2016 Adventure Canada Expeditions

EXPEDITIONS 2016A D V E N T U R E

C A N A D A

Welcome to another exciting season with Adventure Canada. We’re back from our first summer of expeditions aboard our beautiful new ship, the Ocean Endeavour, and I’m pleased to report that she is exceeding expectations. With a complement of twenty Zodiacs, a gorgeous top-deck observation area, and multiple presentation spaces, the Ocean Endeavour allows us to make more stops faster, share more of our resource staff’s knowledge, and take in remote destinations like never before.

We’re kicking off the summer with our award-winning Mighty Saint Lawrence itinerary, named one of National Geographic Traveller’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime in 2015. This extraordinary sailing begins in Québec City, and travels down the river that was the historic heartbeat of Canada for so many years. Famed for some of Canada’s best whale watching, not to mention the stunning natural beauty of areas like Saguenay Fjord and Cape Breton, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated.

2016 represents a few exciting steps for us. Among these: we’re returning to Sable Island! This itinerary was a huge success when we launched it in 2014, garnering widespread press attention and rave reviews from passengers. We’re heading back this year to explore the dunes and marvel at one of the world’s last remaining herds of wild horses. It’s sure to be an unforgettable trip.

Adventure Canada has always undertaken a wealth of Arctic itineraries, and 2016 is no exception. We’re looking forward to returning to the Northwest Passage, as well as Canada’s eastern Arctic regions, and Greenland. We’ll explore the vast polar landscape and get out on the land, and we'll experience the warm welcomes that can only be found in some of the world’s most remote settlements.

As ever, we are travelling with a full roster of Canada’s best and brightest. Our expert resource staff of authors, musicians, archaeologists, historians, geologists, biologists, culturalists, and naturalists will be on hand throughout each and every expedition to ensure that our voyages are steeped in culture, wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and human history. By the time the summer rolls around, I can never wait to get back to the far north, and after seeing these regions for yourself, I think you'll know why.

Yours in adventure,

Cedar Swan Adventure Canada ceo

HELLO, ADVENTURERS!

Cover Photo ©Scott Sporleder

CONTENTSTHE AC EXPERIENCE 3

OUR RESOURCE SPECIALISTS 5

PARTNERS

THE WALRUS FOUNDATION 6

CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC 7

NIKON 9

STUDENTS ON ICE 10

EXPLORERS CLUB 11

DISCOVERY FUND 12

EXPEDITIONS 2016

MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCE 15

SABLE ISLAND 23

NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION 29

GREENLAND & WILD LABRADOR 37

HEART OF THE ARCTIC 45

ARCTIC SAFARI 53

ARCTIC EXPLORER 61

INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 69

OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE 79

THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR 89

PRICING 93

IMPORTANT INFORMATION 95

REGISTRATION FORM 96

©Andre Gallant

MURRAY WAGHORN

Twelve expeditions with Adventure Canada

Travelling with Adventure Canada is an experience unlike any other—and not just because of our incredible destinations. We pride ourselves on an immersive cultural experience both on and off the ship.

Our shipboard programming is fun and educational. We host presentations, debates, and workshops to provide perspective and understanding; our expedition staff—experts in their respective fields—are approachable, available on deck, and

always onshore during excursions. Staff and passengers dine together for lively, informative conversations; we believe laughter should be a part of every experience.

Our unique mix of entertainment and humour is integral to our evening concerts, trivia nights, theme dinners, and dances. Each day’s excursions are thoughtfully planned to make the most of the local environment and conditions. Hiking, wildlife viewing, historic sites, community visits, and Zodiac cruising

THE ADVENTURE CANADA EXPERIENCE

©Danny Catt

are regular activities. Engaging presentations and hands-on activities are offered each day; these range from photography and printmaking workshops to examinations of ancient peoples and current events. You choose activities that are best suited to your abilities and interests.

Our close relationships with local people in the regions we visit set us apart. Adventure Canada has a proud history of working with communities, hiring locally, and ensuring our

vision of tourism is a sustainable one. We are grateful to work alongside so many talented individuals and have them invite us into their home territories. In turn, we are proud to invite community members on board to enjoy the hospitality of the Ocean Endeavour while sharing their stories and experiences with us.

Fun and casual, rugged yet comfortable—Adventure Canada’s expedition cruises are true voyages of discovery.

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Adventure Canada’s team travels to some of the world’s wildest, most remote destinations. Polar bear sightings, Zodiacs zipping between waves, and towering icebergs are all in a day’s work. Time and time again, it is our intrepid team of resource specialists that gives us our 35% return-customer rate. We fly the majority of our staff members in specially for each voyage—this ensures that we have experts in the specific regions aboard who are as excited to be there as you are!

We are authors and painters, we are archaeologists and filmmakers. We are musicians and geologists and anthropologists and marine biologists. We are birdwatchers and songwriters, photographers and hunters, culturalists, philosophers, politicians, meteorologists, sculptors, historians, sailors, and swimmers of sub-zero water. We hail from far and wide, and we are luminary minds in our respective fields. Above all, we share in a deep love for discovery. For learning. For exploration and growth. And we are family.

OUR RESOURCE SPECIALISTS

©Michelle Valberg

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In 2016 we are once again pleased to partner with the award-winning magazine, The Walrus, and the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation.

The Foundation is dedicated to creating a forum for conversation on matters vital to Canadians. Among its many contributions to the Canadian conversation is The Walrus magazine—winner of more awards in its ten years of publication than any other Canadian title.

The Walrus Foundation also publishes original high-quality content at thewalrus.ca, creates digital projects such as Walrus Ebooks, partners with Blue Ant Media to produce documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv, and trains young professionals in media, publishing, and non-profit development.

You can join members of the Walrus Foundation aboard our 2016 Mighty Saint Lawrence expedition.

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WALRUS FOUNDATION

Adventure Canada is proud to join the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Canadian Geographic magazine in presenting two 2016 expeditions: Sable Island and Greenland and Wild Labrador.

Our Canadian Geographic Photo Club voyage to Sable Island (June 11–19) with its iconic wild horses, windswept dunes, and rare seabirds, will be a photographer’s dream come true.

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society Expedition, Greenland and Wild Labrador, (June 29–July 11), explores the pristine fjords of two sublime coastlines on a journey truly deserving of the term ‘adventure.’

We look forward to working with the rcgs and Canadian Geographic to create exceptional experiences and programming aboard these unique, thrilling voyages!

The Canadian Geographic Photo Club is Canada’s largest online photo community, and the presenter of the Canadian Geographic Photo Contest, Wildlife Photography of the Year contest, and others.

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society was founded in 1929 “to make Canada better known to Canadians and to the world”. For more than eighty-five years, the Society has published Canadian Geographic magazine—the third most widely read magazine in Canada. Additionally, the Society fulfills its mandate through its geographic education program, speaker series, research grants, and expedition programs.

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROYAL CANADIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY

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“ IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE IMPRESSED AFTER TAKING THIS TRIP, THEN NOTHING WILL IMPRESS YOU. THE WORD I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE THIS TRIP IS ‘AWESOME’.”

— ALEX TREBEK, JEOPARDY! HOST AND RCGS FELLOW, PICTURED HERE IN GREENLAND WITH HIS WIFE JEAN ABOARD OUR 2015 ARCTIC EXPLORER EXPEDITION

©Mike Beedell©Mike Beedell

As the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics, and photo-imaging technology, Nikon is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for its award-winning consumer and professional photographic equipment. Nikon Canada distributes consumer and professional dslr and hd-slr cameras, Nikon coolpix® compact digital cameras, Nikon 1 advanced cameras with interchangeable lens system, nikkor optics, speedlights, and system accessories.

With this partnership, travellers aboard Adventure Canada expeditions will be able to experience first-hand the high image quality and optical excellence of Nikon cameras, lenses, and gear—and try out this precision equipment for themselves.

Some expeditions will feature award-winning Canadian photographer and Nikon Canada Ambassador, Michelle Valberg, who will host photography workshops. Michelle is known for her soulful portraiture and stunning landscapes. She possesses the

elusive combination of artistic creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and community commitment, which is reflected in her diverse career and stellar reputation. Michelle’s work has appeared in many magazines including National Geographic, US Magazine, In Style, Above & Beyond, Ottawa Life, Canadian Geographic, PhotoLife, Reader’s Digest and Chatelaine. She is the founder of Project North.

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NIKON

Join Michelle on our Newfoundland Circumnavigation and Heart of the Arctic voyages

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Adventure Canada is a proud partner, sponsor, and supporter of the Students on Ice Foundation (soi), an award-winning organization offering transformative educational expeditions for youth in the Arctic.

Adventure Canada shares soi’s pioneering vision of the polar regions as the world’s greatest classrooms. Experience in the polar world creates a tremendous platform for education across cultures and disciplines, including science, history, arts, natural history, sustainable development, and conservation. Over the past fifteen years, more than 2,500 students from fifty-two countries have participated in soi expeditions.

On every soi journey, scientists, elders, experts, artists, historians, innovators, musicians, and visionary leaders travel together with the students to foster a spirit of discovery, understanding, collaboration, respect, awe, wonder, and a deep connection to nature.

Since 2011, Adventure Canada has worked with soi to support Inuit students through the scholarship program and by providing vessels for Arctic expeditions.

Adventure Canada and Students on Ice are thrilled to grow our partnership aboard the Ocean Endeavour. Adventure Canada clients contribute to the success of the Students on Ice program through Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund. In 2016, Adventure Canada is pleased to include soi alumni as part of our onboard resource staff.

To learn more about soi and how you can directly support their work, please visit studentsonice.com.

STUDENTS ON ICE: INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

Students on Ice Foundation is a registered Canadian charitable organization #83664 8766 RR0001

©Martin Lipman

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The Explorers Club is an international multidisciplinary professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research and the preservation of exploratory instinct. Since its inception in 1904, the Club has served as a meeting point and unifying force for explorers and scientists worldwide. It supports research and education in the physical, natural, and biological sciences and its members have been first to the North Pole, first to the South Pole, first to the summit of Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, and first to the moon.

Adventure Canada is proud to be the Explorers Club’s exclusive polar provider, and delighted to welcome notable explorers aboard each of our expeditions. Together, we strive to spread knowledge about the vastness of the north—its beauty, its grandeur, and its vital importance to our planet as a whole.

In 2016, join special guest Explorers Club members James Raffan on our Sable Island and Heart of the Arctic expeditions, Milbry Polk on Out of the Northwest Passage, and Jim Halfpenny on Arctic Explorer.

EXPLORERS CLUB

STEFAN KINDBERG

MILBRY POLK

JAMES RAFFAN

©Scott Forsyth

JIM HALFPENNY

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Adventure Canada strongly believes in the importance of sustainable social and environmental practices, and has long been committed to upholding standards of responsible travel. We continually reaffirm our approach to conscientious operation by making sustainable business choices—and by encouraging our partners to do the same.

In nearly three decades of operation, we have been proudly involved in regional, national, and international efforts to make our world a better place.

In 1996, Adventure Canada established the Discovery Fund to help strengthen sustainable initiatives and projects in the regions to which we travel.

The Discovery Fund is supported by a $250 usd fee added to the price of each Adventure Canada tour sold. With this small contribution, passengers are taking active roles in the betterment of our beloved world—the north, the east coast, and beyond.

The Discovery Fund directly assists local and national organizations involved in social and economic community development, in addition to environmental and wildlife preservation. Each year, we endeavour to extend our support to both high profile and grassroots ventures. Recently, Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund has actively supported the following key organizations: Project North, Torngat National Parks Clean-Up Project, Atlantic Whales, Unikkausivut, kangdulsuk

Student Program, the Grise Fiord Recreation Committee, The Walrus Foundation, Students on Ice, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, among many others.

We have built our company around a reverence and respect for the wilds of our country—its land, its communities, its wildlife, its people, its culture. By travelling with Adventure Canada, you too are helping ensure that these irreplaceable treasures will endure for generations to come.

Thank You!

ADVENTURE CANADA’S DISCOVERY FUND

©Danny Catt

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EXPEDITIONS 2016©Jason van Bruggen

PRINCE OF WALES STRAITBAFFIN BAY

DAVIS STRAIT

SMIT

H S

OU

ND

QUEEN MAUD GULF

CORONATION GULF

PRINCE OF WALES STRAIT

LABRADORSEA

ADMUNDSEN GULF

PARRY CHANNEL

MCCLURE STRAIT

HUDSON BAY

BAFFIN ISLAND

NUNAVIK

LABRADOR

NUNAVUT

NEWFOUNDLAND

NOVASCOTIA

PRINCEEDWARD ISLAND

NEWBRUNSWICK

UNITED STATES

ELLESMERE ISLAND

NORTHWESTTERRITORIES

YUKON

ONTARIO

VICTORIA ISLAND

QUÉBEC

GREENLAND

CANADA

Red Bay

St. John’s

Conche

SouthCoast

Woody Point /Gros Morne

National Park

L’Anse aux Meadows

Kuujjuaq

Wonderstrands

Hebron

Torngat MountainsNational Park

Kangiqsujuaq(Wakeham Bay) Akpatok

Island

DiggesIsland

Kinngait(Cape Dorset)

South Ba�nCoast

Pangnirtung

Qikiqtarjuaq(Broughton Island)

East Ba�n

WestGreenland

Kangerlussuaq

Nuuk

Kimmirut (Lake Harbour)

ItilleqFjord

BylotIslandPrince

LeopoldIsland

Mittimatalik(Pond Inlet)

Ilulissat

SisimiutCoast

Uummannaq Fjord

Northeast Ba�n Fjords

Niqinganiq(Isabella Bay)

Devon IslandBeechey

Island

Quaasuittuq(Resolute)

CoburgIsland

Kugluktuk(Coppermine)

Aujuittuq(Grise Fiord)

Ulukhaktok(Holman)

Kap York

BathurstIsland

Melville IslandMelville

Bay

Qaanaaq

BellotStrait

Usqsuqtuuq(Gjoa Haven)

Saguenay Fjord

Île Bonaventure Provincial Park

Lower St. Lawrence

Îles de laMadeleine

Saint-Pierre

Sable Island

The GullyMarine Protected Area

SomersetIsland

Prince ofWalesIsland

Banks Island

Melville Island

Kangiqsualujjuaq(George River)

QuébecCity

Karrat Fjord

Forillon National Park

/ Gaspé

Cape BretonIsland

Hopedale

NotreDame Bay

Trinity Bay

Miawpukek(Conne River)

MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCE

SABLE ISLAND

NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATION

GREENLAND & WILD LABRADOR

HEART OF THE ARCTIC

ARCTIC SAFARI

ARCTIC EXPLORER

INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE

OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE

These are our proposed routes. Weather, sea, and ice conditions will determine our daily progress. Actual itineraries may differ from those indicated.©Jason van Bruggen

2015

We're kicking off our 2016 sailing season with one of National Geographic Traveller's 50 Tours of a Lifetime! This voyage incorporates the stunning coastal regions of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, including the Gaspé, the Magdalen Islands, Cape Breton, and Saint-Pierre.

Marine mammals should be plentiful—some of the best whale watching in Canada is concentrated between the high cliffs of Saguenay Fjord. Forillon National Park and Île-Bonaventure Provincial Park offer spectacular wildlife opportunities, including numerous migrating seabirds. The Magdalen Islands' mix of Acadian and English influences and a history of more than four hundred shipwrecks are among their unique features. They are also home to endangered bird species, including the piping plover and roseate tern. A stop at Cape Breton, famed for its rocky shores, glacial valleys, and barren headlands, is sure to be a highlight. We’ll also visit Prince Edward Island—Canada's smallest province, and the birthplace of Confederation.

We bring our voyage to a close at Saint-Pierre, the last remaining outpost of New France, where fine wine, good cheese and French fashion are to be found—just off the coast of Newfoundland.

This itinerary features some French programming.

MIGHTY SAINT LAWRENCEJUNE 1–JUNE 10, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Experience Québec’s unique history and culture

• Search for the largest animal on earth—the blue whale

• See one of the world’s largest gannet colonies; over 50,000 pairs

• Enjoy the natural beauty of Cape Breton Island

• Sail the Saguenay, spectacular feeding ground for marine and bird species

• Photograph the famous red cliffs of the Magdalen Islands

PROPOSED ITINERARY

Day 1: Québec City, QC

Day 2: Saguenay Fjord

Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence

Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gaspé

Day 5: Île Bonaventure Provincial Park

Day 6: Prince Edward Island

Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS

Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC

Day 9: Expedition stop, NL

Day 10: Saint-Pierre, France

CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:

Saint-Pierre, FR to St. John’s, NL

June 10, 2016

Early-afternoon arrival

$350 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees) or join us for an optional overnight cruise from Saint-Pierre to St. John's aboard the Ocean Endeavour! Contact us for more details.

Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to Québec City and from St. John's.

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Québec City, QC

One of the oldest European settlements in North America, Québec takes its name from the Algonquin word meaning ‘where the river narrows.’ The city that Champlain founded in 1608 was the capital of New France, and later, of British North America. Today, the proud capital of the province of the same name boasts the old-world charms of Vieux Québec, the world-famous Chateau Frontenac Hotel, and the only remaining intact citadel walls in North America. Cultural riches, superb cuisine, and an incredible view over the river make Québec the perfect place to begin our voyage.

Day 2: Saguenay Fjord

The Saguenay drains fresh water from Lac St. Jean, but the greater part of its volume is salt tidal water from the Saint Lawrence Estuary. The result is an ideal habitat for marine mammals including four species of whales—fin, minke, blue, and the famous (and endangered) Saguenay beluga population. Saguenay-Saint Lawrence Marine Park and Saguenay Fjord National Park both protect the region’s vast natural riches.

Day 3: Lower Saint Lawrence

Today we will be exploring the south coast of the Lower Saint Lawrence. Our stop is weather-dependent; ideally we will have favourable conditions for an excursion to

the famed Reford Gardens. The gardens are home to a sculpture park, art installations, and an array of unique floral walks and enclosures.

Day 4: Forillon National Park / Gaspé

The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspésie, separates the mouth of the Saint Lawrence from Baie de Chaleur. Dominated by high cliffs on the north shore, the Gaspé includes the eastern tip of the Appalachian Mountain chain and offers amazing views from its highland regions, which jut above the treeline.

The first National Park in Québec, Forillon, is an important bird and marine mammal habitat. Forillon also preserves human history in the Grand-Grave National Heritage Site, telling the story of the fishing families who once made their homes here. The park contains Canada’s tallest lighthouse, and fortifications remaining from the Second World War, when German U-boats threatened Allied shipping.

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Day 5: Île Bonaventure National Park / Percé

Parc National de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé is the formal name of the park at the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. But most Canadians are more familiar with its best-known feature, the awe-inspiring Percé Rock. The area’s flora

and fauna are world-renowned, including famous colonies of northern gannets: the largest is on Bonaventure Island and comprises nearly 50,000 pairs.

Named by Samuel de Champlain, Percé itself is an internationally famed marvel, a huge natural arch within a mass of reddish limestone and sandstone. A second arch collapsed in 1845,

leaving a massive column at one end. Fin, minke, humpback, and blue whales ply the nearby waters of this magnificent coastal outpost.

Day 6: Prince Edward Island

Canada’s smallest province in both size and population, Prince Edward Island is known by several other names, including “Garden of the Gulf” (for its lush agricultural lands) and the “Cradle of Confederation” (referring to the Charlottetown Conference in 1864). It is a realm of rolling hills, wooded glades, ocean coves, and famously red soil. The island’s landscape has a strong bearing on its inhabitants, and Prince Edward Island—often abbreviated as pei—retains a slow-paced, old-world flavour in its small, rural settlements. The island was made famous by Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables (and its sequels)—and to this day the Cavendish farmhouse described in the book is a popular destination for visitors.

Day 7: Cape Breton Island, NS

Today we call in at picturesque Cape Breton Island, an island comprising rocky shores, rolling farmland, glacial valleys, barren headlands, mountains, woods, and plateaus. A day of memorable hiking and cultural experiences awaits us here.

Day 8: Magdalen Islands, QC

Long frequented by Mi’kmaq people, likely walrus hunters, the Magdalen Islands (les Îles-de-la-Madeleine) in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence were first sighted by Europeans when Jacques Cartier sailed among them in 1534. Today, although closer to

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Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, they form a regional municipality of the province of Québec.

However, the islands have a history distinct from that of mainland Québec. When the British expelled the Acadians from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Magdalene Islanders remained, and to this day take great pride in their Acadian heritage. There are also long-standing English settlements, and a percentage of the population can claim descent from survivors of the many shipwrecks that have occurred among the islands. Iconic red sandstone cliffs are among the islands’ most striking features.

Day 9: Expedition Stop, NL

Newfoundland’s south coast offers many surprises, including vast stretches of virtually uninhabited wilderness. Fjords, cliffs, and islands offer excellent Zodiac cruising territory and terrific birding opportunities. We will be availing ourselves of all the area has to offer and may be stopping in any of several possible destinations depending on conditions.

Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR

On a trip that traces the history and geography of New France, it’s appropriate that we wind up in France. Saint-Pierre remains an official territory of the French Republic, albeit only a few dozen kilometres off the shore of Newfoundland.

You will have an opportunity to explore the town before transferring to our charter flight to St. John's, NL.

©Clayton Anderson

FEATURED STAFF

PIERRE RICHARD NATURALIST

Pierre grew up in Québec City and has travelled extensively along both shores of the Estuary and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It was there that he developed a life-

long interest in marine mammals, and in particular, whales. He has co-authored two field guides on eastern Canadian marine mammals and spent thirty years working as a biologist and research scientist for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

PHIL JENKINS AUTHOR AND MUSICIAN

Phil is a newspaper columnist, travel writer, author, and performing songwriter. He has been a freelance columnist for the Ottawa Citizen since

1991 and writes for magazines, including National Geographic Traveler, Equinox, Canadian Geographic, and Toronto Life. He has written the non-fiction bestsellers Fields of Vision, An Acre of Time, River Song: Sailing the History of the St. Lawrence, and Beneath My Feet: The Memoirs of George Mercer Dawson. Phil teaches and lectures at Carleton University.

JAY INGRAM AUTHOR

Jay hosted cbc Radio’s science program Quirks and Quarks, Discovery Channel Canada’s Daily Planet, and has written twelve books, most of which have

been bestsellers. He is Chair of the Science Communications Program at the Banff Centre. Along with Mary Anne Moser, he is co-founder of the arts, science, and engineering happening Beakerhead, which launched in September 2013. Jay is a member of the Order of Canada.

*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff—for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.

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P R E S E N T E D I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H

Sable Island’s wild horses are world-famous, but there’s so much more to this remote sand island off the coast of Nova Scotia. The world’s largest colony of grey seals breeds here, as does the rare roseate tern and the endemic Ipswich sparrow, among many birds of note. Amid the island’s forty-two kilometres of beaches, dunes, and bogs you’ll find a plethora of plants: from iris, to sundew, to wild berries in abundance. Whales and sharks ply the nearby waters.

Sable Island’s history includes shipwrecks and salvage; sealing and walrus hunting; rescue and research. Still, the horses remain the island’s most charismatic residents. Free to roam, they represent one of the world’s last wild equine populations. Now protected as Canada’s forty-third national park, Sable Island offers an adventure unlike any other.

SABLE ISLANDJUNE 11–JUNE 19, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Michelle Valberg

HIGHLIGHTS

• View one of the world’s last wild horse populations

• See the rare Ipswich sparrow in its sole breeding ground

• Photograph Sable Island’s many rare and beautiful plant species

• Visit the world’s largest grey seal colony

• Seek marine mammals in The Gully, a Marine Protected Area

PROPOSED ITINERARY

Day 1: St. John’s, NL

Day 2: At Sea

Days 3-6: Sable Island

Day 7: At Sea — The Gully (Marine Protected Area)



Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from St. John's.

DETAILED ITINERARY


We meet in St. John’s—Newfoundland’s historic, vibrant capital. Picturesque and welcoming, with a world-famous harbour, St. John’s has been continually fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America’s oldest European settlement.

We will offer an afternoon city tour to those interested. Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper. Passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we head for open water, passing Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America.

©Mike Beedell

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Day 2: At Sea

Our presentation series will kick into full swing today as our expert resource staff delves into the fascinating history and ecology of Sable Island. While out on deck, keep your eyes peeled for marine mammals and seabirds in the rich northwest Atlantic.

Days 3–6: Sable Island

Sable Island is the legendary location of hundreds of shipwrecks. The island is home to a population of feral horses, the rare Ipswich sparrow, seals, and seabirds in abundance. We’ll have a chance to meet some of the island’s handful of human inhabitants and learn about this unique habitat first-hand.

In the four days we will spend exploring Sable Island, expect to be dazzled by a natural habitat unlike any you have ever

seen. The herd of wild horses for which the island is famous is a true highlight: we will observe them at their wildest as they race among the dunes. The sandy shores afford unmatched opportunities for Zodiac cruising, and you may expect to delight in observing the curious local seal population as we do so.

The historic sites of Sable Island—the old shipwrecks and abandoned settlements—are of particular interest, as the island’s shifting sands hide and reveal different landscapes each day. This ecosystem is in true flux: the vegetation and habitats, as well as the human relics, are at the whim of the ever-changing dunes and we will spend our days exploring before the winds rise and hide all evidence of our passage.

Day 7: At Sea: The Gully Marine Protected Area

At sea today, we will be crossing The Gully, a Marine Protected Area approximately two hundred kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia and to the east of Sable Island. Here, the sea floor

©Janis Parker

©Michelle Valberg

suddenly drops a dizzying two and a half kilometres into a submarine valley. The Gully is one of the most prominent undersea features in eastern Canada and its unique ecology has attracted the interest of many agencies, such as Parks Canada and Environment Canada. This is due to its significant coral communities, its diversity of both shallow and deep-water fish and its many whales and dolphins.

As on our other days at sea, our resource staff will be on hand to deliver contextualizing presentations. Out on deck they will assist passengers in spotting the myriad seabirds and marine mammals for which this area is famous.


Explore Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of France’s colonial territories in North America. The island’s 6,500 residents are of varied descent including French, Basque, Breton, and Norman.

Saint-Pierre’s architecture reflects its history: an eclectic collection of colours and style aligned on picturesque cobblestone streets and alleys. We will have time for a tour of the city and independent exploration in the surrounding area. Take advantage of this day in France to enjoy some wine and cheese, and unwind in a tiny slice of old Europe nestled into the North American coast.


After sailing through the Narrows, we will say our farewells and begin the process of departure. Staff will be on hand to assist you with luggage and transportation arrangements.

FEATURED STAFF

JILL MARTIN AUTHOR

Jill Martin is the author of Return to Sable (2015) and was a consultant-historian for the National Film Board and White Gate Films. Her most recent work,

Sable Island: Through a Nineteenth-Century Lens—a pictorial look at life on Sable Island at the turn of the century—will be released by Nimbus publishers in April 2016. For many years she was an educator on Nova Scotia's South Shore, serving as the last principal of Lunenburg Academy. Jill sits on the board of directors of the Friends of Sable Island Society. She lives in Lunenburg with husband Carl in a home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

©Mike Beedell

REE BRENNIN HOUSTON NATURALIST

Ree is a zoologist with a passion for marine life and conservation. She worked at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography reviewing whale research

and conservation threats in the vicinity of Sable Island, including the Scotian Shelf and the Gully Marine Protected Area. She taught Marine Environmental Issues at Queen’s University, studied beluga whale population genetics, and helped launch the right whale genetics program led by the New England Aquarium and Trent University.

SARAH WONG

MARINE RESEARCHER

Sarah is most comfortable on the water, searching for seabirds, marine mammals, and sharks. Her research as taken her to Chile, Dominica, the Galapagos, and

beyond—although she has spent most of her time in Canadian waters. She has been a seabird observer for the Canadian Wildlife Service since 2007, and holds a Ph.D. from Dalhousie University. For the past three winters, Sarah has helped with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ grey seal research program on Sable Island.


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This summer sailing is ideally timed for viewing whales, icebergs, and breeding seabirds. The island’s charm and geographic diversity are best appreciated when visiting by ship. At Gros Morne, the planet’s mantle frames fjords that would be at home in Norway; on the Avalon Peninsula, a chunk of what was once Africa meets remnants of the Appalachian Mountains. We will visit Red Bay, learn about the Viking history in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows, and see the legendary French Shore Tapestry at Conche.

Starting and ending in historic St. John’s, we experience Newfoundland’s lively culture and dramatic scenery in daily expedition stops. A visit to the French island of Saint-Pierre caps the adventure. The welcome we receive in Newfoundland’s outport communities is warm and genuine; the music and stories unforgettable. Experience the province’s legendary music, food, and hospitality the way it was meant to be experienced—by sea.

NEWFOUNDLAND CIRCUMNAVIGATIONJUNE 19–JUNE 29, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Dennis Minty

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the phenomenal landscapes of Gros Morne National Park

• Share the warmth of a classic Newfoundland ‘kitchen party’

• Hear traditional stories and songs from our talented musicians

• View icebergs and whales at an optimal time of the year

• Discover the Viking history of North America

• Sail Newfoundland’s remote south coast

• Travel in the company of internationally acclaimed artist J.C. Roy

• Visit Miawpukek (Conne River), Newfoundland’s only Mi’kmaq community

PROPOSED ITINERARY


Day 2: Trinity Bay

Day 3: Conche

Day 4: L’Anse aux Meadows

Day 5: Red Bay

Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park

Days 7-8: South Coast, NL

Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River)



Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to and from St. John's. Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in St. John's are available upon request.

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: St. John’s

Welcome to St. John’s—Newfoundland’s historic, vibrant capital. Picturesque and welcoming, with a world-famous harbour, St. John’s has been continually fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America’s oldest European settlement.

We will offer an optional afternoon city tour to those interested. Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper. Passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we head for open water.

Day 2: Trinity Bay

Newfoundland’s history is intricately bound up with the cod fishery. In the heyday of sail, smaller centres like Trinity could claim to compete with St. John’s. Abandoned communities nearby, like the ghostly Ireland's Eye, add to the character of this region, as do the roles it played in the motion picture The Shipping News and the TV series Random Passage.

Day 3: Conche

On the Great Northern Peninsula, the people of Conche welcome us into their charming community. Complete with ties to its history, religion, fishery, and wildlife, Conche is made up

©Dennis Minty

of mostly Irish descendants. We will explore the colourful town on foot—and don’t be surprised if locals invite you in for a “mug up”! Conche is home to the legendary French Shore Tapestry, over two hundred feet of linen and wool telling the story of Newfoundland’s French history: its fishery, its conflict, and its people.


A unesco World Heritage Site, L’Anse aux Meadows is the only authenticated former Norse settlement in North America. The archaeological remains found here in 1960 date to approximately 1000 AD. Amazingly, the location of the ruins was first established by a close reading of the Viking sagas.

Today, a superb interpretive centre and reconstructions of the several Norse-style sod buildings make L’Anse aux Meadows a must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland.

Day 5: Red Bay

Labrador is home to the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station, Canada’s newest unesco World Heritage site. Beginning in the 1500s, Basque whalers operated out of the Red Bay harbour, making it at one time the largest whaling station in the world. The site includes six hundred acres of terrestrial and aquatic protected area. Among the important artefacts found at Red Bay is the whaling ship San Juan, lost in a storm in 1565 and found centuries later submerged in the harbour in only ten metres of water. A large number of tools, personal items, and navigational instruments have been recovered from the wreck.

Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park

Gros Morne is internationally famed for its geographic diversity and majesty. The park’s mountains are both picturesque and highly unusual: the Tablelands, a 600-metre plateau, forms one of the world’s best examples of ancient rock exposed from the earth’s mantle. The park’s fjords are equally stunning, and the town of Woody Point has become widely renowned for its annual Writers’ Festival.

There will be a choice of walks—catering to all levels of skill and interest—as we explore the surrounding area. The beauty of Bonne Bay will surely be a highlight, as will the subtle charms of Woody Point.

Days 7 – 8: South Coast

The wild and windswept coast of southern Newfoundland is home to a few remaining outport communities, still largely cut

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off from mainstream travel. Visits here are often a highlight of our trips. There are many unique bays and coves to explore via Zodiac or land excursions.

Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River)

The First Nations community of Miawpukek has a mandate for economic self-sufficiency, guided by traditional values. It became a permanent settlement sometime around 1822. Before then, it was one of many semi-permanent camping sites used by the Mi’kmaw people—who, at the time, travelled throughout the east coast. Since its establishment as a reserve in 1987, Miawpukek’s employment rate has increased from 10% to nearly 100% and Indian and Northern Affairs often references the community as a model for other First Nations.

With the help of community leaders, we will receive a formal welcome into Miawpukek and meet the locals.


Explore Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of France’s colonial territories in North America. The island’s 6,500 residents are of varied descent including French, Basque, Breton, and Normand.

St. Pierre’s architecture reflects its history: an eclectic collection of colours and style aligned on picturesque cobblestone streets and alleys. We will have time for a tour of the city and independent exploration in the surrounding area. Take advantage of this day in France to enjoy some wine and cheese, and unwind in a tiny slice of old Europe nestled into the North American coast.

Day 11: St. John’s

On the final day of our expedition, we will say our farewells and begin the process of departure. Staff will be on hand to assist you with luggage and transportation arrangements.

©Dennis Minty

©Scott Forsyth

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FEATURED STAFF

KEVIN MAJOR HISTORIAN

Kevin has published seventeen books and won numerous awards, including a Governor General’s Award for his first book, Hold Fast. The best-selling As Near

to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador traces the story of his homeland from continental drift to modern political upheaval. His novel No Man’s Land tells a tragic tale of the Newfoundland Regiment in wwi. His most recent novel, New Under the Sun, explores the many cultures to inhabit southern Labrador and the northernmost tip of Newfoundland.

DR. MARK ENGSTROM ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM

After receiving his doctorate in wildlife and fisheries from Texas A&M University, Mark worked as an assistant professor of biology at Angelo State University for six

years. He joined the Royal Ontario Museum (rom) in 1988 as Assistant Curator of Mammals and held a variety of curatorial positions over the next twenty-seven years before becoming Deputy Director of Collections and Research in 2003. In 2014, he led a team from the rom to Newfoundland to salvage two blue whale carcasses that washed ashore. He is also a professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He dreams of building the largest and most comprehensive research collection of whales in the world.

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JEAN-CLAUDE ROY ARTIST

Jean Claude was born in Rochefort-sur-Mer in 1948. He first went to Newfoundland at seventeen as a marine electrician aboard a French cable ship,

and fell in love with the landscape. Since 1971, he has divided his time between his two countries. In 2011, he published Fluctuat Nec Mergitur, a page book that includes paintings of every community in Newfoundland, the culmination of forty-five years’ work; he is now preparing a companion volume on Labrador. He and his wife Christina designed the French Shore Tapestry, for which he received the Prix Champlain in France.


©Scott Forsyth ©Dennis Minty

P R E S E N T E D I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H

This extraordinary sailing showcases staggering geographic diversity, departing the rocky narrows of St. John’s harbour and heading north along the coast of Newfoundland. We’ll explore islands and inlets in Notre Dame Bay and stop at L’Anse aux Meadows to pay our respects to North America’s Viking visitors before leaving Newfoundland behind and pressing on to Labrador.

Once there, we’ll travel to dazzling, rocky coastlines and call at immense beaches and long-abandoned communities. We’ll visit Hopedale, the seat of the Nunatsiavut government, as we move further north, and eventually will find our way into the stunning fjords of the Torngat Mountains National Park. In the park, mountains will tower above us as the azure waters mark our passage below; we will be scanning the horizon for icebergs, whales, polar bears, and seals. Labrador has to be seen to be believed—and we will do more than see it, as we head ashore on daily Zodiac expeditions to hike the secret wilds of Canada’s hidden coast.

We then turn east and ever northward, crossing the Davis Strait en route to Greenland. Once there, we will explore the world’s northernmost capital city and plumb the many fjords for which the western coast is famed. We’ll drop in on small coastal communities and Zodiac cruise at the foot of an immense glacier. Our journey ends as we sail into Kangerlussuaq at the head of Sondre Stromfjord, nestled against one of the world's largest ice caps.

GREENLAND & WILD LABRADORJUNE 29–JULY 11, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Mike Beedell

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the remote reaches of Newfoundland & Labrador in summer bloom

• Visit the only reconstructed Viking settlement in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows

• Travel with widely respected naturalists and culturalists

• Search for polar bears, whales, and seals

• Visit the pristine wilds of Torngat Mountains National Park

• Explore the abandoned community of Hebron

• Sail one of the longest fjords in Greenland

• Cross the Arctic Circle by sea

PROPOSED ITINERARY


Day 2: Notre Dame Bay


Day 4: Wonderstrands, Mealy Mountains Park Reserve

Day 5: Hopedale

Day 6: Hebron

Days 7-9: Torngat Mountains National Park

Day 10: At Sea—Davis Strait

Day 11: Nuuk, Greenland

Day 12: West Greenland

Day 13: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

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CHARTER FLIGHTS

Inbound:

Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, ON

July 11, 2016

Early-evening arrival

$1,095 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)

Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in St. John's and Toronto are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in St. John's and Toronto is recommended. Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport to St. John's and from Toronto.

DETAILED ITINERARY


We will arrive in St. John’s ready to explore and will offer an optional city tour to interested parties in the afternoon. Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and board the Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper; passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave the harbour. Sailing out of St. John’s has to be experienced to be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous Narrows as we head for open water.

Day 2: Notre Dame Bay

Notre Dame Bay is known for the dozens of quaint villages that

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dot its rocky shores, and it is to one of these small settlements that we will be paying a visit today. We may look forward to a characteristically warm Newfoundland welcome upon our arrival. The bay itself is home to a plethora of islands and, seasonally, icebergs that drift in from the Atlantic; the Ocean Endeavour will chart a scenic course through these beautiful monoliths as we head north.


A unesco World Heritage Site, L’Anse aux Meadows is the only authenticated Norse settlement in North America. The archaeological remains found here in 1960 date to approximately 1000 AD. Amazingly, the location of the ruins was first established by a close reading of the Viking sagas.

Today, a superb interpretive centre and reconstructions of the several Norse-style sod buildings make L’Anse aux Meadows a must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland.

Day 4: Wonderstrands, Mealy Mountains Park Reserve

The Mealy Mountains encompass five of Labrador’s ten provincial eco-regions, including coastal barrens, high subarctic tundra, high boreal forest, mid boreal forest, and string bog. The mountain range reaches heights of more than 1,000 metres.

When we think of Labrador, we may not think ‘beaches’—but the Vikings did. Two long trackless crescents of sand, washed by the cold Labrador Sea, backed by the Mealy Mountains were given the name “Wunderstrand” by the Norse seafarers, and earned a place in their sagas. Hunted, travelled, and occupied over thousands of years by various peoples, the Wonderstrands are still largely unknown and rarely visited by non-Labradorians.

Day 5: Hopedale

Today finds us entering Nunatsiavut, homeland of the Labrador Inuit. Our stop today is in the town of Hopedale, founded as an Inuit settlement named Agvituk, or “place of the whales”.

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In the late eighteenth century, Moravian missionaries from Germany arrived in the settlement to convert the population—a population with a long history of traditional nomadic Inuit occupation. The Hopedale Mission is still standing and is thought to be the oldest wooden-frame building in Canada east of Québec. It was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1970.

Hopedale is the legislative capital of the Nunatsiavut Government. A new assembly building has recently been opened with local Labradorite stone tiling and sealskin seats. An important historical location for Labrador is thus enjoying continued vitality in the modern lives of its Inuit population.

We will be going ashore to meet with locals in the community and to learn about the mission and its history. There will be ample time for walking and exploration—a nearby derelict American radar station affords spectacular views of the surrounding area.

Day 6: Hebron

Hebron is now abandoned. A Moravian Mission station was constructed here from 1829 to 1831 but the main buildings—the church, the mission house, and the store—were not inhabited until 1837. In a highly controversial move, the station was abandoned in 1959 with the departure of the Moravians, forcing the relocation of the Inuit who resided there. In 2005, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams apologized to people affected by the relocations. In August of 2009, the provincial government unveiled a monument at the site of Hebron with an inscribed apology for the site closure. Today, some of the buildings at Hebron are being repurposed

as a cultural interpretation centre and it is these buildings that we will be visiting. They form a lonely monument to the cultural past of the area, with hopes for the future of Nunatsiavut.

Days 7–9: Torngat Mountains National Park

The Torngat Mountains have been home to Inuit and their predecessors for millennia, with archaeological evidence reaching back almost 7,000 years. The fjords here reach deep into the heart of the mountains, bounded by cliffs peaking at 1,700 metres, the highest point of land in Labrador. The rugged, spectacular beauty of the Torngat Mountains underscores their role as the spiritual homeland of Nunatsiavut.

The Torngat Mountains comprise some of the oldest rocks on the planet and provide some of the best exposure of geological history. Polar bears, caribou, falcons, and eagles are among the species hardy enough to make their homes here.

We’ll spend our time here getting out on the land for hikes, searching for wildlife, visiting archaeological sites, and Zodiac cruising through some of Canada’s most dramatic landscapes.

Day 10: At Sea — Davis Strait

Our presentation series continues as we head across the Davis Strait towards landfall in Greenland. While out on deck keep your eyes peeled for minke and humpback whales (and other marine mammals), as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark our passage.

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Day 11: Nuuk

Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and the world’s northernmost capital! Nuuk means ‘the headland’ and is situated at the mouth of a gigantic fjord system. Established in 1728, Nuuk remains the bustling centre of the country today. We have the chance to spot humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land, and birds soaring above. The town is home to the University of Greenland, a cathedral dating back to 1849, and Greenland’s National Museum. We will visit some of the city’s most important sites, and you’ll have some 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, we will call in at one of these communities to experience small town Greenlandic life, or we may navigate into the stunning fjords that line the coast. This is a day in the true spirit of expedition travel and we will avail ourselves of any and all opportunities that present themselves.

Day 13: Kangerlussuaq

We will make our way up spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers (or late-nighters) will have a chance to experience its beauty. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery! Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord’.

Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport for our flights home.

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FEATURED STAFF

DERRICK POTTLE CULTURALIST

Derrick was born and raised in Rigolet, Labrador and lives a traditional Inuk lifestyle as a hunter and gatherer; he loves being out on the land. He hunts

and prepares caribou, seal, polar bear, fox, and wolf hides in the traditional Inuit way. He is a stone carver, and experienced in the challenges of long-distance travel in and around Nunatsiavut and Nunavik. While in town, Derrick teaches stone carving, bear safety, and traditional Inuit survival skills.

BILLY GAUTHIER ARTIST

Billy was born in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. In his early years he travelled eastern Canada residing and schooling in Ottawa, Yarmouth and Halifax in Nova

Scotia. He returned to live in Goose Bay at the age of thirteen. In 1996, he began to carve after his mom arranged for him to visit his cousin John Terriak, a known sculptor in Labrador. Though early in his career, Billy is already widely exhibited—his innovative and personal style has established him as one of the definitive Inuk artists of his generation.

LISA MOORE AUTHOR

Lisa won the 2013 Canada Reads competition for her novel February. She edited The Penguin Anthology of Canadian Short Fiction by Women,

and co-edited Great Expectations: 24 True Stories about Birth by Canadian Authors. She has written for Chatelaine, Elle, The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the National Post, and Canadian Art. She has also written for radio and television. She has taught at the University of British Columbia and at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and holds a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.


©Jerry Kobalenko

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This journey encompasses the beating heart of the Arctic from Greenland to Nunavut, and finally, Nunavik in Northern Quebec. We’ll travel just after the summer solstice, when the midnight sun will be at its zenith. The chances of seeing wildlife, including polar bears, walrus, and musk ox are excellent.

Beginning in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, we begin by travelling down a majestic fjord to Greenland’s western coast. We will stop in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, and visit the famous Qilakitsoq mummies. Crossing Davis Strait, we’ll sail into Cumberland Sound and call at Pangnirtung, Nunavut, famous for its prints and tapestries. In Kimmirut (Lake Harbour), on southern Baffin Island, you can also enjoy Inuit games, fresh bannock, and local music. Across the Hudson Strait in Nunavik, we call in at the friendly town of Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) where we tour the town and meet with local people. We’ll visit Akpatok Island where the world’s largest population of thick-billed murres nests above the island’s polar bears.

Heart of the Arctic is far and away our most community- and art-focused Arctic expedition. Kinngait (Cape Dorset) is widely hailed as the Inuit art capital and is home to some of the most celebrated stonecarvers in the Arctic. In 2008, Kinngait Studios celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. Throughout this itinerary we will be exposed to a wealth of creators and their creations. Steeped in a culture that is all its own, the heart of the Arctic will stay with you long after you return home.


HEART OF THE ARCTICJULY 11–JULY 23, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Lee Narraway

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cross the Arctic circle while sailing in the shadow of a spectacular Greenlandic fjord

• Spot polar bears, walrus, marine mammals, and bird colonies during our cruise of the Hudson Strait

• Mingle with world-renowned Inuit carvers in Kinngait

• Enjoy the sounds of talented throat-singers

• Marvel at the Arctic in summer bloom

• Visit Nuuk, the world's northernmost capital city

PROPOSED ITINERARY



Day 3: Nuuk

Day 4: At Sea—Davis Strait

Day 5: Pangnirtung, NU

Days 6–7: South Baffin

Day 8: Kimmirut (Lake Harbour)

Day 9: Kinngait (Cape Dorset)

Day 10: Digges Island

Day 11: Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay), QC

Day 12: Akpatok Island

Day 13: Kuujjuaq, QC

This is our proposed itinerary. It is highly probable that weather, sea, and ice conditions will not allow us to travel this exact route. Our Expedition Leader and the Ocean Endeavour's captain will determine our exact route day by day.

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CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:

Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

July 11, 2016

Early-morning departure


Inbound:

Kuujjuaq, QC to Ottawa, ON

July 23, 2016


$666.73 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)

Round trip:


Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Toronto and Ottawa are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Toronto and Ottawa is recommended.

DETAILED ITINERARY


Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’

We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord as the sun sets before us.


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

Day 3: Nuuk

Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland and the world’s northernmost capital city! 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 remains the bustling centre of the country today. We have the chance to spot humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land, and birds soaring above. The town itself is home to the University of Greenland, a cathedral dating back to 1849, and Greenland’s National Museum. We will visit some of the city’s most important sites, before free time to explore on your own.

©Scott Forsyth

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Day 4: At Sea — Davis Strait

Our presentation series will continue as we steam across the Davis Strait towards Canada. While out on deck, keep your eyes peeled for minke and humpback whales amid the pack ice, as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark our passage.

Day 5: Pangnirtung

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, colourfully patterned crocheted toques, can also be purchased at the centre’s gift shop.

Days 6–7: South Baffin

We will spend two days exploring the southern coast of Baffin Island, the fifth largest island in the world. Our 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 our fleet of Zodiacs. We will be adaptable to weather and ice conditions, and be open to the possibility of wildlife sightings,

as our expeditions to Baffin have proven unpredictable in both respects. The island is home to a wide variety of life, including a notable bear population, and we will be on alert for these kings of the north.

Our two days at Baffin will be exploratory in every sense, and we look forward to seeing what the island has to offer us.

Day 8: Kimmirut (Lake Harbour)

Located on southern Baffin Island, the scenic oceanside hamlet of Kimmirut is considered one of the most charming communities in the region. “Kimmirut” means “the heel” in Inuktitut, and refers to an outcrop of marble across the bay from the community 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.

Day 9: Kinngait (Cape Dorset)

Along the northwest shore of Dorset Island, surrounded on one side by rocky hills and on the other, by Hudson Strait, lies “the community that art built”. Between 1950 and 1962, Kinngait hosted a historic collaboration between James and Alma Houston and local Inuit—the collaboration that 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.

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Old and new generations of outstanding artists, carvers, and printmakers have made Kinngait the Inuit art capital of the world.

Day 10: Digges Island

Digges Island features a range of spectacular bird cliffs. In season, these sheer rock faces, rising hundreds of feet into the air straight from the water, are home to multitudes of thick-billed murres. There are estimated to be a staggering 287,000 breeding pairs, almost 20% of the Canadian thick-billed murre population, in addition to a wide array of other seabirds.

On the other side of the island lies an ancient Thule site. Ancestors of the present Inuit eked out lives on the shoreline and from the sea. The stone foundations of their meeting place and dwellings can still be seen amongst the rocks and boulders along the shoreline, and the bones of whales, seals, and walrus still lie where they were dropped so many years ago.

Day 11: Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay)

Kangiqsujuaq, which means “the large bay” occupies an exceptional site. The village is snuggled in the hollow of a splendid valley surrounded by majestic five-hundred-metre high rocky hills: a landscape of remarkable beauty. The bay takes its name from Captain William Wakeham who, in 1897, led an expedition to determine whether the Hudson Strait was safe for navigation. The bases of what were once Himalayan-scale mountains are found in the narrows.

Today, Kangiqsujuaq has a population of 605. A nearby copper and nickel mine draws a large percentage of its workforce from the community. Local archaeological sites date back as far as the late Dorset period some 1,200 years ago.

Day 12: Akpatok Island

Uninhabited Akpatok Island features soaring bird cliffs and small rocky beaches. Indeed, the island is named for the akpat—

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the thick-billed murres—that live on the ledges of the limestone cliffs that surround it. Here we’ll use our Zodiacs to scout the beaches in search of walrus and polar bears.

Day 13: Kuujjuaq, QC

Kuujjuaq lies approximately forty-eight kilometres upstream from Ungava Bay. It is the largest village in Nunavik, the Inuit homeland within Québec. The community is located on the western shore of the Koksoak River, and daily life is closely tied to its ebb and flow. The tidal action continually reshapes the landscape and imposes its rhythm upon the lives of Kuujjuaq’s inhabitants. Today, Kuujjuaq is a community that combines traditional Inuit culture with the conveniences of modern day life.

On the last day of our expedition we will say our farewells and disembark from the ship. Adventure Canada staff will be on hand to assist with all stages of the departure process.

FEATURED STAFF

JOHN HOUSTON CULTURALIST & FILMMAKER

John spent the first seven years of his life in the Arctic in Kinngait. He studied art in Paris and graduated from Yale University in 1975; that same year, he took up

the position of Art Advisor to the Pangnirtung Co-operative’s printmaking project. He is a published author and the founder of the Houston North Gallery. He is also a celebrated filmmaker and has won international awards for his work.

©Lee Narraway

©Lee Narraway

JON TURK EXPLORER

Jon received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1971, wrote the first environmental science textbook in North America, and continued writing textbooks for forty

years. He has climbed first ascent big walls in the Canadian Arctic, mountain biked through the Gobi desert, and skied first descents in the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzia. Jon chronicled his journeys in a trilogy of three books: In The Wake of the Jomon, The Raven’s Gift, and Crocodiles and Ice, A Journey into Deep Wilderness.

LYNDA BROWN CULTURALIST

Lynda was born in Nunavut. Upon graduating from Trent University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Native Studies and Psychology, she moved

to the nation’s capital, home to Canada’s largest southern Inuit community. She is the President of Inuit Non-Profit Housing Incorporation, and has been serving on this board for six years. She participated in the 2008 Governor General's Leadership Conference. Lynda is a traditional throat singer and drummer, and shares her cultural knowledge through demonstrations, information sessions, and workshops.

*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff—for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.©Lee Narraway

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Our classic Arctic expedition begins by exploring Greenland’s dramatic fjords and dynamic maritime communities. The great icefjord at Ilulissat, a unesco World Heritage Site and source of the majority of the icebergs in the North Atlantic, is one of many highlights along Greenland’s spectacular western coastline.

Across the Davis Strait in Nunavut, the Canadian Arctic experience begins in Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island). As we head north, opportunities for polar bear, whales, and musk ox abound on Devon Island, while Prince Leopold Island remains one of Canada’s best birding areas. Abandoned rcmp and hbc posts offer a haunting glimpse into the region’s rich history of exploration and trade.

At Beechey Island, we’ll pay our respects at the graves of three of Sir John Franklin’s men, along with a crewmember from the search ship Investigator. Our disembarkation point, Resolute Bay, memorializes the courage of the Inuit of Canada’s Arctic.

This itinerary represents Adventure Canada’s definitive approach to expedition travel and we will spend our days searching for every exploratory opportunity. It is our most wildlife-oriented expedition. In the winding fjords of Greenland, in the multitudinous islands of Nunavut, we will live and breathe the natural history of some of the planet’s most striking features. We will search for the animals that eke out their lives in hostile conditions and find beauty in the immense and indomitable north.


ARCTIC SAFARIAUGUST 4–AUGUST 15, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Michelle Valberg

HIGHLIGHTS

• Search for bears, whales, and walrus in their Arctic feeding grounds

• Learn first-hand about the history and culture of the Inuit

• Voyage along the magnificent fjords of Greenland’s coast

• Explore Niqinganiq in Isabella Bay, an Inuit-organized bowhead whale sanctuary

• Cross the Arctic Circle by sea

PROPOSED ITINERARY


Day 2: Itilleq Fjord

Day 3: Ilulissat

Day 4: Uummannaq Fjord

Day 5: Karrat Fjord

Day 6: Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island), NU

Day 7: Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay)

Day 8: Northeast Baffin Fjords

Day 9: Mittimatilik (Pond Inlet)

Day 10 Devon Island

Day 11: Prince Leopold / Beechey Islands

Day 12: Quaasuittuq (Resolute), NU

CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:


August 4, 2016



Inbound:

Resolute, NU to Ottawa, ON

August 15, 2016


$928 usd per person (includes all taxes and fees)

Round trip:


Pre- and post- expedition hotel nights in Toronto and Ottawa are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Toronto and Ottawa is recommended.

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DETAILED ITINERARY




Day 2: Itilleq Fjord

The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing communities, many islands and complex coastal waterways. We will be making an expedition stop here to explore the Greenlandic landscape.

Day 3: Ilulissat

Venturing 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle we find the stunning coastal community of Ilulissat. Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometres of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years and, because of its relative ease of accessibility, has

significantly added to the understanding of ice-cap glaciology, climate change and related geomorphic processes.

Day 4: Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord in northwest Greenland is the country’s second-largest system of fjords. It empties into Baffin Bay and is characterized by its developed coastline and various bays, islands, and peninsulas. It is considered to be the sunniest spot in Greenland, and favourable weather—coupled with proximity to coastal travel routes—has made the fjord system a popular destination for Greenlandic Inuit. It has been settled and re-settled continually for the last 4,500 years.

©Andre Stewart

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Day 5: Karrat Fjord

Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, known for plentiful marine life and awe-inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces.

Day 6: Qikiqtarjuaq (Broughton Island)

Qikiqtarjuaq, a community located on Broughton Island, is known for its wildlife, whale watching, and as an access point for Auyuittuq National Park. It is one of the Nunavut communities closest to Greenland. Qikiqtarjuaq (fondly called “Qik”, for

short) is known as the iceberg capital of Nunavut and was home to a norad military station that formed part of the Distant Early Warning (dew) in the 1950s.

Qikiqtarjuaq also boasts a burgeoning traditional Inuit craft industry, and local craftspeople are eager to share their wares. Talented local artists produce Inuit carvings—with a particular focus on intricate ivory work and jewellery. The community is famously warm and welcoming of visitors.


Niqinganiq is a 336,000-hectare marine region off Baffin Island that is a crucial feeding area for threatened bowhead whales. This is the world’s first Inuit-initiated and managed marine mammal sanctuary. The area includes two deep offshore

©Dennis Minty

57

troughs rich in copepods, which are a main food source for the bowhead whale.


Today will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate the fjords of northeast Baffin Island. Baffin’s fjords are striking, affording stunning perspectives on geological processes. The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for exploring these hidden treasures of the north, as her manoeuvrability allows her to access regions that would be impassable to larger vessels. We will be on alert for changing weather and ice conditions and use our judgement as to which route along the coast will be the most spectacular. As ever, our team will be on deck for the duration, searching for wildlife and contextualizing the mighty landscape through which we travel.

Day 9: Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet)

Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) is a bustling Arctic community surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the eastern Arctic. We will have a chance to explore the town and meet many local citizens who will gladly share their culture. We will be treated to a cultural presentation at the Community Hall. Mittimatalik is a famous region for viewing marine mammals, including the elusive narwhal.

Day 10: Devon Island

Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for

another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars.

Day 11: Prince Leopold / Beechey Island

The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top bird sites in the high Arctic both during the breeding and summering seasons. It is a breeding site for thick-billed murres, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, glaucous gulls, and black guillemots. In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition, and it was two years before search parties were launched. Aside from the bodies of the three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The three graves found at Beechey Island

©Larry Frank

left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party—until recently. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.


Qausuittuq, or “place with no dawn” is truly the land of the midnight sun—daylight persists constantly from about April 29 to August 13 each year.

Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and transfer to the airport for our return flights.

FEATURED STAFF

ANDRÉ GALLANT PHOTOGRAPHER

André is a freelance photographer who travels the world over in search of expressive images. He is the author of multiple books and his photographic

work has appeared in numerous magazines (Outdoor Photographer, Canadian Camera, Canadian Gardening, Canadian Living, Gardening Life, En Route). He regularly contributes to Photo Life. Andre is the recipient of two National Magazine Awards for his photography.

©Jerry Kobalenko

CHARLOTTE MOUGEOT GEOLOGIST

Charlotte is a professional geoscientist, long-term northern resident, and spent over twenty-five years as an environmental specialist in BC,

Alberta, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. She has developed a broad knowledge of Arctic Canada (specializing in terrain analysis) with extensive experience in permafrost-affected areas and environmental assessment. As part of exploration teams, she has worked closely with geologists, geophysicists, and groundwater specialists. She has led consultation and engagement programs with Inuit communities and developed educational materials for high school students.

AARON SPITZER HISTORIAN

Aaron is the former editor of Up Here magazine, the journal of Canada’s north. He has served as the managing editor of Nunatsiaq News, and went on to positions

in the Yukon and Northwest Territories with the cbc and Lonely Planet. During his time at Up Here, the magazine was named the best in Canada by the National Magazine Awards Foundation.


©Michelle Valberg

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Arctic Explorer begins in the land of the midnight sun, in the place with no dawn. After departing Quaasuittuq (Resolute), we’ll visit the final resting place of three members of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition at Beechey Island and search for polar bears and walrus in far north Baffin Island. In Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay) we will visit a vibrant, traditional community surrounded by towering cliffs and nesting habitates for seabirds, narwhals, and bowhead whales. At Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), our hosts will welcome us with throat-singing and Inuit games, before we explore Baffin’s mighty fjords. We’ll seek bowhead whales in Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay)—the world’s first Inuit-initiated whale sanctuary. Crossing Davis Strait, we’ll encounter Greenland’s stirring icescape. There, we’ll marvel at Uummannaq’s heart-shaped mountain, zip among the freshly calved bergs off Ilulissat in our Zodiacs, and hike around Itilleq Fjord. Spectacular Sondre Stromfjord makes a glorious finale to our trip.

Join us as we explore the far northern reaches of Nunavut and Greenland on our most culturally-focused itinerary. See what has been wrought without the hand of man, and learn about the lives carved out in some of the world's most inhospitable—yet beautiful—places.

ARCTIC EXPLORERAUGUST 15–AUGUST 26, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Mike Beedell

HIGHLIGHTS

• Call at Niqinganiq (Isabella Bay)— a bowhead whale sanctuary, the world’s first Inuit-managed reserve of its kind

• Marvel at the Ilulissat Icefjord, where 90% of the north Atlantic’s icebergs are born

• Visit the site of the famous Qilakitsoq mummies' discovery near Uummannaq

• Hike gorgeous Arctic landscapes

• See the lonely graves of the Franklin Expedition

PROPOSED ITINERARY


Day 2: Beechey Island

Day 3: Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay)

Day 4: Devon Island

Day 5: Mittimatilik (Pond Inlet)



Day 8: Karrat Fjord

Day 9: Uummannaq

Day 10: Ilulissat

Day 11: Itilleq


CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:

Ottawa, ON to Resolute, NU

August 15, 2016



Inbound:


August 26, 2016



Round trip:


Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Ottawa and Toronto are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Ottawa and Toronto is recommended.

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DETAILED ITINERARY


Qausuittuq is also known the “place with no dawn”. This is truly the land of the midnight sun; it shines twenty-four hours a day from about April 29 to August 13 each year. From archaeological excavations, it has been concluded that there have been at least three stages of occupation at Resolute Bay. The Dorset culture was the first, followed by an early phase of the Thule culture, in which the artefacts found show strong Alaskan affinities. These were probably both short periods of occupation, possibly by only a few families. A late or developed phase of the Thule culture was of longer duration, with a considerably larger population. In 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak (former Port Harrison), Québec and Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) were relocated to Resolute by the Canadian government.


In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition, and it was two years before search parties were launched. Aside from the bodies of the three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The three graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.

Day 3: Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay)

Ikpiarjuk, on the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on Baffin Island, has been occupied in some capacity for over 5,000 years. The bay itself is surrounded by high hills on all sides; the hamlet deserves its Inuktitut name, which means “the pocket”. To the southeast, the flat-topped King George V Mountain dominates the skyline.

©Michelle Valberg

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Day 4: Devon Island

Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars.

Day 5: Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet)

Mittimatalik is a bustling Arctic community surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the eastern Arctic. We will have a chance to explore the town and meet many local citizens who will gladly share their culture. We will be treated to a cultural presentation at the Community Hall. Mittimatalik is a famous region for viewing marine mammals, including the elusive narwhal.


Today will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate the fjords of northeast Baffin Island. Baffin’s fjords are striking, affording stunning perspectives on geological processes. The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for exploring these hidden treasures of the north, as her manoeuvrability and shallow draft allows her to access regions that would be impassable to larger vessels. We will be on alert for changing weather and ice conditions and use our judgement as to which route along the coast will be the most spectacular.

As ever, our team will be on deck for the duration, searching for wildlife and contextualizing the mighty landscape through which we travel. Today will feature an expedition stop and an opportunity to get out on the land.


Niqinganiq is a 336,000-hectare marine region on Baffin Island that is a crucial feeding area for threatened bowhead whale. This is also the world’s first Inuit-initiated and maintained marine mammal sanctuary. The area includes two deep offshore troughs rich in copepods, a main food source for the bowhead whale.

©Michelle Valberg

65

Day 8: Karrat Fjord

Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces.

Day 9: Uummannaq

Archaeological excavations at Qilakitsoq, due south of Uummannaq Island, revealed the existence of the ancient Saqqaq culture. Recent evidence indicates that these groups settled Greenland between 2500 BC and 800 BC, and further, that they migrated from Siberia to arrive in Uummaanaq.

Midway up the west coast of Greenland along the fjord of the same name is the town of Uummannaq. Proud home of the world’s northernmost ferry terminal, Uummunnaq also boasts a canning factory and a marble quarry, and is an important hunting and fishing base for the region. The town is dominated by its namesake—Uummunnaq Mountain—1,170 metres in height and nearly 600 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

Day 10: Ilulissat

Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice.

We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The Icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometers of ice annually.

Day 11: Itilleq

The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing communities, tiny islands and complex coastal waterways. Itilleq was founded in 1847 on another nearby island, and later moved to its present location. Its main trades are fishing and hunting, and a desalination plant provides the community with all of its fresh water.


We will make our journey up spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers will have a chance to experience its beauty.

©Mike Beedell


Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport for outbound charter flights.

FEATURED STAFF

DAVID REID EXPLORER

The last Scottish recruit for the Hudson’s Bay Company, David moved from Glasgow to Canadian Arctic in 1989 and made the move to Mittimatalik (Pond

Inlet) on north Baffin Island in 1991. For the past fifteen years, he has been involved in the adventure travel business and has since led, organized, or participated in more than 260 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. A member of the Explorers Club, David travels extensively in the off-season, working on a variety of projects as well as promoting and marketing the Baffin region, Nunavut, and Arctic Canada.

©Scott Forsyth

©Mike Beedell

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KATHLEEN MERRITT CULTURALIST & MUSICIAN

Kathleen is an Inuit throat-singer, poet, writer, and collaborator from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. She released her first album, Ivaluarjuk: Ice, Lines & Sealskin

in summer 2015. Kathleen also works as an arts administrator, coordinating and facilitating the National Art Centre’s Music Alive Program in Nunavut, and is a board member of the Qaggiavuut! Society for a Nunavut Performing Arts Centre. She is passionate about sharing her culture and music, and providing opportunities for youth to become engaged in conversations important to their communities through the arts.

JOHN BLYTH EXPEDITION TEAM

Hailing from Fort Smith NT, John has a propensity for exploration. He has worked in every region of the Northwest Territories and parts of northern Alberta

and BC, as well as in Nunavut. John’s professional background stems from anthropology, traditional knowledge research, and archaeology. Due to the deep interconnection between the culture and the environment in the north, he has expanded his work to be closely associated with a diversity of fields in the environmental sciences such as biology, hydrology, and regulation and assessment.


©Andre Stewart

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The Northwest Passage represents the pinnacle of Arctic exploration. On this voyage, like our explorers before us, we go where the ice allows. We’ll explore the quaint villages, dramatic fjords, and calving glaciers of Greenland, working our way north to spectacular Kap York. Then, crossing Smith Sound, we’ll visit Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), Canada’s northernmost community. The bird cliffs at Coburg Island National Wildlife Area teem with kittiwakes and murres.

At Beechey Island, the Franklin expedition gravestones stand watch. Melville, Banks, and Devon Islands offer opportunities to spot Peary caribou, polar bear, walrus and musk ox—and visits to ghostly rcmp and Hudson’s Bay Company posts. Prince of Wales Strait affords a striking, narrow passage to Amundsen Gulf and our destination: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), the end of our epic journey above the Arctic Circle.

To sail the Northwest Passage is to sail through living history, to sail the haunting landscapes that have enchanted explorers for centuries. In its fierce and untameable wilds lies a stark beauty—the remote reaches of the north have a power that is all their own. Join the ranks of the fearless adventurers who have been lured by the spirit of the Northwest Passage.

INTO THE NORTHWEST PASSAGEAUGUST 26–SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Scott Forsyth

This is our proposed itinerary. It is highly probable that weather, sea, and ice conditions will not allow us to travel this exact route. Our Expedition Leader and the Ocean Endeavour's captain will determine our exact route day by day.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Join the select few who have travelled this legendary route

• Photograph birds and wildlife in their remote wilderness habitats

• Marvel at the Ilulissat Icefjord, where 90% of the north Atlantic’s icebergs are born

• Travel to Greenland, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories within one sailing

• Learn about Inuit communities, culture and worldview first hand

• See haunting artefacts of the northern explorers, hbc, and rcmp

PROPOSED ITINERARY


Day 2: Sisimiut

Day 3: Ilulissat

Day 4: Karrat Fjord

Day 5: Melville Bay

Day 6: Kap York

Day 7: Smith Sound

Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU

Day 9: Coburg Island



Day 12: Bathurst Island

Day 13: Melville Island

Day 14: Banks Island, NT

Day 15: Prince of Wales Strait

Day 16: Ulukhaktok (Holman)

Day 17: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU

CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:


August 26, 2016



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Inbound:

Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU to Edmonton, AB

September 11, 2016



Round trip:


Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Toronto and Edmonton are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Toronto and Edmonton is recommended.

DETAILED ITINERARY




Day 2: Sisimiut

The second-largest town in Greenland, Sisimiut has been inhabited for the last 4,500 years, first by the Inuit peoples of the

©Andre Stewart

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Saqqaq, the Dorset, and then by the Thule. Their descendants form the majority of its present-day population of some 6,000 inhabitants. It is the largest business centre north of Nuuk and the fastest-growing town in Greenland.

Day 3: Ilulissat

Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name. Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out along a boardwalk to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord.

The icefjord is where we find the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometres of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years.

Day 4: Karrat Fjord

Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces.

Day 5: Melville Bay

To the north of the Upernavik Archipelago, Melville Bay opens to the southwest into Baffin Bay. Its Kalaallisut name, Qimusseriarsuaq, means “the great dog sledding place”. Ice does not clear from the bay each summer and it is totally isolated and uninhabited. Because of local winds and extensive ice, Melville Bay is the site of dramatic landscape views.

©Dennis Minty

Day 6: Kap York

The rugged coastal environment at Kap York is rich in wildlife and part of an extensive network of traditional hunting grounds. During the spring and summer months the skies and cliffs are dotted with millions of birds, primarily auks and murres. This district boasts the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland. Whalers and explorers often entered these waters; Admiral Robert Peary’s family raised a monument in honour of his achievements on the cape. Sailors’ and ships’ logs record multiple climbs of the cape in order to survey the ice conditions in Qimusseriarsuaq (Melville Bay).

Day 7: Smith Sound

We will spend a day exploring this fabled body of water that served as the main route for explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole. Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with varying degrees of success. The Sound was named by William Baffin after Sir Thomas Smythe, promoter of voyages to find a Northwest Passage.

Between forty-eight and seventy-two kilometres wide—and eighty-eight kilometres long—Smith Sound is often packed with ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing.

Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU

Aujuittuq means ‘place that never thaws.’ It is an apt name for this peaceful hamlet, 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle—Canada’s northernmost civilian community. We’ll be welcomed by the population of about 165.

Our activities will centre in the village where we will have a chance to meet members of the community and learn about their way of life.

Day 9: Coburg Island

At the entrance to Jones Sound is Coburg Island, whose spectacular seabird cliffs are a designated National Wildlife Area. Thirty thousand pairs of black-legged kittiwakes and 160,000 pairs of thick-billed murres crowd the rocky ledges on this island, which is itself almost completely covered by an ice cap.


Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first

©Jerry Kobalenko

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sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars.


In 1845 Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition. It was two years before search parties

were launched. Aside from the bodies of three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The three graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.

Day 12: Bathurst Island

Good soil conditions and a rare wetland environment produce abundant vegetation here, making Bathurst a major calving area

©Deanna Leonard Spitzer

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for the endangered Peary caribou. Here we also find the Polar Bear Pass National Wildlife Area, a migratory route for polar bears from March to November. The north half of the island is the proposed Tuktusiuqvialuk National Park.

There is a long human history on the island, with evidence of Dorset and Thule habitation as early as 2000 BC. Before there were any permanent buildings at Bathurst Inlet, the area was home to the Kingaunmiut, the “people of Nose Mountain”. They constructed stone tent rings, meat caches, fox traps and drying racks, as well as hunting hides (taluit) and inuksuit (stone figures, “in the likeness of a man”). Few explorers reached this area—the first Franklin Expedition (1819–1821) came into Bathurst Inlet in the summer of 1821, travelling by large birchbark canoes, mapping the Arctic coast and seeking the Northwest Passage. They were also seeking the local Inuit but found no one; everyone had gone inland for the summer. Our morning excursion to Arctic Sound is at the northern reaches of Bathurst Inlet.

Day 13: Melville Island

British explorer Sir William Parry first visited Melville Island in 1819. Not only did he discover the island; ice forced him to spend the winter in 1820 at what is now called ‘Winter Harbour’. The island is named for Robert Dundas, second Viscount Melville, who was First Sea Lord at the time.

Melville Island is one of two major breeding grounds for a small sea goose, the western High Arctic Brant. dna analysis and field observations suggest that these birds may be distinct from other Brant stocks. Numbering only 4,000–8,000 birds, this is one of the rarest goose stocks in the world.

Day 14: Banks Island

In 1820, Sir William Parry named Banks Island in honour of British naturalist and botanist Sir Joseph Banks. Two federal Migratory Bird Sanctuaries were founded in here in 1961.

©Brenda Nutter

©Danny Catt

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The island is home to two thirds of the world’s population of lesser snow geese, and also supports barren-ground caribou, polar bears, and birds like robins and swallows. The first grizzly-polar bear hybrid found in the wild was sighted here in April 2006, near Sachs Harbour. Musk ox, numbering over 40,000, are the most striking of the abundant wildlife on the island.

Day 15: Prince of Wales Strait

Prince of Wales Strait is part of the Arctic Ocean, extending northeastward for 275 kilometres from the Amundsen Gulf to Viscount Melville Sound and separating Banks and Victoria Islands. It was discovered in 1850 by Irish explorer Robert McClure, who came within sight of Viscount Melville Sound before heavy ice forced him to turn back.

Named after Albert Edward, then the Prince of Wales, the strait was not navigated until the rcmp patrol of Sgt. Larsen in 1944.

Day 16: Ulukhaktok (Holman)

Found on the west side of Victoria Island, The Hudson’s Bay Company post was opened at Prince Albert Sound in 1923, moved to Walker Bay in 1928 and finally to Ulukhaktok (Holman) in 1939. The large bluff that overlooks Ulukhaktok was the source that provided the slate and copper used to make ulus—traditional Inuit knives—and gives the community its name. Printmaking is popular in Ulukhaktok, as are beautifully intricate pieces carved from the horns of the abundant local musk ox population. The musk ox also provide the community with qiviut, one of the warmest and most luxurious fibres in the world, used to make all manner of clothing and coverings.

Day 17: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)

Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River, southwest of Victoria Island on the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the western most community in Nunavut. Coppermine reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine River itself is designated a Canadian Heritage River for the important role it played as an exploration and fur trade route. Copper deposits along the river attracted the first explorers to the area.

Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet our charter flights home.

©Andre Gallant

FEATURED STAFF

CAROLYN MALLORY FIELD BOTANIST

Carolyn is a field botanist and writer. Her work includes Common Insects of Nunavut, Common Plants of Nunavut, and the children’s picture book Painted

Skies. She is hard at work on a novel. Carolyn can often be found ashore with her nose a few centimetres above the Arctic permafrost, studying the local flora and fauna.

TAGAK CURLEY CULTURALIST

Tagak is an Inuk leader, politician, and businessman—he was a prominent figure in the negotiations that led to the creation of Nunavut. He worked with

the Federal Department of Indian Affairs from 1966–1970 and has held leadership positions with the Inuit Cultural Institute, Nunasi Corporation, and Nunavut Construction. He received the Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, was named to the Order of Canada in 2003, and was named to the Order of Nunavut in 2015. Photo credit: Chris Windeyer

SUSAN AGLUKARK MUSICIAN

Susan is Arctic Canada’s first-ever Juno Award-winning Inuk singer/songwriter. She has won three Junos and was the recipient of the Order of Canada in 2005.

She is the founder of the Arctic Rose Project, an advisor on the Collateral Damage Project, and chaired the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation from 2007 to 2011. Susan was a member of the Arctic Inspiration Prize selection committee (2012–2013) and spent three years with the University of Alberta as a Distinguished Scholar in Residence. Her work is powerfully informed by the experiences and narratives of her people, which she helps to share with the world through her art.


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A truly iconic journey, the Northwest Passage remains one of the world's last true frontiers. This expedition takes you to its heart. Leaving Kugluktuk, we head east, traversing Coronation Gulf en route to Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven), where Amundsen honed his polar skills. We sail the Queen Maud Gulf, while stopping daily for hiking and Zodiac cruising. Passing through Bellot Strait, we watch for whales, walrus, polar bear, and musk ox. At Beechey Island we pay our respects at the Franklin expedition graves. On Devon Island, we visit the ruins of the Dundas Harbour rcmp and hbc posts, before calling in at Canada’s most northerly community, Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord).

Continuing north into the wilds of Smith Sound we expect ice, ice, and more ice! We trace the routes of famous explorers such as Rasmussen and Peary as we call in at Greenland’s northernmost community, Qaanaaq. Sailing south amidst towering icebergs, we’ll witness calving glaciers, explore deep fjords and visit the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord.

Experience the untamed might and majesty of the far reaches of the north. The crown jewel of Arctic expedition travel, a trip through the Northwest Passage leaves one forever changed. See our world in a new light as you join the ranks of the fearless explorers who came before. It has been said of the Northwest Passage that for those who haven't been, no words can describe it—but for those who have, no words are necessary.

This itinerary features French programming.

OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGESEPTEMBER 11–SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR

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©Scott Forsyth

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel the route that has enchanted explorers for centuries

• Enjoy visits to vibrant Inuit communities

• Find and photograph the wild creatures of the Arctic wilderness—excellent opportunities to encounter whales and polar bears

• Experience the Arctic with our expert artists, lecturers, and hosts

• Visit the historic graves of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition

• Land at the largest uninhabited island on Earth during our stop at Devon Island

• Cruise the Ilulissat Icefjord, a unesco World Heritage Site and home to the world's fastest-moving glacier

• See the northern lights in all their majesty

PROPOSED ITINERARY

Day 1: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU

Day 2: Cornation Gulf

Day 3: Usqsuqtuuq (GjØa Haven)

Day 4: Prince of Wales Island

Day 5: Bellot Strait / Fort Ross


Day 7: Devon Island

Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)

Day 9: Smith Sound

Day 10: Qaanaaq, Greenland

Day 11: Kap York

Day 12: Melville Bay

Day 13: Karrat Fjord

Day 14: Illulissat

Day 15: Sisimiut Coast


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CHARTER FLIGHTS

Outbound:

Edmonton, AB to Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU

September 11, 2016



Inbound:


September 26, 2016



Round trip:


Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in Edmonton and Toronto are available upon request. Overnight accommodation in Edmonton and Toronto is recommended.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)

Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River, southwest of Victoria Island on the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the westernmost community in Nunavut. Coppermine reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine River itself is designated a Canadian Heritage River for the important role it played as an exploration and fur trade route. Copper deposits along the river attracted the first explorers to the area.

©Dennis Minty

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Because the tundra is close to the tree line, a variety of wildlife can be viewed in the area, including grizzly bears, wolverines and moose, as well as tundra wildlife, such as musk ox, caribou, foxes, and wolves.

Day 2: Coronation Gulf

Separating Canada’s mainland from the Arctic Archipelago is the Coronation Gulf. Named by Sir John Franklin in honour of the coronation of King George IV, the Gulf receives the Coppermine, Tree, Rae, and Richardson rivers. It is host to several hundred islands and small islets.

Day 3: Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven)

In 1903, explorer Roald Amundsen, while looking for the Northwest Passage, sailed through the James Ross Strait and stopped at a natural harbour on the island’s south coast. Unable to proceed due to sea ice, he spent the winters of 1903–04 and 1904–05 at Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven). While there, he learned Arctic living skills from the local Netsilik Inuit, skills that would later prove invaluable in his Antarctic explorations. He used his ship, Gjøa, as a base for explorations in the summer of 1904, sledding the Boothia Peninsula and travelling to the magnetic North Pole.

Amundsen finally left, after twenty-two months on the island, in August 1905. The harbour where he lived is now the island’s only settlement, Gjøa Haven, which he called “the finest little harbour in the world”. Today, the town is home to some 1,300 inhabitants, an airport, and an air defence North Warning System site known as cam-b.

Day 4: Prince of Wales Island

One of the islands of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Prince of Wales Island is an isolated and tundra-covered mass devoid of any human habitation. Its European discovery came in 1851 by Francis Leopold McClintock's sledge parties as they searched for the Franklin Expedition. We will make an expedition stop on the island and explore its striking wilderness by Zodiac.

Day 5: Bellot Strait / Fort Ross

Fort Ross was the last trading post built by the Hudson’s Bay

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Company in Canada’s Arctic. Established in 1937 it was meant to bridge the eastern and western Arctic fur trading districts through Bellot Strait, a narrow thirty-two-kilometre passage separating the northernmost tip of continental North America from Somerset Island. Rising out of the vast Arctic wilderness, Fort Ross had two buildings— a manager’s house and a store—and was also home to a number of Inuit families. It was operated for some eleven years, but eventually abandoned because of the ice that constantly choked the strait. When Fort Ross was finally closed in 1948, the operation was moved some 250 kilometres south to Stanners Harbour, establishing the town of Spence Bay, now known as Taloyoak.

Bellot Strait marks the first meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific tides north of Magellan Strait. The strait was missed by John Ross and wasn’t discovered until 1852 by William Kennedy, who named the strait after his second-in-command, Joseph-Rene Bellot.


The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top bird sites in the High Arctic both during the breeding and summering seasons. It is a breeding site for thick-billed murres, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, glaucous gulls, and black guillemot. It was also from this area that Sir John Ross (James’s uncle) escaped in 1833 after abandoning the Victory and spending four harrowing winters in the Arctic, and it was beneath these tall cliffs, that Sir James Clark Ross, perhaps the greatest polar explorer of the nineteenth century, was based in 1848–49. Ross’s 1848–49 expedition in search of the Franklin expedition was not successful; they spent a frustrating winter

locked by ice in Port Leopold on the northeast coast of Somerset Island and returned to England the following summer.

In 1845, Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men in two ships into Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition, and it was two years before search parties were launched. Aside from the bodies of three souls buried here, only relics were found as clues to the disappearance. The graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the hms Erebus in the frozen waters of the Northwest Passage, a discovery that has re-galvanized interest in the fabled region.

©Danny Catt

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Day 7: Devon Island

Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first sighted by Europeans in 1616, though it was not inhabited for another three hundred years with the arrival of the Hudson’s Bay

Company. The island's geology consists of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; these, combined with its harsh climate, have drawn comparisons with the planet Mars.

Day 8: Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord)

Aujuittuq means ‘the place that never thaws.’ It is an apt name for this peaceful hamlet, 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle—Canada’s northernmost civilian community. We’ll be welcomed by the population of about 165.

Our activities will centre on the village where we will have a chance to meet members of the community and learn about their way of life.

Day 9: Smith Sound

We will spend a day exploring north into this fabled body of water that served as the main route for explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole. Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares, and Elisha Kent Kane all travelled these waters with varying degrees of success. The sound was named by William Baffin after Sir Thomas Smythe, promoter of voyages to find a Northwest Passage.

Between forty-eight and seventy-two kilometres wide—and eighty-eight kilometres long—Smith Sound is often packed with ice and provides favourable conditions for wildlife viewing.

Day 10: Qaanaaq, Greenland

Artistic talent runs high in this northern community, and visitors are often in search of the distinct art pieces that are created here. An outstanding museum featuring geological samples and historic artefacts is among the town's highlights. One of the hardest places to reach in the Arctic, it is easiest to visit by ship.

©Jerry Kobalenko

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Day 11: Kap York

The rugged coastal environment at Kap York is rich in wildlife and is part of an extensive network of traditional hunting grounds. During the spring and summer months the skies and cliffs are dotted with millions of birds, primarily auks and murres. This district boasts the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland.

Whalers and explorers often entered these waters and later Admiral Robert Peary’s family raised a monument in honour of his achievements on the cape. Sailors’ and ships’ logs record multiple climbs of the cape in order to survey the ice conditions in Qimusseriarsuaq (Melville Bay).

Day 12: Melville Bay

To the north of the Upernavik Archipelago, Melville Bay opens to the southwest into Baffin Bay. Its Kalaallisut name, Qimusseriarsuaq, means “the great dog sledding place”. Ice does not clear from the bay each summer, leaving it totally isolated and uninhabited. Because of local winds and extensive ice, Melville Bay is the site of dramatic landscape views.

Day 13: Karrat Fjord

Today we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords, known for plentiful marine life and inspiring landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus slopes within the fjord should give us good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities of the majestic rock faces.

Day 14: Ilulissat

Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, and there couldn’t be a more fitting name for this stunning coastal community.

©Michelle Valberg

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Our visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out along a boardwalk to an elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs through the unesco World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord.

The Icefjord is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometers of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years.

Day 15: Sisimiut Coast

The west Greenland coastline is a rich mixture of fishing communities, various islands and complex coastal waterways. We will be making an expedition stop here to explore the Greenlandic landscape.


We will make our journey down spectacular Sondre Stromfjord, and early risers will have a chance to experience its beauty. Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery! Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’

Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet our charter flights home.

©Peter Croal

FEATURED STAFF

LATONIA HARTERY ARCHAEOLOGIST

Latonia has a Ph.D. in circumpolar archaeology from the University of Calgary. Her exploration of this topic has taken her to the Canadian Arctic,

Greenland and Scandinavia. For the past decade she has conducted excavations on Paleoeskimo sites in Bird Cove-Pond Cove, Newfoundland. At this location she integrates research, tourism and public education. She is also the president of aara, a non-profit organization dedicated to Arctic and sub-Arctic studies. She has worked on independent documentaries and other films for a wide range of broadcasters including aptn and the cbc. For her community efforts, and for preserving and promoting Arctic and sub-Arctic culture, she was recently given jci Canada’s Outstanding Young Person Award.

MARK MALLORY NATURALIST

Dr. Mallory is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Coastal Wetland Ecosystems at Acadia University, Nova Scotia. He lived in Iqaluit from 1999–

2011, working as a government biologist. He has written over 180 scientific papers and two books. His studies, including using Inuit local ecological knowledge, led to the creation of two new national wildlife areas (Qaqulluit and Akpait nwas) on eastern Baffin Island, and the uplisting of ivory gulls to Endangered status in 2009. In 2014, Mark was appointed to the Royal Society of Canada, College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists—Canada’s leading scientific academy.

EDNA ELIAS CULTURALIST

Edna is the former mayor of Kugluktuk, the director of the gnwt Language Bureau, and an interviewer for the McGill University Inuit Health Survey aboard

the Amundsen for the Canadian Coast Guard. She is an Inuit language and culture advocate and is founder of the Women in Action—Steps of Hope Arctic Treks to raise breast cancer awareness. Her term as the fourth Commissioner of Nunavut ended in May 2015. Now, Edna lives in Kugluktuk and operates Inuinnait Services Ltd.


©Andre Gallant

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The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising. Outfitted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, multiple lounges, and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote environments. The Ocean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, enabling her to freely explore throughout the Arctic summer. Launched in 1982, she has had numerous upgrades, most recently in 2010 and 2015.

At 137 metres in length, the Ocean Endeavour has plenty of interior and exterior space. Ample deck space offers comfortable lounge chairs, a swimming pool, a sauna, and even a hot tub! The spacious interiors allow for varied workshops and presentations to occur simultaneously. The three lounges

aboard the Ocean Endeavour are optimal locations for seminars, events, and conversation.

The Ocean Endeavour’s accommodations are stylish and comfortable. All cabins have private washroom facilities, a phone for internal calls, TV, and temperature control. There are a variety of cabin categories available ranging from 9–30m2 (90–300ft2).

The Ocean Endeavour’s crew is experienced and friendly. The ship’s shallow draft and manoeuvrability allow her to access isolated fjords, bays and secluded communities. Enjoy the class and comfort of a boutique hotel while venturing to some of the world’s last great frontiers aboard the Ocean Endeavour!

THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR ©Dennis Minty

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YOUR EXPEDITION INCLUDES

Ashore:

• Introductions to local people and customs

• Sightseeing

• Museums' entry, parks' access, and port taxes

• Access to pristine wilderness areas

• Zodiac tours and cruises

• On-site archaeology workshops

• Community programming—local performances, presentations, and demonstrations

• Rubber boots for expedition landings

Aboard:

• Educational presentations

• Interactive workshops

• Evening entertainment

• All shipboard meals, including on-deck barbeques and afternoon tea

• 24-hour coffee, tea, and snacks

• Hors d’ouevres and snacks during daily evening recaps

• 24-hour film and documentary programming in cabins

• Fully stocked library

• Access to all ship's amenities, including sauna, gym, pool, and hot tub

POOL DECK

POLARIS RESTAURANTCOMPASS CLUB

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DECK 4 DECK 5 DECK 6 DECK 7

DECK 8

DECK 9

POLARIS RESTAURANT

NAUTILUS LOUNGE

AURORA LOUNGEAURORA LOUNGE

POOL

NAUTILUS LOUNGE

POLARIS RESTAURANT

MUD ROOM

MERIDIAN CLUB

MERIDIAN CLUB

GYM DAY SPA

GYM DAY SPA

SAUNASAUNA

COMPASS CLUB

* Photos are a guide only; actual cabins may differ from those shown.

DETAILS

Type of vessel:

Passenger Cruise Ship

Year built: 1982: Szczecin, Poland (keel laid 1980)

Refurbished: 2001 / 2004 / 2010 / 2015

Registry: Bahamas

Length: 137 metres / 450 feet

Breadth: 21 metres / 69 feet

Draft: 5.8 metres / 19 feet

Ice Class: 1B

Main Engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6ZL40/48

Propellers: 2 x variable pitch propellers

Stabilizers: Gyrofin stabilizers

Bow-thruster: 600 kW / 800 hp

CABIN CATEGORIES

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CATEGORY 1 | QUAD

Deck four. Interior cabin, four lower berths, private bath (separate shower room and powder room) — approx. 240 sq. ft.

CATEGORY 5 | MAIN TWIN

Deck five. Picture window, unobstructed view; two lower berths, private bath — approx. 115 sq. ft.

CATEGORY 4 | EXTERIOR TWIN

Deck four. Porthole window, unobstructed view; two lower berths, private bath — approx. 100 sq. ft. (Twin) / 90 sq. ft. (Single)

CATEGORY 8 | SUPERIOR TWIN

Deck five (two picture windows, unobstructed view; two lower berths, sitting area — approx. 210 sq. ft.), deck seven forward (forward-facing picture windows, unobstructed; matrimonial bed, private bath with full tub — approx. 180 sq. ft.), deck seven midship (picture windows, partial obstruction; matrimonial bed — approx. 190 sq. ft.) private bath, refrigerator

CATEGORY 10 | SUITE

Deck seven, forward-facing picture windows, unobstructed view; matrimonial bed, private bath with full tub, refrigerator — approx. 310 sq. ft.

CATEGORY 3 | INTERIOR TWIN

Deck five. Interior cabin, two lower berths, private bath — approx. 125 sq. ft. (twin) / 110 sq. ft. (single)

CATEGORY 7 | SELECT TWIN

Deck five (picture windows, unobstructed view; two lower berths OR matrimonial bed, approx. 190 sq. ft.) and deck eight (oversize windows, partial obstruction matrimonial bed — approx. 145 sq. ft.) private bath, refrigerator

DECK 8 PICTUREDDECK 7 PICTURED

DECK 4 PICTURED

CATEGORY 9 | JUNIOR SUITE

Deck five (picture windows, unobstructed view; matrimonial bed, sitting area — approx. 270 sq. ft.), deck seven forward (forward-facing picture windows, unobstructed; matrimonial bed, private bath with full tub, sitting area — approx. 290 sq. ft) private bath, refrigerator

CATEGORY 2 | TRIPLE

Deck four. Interior cabin, three lower berths, two private baths — approx. 200 sq. ft.

CATEGORY 6 | COMFORT TWIN

Deck four (two porthole windows, unobstructed view; two lower berths OR matrimonial bed — approx. 175 sq. ft.), deck seven (picture window, partial obstruction; two lower berths — approx. 135 sq. ft.), and deck eight (picture windows, obstructed view; matrimonial bed — approx. 160 sq. ft.) private bath, refrigerator

CATEGORY 6 | SITTING AREA

2016 EXPEDITION COSTS INCLUDE:

*Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour *Pre-departure materials *Special access permits, entry and park fees *Team of expedition staff *Applicable taxes *Educational program *Interactive workshops *Evening entertainment *Guided activities *Sightseeing and community visits *All Shipboard Meals *All Zodiac excursions *Port fees

2016 EXPEDITION COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE:

*$250 Discovery Fee *Commercial & Charter flights *Gratuities (suggested $15 usd per passenger, per day) *Personal expenses *Mandatory medical evacuation insurance *Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes *Possible fuel surcharges *Pre & post hotel accommodation *Optional excursions *Additional costs associated with payments made by credit card *Please see credit card rates on page 92

2016 EXPEDITION & BERTH PRICES

Heart of the Arctic

ArcticSafari

ArcticExplorer

Discovery Fee

Date 2016 Days

Cabin Class Categories

Greenland & Wild Labrador

Mighty Saint Lawrence

Newfoundland Circumnavigation

SableIsland

12

12

13

13

10

11

9

Charterflights

$350

$1,095

$2,195

$1,995

$2,195

Aug 4–Aug 15

July 11–July 23

Aug 15–Aug 26

June 29–July 11

Jun 01–Jun 10

June 19–June 29

Jun 11–June 19

Into the Northwest Passage

Out of the Northwest Passage 16

17

$2,395

$2,395

Sep 11–Sep 26

Aug 26–Sep 11

$5,795

$250

$4,995

$3,795

$2,395

$3,995

$7,995

1

$5,795

$8,995

$2,595

$6,795

$250

2

$5,995

$4,795

$3,195

$5,195

$9,395

$6,795

$10,395

$3,395

$8,195

$250

3

$7,395

$6,195

$3,995

$6,595

$11,095

$8,195

$12,095

$4,695

$9,495

$250

4

$8,695

$7,495

$4,995

$7,895

$12,595

$9,495

$13,595

$5,995

$10,695

$250

5

$9,895

$8,695

$5,995

$9,095

$14,095

$10,695

$15,095

$6,995

$11,895

$250

6

$11,095

$9,895

$7,095

$10,295

$15,595

$11,895

$16,595

$7,995

$13,095

$250

7

$12,295

$11,095

$8,095

$11,495

$17,095

$13,095

$18,095

$8,995

$14,395

$250

8

$13,595

$12,395

$9,095

$12,795

$18,595

$14,395

$19,595

$9,995

$15,695

$250

9

$14,895

$13,695

$10,095

$14,095

$20,095

$15,695

$21,095

$10,995

$16,995

$250

10

$16,195

$14,995

$11,095

$15,395

$21,595

$16,995

$22,595

$11,995

ALL PRICES ARE IN U.S. DOLLARS AND ARE CASH/CHEQUE DISCOUNTED CREDIT CARD PRICING AVAILABLE ON PAGE 92

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DISCOVERY FEE

Each area we visit has rich cultural experiences and wild treasures to offer. As guests, we have made a point of sourcing and supporting local projects in the areas through which we travel. A contribution from each passenger, billed separately as the Discovery Fee, represents a portion of the money we donate to ensure the longevity and success of educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives in these regions. Our Discovery Fee is $250 usd per person for all shipboard expeditions.

PRICING

Rates are in U.S. dollars, per person, per voyage based on double occupancy except for C1 and C2, which are quad and triple cabins, respectively. Discovery Fee and charter/commercial airfare are not included in the berth price. Single occupancy cabins are available in select cabins on Ocean Endeavour. Please call for availability.

CURRENCY

Although we are a Canadian company, most of our operating costs are paid in U.S. dollars. For this reason all tour prices are in U.S. dollars. We will accept Canadian dollars at an incentivized exchange rate; please call for details. We are not responsible for bank exchange rates on credit card transactions.

TOUR FARES

Published prices are based on exchange rates and tariffs in effect at the time of printing (October 2015) and are subject to change without notice. Once the deposit has been received changes will not be made to the base price.

No refund will be given if costs are reduced. The company reserves the right to amend all or part of any tour price for any reason including, without limitation: increased fuel costs, airfares, airport charges or increases in ground operator service fees. If the price increase is more than 7% (except increases resulting from an increase in retail sales tax or Federal Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax) the customer has the right to cancel the contract and obtain a full refund. Tour fees quoted are based on group participation. Prices are cash/cheque discounted, and in U.S. dollars.

2016 CREDIT CARD PRICING IS AS FOLLOWS IN USD:

Mighty Saint Lawrence: C1 $2,699 C2 $3,531 C3 $4,883 C4 $6,235 C5 $7,275 C6 $8,315 C7 $9,355 C8 $10,395 C9 $11,435 C10 $12,475 Sable Island: C1 $2,491 C2 $3,323 C3 $4,155 C4 $5,195 C5 $6,235 C6 $7,379 C7 $8,419 C8 $9,459 C9 $10,499 C10 $11,539 Newfoundland Circumnavigation: C1 $3,947 C2 $4,987 C3 $6,443 C4 7,795 C5 $9,043 C6 $10,291 C7 $11,539 C8 $12,891 C9 $14,243 C10 $15,595 Greenland & Wild Labrador: C1 $5,195 C2 $6,235 C3 $7,691 C4 $9,043 C5 $10,291 C6 $11,539 C7 $12,787 C8 $14,139 C9$15,491 C10 $16,843 Heart of the Arctic: C1 $4,155 C2 $5,403 C3 $6,859 C4 $8,211 C5 $9,459 C6 $10,707 C7 $11,955 C8 $13,307 C9 $14,659 C10 $16,011 Arctic Safari: C1 $6,027 C2 $7,067 C3 $8,523 C4 $9,875 C5 $11,123 C6 $12,371 C7 $13,619 C8 $14,971 C9 $16,323 C10 $17,675 Arctic Explorer: C1 $6,027 C2 $7,067 C3 $8,523 C4 $9,875 C5 $11,123 C6 $12,371 C7 $13,619 C8 $14,971 C9 $16,323 C10 $17,675 Into the Northwest Passage: C1 $9,355 C2 $10,811 C3 $12,579 C4 $14,139 C5 $15,699 C6 $17,259 C7 $18,819 C8 $20,379 C9 $21,939 C10 $23,499 Out of the Northwest Passage: C1 $8,315 C2 $9,771 C3 $11,539 C4 $13,099 C5 $14,659 C6 $16,219 C7 $17,779 C8 $19,339 C9 $20,899 C10 $22,459

PAYMENT POLICY

A deposit of $1,000 usd per person is required upon booking to confirm participation. The balance of the payment is required 120 days prior to your departure date. The Company reserves the right to cancel reservations if payments are not received in time. Prices are cash/cheque discounted, if you wish to pay by credit card please refer to our credit card pricing. Please make cheques payable to: ADVENTURE CANADA. Please review our Cancellation & Refund Policy for a full outline of our cancellation terms.

As a registered Ontario company, we are licensed to sell travel packages through the Travel Industry Council of Ontario. We are required to keep all customer deposits in Client Trust Accounts and may only use the funds once the trip has begun or to make a deposit to an operator on behalf of the client. Our Client Trust Accounts are reviewed by a CPA on an annual basis and regularly inspected by TICO auditors.

WE ARE FAMILY FRIENDLYFamily is important! To promote multi-generational travel, we are offering a 30% discount to travellers under 30 years of age. Please call us for details!

WE LOVE BAGPIPERS!If you can play the bagpipes, bring them along and ask about our bagpiper’s rebate!

SAILING SOLO?We have a select number of single cabins available at no extra charge! Please call us for details.

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HOW TO REGISTERTo register for an Adventure Canada expedition, each participant must complete the registration form and return it to our office with a $1,000 usd deposit. THE REGISTRATION FORM IS DOUBLE-SIDED AND YOUR SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED ON SECOND PAGE. By returning the registration form and deposit, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Release required for participation on any Adventure Canada excursion. All cheques must be made out to Adventure Canada and MAY NOT BE CANADIAN CHEQUES MADE OUT TO usd; ask your bank for information on foreign currency. Full payment by credit card is subject to credit card pricing.

ITINERARIESWeather, ice, and government regulations may necessitate changes to the itineraries and/or the cancellation of certain shore excursions. Every attempt—within the limits of law, time, and safety—will be made to adhere to the itineraries described. There may be a planned alternate for your route: please inquire at the time of booking. In the event of itinerary changes, passengers are not entitled to any refund or other compensation. Should the tour be interrupted for any reason repatriation costs and expenses relating to prepaid travel expenses will be at the sole cost of the traveler. There will be no refund for any portion of the tour already taken. Adventure Canada recommends that the passenger obtains full travel insurance coverage and purchases refundable air/train tickets. Expedition fees are based on group participation. Should you choose not to take part in any activity or make use of services provided, no refund will be given. Vessels and dates are subject to change.

SINGLE TRAVELLERSOn the Ocean Endeavour, single travellers willing to share their accommodation will be guaranteed the published rate even if a roommate is not available in categories one through seven. There are a limited number of single-occupancy cabins available in categories three through seven with no single supplement charge. A single supplement charge of 1.5 times the published rate will apply when single cabins are not available.

PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATIONPrior to your expedition we will send you a pre-departure package including a statement of account, login details for your online profile, a handbook of practical guidelines, a briefing (on local history, flora, and fauna), a reading list, and packing suggestions.

ONLINE PROFILEAdventure Canada collects personal information from our passengers via secure online account. You are required to provide select medical and personal information, as well as acknowledgement of select liabilities. Online accounts are established by booking reservations. This means that all passengers on a given reservation will have access to each others’ information. You will be asked to acknowledge this process on our reservation form by checking the box ‘I/we agree that all passenger details will be viewable by all persons on this registration/reservation’. If you prefer to have individual access to the online account please do not check this box on the reservation form and advise your Adventure Specialist by phone or email. If you prefer to provide your personal information to Adventure Canada by mail or fax, please contact us and we will send you paper copies. We ask that your personal information be completed at your convenience, but no less than 120 days prior to departure. You will not receive your final documents until these forms are completed and submitted.

PASSPORTS & VISASPassports are mandatory and must be current, with a date of expiry at least three (3) months after the trip’s conclusion. Participants are responsible for obtaining personal visas, passports, health certificates and other required documents and inoculations at their own expense. Entry to another country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete.

ACTIVITY LEVELAdventure Canada expeditions are intended for people in reasonably good health. Zodiac cruises and transfer times can be lengthy. You must be able to climb stairs between decks on the ship. You must also be able to climb the external gangway stairs to transfer between the ship and the Zodiacs. Our guides and ship crew are available to assist you in and out of the Zodiacs, both on shore and at the gangway. Adventure Canada expeditions may involve extensive walking in variable weather conditions over sometimes sandy or uneven terrain. Wherever possible on shore excursions, we break into smaller, guided groups according to interest and physical ability. This may mean one small group going off on a strenuous, two hour hike on steep terrain, while another explores the area in and around the landing beach, keeping to relatively level terrain and short distances. Generally speaking, once a few people are ready to return to the ship, the Zodiacs are usually available to take you back at the time of your choosing.

ZODIAC CRAFTZodiacs are the favoured means of transportation for all our expeditions and, indeed, wherever shallow waters and beaches ring the shoreline. They are stable, versatile craft that cruise at approximately four knots; in windy weather they can make for rather splashy rides. We therefore recommend wearing wet weather gear for Zodiac transfers. Life preservers are absolutely compulsory and will be provided. Zodiac landings will generally entail disembarking onto rocky or gravelly beaches. The beach landings may be wet, meaning that there may be some spray en route to shore, and that you may have to step into water up to 25 centimetres / 10 inches deep. Rubber boots will be provided.

MEDICAL FACILITIESThis expedition is intended for persons in good health. Passengers who are not fit for long trips for any reason, including disability, heart, or other health conditions, are advised not to join the tour. Should any such condition become apparent, we reserve the right to decline embarkation. Our vessel is not equipped to handle serious medical conditions. Medical and Emergency Evacuation insurance is mandatory. A ship’s doctor will be in attendance in the ship’s small medical clinic to attend to passengers’ basic health needs. If you require specific medications, please ensure that you bring a supply adequate to last you for the duration of the journey and take care to properly pack them to ensure safe transport. Once aboard ship, we will be travelling in remote communities where prescriptions cannot be replaced. There is a fee for consultation and treatment by the onboard doctor. Any charges will be debited from your onboard account.

GRATUITIESOur ships’ crew work hard to please, and tips are heartily appreciated. In fairness to all those who work together to make your trip enjoyable, tips are collected at the end of the voyage and distributed equitably among the crew. Although we leave tip amounts to your discretion, past passengers have asked for a recommended amount. We suggest a rate of $15 usd per day, per passenger. Gratuities will be automatically added to your shipboard account: you may advise the purser onboard if you would like to increase or decrease the tip amount. Adventure Canada staff does not accept tips. AIRFAREWhen purchasing your airline tickets to meet us at our point of departure, please ensure that they are changeable or refundable; Adventure Canada is not responsible for missed connections due to late charter flights or changes/delays/interruptions in the ship’s intended itinerary and will not reimburse you for rebooking fees or new ticket charges incurred.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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SELECT YOUR TRIP Trip: ________________________________________ Category: ___________________

SELECT PREFERENCES Double Single To Share Smoker Non-Smoker

Passenger 1 Passenger 2

Full Name: (as on passport)

Preferred Name:

Preferred Language:

Title: First: Last: Middle:

First: Last: First: Last:

Title: First: Last: Middle:

Address:

Email:

Telephone:

US Shoe size:

Emergency Medical & EvacuationInsurance is mandatory for this program.

No, I do not require insurance; I will provide you with my policy information.

Please provide a quote for: Emergency medical insurance Cancellation and interruption insurance All-inclusive

Date of Birth:

Home: ( ) Work: ( )

DD/MMM/YY Nationality:

Street: City: Prov/St: Country: Postcode:

Home: ( ) Work: ( )

DD/MMM/YY Nationality:

Street: City: Prov/St: Country: Postcode:

REGISTRATION FORMPlease call to confirm availability before sending in completed registration form.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Where did you first hear of this trip?

Method of Payment for$1,000 USD deposit perperson to hold space

Signature:

Card Number: Exp:VISA

MASTERCARD

Cheque Enclosed

SIGNATURE(S) REQUIRED ON REVERSE SIDE

Please send both completed and signed pages of this registration form with payment to the address on theback cover. Please give us a call or send us an email if you have any questions.

REGISTRATION FORM

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PASSAGE CONTRACT TICKETThese Terms and Conditions and Passage Contract Ticket (“terms and conditions”) are entered into between 750207 Ontario Inc., operating as Adventure Canada (Ontario Registration Nos. 0400 1400 / 5002 1860) (“Adventure Canada”) and the passenger (as detailed on the Registraion Form).

Adventure Canada is a sub-charterer of the Ocean Endeavour from Endeavour Partners Ltd. (“carrier”). These terms and conditions shall serve as the Passage Contract Ticket in use by the carrier, which is the standard passenger contract and liability waiver of the vessel mentioned herein. In accepting these terms and conditions, the passenger is agreeing that these terms and conditions shall also serve as the Passage Contract Ticket.

RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITYThe passenger hereby agrees to these terms and conditions and in consideration of the services and arrangements provided by Adventure Canada, further agrees that neither Adventure Canada nor its owners, officers, directors, agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees shall have any liability or responsibility whatsoever for damages to or loss of property, loss of services, or injury or wrongful death or any other loss, expense, damage, delay or inconvenience which may be sustained or which may be incurred by reason of, or while engaged on, any Adventure Canada tour, whether due to Adventure Canada or the carrier’s ownership, maintenance, use, operation or control of any manner of conveyance used in carrying out the tour; (ii) the use of transportation or other services of carrier, owners, operators, or public carriers for whom Adventure Canada acts only as agent and for whom Adventure Canada is not responsible; (iii) passenger’s lack of proper travel documentation (such as visas, passports, etc.); (iv) any act, omission or event occurring during the time that passengers are not aboard Adventure Canada carriers or conveyances; (v) any act of war, insurrection, revolt or other civil uprising or military action occurring in the countries of origin, destination or passage, or changes caused by sickness, weather, strike, quarantine or other causes beyond the control of Adventure Canada or carrier or (vi) defects or failures of any aircraft, vessel, automotive vehicle or other equipment or instrumentality under the control of independent suppliers. If for any reason, Adventure Canada is ever found liable for any matter, Adventure Canada’s maximum liability, for any reason whatsoever, will be limited to the amount paid to Adventure Canada for its services. Without limitation, Adventure Canada is not responsible for any negligent acts, or acts which are beyond its control, including but not limited to acts of God or force majeure, weather emergencies, breakdown, or failure of diving or mechanical equipment, government actions, inclement weather, sickness, attacks by animals, availability of medical care or the adequacy of the same, criminal activity of any kind, terrorism, war, civil disturbance, sanitary conditions, quality or sanitation of food, quarantine, customs, regulations, epidemics, strikes, hotel overbooking, safety and/or security standards at hotels or other accommodations, or for any other reason beyond the control of Adventure Canada.

The passenger hereby waives any claim it may have against Adventure Canada, its owners, officers, directors, agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees for any such damage, loss or injury. Adventure Canada acts only as agent for all services described herein. Adventure Canada and its sponsoring organizations do not assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any claims, damages, expenses or other financial loss related to the operation of this tour.

The passenger specifically understands and agrees that the passenger is releasing, discharging and waiving any claims or actions that the passenger may have presently or in the future for the negligent acts or conduct of Adventure Canada, its owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and/or employees.

Regardless of the situation or circumstances giving rise to a claim, the passenger waives any right to seek indirect, special, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages against Adventure Canada, its owners, officers, directors, agents, contractors (including, without limitation, the carrier) and employees, for any reason whatsoever.

On tours which neither embark, disembark nor call at any port in the United States, Adventure Canada and the carrier shall be entitled to any and all liability limitations, immunities and rights applicable to it under the “Athens Convention Relating to

the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea” of 1974, as well as the “Protocol to the Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea” of 1976 (“Athens Convention”). The Athens Convention limits the carrier’s liability for death or personal injury to a passenger to no more than 46,666 special drawing rights as defined therein (approximately U.S. $70,000). In addition, and on all other tours, all the exemptions from and limitations of liability provided in or authorized by the laws of the United States (including title 46, United States Code Sections 30501 through 30509 and 30511) will apply.

In case of a medical problem arising during the voyage, either on board or on shore, which results in costs for evacuation, use of aircraft or repatriation, the responsibility for payment of these costs belongs solely to the passenger.

COMPENSATIONCompensation for personal injury is limited in accordance with the provisions of any applicable International Conventions. These include, for example, in the course of road travel, air travel, rail travel, sea travel, or hotel accommodation and are limited to the provisions of, respectively, the Geneva Convention 1973, the Warsaw Convention as amended by the Hague Protocol 1955, the 1961 Berne Convention, the 1974 Athens Convention and the 1962 Paris Convention.

EXPRESS ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY/PARTICIPATIONThe passenger hereby certifies that he/she does not have a mental, physical, or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for him/her or other passengers. The passenger agrees to honestly complete the personal information request from Adventure Canada via its website or by requesting paper copies, prior to departure. Adventure Canada reserves the right to request further information from the passenger’s physician. The passenger clearly understands that the liability of Adventure Canada is definitively limited as aforesaid. The passenger has carefully read the terms and conditions set out herein as well as the materials regarding the tour provided by Adventure Canada and is aware that such tour involves the risk of personal injury or death and damage or loss of property. The passenger also acknowledges that risk and dangers may be caused by the negligence of Adventure Canada, its owners, directors, employees, contractors, officers or agents or the negligence or participation of other participants. The passenger acknowledges that risk and dangers may arise from foreseeable and unforeseeable causes, including weather and other acts of nature. The passenger acknowledges that the aforementioned risks, dangers and hazards are a potential in connection with recreational activities which may take place during the passenger’s tour. In consideration of the benefits to be derived from participation in the tour, the passenger voluntarily accepts all risk of personal injury or death and property damage or other loss arising from participation on the tour and hereby agrees that he/she and his/her dependents, heirs, executors, administrators, legal personal representatives, successors and assigns, do release and hold harmless Adventure Canada and its owners, employees, officers, directors, agents, contractors, trustees and representatives from any and all claims, including claims of negligence, illness, personal injury, death or property damage or loss, however caused, arising from or related to this tour. The passenger has read carefully these terms and conditions, and will abide by the conditions set by Adventure Canada and in the terms and conditions hereof or elsewhere published. The passenger affirms that he/she has not received or relied on any oral or written representation of Adventure Canada as a basis for agreeing to the release contained in these terms and conditions.

Adventure Canada and the carrier shall be entitled to inspect passengers and their luggage for security purposes and the passenger hereby acknowledges that this may involve a physical search of the passenger and/or his/her property.

Should any passenger not arrive on board the vessel at a scheduled time of departure, Adventure Canada shall have no liability for any delay or interruption in planned itinerary of the vessel and Adventure Canada shall have the right, but shall not be obliged, to continue with the cruise on its planned itinerary.

DATE: DD / MMM / YY

Please complete, sign and return.

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CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICYAll requests for cancellations must be received in writing. Upon Adventure Canada receiving a written notice of cancellation at least 120 days prior to the scheduled date of departure, the passenger shall receive a full refund of its tour fees, less an administrative penalty of $500 usd per person. If a written notice of cancellation is received by Adventure Canada between 91 and 120 days prior to the scheduled date of departure, the passenger shall receive a refund of 35% of its tour fees. Please note that within the 90-day limit, all fees, deposits and tariffs received by Adventure Canada are forfeited. For these and other reasons mentioned below, passengers are strongly advised to obtain trip cancellation insurance at the time of deposit. No refunds shall be made to passengers who do not participate in any part of, or otherwise do not complete, the tour for any reason whatsoever.

DELAYS & INTERRUPTIONIn the event of a delay, passengers will be responsible for all costs and expenses associated therewith, including, without limitation, any additional food, lodging, transportation costs, or charge fees resulting from such delay. Should the tour be interrupted for any reason repatriation costs and expenses relating to prepaid travel expenses will be at the sole cost of the passenger. There will be no refund for any portion of the tour already taken. Adventure Canada recommends that the passenger obtains full travel insurance coverage and purchases refundable air/train tickets.

INSURANCEDue to the nature of the tour in which the passenger will be participating, passengers should have in place prior to departure, comprehensive insurance coverage including without limitation medical, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, accident and baggage insurance. It is the responsibility of the passenger to secure insurance for the level of protection they desire. Adventure Canada’s cancellation terms apply to all passengers. Emergency Medical and Evacuation Insurance is mandatory for participation in all Adventure Canada expeditions and may be purchased through Adventure Canada at the time of booking and onward. Evidence of policy documentation

will be required prior to embarkation. All passengers must carry a minimum of $75,000 usd per person emergency medical and evacuation coverage. This may not cover the full cost of a medical emergency. Additional expenses are the full responsibility of the passenger. Any losses sustained by the passenger as a result of the passenger failing to obtain proper insurance coverage shall be the sole responsibility of the passenger. For full coverage, including cancellation coverage prior to departure, passengers are strongly recommended to obtain travel insurance. As the passenger firms up their travel plans the passenger may insure additional trip related expenses (for example commercial airfare, accommodations, pre and post excursions and discrepancies in currency), please contact your client services specialist to do so.

BAGGAGEBaggage is solely at the passenger’s risk and expense. Baggage is limited to a maximum weight of 20 Kg or 44 lbs for all excursions involving an Adventure Canada charter flight. Also, commercial airline luggage allowance differs from carrier to carrier; please check with the passenger’s airline for current standards and weight restrictions. Excess baggage is not permitted on charter flights. Any excess baggage charges for commercial flights are the responsibility of the passenger. Passenger’s baggage is restricted to suitcases and hand luggage of such size and type as can comfortably and safely be stored in the passenger’s cabins. Cabin trunks are not acceptable and will not be permitted on board the vessel.

IMAGES AND PRIVACYOn these trips Adventure Canada takes many photos, some of which are used for promotional purposes. If the passenger would not like photos which include the passenger to be used, please let Adventure Canada know in advance. Adventure Canada may also celebrate the passenger’s birthday or special events: please advise Adventure Canada if the passenger would like to abstain.

EXCLUSIVE GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION These terms and conditions and any actions and proceeding brought hereunder shall be governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the laws of Canada applicable therein without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any action or legal proceeding to enforce any provision hereof, or based on any right arising out of, these terms and conditions shall be exclusively in the courts of the City of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, and all of the parties hereto hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and of the appropriate appellate courts in any such action or legal proceeding and waive any objection to venue or jurisdiction in connection therewith.

©Scott Forsyth

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

1 4 F R O N T S T. S . M I S S I S S A U G A , O N

L5H 2C4 CANADA ONT REG# 4001400

1.905.271.40001.800.363.7566

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A D V E N T U R EC A N A D A

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Documents

2016 Adventure Canada Expeditions