I know you all are waiting in eager anticipation for these blogs of our trip. I am writing this on September 17. We have been home since Sept. 6, but both of us have been ill for the past week and half. Gary is still not well. I plan to golf tomorrow.
I did do my blogs on the trip but was unable to load pictures or post because we had no internet access. I will add the pictures and post them as I get them completed.
Here is the first one:
Gary had a breakfast in the lounge before we took off.
Flight to Edmonton was uneventful. Went straight to hotel Fairmont MacDonald. Met Jane Baggetta and her sister Marianne in lobby. Lovely dinner & orientation talk in a beautiful room. I was convinced this was going to be the style I am accustomed to – a big
surprise waiting!
On 23rd flew to Resolute Bay airport for transfer to ship. In line for plane met MBA classmate from 1972 and the Chudleighs. Small world! Early morning and breakfast was handed out in bags as we left hotel.
We had one stop in Yellow Knife after flying over Great Slave Lake. as it was just a refuelling stop we did not get off ship.
Our charter flight for the trip to Resolute
Yellow Knife and the surrounding countryside
Our first look at the Arctic waters and the Resolute airport
The terminal in Resolute
Flew over land with many small lakes, over Bathurst Inlet and Jameson Islands before reaching the gravel landing strip at Resolute. We never saw the town but went directly from airport to our ship.
Exploring the terminal and area
On the zodiac we see our ship for the first time
As we were getting on the zodiacs I met Beckie, a friend of Jennie (wow smaller world!) Most of the staff seem to be from BC – all outdoor enthusiasts. There were some Berger bits in the bay but not a lot of ice to be seen. Sunny, cold and little wind.
That night a champagne reception (so far so good!) and introductions to staff and program on board.
In the dining room (mess hall??) 
About 10:00 pm – still light an a beautiful sunset – Note the ice!
Today we started with some basics to get everyone ready for our shore excursions – how to get on and off zodiacs (much trickier than on the Oceania ships) as there is a very small platform, zodiacs are pretty unstable and harder to climb in and out of. Next how they protect against polar bears – a scouting party goes ashore to the landing area and checks for bears, then secures a perimeter, all are armed with various bear repelling devices and if all else fails – rifles. Apparently if you are in a large enough group bears will never attack (3 or more people). Of course there were a number of instructions about not touching anything and preserving the sites. Next we were fitted for our “outfits” boots, jackets, bib pants.
Gary in his Arctic Garb ready to explore
Next was an introductory lecture on the search for Franklin from Katie – a young, very Scottish lass with a PhD in Polar History.
The afternoon was a visit to Beechy Island – one of the last known stops of Franklin and the site of 3 graves of men from the expedition.
The scouting party went over to the island and reported high winds, we stayed in place for a couple of hours to see if the winds would subside. With winds of 30 knots gusting to 40 it was decided they would not risk a landing as too dangerous. The danger is getting into the zodiacs from the ship,and also getting back on. So we had a lesson on how to properly focus and use our binoculars. So far no one has spotted any mammals – lots of birds of many varieties which is keeping the birders happy.
The conditions deteriorated and we lifted anchor to head to the next stop.
We then had a lecture by Mark Nuttall, anthropologist, on the movement of indigenous peoples into and across the Arctic. They all came across the Bering Strait and moved east; some (the Thule) ranging as far as Russia. Mark discussed the Dorset people – small populations of nomadic hunters, the Saqqaq who were in Northern Greenland, Thule peoples who were direct ancestors of the contemporary Inupiat people. The Thule had larger groups with subterranean dwellings, dog sleds, umiaks & kyaks. They also hunted bow-head whales using sophisticated hunting techniques.
Umiaks are larger boats made of driftwood covered with skins used for whale hunting and moving supplies.
The Arctic went through a warming period; then in 1400-1500, as it was getting colder the Thule moved from hunting Bow-heads to hunting on ice – seals & Narwhales. At the same time the Norse arrived hunting Walrus for the ivory.
In the early 1900s the Hudson Bay Co. set up trading posts to collect furs.
1993 – after years of negotiation the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was signed giving title to 350,000 sq. km. and mineral rights 35,257 sq kms. In 1999 the Territory of Nunavut was expanded to 2.093 sq km. Population was 37,463 at the time.
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The picture of Gary in his outfit & designer boots reminded me of Paradise & this is not it. I expected to see a lot more snow & ice – looks fairly pleasant.