COVER STORY
FACT FILE Built:
us took a walk on the beach to study exquisite little flowers, pick wild blueberries and marvel at inch-high willow trees. All the while, crew members armed with rifles stood guard in case a polar bear should venture too close for safety. At dinner, we celebrated crossing the
Arctic Circle at 66 degrees, 33 minutes north. Bubbly was poured and certificates handed out.
In our remaining days, we had the unique opportunity to visit several remote Inuit communities. Children greeted us at the pier in Qikiqtarjuaq, keen to help us out of the Zodiacs.
In fact, it seemed the entire village, population 479, wanted to meet and talk with us. Morris, an elder, gave an introduc- tion to northern life in 2010. The preferred transportation, for example, is pick-up truck, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), snowmobile and, rarely, dog sled. Later, teenage girls demonstrated throat singing, a melodic humming said to imitate sounds in nature. Pond Inlet, Baffin Island’s most northerly hamlet, boasted a modern library and interpretive center where we watched demonstrations of Inuit games, drumming and more throat singing. One of our ship’s Inuit trainees was given a thick slice of narwhal skin, rich in vitamin C, for everyone on board to taste. The further north we cruised, the more abundant and varied the wildlife. Bowhead whales put on a show in Isabella Bay, one of the world’s most inaccessible wildlife sanctuaries. On Devon Island, we scouted a group of 15 musk-oxen munching tundra foliage. Snow-white Arctic hares bounded over the rocky beach at the
22 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2010 / 2011
long-abandoned Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost of Dundas Harbour. “We have a polar bear on ice, star- board!” Captain Pokhilets boomed over the loudspeaker. A vigilant passenger had spotted a mother bear with two cubs perched high up on a gorgeous iceberg. She alerted the captain (the ship has an open bridge policy), who cautiously circled the huge ice mass. Everyone raced on deck to snap photos of this remarkable sight, a trip highlight.
O
n our final full day, the Zodiacs carried us to Beechey Island. During his 1845 pursuit of the
Northwest Passage, Sir John Franklin and his expedition became trapped at this desolate spot. They waited months for the ice to clear, never to return to England. We explored the remains of their camp and solemnly filed past the graves of three crew members who perished here. Our voyage ended on Cornwallis Island
in tiny Resolute, named after a British Navy ship searching for the Franklin team. In Resolute, we visited the remnants of a 1,000-year old Thule settlement. The sunken stone huts, built by nomadic ancestors of modern Inuits, once had roofs made of whale bones covered with caribou hides. Then we boarded our charter plane for
the five-hour flight south, back to the bright lights of Montreal. Note to Montreal taxi driver: Canada’s
high Arctic is a vast expanse filled with amazing sights. To experience it properly takes time, patience and luck. And, even if there were teepees up north, I’d rather be sleeping on a cruise ship.
Renovated: Tonnage: Length: Beam Draft:
Speed:
Passengers: Crew:
Passenger decks:
Lyubov Orlova 1976
2006 4,251 328ft 53ft 15ft
12 knots 122 63
4
ITINERARIES: Lyubov Orlova is chartered by Inuit-owned Cruise North Expeditions from July through September. The ship focuses on the Canadian Arctic during 8 to 14-night itineraries. In 2011, five cruises include Greenland’s south-west coast and two venture into the Northwest Passage. Most trips originate in Montreal, Quebec, where flights transport passengers to remote embarkation ports.
MORE INFO: In the US, call 1866 263 3220 or visit
www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com. In the UK, call adventure cruise specialist The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677 or
www.cruiseline.co.uk.
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