed and cheered for the photos, and then Captain Aaron came up to say a few words about his team and the voyage. He mentioned we were the first passenger ship to stop at Zenith Point and only the forty-eighth ship to take the exact path we did. What an adventure it was! Tomorrow’s goodbyes will be quite emotional…
My name is Candice Sudlovenick, and I am one of the Community Ambassadors traveling on National Geographic Explorer. I was born and raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut, the capital of the territory, and I spent over five years in Western Nunavut in Cambridge Bay from 2015 to 2020. As National Geographic Endurance sailed through the Beaufort Sea, we got to see some wildlife throughout the day: grey whales, bowhead whales, Pacific walrus, and seabirds. Throughout the day, some whale blows were seen in the choppy waters. The wind and waves made it hard to identify the whales, most likely grey whales given the area we are in. The staff gave great presentations, starting off with Steve and, “The Legacy of Whaling in the Arctic.” Serguei then talked about, “Plants and Their Adaptations to the Arctic.” After a great feast of sushi at lunch, Jamie gave a presentation on, “The Art of Migration,” discussing animal movements across the globe. After teatime, Gail presented on life in the sea below the horizon. At recap, Steve shared with us the Northwest Passage Rap he wrote about our voyage, and the delivery was followed by a standing ovation! As we sailed during the day, we passed by Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska. We could see the city in the distance. I grew up in Nunavut, and the biggest “city” had a population of about 9,000, so Utqiagvik seemed massive to me. I have always heard stories of the Inupiaq living in Alaska, and I am very excited to see and hopefully meet some of my fellow Arctic Indigenous peoples when we arrive in Nome. This trip has been amazing. I love talking to people and sharing my Inuit culture and practices. Everyone on board the ship is so welcoming, which reminds me of home, so I am not homesick at all. Sailing through the areas where I grew up for the first four years of my life in Pond Inlet and then going by Cambridge Bay, where I spent time and learnt a lot during my young adulthood, is a blessing. Seeing my own lands from other people’s perspectives, engaging in deep discussion about my culture, and sharing the land, wildlife sightings, and visits have all reinforced for me how proud I am of my roots. I will continue to share and help people understand the Inuit perspective on life and how we view our world. The Arctic is always described as barren, cold, and dark, but if you see it from my eyes, it’s full of life…from the plants in the summer to the wildlife all around us to my people who make it a warm and welcoming home. My ancestors had a high level of knowledge about the land, water, weather, and animals. They needed this knowledge to not only survive up here but to thrive. I am still learning about their amazing, vast, and extensive skill set. And I hope our guests got to see a glimpse of how beautiful, warm, and welcoming it is here…these qualities that I am privileged enough to see every day.
Today was another beautiful, wildlife-speckled day at sea on National Geographic Endurance . The crew held us out of the ice until daybreak when guests were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to gather on the decks to look for signs of life. The ice was noticeably different from previous days, dirtied from brushing against the seabed and riverbed as it formed. This made polar bear spotting particularly difficult. We scrutinized “several ice bears” from a distance before we were quite close; with no movement, we confirmed that they were, indeed, not living organisms. The schedule was full, and naturalist Jennifer Kingsley was the only speaker who didn’t have her presentation interrupted by other activities. She gave a presentation of stories from her time in the Arctic: “Meet the North: Life in The Arctic, One Introduction at a Time.” Just as Jenny wrapped up her tales, the first call came from the Bridge to alert guests that a polar bear was spotted on a nearby ice floe. The crew skillfully navigated us nearby without disturbing the bear. Guests enjoyed capturing images of this majestic animal from the bow for about an hour. Spectacled eiders, glaucous gulls, and kittiwakes were among the avian fauna who also graced us with their fleeting presence. We managed to spot a small pod of about five belugas as we continued through the ice. Then we encountered another lone polar bear, not too distant from the bow. As the Captain navigated closer, we could make out that the bear was feasting on a kill, accompanied by scavenging birds that picked at pieces as opportunity allowed. This bear was not at all disturbed by the ship slowly approaching, and we were treated to sights of the bear feeding on what was presumably a seal caught earlier in the day. The bear was a particularly messy eater, with food strewn over the ice. To end the day, we were treated to a Zodiac tour in open water about twenty nautical miles from the coastline of Alaska. We have been spending plenty of time on wildlife spotting from the decks, so it was nice to be at eye level with the water and ice. Guests enjoyed capturing images of Zodiacs, the ship, and icebergs in various formations. What a great day!
