Inuit Adventure: Narwhals & other Wildlife of Baffin Island Naturetrek Tour Itinerary 2013 Outline itinerary Day 1 Arrive Ottawa. Day 2 Fly Pond Inlet. Day 3 Travel to the floe edge. Day 4/8 Explore the floe edge with Inuit guides. Day 9 Fly Ottawa. Dates Sunday 2nd June Tuesday 11th June 2013 Cost (per person) 8,995 (London/London) Single room supplement Grading Focus Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W: www.naturetrek.co.uk
Inuit Adventure: Narwhals & other Wildlife of Baffin Island Tour Itinerary N.B. Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather and other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available. Introduction In springtime, where the frozen ocean meets the open ocean, an area known as the floe-edge is formed, creating one of nature s most amazing landscapes. A journey to the floe-edge is one of the classic Arctic adventures: passing magnificent mountain scenery, sculpted icebergs deep-frozen in six-foot thick sea ice, glaciers and ancient Thule (early Inuit) sites, as well as offering the chance to see a variety of Arctic wildlife. This exciting new tour explores the land to the east of Pond Inlet, with Bylot Island and Sirmilik National Park on one side and the towering glacier-clad mountains of Baffin Island on the other. Pond Inlet, on Canada s Baffin Island, is one of the very few places in the world where the elusive Narwhal can be seen reliably. This expedition is only for the adventurous. Led by experienced Inuit guides, we will travel by snowmobile across the ice to the floe-edge (or the line of life, as it s sometimes called), where we will set up our base camp, located on the sea-ice. During the spring, wildlife gathers at the floe-edge and a wonderful variety of wildlife exists there, including seals, seabirds such as Brünnich s Guillemot and Ivory Gull, and iconic mammals of the high Arctic including Polar Bear, Beluga and Bowhead Whales and the elusive Narwhal. For those with a true spirit of adventure and a reasonable level of fitness, this trip offers an extraordinary polar experience. Itinerary Day 1 Sunday. Arrival in Ottowa After a flight from London to Ottawa International Airport, we will be met at the airport and driven to our hotel. We will then be free to relax, and have dinner at a restaurant in Ottawa. Day 2 Monday. Flight to Pond Inlet Today we will have an early morning transfer from our hotel to Ottawa Airport where we will board our 3-hour flight to Iqaluit, capital of Nunavut, on Baffin Island. If the weather is clear, this is an interesting flight in terms of observing the changing landscape below. First named Frobisher Bay, after the explorer who discovered the bay, Iqaluit is now the hub of the north Canadian territory of Nunavut. From Iqaluit we will then board a smaller plane, which will take us to Pond Inlet situated in the north of Baffin Island (3h40 flight). We will be met by one of the Inuit guides who will be accompanying us on our tour at the airport, and transported to our hotel. After a chance to settle in, we ll meet up for a welcome supper, briefing and gear check. After dinner there will be some free time for relaxing or exploring some of the community. Naturetrek April 12 1
Tour Itinerary Inuit Adventure: Narwhals & other Wildlife of Baffin Island Day 3 Tuesday. Travel to the Floe-edge From the community of Pond Inlet, located in North Baffin Island, we will travel by snowmobile and komatik (Inuit sled) towards the floe-edge, an area known as the line of life. Travelling by komatik is surprisingly comfortable, and gives us a chance to sit back and observe the incredible scenery of the sea ice as we pass by. We will be led, as we travel across the ice, by experienced local Inuit guides and an expedition leader. We will need to be flexible as ice and weather conditions will determine our exact route, but we ll travel for between five and eight hours, with stops on the way, to take photos, for opportunities to warm up if necessary, and to have lunch. Once a suitable area has been chosen, a comfortable base camp will be created where we will stay for five nights. Our base camp (located on the sea ice) will serve as a hub for the expedition and all our wildlife excursions. Though not luxurious, our base camp will be as comfortable as possible, in the conditions, and will include individual tents as accommodation, as well as separate tents which will serve as our kitchen, communal area and another for a toilet. Day 4-7 Exploration & daily wildlife excursions: floe-edge We ll spend the next four days making excursions from our base camp in search of Arctic wildlife. This far north, the weather and ice conditions can change quickly, so at all times we will be guided by our Inuit leaders, who know this territory best. One thing we can guarantee is that it will be a special and privileged experience to be in the company of the native people of Baffin Island, who have learnt the tough art of survival in this land over the millennia and no day is likely to be the same. Among the wildlife we will be searching for are birds such as Long-tailed Duck, King and Common Eiders, Little Auk, Black Guillemot, Long-tailed and Arctic Skuas, Ivory Gull, real Canada Goose, Snow Goose, Snow Bunting, Ross s and Glaucous Gulls and Kittiwake. There s a chance of seeing Polar Bear, but this is not a Polar Bear observation trip; the mammalian stars of the expedition are far more likely to be the special whales which inhabit these icy waters, and in particular we ll be hoping to see the extraordinary Narwhal, as well as other Arctic whales: the Beluga and Bowhead. Narwhals are a high-arctic species of small grey-brown whale. Their most distinctive feature is a unique elongated 3-metre long tusk, which the males (and occasionally, females) grow; a few males even develop double tusks! Hundreds may congregate in certain feeding areas, and they migrate en masse, typically in same-sex groups. This is a species of whale only the very lucky, privileged few ever see, and Pond Inlet on Baffin Island is one of the only reliable places to see the Narwhals in the world even so, a sighting of this rare cetacean must be considered a bonus! Our guides will lead our daily excursions, and we ll travel with them short distances across the ice and sea-ice by means of snowmobile, skis, komatic or for those who wish sea-kayak. Our guides will take us to locations they know well, and where they think we are most likely to see the wildlife we are looking for. However, we will need to be flexible, as we ll move to better areas if we do not have success at first. The area is also rich in Inuit culture and we may visit an ancient Thule site or an old whaling station. Day 8 Sunday. Transfer Pond Inlet Today we will to leave the wilderness landscape of the floe-edge and return to Pond Inlet where we ll check in to a comfortable hotel for one night. 2 Naturetrek April 12
Inuit Adventure: Narwhals & other Wildlife of Baffin Island Tour Itinerary Day 9 Monday. Pond Inlet to Ottawa via Iqaluit This morning, we will fly back to Ottawa via Iqaluit. Depending on our flight schedule, there may be time to visit the Nunavut capital and buy Inuit arts and crafts, which are often of an exceptionally high standard. We then transfer to our hotel and enjoy a last group supper, with plenty of memories to re-live before our morning flight back to the UK. Day 10 Tuesday. Depart Ottawa; arrive London Today we will transfer to Ottawa International Airport where we will board our flight back to London. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Inuit guides This tour is led at all times, from arrival in Pond Inlet on Baffin Island, by an experienced, fluently bilingual French-English Canadian guide experienced in Arctic expeditions. In addition, Inuit local guides will join the group during Floe-edge excursions. (Please note that hunting is part of Inuit culture and needs to be accepted by participants of this tour.) Grading B. While this is not a particularly strenuous tour by Arctic standards, you will be exposed potentially to extremes of temperature, and making long journeys in freezing temperatures. This is an adventurous tour and you will need to be physically fit to enjoy this holiday to the full. Please also note that you will be travelling to wilderness areas a long way from the nearest medical help. Food All meals are included from dinner on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 9. Some picnic lunches will be organised during our floe-edge excursions. For lunch we will normally have a warm meal out on the floe-edge, with hot soup and sandwiches. Breakfast and dinner are usually hot meals made with local produce taken in the kitchen tent. All cooking equipment and eating utensils at our base camp are provided. Accommodation Accommodation will be in twin or double rooms in Ottawa and Pond Inlet hotels. The hotel in Pond Inlet is cosy and clean, with a hot shower, a main lounge with TV and sofas and a cafeteria area; but please do not expect Holiday Inn-style accommodation this far north. At our base camp on the floe-edge, we will be using 3- man tents for two people. Tents, foam mattresses, camp chairs and very warm sleeping bags are all provided. However, during our stay at base camp there will be no showers! Please bring wet wipes for freshening up. Don t forget to keep these in your jacket pockets! Weather Early June is the best time to experience the floe-edge, as the weather is usually at its best. However, you are travelling to the Arctic and it will be cold, even in the middle of the summer! Expect temperatures to be between -10 C and +5 C. Strong wind-chill will also affect the temperature and you should be prepared for snow and rain storms; however, we may also get clear conditions of blue sky and some sunshine. Naturetrek April 12 3
Tour Itinerary Inuit Adventure: Narwhals & other Wildlife of Baffin Island Money You will need some extra money to cover restaurant meals in Ottawa and Iqaluit, alcoholic beverages, tips and souvenirs such as Inuit art and crafts. Canadian travellers cheques are easily changeable and major credit cards are accepted. There are ATM machines in Ottawa. Clothing You will need specialist clothing and gear for this expedition-style holiday. A full list will be provided on booking in your pre-departure information. 4 Naturetrek April 12