Arctic Odyssey Final Log

8/14/2019 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.


Sea Temperature 0C

Sea Stage 1Sky Blue Sky

Wind 25 Knots SE

Monday, July 14, 2008

Diana Island6058N, 06957W

Opingivik I sland6055N, 06959W


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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Wind 5 Knots W

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Kangiqsujuaq6136N, 07158W


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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Sea Stage 0Sky Blue sky

Wind 0

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Cape W olstenholme6222N, 07754W

Ivujivik6232N, 07732W


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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Air Temperature 13CSea Temperature 0CSea Stage 2

Sky CloudyWind 17 knots

Thursday, July 17, 2008

At sea in Hudson Bay


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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Wind 12 knots

Friday, July 18, 2008

Marble Island6240N, 09107W

Walrus Island

6207N, 09214W


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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Sea Temperature 0CSea Stage 1

Sky Blue Sky

Wind 7 knots

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Churchill

5847N, 09411W


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!!

Documents

Arctic Odyssey Final Log