Take your charter flight from Ottawa to Iqaluit this morning.  Located at the end of historic Frobisher Bay and sitting amid gentle rolling hills is the transportation hub of the Arctic, Iqaluit. A major transfer point between flights to other northern communities, Iqaluit is also the smallest capital city in Canada with a population of just over 7,000! At one time dotted with Inuit huts, the beaches are now adorned with modern houses, shops, and public buildings reflecting Iqaluit’s importance as a government town. You have time to tour the town before embarking on your ship, the Ocean Endeavour.

Uninhabited Akpatok Island features soaring bird cliffs and small rocky beaches. Indeed, the island is named for the akpat—the thick-billed murres—that live on the ledges of the limestone cliffs that surround it. Zodiacs are used to scout the beaches in search of walrus and polar bears. 

Today your group continues exploring Nunavik, heading northwest along the Ungava Peninsula. This section of treeless tundra is rich in geology and tundra flora, and has a number of small communities along its shores. Depending on the weather and wildlife, your will make a stop along this dramatic coast. 

Along the northwest shore of Dorset Island, surrounded by rocky hills on one side and by the Hudson Strait on the other, lies a community that art built. Between 1950 and 1962, Cape Dorset hosted a historic collaboration between James & Alma Houston and local Inuit. The collaboration launched Inuit art onto the world stage. In 1959, the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative was established: it remains the oldest arts organization in the Canadian Arctic and the oldest professional Inuit printmaking studio in Canada. Old and new generations of outstanding artists, carvers, and printmakers have made Kinngait the Inuit art capital of the world. 

Spend the first of two days exploring the southern coast of Baffin Island, the fifth largest island in the world! The objective is to spend half the time out on the land—hiking, exploring, and taking in the sights—and the remainder cruising the shoreline in the fleet of Zodiacs. The ship's route is adaptable to unpredictable weather and ice conditions. Wildlife sightings in Baffin have also proven unpredictable, so keep an open mind and flexible attitude! The island is home to a wide variety of life, including a notable bear population - be on alert for these kings of the north. Your days at Baffin are exploratory in every sense, and you can look forward to seeing what the island has to offer.

Located on the southern portion of Baffin Island, the scenic oceanside hamlet of Kimmirut is considered one of the most picturesque communities in the region. Kimmirut means “the heel” in Inuktitut and refers to an outcrop of marble across the bay that holds a striking resemblance to a human heel. Art has played a major role here and the newly renovated Dewey Soper Building is home to a gallery of outstanding works of art.

Again, your objective is to spend half the time out on the land—hiking, exploring, and taking in the sights—and the remainder cruising the shoreline in the fleet of Zodiacs. The ship's route is adaptable to unpredictable weather and ice conditions. Wildlife sightings in Baffin have also proven unpredictable, so keep an open mind and flexible attitude! The island is home to a wide variety of life, including a notable bear population - be on alert for these kings of the north. Your days at Baffin are exploratory in every sense, and you can look forward to seeing what the island has to offer.

Pangnirtung—“the place of the bull caribou” in Inuktitut—is located on a narrow coastal plain against a spectacular backdrop of high mountains and a winding river valley. It is a small community bordered by snow-capped mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. 

Pangnirtung, or ‘Pang’ as locals call it, is famed for its art. One of the great attractions is the Uqqurmiut Inuit Arts Centre. The Centre welcomes visitors to the print and weave shops, where local artists create beautifully woven tapestries and prints. Artists from Pangnirtung are known around the world and are exhibited widely across Canada and beyond. The acclaimed “Pang” hats, colorfully patterned crocheted toques, can also be purchased at the centre’s gift shop. 

Today is an expedition day in the truest sense as you navigate the east coast of Baffin Island. The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for exploring these hidden treasures of the north, as her maneuverability allows her to access regions that would be impassable to larger vessels. Be on alert for changing weather and ice conditions - the expert crew uses its judgment as to which route along the coast is currently the most spectacular! As ever, the elite team is on deck for the duration, searching for wildlife and contextualizing the mighty landscape through which you travel. 

The presentation series continues as you steam across the Davis Strait towards Greenland. While out on deck, keep your eyes peeled for minke and humpback whales amid potential pack ice, as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark your passage. 

Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and one of the world’s northernmost capital cities! Nuuk means "the headland" and is situated at the mouth of a gigantic fjord system. Established as the very first Greenlandic town in 1728, Nuuk's history dates back over 4,200 years. Here you have a chance to spot humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land, and birds soaring in the sky. The town itself is home to the University of Greenland (you can all compare the campus to the University of Montana's!), a cathedral dating back to 1849, and Greenland’s National Museum. Visit some of the city’s most important sites before free time to explore on your own. 

There are a number of charming fishing villages along the west coast of Greenland. Depending on timing and sea conditions, call in at one of these communities to experience small town Greenlandic life, or navigate into the stunning fjords that line the coast. This is a day spent in the true spirit of expedition travel.

Today the Ocean Endeavour makes its way up the spectacular Sondre Stromfjord! Early risers have a chance to experience the beauty of the fjord before disembarking. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometers of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’ 

Today your group of UM Alumni will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make your way to the airport for outbound charter flights to Toronto.