Northwest Passage: Fury & Hecla

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Highlights

Greenland and Canadian Arctic highlights
Opportunities for viewing musk oxen, caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes and more
Colorful Greenlandic villages
Traditional Inuit handicrafts and art
Ilulissat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most productive ice fjord in the Northern Hemisphere

Highlights

Greenland and Canadian Arctic highlights
Opportunities for viewing musk oxen, caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes and more
Colorful Greenlandic villages
Traditional Inuit handicrafts and art
Ilulissat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most productive ice fjord in the Northern Hemisphere
Capacity: 118, Type: Expedition

On this active expedition, well visit some of the main highlights of the fabled Northwest Passage, a sea route long-known to sailors around the world for its formidable channels. Traversing this passage was considered the greatest geographical quest for the last three centuries, tempting renowned explorers such as Roald Amundsen and Sir John Franklin. From landscapes to icescapes to seascapes, well explore some of the regions most interesting and stunning landmarks.

MANDATORY TRANSFER PACKAGE INCLUDES:

  • One night airport hotel accommodation in Edmonton with breakfast
  • Flight from Edmonton to Kugluktuk
  • Transfers to and from ship
  • Flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ottawa
  • Group transfer Ottawa airport to hotel
  • One night hotel accommodation in Ottawa with breakfast
Greenland and Canadian Arctic highlights
Opportunities for viewing musk oxen, caribou, polar bears, arctic foxes and more
Colorful Greenlandic villages
Traditional Inuit handicrafts and art
Ilulissat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most productive ice fjord in the Northern Hemisphere

There are no future departures for this trip at this stage.

show reverse itinerary
Day 1 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Enjoy an included night in Edmonton, Alberta and meet your fellow travelers.
Day 2 Kugluktuk, Nunavut
Kugluktuk meaning place of moving water is aptly named, as the beautiful Kugluk cascade can be found here. In the summertime, so can wildflowers, berry plants and green grasses. We will arrive by way of our group charter flight and then transfer to our small expedition ship. Enjoy your first night on board as you meet your expedition team, the captain and his officers, and take part in introductory briefings.
Day 3 Port Epworth
Your first views will be that of the expansive landscapes of Port Epworth. Described by some as the arctic meets the wild west, youll encounter a unique sense of space here, along with beautiful, pristine vistas.
Day 4 Cambridge Bay
The people of Iqaluktuuttiaq (also known as Cambridge Bay), the largest community on Victoria Island, will welcome you to their culture through dance and song. Travelers will have time to explore this community of 1,400, a commercial hub for the region.
Day 5 Victory Point, King William Island
In 1845, John Franklin led an expedition of 129 British naval officers and seamen to the Canadian Arctic, tasked with finding the Northwest Passage. By 1848, they were presumed missing. Rescue missions were conducted for 32 years. The first skeletal remains attributed to the crew were discovered in 1859 by Captain Francis McClintock on the western shore of King William Island. McClintock also discovered the only written remains under a cairn erected on Victory Point. Long considered lost forever, the ships of the Franklin Expedition have been the subject of many searches over the years. In September 2014, the Victoria Strait Expedition conducted a large hunt for Franklins two missing vessels, and on 7 September, 2014 found the sunken remains of the HMS Erebus off the coast of King William Island.
Day 6 Fort Ross and Bellot Strait
We sail eastward through Bellot Strait, a narrow channel separating mainland North America from Somerset Island. About mid-point through the channel is the northernmost area of the continental land mass, Zenith Point. We plan to go ashore at Fort Ross, an uninhabited Hudsons Bay Company trading post. In May 1670, King Charles II granted the lands of the Hudson Bay watershed to the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson Bay. For nearly two hundred years, the administration of Canadas north was the responsibility of the merchants of the Hudsons Bay Company. In 1937 the Hudsons Bay Company established a trading post here, but it was abandoned only 11 years later due to severe ice conditions.
Day 7 Expedition Stop
Todays landing will be weather-dependent, and will showcase the regions most interesting scenery, landmarks and wildlife spotting areas. In true expedition form we will aim to go ashore and explore. We may not know what well find, but at the very least we may step foot where no one has before.
Day 8 Enter Fury and Hecla
Todays sailing takes you out of the Gulf of Boothia and into the Fury and Hecla Strait. This challenging strait narrows to 1.2 miles (2 km) wide. It is an excellent time to be out on deck to spot wildlife and seabirds, while we navigate through the strait.
Day 9 Igloolik
Igloolik is a National Historic Site of Canada. The area has been inhabited for more than 4,000 years and is still an active community today. You may even come across circus performers, as Igloolik is home to Artcirq, the only Inuit circus in the world!
Day 10 Foxe Basin and Melvill Panins Barrow Fall
Youll continue on exploring Foxe Basin, which is a great habitat for bearded and ringed seals, as well as walrus. Polar bears may be spotted here and beluga, bowhead and narwhal whales can be found in these waters. Birds are also in abundance with 10,000 pairs of Sabines gulls being among the most numerous. Lesser snow geese, ivory gulls, herring gulls, Canada geese and arctic terns also frequent the basin.
Day 11 Cape Dorset
A small hamlet, Cape Dorset has gained the reputation as Canadas Capital of Inuit Art. Youll find plenty of Inuit carvings, lithographs, sculptures and drawings. The settlement itself has an interesting history, dating back to the Dorset Culture pre-Inuit who lived here more than 3,000 years ago.
Day 12 Kimmirut
This traditional Inuit hamlet located on the southernmost peninsula of Baffin Island was once a Hudsons Bay Company trading post. Today, it is home to over 400 people and a thriving arts and crafts community. Stone carvings and ivory scrimshaw are popular art items, as are jewels made with unique gemstones native to this area.
Day 13 Akpatok Island
The largest island in Ungava Bay, Akpatok is the local name for thick-billed murres (akpats), which nest here. This is also a favorite spot to watch for polar bears.
Day 14 Monumental Island
You can expect more wildlife encounters at Monumental Island, which is a well-known island for potential close sightings of some of the Arctics most iconic creatures walrus and polar bears.
Day 15 At Sea
Spot wildlife from the comfort of the ships deck or observation lounge, take in a presentation, mingle with fellow adventurers, or sip a hot beverage as we glide through the Arctic sea. The day is yours to enjoy however you wish.
Day 16 Eqip Sermia
We then sail to the beautiful glacier Eqip Sermia, tracing along the massive glacier front. We hope to Zodiac cruise from a safe distance but close enough to appreciate the grandeur of this spectacular ice.
Day 17 Ilulissat
Ilulissat Kangerlua is Greenlandic for the Iceberg Fjord. The glacier at the head of the fjord is the most productive in the Northern Hemisphere. The icebergs it calves float down the fjord to enter Baffin Bay. As the ship approaches Ilulissat, have your cameras ready to take photos of young icebergs. The journey of these bergs will end years later, somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland. So significant is Ilulissat Fjord that UNESCO has designated the area a World Heritage Site. Listen to the growling of the icebergs as we cruise the fjord in Zodiacs. Well offer a hike along the lovely boardwalk down to a stunning viewpoint of the bay. If you have a little time left, enjoy a microbrew at a pub, or shop for local handicrafts.
Day 18 Sisimiut and Itilleq
In Sisimiut, we will be treated to a traditional kayaking demonstration. Kayak is an Inuit word the English borrowed to describe a small vessel propelled by paddles, seating one or two people. There will be time to explore the town where 18th century buildings from Greenlands colonial period still stand. Take the time to wander through the historic area by passing under the arch formed by two giant bowhead whale bones. As we head south, the ship will reach Itilleq, a typical Greenlandic village. Situated on a hollow, Itilleq is on an island without fresh water. The village has approximately 130 inhabitants and offers charming views of colorful native houses along the tundra.
Day 19 Sondrestrom Fjord and Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Just 37 miles (60 km) north of the Arctic Circle, Kangerlussuaq sits at the head of one of the longest fjords in Greenland. Musk ox and arctic fox inhabit the tundra-covered plain that surrounds the town. Well later make our way to the airport where we board our charter flight to Ottawa. Upon arrival, we will be transferred to our hotel.
Day 20 Depart Ottawa, Canada
Today you can make your way home at your leisure or spend some more time in Ottawa, Canadas capital city.
Please Note:
Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy and excitement of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what youll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
Ocean Adventurer
The 118-passenger Ocean Adventurer, (formerly the Sea Adventurer) is among the very few vessels in the world specifically constructed for expedition voyages to the remote polar regions. Her ice-st…

Ocean Adventurer

Refurbished 2018
Length 101 metres

The 118-passenger Ocean Adventurer, (formerly the Sea Adventurer) is among the very few vessels in the world specifically constructed for expedition voyages to the remote polar regions. Her ice-strengthened hull permits her to glide easily and safely through ice-strewn waters that are not accessible to conventional cruise vessels.

She has advanced communications and navigation equipment, and newly installed, state-of-the-art Sperry Gyrofin stabilizers. In 1998 the Adventurer had a $13 million conversion done in Scandinavia. She is a handsome expedition vessel, done in the style of great ocean liners when ships were ships. With lots of varnished wood, brass, and wooden decks, the ship has all new outside cabins, with lower beds and private facilities.

There is a Main Lounge, bar, Clipper Club, library/card room, gymnasium and gift shop. A multi-national staff serves American and Continental cuisine. The ship has a fleet of 10 Zodiacs and a special loading platform. An ice class rating of A-1 allows the Clipper Adventurer to go to places larger cruise ships can only dream of, and she does it in comfort and style unsurpassed by other vessels her size.

Cabins: All cabins have a window with outside view. Each has private facilities.

Cabins and amenities

  • 61 outside cabins with exterior views and private facilities.
  • Decks 4 and 5 have exterior access, with outside seating.
  • Window-lined dining room on Deck 4 with unreserved seating.
  • Lounge/Presentation Room.
  • 2 bars.
  • Library.
  • Gift shop.
  • 4 hour beverage station.
  • Ship-to-shore satellite communications with email, and wireless, Internet access.
  • Clinic with licensed doctor.
  • Exercise room.

Deck Plan for some trips may vary, please ask for details.

Cabin layout for Ocean Adventurer
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