The friendliest Hamlet in the North

Previous travels as expedition leader onboard Russian ice strengthened ships have taken me to a number of communities in the Canadian North, this however, was my first visit to Iglulik and my first time exploring a part of the North under the guidance of a local. I was excited to experience Nunavut through the eyes of those who were born and raised in these Northern latitudes, the true travelers of the 'barren lands'.

 Accompanying an intrepid filmcrew of four with Travel Channel UK, I joined our guide Judah on our first of two days which would be spent entirely on the water. On a dusty tundra road bearing many potholes born by snow melt, we traveled by truck across the other side of the island where the ice was clear from the shore. On this 45 minute rickety trek we passed the occasional Inuksuk which stood out like towers on this everlasting flat horizon as well as summer camps used by the local folk from Iglulik. Once at the put-in, with help from three younger Inuit teenagers, two boats were loaded with fuel, camera equipment and lunch and once we were all aboard, we were underway at about 10am.

The day gifted us with blue skies and calm seas which would help in our search for Arctic wildlife. The film crew had hopes to film the animals that represent the true North; Polar bear, Walrus and Bowhead Whale, as well as capture the ice riddled seascape and numerous seabirds who call this hamlet their summer home.

The hamlet of Iglulik is situated on Iglulik Island which sits half way along the southern shore of Baffin Island and over a hundred miles south. Although geographically we were surrounded by land, the land is low lying therefore it is difficult to see it on the vast ocean horizon. It seemed as though we were in the middle of the Arctic Ocean and far removed from any land. With ice as our main distraction, we navigated amongst it, enjoying the various shapes and sizes which fueled our imaginations. Creatures, ones you find beyond Canada, were sighted; elephants, frogs, turtles and giraffes all sculptured by ice and by nature’s hands. As we created stories behind our findings, it reminded us of our child-like inventions and storytelling.

Suddenly a sighting of a whale fluke brought us instantly back to the Arctic. We raised our binoculars to our eyes to investigate further. A blow determined that a whale, likely Bowhead, was in the vicinity. Where will it surface next, we wondered. A fluke usually indicates that the whale just did a deep dive and could be under for up to 20 minutes.

Bowhead whales are an icon of the North, a whale once exploited to near extinction in the 17^th Century.  These whales are slow moving, do not dive deep like their relatives, and when harpooned or killed they float; a perfect catch for a whaler. Although the numbers are recovering, they still are no where near the many that used to venture in this area. The elusive whale was not seen again therefore we continued on our way.

The ice played tricks on us. Miles of sea ice stretched before us and the many lumps that at first entertained us were becoming a nuisance. It was first year ice which had been around for the winter and it was dirty. The wind and current had moved the ice causing it to collide, forming shapes of polar bears in many poses. The yellow hue was the same colouration as the polar bear which added to the difficulty in differentiating what was ice and what was truely a bear.  As we cruised along the ice which to me looked like a perfect Polar bear platform, my binoculars were glued to my eyes. I asked Judah to slow the boat down in fear that we could be missing a sighting. I wanted to have a really good look. Through my binoculars I noticed a shape which didn’t seem to belong, it looked somehow out of place, a lump that stood out from the rest. I said out loud, “I’m looking at something which looks like Polar bear curled up and sleeping’. No one took me seriously thinking I was using my vivid imagination, yet again. That soon changed when the object moved. “It’s a bear!” I shouted.  Indeed the sleeping bear had detected us, whether by sight, smell or sound and turned its head in our direction, still remaining in a sitting position. The bear was far enough away from the open water where we drifted and so we made a landing on the ice. This steady platform gave the film crew a greater chance in capturing the moment on film and it enabled me to watch the bear with ease still using my binocs.

We all watched with curiosity, just as the bear was watching us. It raised its head to sniff the air, trying to get some information about the intruders. He eventually stood up on all fours, like a lion, confident, giving the impression that indeed, here stood the true King of the Arctic. At one stage he stood even higher as he raised his body by standing on his two back feet.

The bear started to move and I watched carefully as to the direction. When hunting, a Polar bear can move quickly, surprising its prey by swift and stealth-like motions.

Although the bear was a fair distance from us, through binoculars we could see that it was a healthy bear, either a female or juvenile male. It was not interested in getting a closer look at us and wandered ever so steadily along the ice, keeping the same distance from the water.

It belonged so perfectly on this ice-scape, its cream-like coloration camouflaging it from the prey in which it hunted. This sighting was all we could have hoped for.

We had spent all day on the water, stopping to film, taking lunch on the boats while anchored alongside a bergy-bit. As we journeyed home the wind that had ruffled the water for most of the day was decreasing and a glassy surface offered a smooth path to travel. We passed the area where we had previously seen the whale fluke and due to the changes in tide, whales had arrived to forage.

Numerous blows were sighted on the nearby horizon, as their warm breath rose four meters into the cool air.  Broad black bodies surfaced and as the sun touched each back, the whales stood out like lanterns. Flukes rose from the sea and at times it was hard to choose which whale to watch and film.  What a joy to see such numbers, when only a few years before it would have been a miracle to see only one.

By the time we arrived at the beach, we all were starting to feel the evidence of a full day of fresh air and excitement. It was 10pm by the time we stepped foot on land, which meant we had spent twelve hours on the water. How fast the time had gone and what a memorable day it had been.

Although we had plans to meet for a late dinner and take a shower to warm up, every single one of us, once home in our hotel rooms, headed to bed and soon fell immediately to sleep.

The following day consisted of another twelve hours on the water. We covered many miles, visited a few islands, one with historical evidence of the Inuit who once lived on the land in sod houses and hunted in the surrounding area. Not a single breath of wind blew all day which meant for easy travel and despite the fact that we never encountered a Walrus, we had a fabulous sighting of a Bearded Seal. This large, 500 pound blubbery seal showed little sign of fear as it allowed us to drift in silence, close enough to observe the specie built for these climes. A smaller and more common seal, the Ringed Seal appeared on occasion as we observed in great detail the Bearded Seal. By the time this day ended the skies above Iglulik looked ominous as dark gloomy clouds hung low in the sky and the signs of rain came upon us. It was another full, delightful day.

Our brief but beautiful time in Iglulik with Judah and his father touched us all. In their gentle and respectful manner they introduced us to their home and their people with patience, kindness and with a intricate understanding of the land and sea. It is their relationship with the land and sea that feeds them and dictates their way of life. I felt honored to have heard the stories of their people and to learn from their complex observations of the environment they know so well.

How far removed we as urbanites have become in our own regions that was once as wild and a land that caused us to be just as self-sufficient.  Where else but the North, can take us back in time and reunite us with nature, with the land and sea that we once listened to and learned from.

Our journey will be broadcasted later this year in 134 different countries. Unfortunately it will not be aired in North America. But for those of you who live elsewhere, keep an eye out for Travel Channel UK – and the series called  'Essential’.

Thanks to Frontiers North Adventures for sending me on another adventure of a lifetime.  I do love working for you J