Epic High Arctic: Baffin Island
Explorer via Fury and Hecla
Our most in-depth exploration of the Canadian Arctic! If you find abundant wildlife encounters
and historic sites appealing, this voyage to some of the most heralded sites in Arctic exploration
history has been created for you.
EXPEDITION IN BRIEF:
• Arctic wildlife – polar bears, whales, and massive sea bird
colonies
• Experience the sites of the rarely traversed Fury & Hecla
Strait
• Traditional Inuit Communities
• Remote National Historic Sites of Canada
• Cape Dorset, Canada’s Capital of Inuit Art
• An abandoned Hudson’s Bay Trading Post
• Tundra hiking for all fitness levels
• Zodiac cruising
• Optional kayak adventure on selected voyages
DID YOU KNOW? BEECHEY ISLAND, WHERE THREE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN’S MEN
DIED WHILE WINTERING IN 1845-46, ACTUALLY ISN’T AN ISLAND. IT IS CONNECTED
TO NEARBY DEVON ISLAND BY A LOW ISTHMUS, A NARROW STRIP OF LAND.
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 1
Adventure Options
Booking an Adventure Option on your Sea Explorer
expedition is a great way to enhance your polar
experience. These options are all subject to
availability and fill up quickly, so be sure to book
yours early.
SEA-KAYAKING
Imagine gliding along the surface of a bay in the presence of
icebergs and glaciers! Our sea-kayaking adventures are the
best way to feel at one with the sea. Taken in small groups
of 10-16 people, multiple times per voyage, sea-kayaking
adventures are only done during calm weather conditions.
We require you to have some prior sea-kayaking experience,
including the capability to do a wet exit.
More information about your Adventure Options, including
physical requirements and cost of each option is available by
contacting your Polar Travel Adviser.
INCLUDED OPTIONS
HIKING
Hiking is a great way to appreciate the immense windswept
landscapes of the Arctic. The tundra comes alive during
the brief Arctic summer, with bursts of color from shrubs
and plants that eke out a living in this polar environment.
You’ll find each hike is different - exploring communities,
shorelines or glaciated landscapes, often on the lookout for
wildlife. Hiking participation is optional and your Expedition
Team will advise you of what you can expect prior to each
excursion.
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 2
Itinerary
DAY 1 Toronto, Canada
RESOLUTE
Your Arctic adventure begins a little
further south, with an overnight stay in
Toronto.
FORT ROSS
BEECHEY ISLAND
PRINCE
LEOPOLD
ISLAND
DAY 2 Embarkation Day in Resolute
GREENLAND
You’ll get transferred to the airport
for your flight north. After landing in
Resolute, it’s off to the harbour to board a
Zodiac and cruise out to your ship. Enjoy
some time out on deck, taking in your
new Arctic surroundings, before you set
sail on your Arctic expedition.
ENTRANCE
FURY & HECLA
(Kalaallit Nunaat)
Baffin Bay
IGLOOLIK
CANADA
FOXE BASIN
BAFFIN
ISLAND
CAPE DORSET
IQALUIT
DAY 3 Beechey and Prince Leopold Islands
MONUMENTAL ISLAND
Hudson’s Bay
Named after Frederick William Beechey
from the Royal Navy, your time on this
island will include a visit to a small grave
site with markers for men who died
during Sir John Franklin’s expedition in
1845-46. Roald Amundsen also stopped
here in 1903, on his successful voyage to
the Northwest Passage.
Prince Leopold Island has a more active
attraction, as a Zodiac excursion will
take you to impressive sea cliffs, which
are home to more than 500,000 birds
including kittiwakes, guillemots, gulls and
fulmars.
DAY 4 Fort Ross
At the southern end of Somerset Island,
you’ll explore the coastline at Fort Ross.
Back in 1937 the Hudson’s Bay Company
established a trading post here, but it
was abandoned only 11 years later due to
severe ice conditions.
Davis Strait
AKPATOK ISLAND
From Resolute to Iqaluit
Actual itinerary may vary based on conditions and voyage length.
DAY 5 Fury and Hecla Strait
Today’s sailing takes you out of the Gulf
of Boothia and into the rarely explored
Fury and Hecla Strait. This challenging
strait narrows to 2km/1.2miles in places
Spend your time on the lookout for
whales and seals as the ship captain navigates this area that thwarted many British
efforts in their search for the Northwest
Passage.
DAYS 6-7 Igloolik and Foxe Basin
Like Beechey Island, Igloolik is a National
Historic Site of Canada. Inhabited for
more than 4,000 years, it took until 1822
for Europeans to arrive here. It was Captain William Perry and his ships the HMS
Fury and HMS Hecla that first arrived,
and wintered here that year. Igloolik is
an active community today and home to
Artcirq, the only Inuit circus in the world.
You’ll continue on exploring Foxe Basin
and, if time permits, the Melville Peninsula. Here, you’re on the lookout for more
wildlife. Foxe Basin is a shallow waterway
that creates a great habitat for bearded
seals and ringed seals, as well as Canada’s
largest walrus herd. Polar bears may be
spotted and beluga, bowhead and
narwhal whales can be found in these
waters. Birds are also in abundance with
10,000 pairs of Sabine’s gulls being among
WANT TO STAY LONGER OR ARRIVE EARLIER?
Contact our Polar Travel Advisers via email, live chat or phone
(1.888.892.0073) for seamless worry-free booking of all trip extensions.
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 3
Itinerary
the most numerous. Lesser snow geese,
ivory gulls, herring gulls, Canada geese
and Arctic terns also frequent the basin.
DAY 8 Cape Dorset
It’s a great place to spend your last full
day of expedition cruising and will surely
provide some scenic highlights.
DAY 12 Disembarkation Day in Iqaluit
A small hamlet, Cape Dorset has gained
the reputation as Canada’s “Capital of
Inuit Art.” You’ll find plenty of Inuit carvings, lithographs, sculptures and drawings
here. The settlement itself has an interesting history, dating back to the Dorset Culture – pre-Inuit who lived here more than
3,000 years ago.
Your final Zodiac ride will take you from
the ship to shore. Iqaluit is the capital of
Nunavut Territory and is located on Baffin Island. Your time here will be brief, as
your flight and final overnight in Montreal awaits, signalling an end to your time
in the Arctic.
DAYS 9-10 Akpatok and Monumental Islands
The largest island in Ungava Bay, Akpat
is the local name for the thick-billed
murres, which nest here in the tens of
thousands. This is one of the largest colonies in the world and a favourite spot for
polar bears.
You can expect more wildlife encounters
over at Monumental Island, which is a
well-known island for more potential
close sightings of some of the Arctic’s
most iconic creatures – walrus and
polar bears.
DAY 11 Frobisher Bay
Located at the southeastern end of Baffin
Island, Frobisher Bay is a puzzle work of
narrow inlets and streams. You’ll spend
your last full day of the expedition exploring by zodiac, possibly fitting in a refreshing hike ashore. This means you’ll have a
fun time exploring numerous islands in
the area, not knowing what surprises will
be around each corner, or sea cliff.
WANT TO STAY LONGER OR ARRIVE EARLIER?
Contact our Polar Travel Advisers via email, live chat or phone
(1.888.892.0073) for seamless worry-free booking of all trip extensions.
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 4
Inclusions
THIS EXPEDITION INCLUDES
• Shipboard accommodation with daily
housekeeping
• All breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks on
board throughout your voyage
• All shore landings per the daily program
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our
experienced Expedition Leader
• A daily program of lectures by noted naturalists
• All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily
program
• Formal and informal presentations by our
Expedition Team and Special Guests as
scheduled
• Photographic Journal on DVD documenting the
voyage
• A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan
for shore landings
• An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep
• Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
• A selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages
• Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin
• Comprehensive pre-departure materials,
including a map and an informative Arctic
Reader
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges
throughout the program
• All luggage handling aboard the ship
• Arrival transfer from Toronto airport to your
hotel if you arrive one day prior to embarkation
• On embarkation day transfer from your hotel to
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA Toronto airport for the mandatory charter flight
to Resolute, followed by transfer to the waiting
ship
• On disembarkation day group transfer from the
ship to airport for mandatory charter flight to
Montreal
• Pre and post expedition hotel night
• Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all
passengers to a maximum benefit of US$100,000
per person
THIS EXPEDITION EXCLUDES
• International airfare
• Passport and any applicable visa expenses
• Government arrival and departure taxes
• Any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at
the host hotel
• Baggage, cancellation, interruption, and medical
travel insurance
• Excess baggage charges
• Laundry and other personal charges
• Telecommunications charges
• The voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for
shipboard staff and crew
• Any extra overnight accommodation required due
to flight connections
• Optional sea-kayaking activities
IMPORTANT REMINDER Embracing the unexpected
is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition
travel. When travelling in extremely remote regions, your
expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather
to guide route and itinerary details. The above is a tentative
outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be
aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 5
Dates & Rates
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: Baffin Island Explorer via Fury and Hecla
Expedition Aboard the Adventure Ship SEA EXPLORER
Dates
Sep 03 - Sep 15, 2014
Days Emb/Disemb
13
Res/Iqaluit
Triple
Porthole
Suite
Window Superior
Suite
Suite
Deluxe
Suite
Veranda
Suite
Penthouse
Suite
$5,495
$7,295
$8,595
$9,795
$12,595
$13,795
$8,995
•
•
Transfer package available for $1,750
All non-alcoholic and house pouring drinks are included. A selection of premium alcoholic drinks (such as top wines and spirits) is also available at an
additional cost.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR EXPEDITION & ADVENTURE OPTIONS
To book your cabin or inquire about the availabilty of adventure options,
contact a Polar Travel Advisor 1.888.892.0073 (+1.203.803.2666).
1-888-892-0073
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA EXPEDITION DOSSIER | 6
POSSIBLE LANDINGS AND WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
RESOLUTE
One of Canada’s most northern settlements, Resolute has
everything from a grocery store and cable TV to an RCMP
station and handful of hotels. It also has an airport, which is
your gateway back home.
IMPORTANT REMINDER Embracing the unexpected
is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition
travel. When travelling in extremely remote regions, your
expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather
to guide route and itinerary details. The above is a tentative
outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be
aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
BEECHEY ISLAND
FOXE BASIN
Named after Frederick William Beechey, an explorer of the
Royal Navy, this is one of Canada’s most important Arctic
sites and has been deemed a Canadian National Historic Site.
During the Franklin Expedition of 1845-46, two of Franklin’s
ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror anchored here with
perilous results. Three of his crew died here and are buried
at a marked grave site.
Wildlife abounds in Foxe Basin, a shallow waterway that
is home to bearded seals, ringed seals, walrus, polar bear,
beluga whales, bowhead whales and narwhals. Birds are also
in abundance including Arctic terns and glaucous, ivory,
herring and Sabine’s gulls.
PRINCE LEOPOLD ISLAND
CAPE DORSET
Impressive, near perfectly vertical cliffs, ring part of this
small island. This creates an ideal environment for nesting
seabirds, and they nest here in numbers – more than 500,000
strong. Thick-billed murres, black guillemots and northern
fulmars are most commonly seen here.
A historic hamlet located on Dorset Island, Cape Dorset is
where remains of an ancient Thule settlement were found,
dating back to 1000BC. Nearby, Mallikjuaq Territorial Park
provides great hiking and exploring options, while the Inuit
inhabitants of today are known for producing great works of
art.
FORT ROSS
AKPATOK ISLAND
Home to a Hudson’s Bay Trading Post, abandoned in 1948.
Today, the island is uninhabited but the buildings are still
used occasionally by caribou hunters from settlements
further south.
FURY AND HECLA STRAIT
This narrow channel south of Baffin Island is an ideal place
for cetacean watching and enjoying the icy realm of the
Arctic as it is often ice covered. The difficulty in navigating
these waters wreaked havoc with many expeditions during
the heyday of Arctic exploration and a search for the
Northwest Passage.
South of Baffin Island and the Hudson Strait, the largest
island in Ungava Bay is called Akpatok Island. This limestone
island has tall sea cliffs reaching as high as 250m, creating a
perfect habitat for nesting seabirds including the Akpat, or
thick-billed murre.
MONUMENTAL ISLAND
Just off the coast of Baffin Island in the Davis Strait, this
island belongs to the Canadian Territory of Nunavut.
Monumental Island is a place where both polar bears and
walruses can be seen. Zodiac cruising here presents great
photographic opportunities.
IGLOOLIK
FROBISHER BAY
A National Historic Site of Canada, this area has been inhabited
by various cultures for more than 4,000 years. It took until 1822
for Europeans to arrive here, when Captain William Perry
and his ships the HMS Fury and HMS Hecla, wintered here.
Igloolik is a fairly active community today, with schools, health
facilities and a geology and seismology station.
EPIC HIGH ARCTIC: BAFFIN ISLAND EXPLORER VIA FURY AND HECLA This large inlet in the Labrador Sea, at the southeastern part
of Baffin Island is riddled with small islets and islands. It is
230km/140miles long and serves as a home to a wide variety
of seabirds and cetaceans. At the end of the bay is Iqaluit, the
capital of Nunavut.
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POSSIBLE LANDINGS AND WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
IQALUIT
Located on Baffin Island, with a population around 7,000
people, Iqaluit has all of the essential services you need
and has been host to the Arctic Winter Games and the G7
Summit.
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