Greenland and Baffin Island – The Ultimate Arctic Island Exploration

After crossing the Davis Strait and sailing up through Baffin Bay, we arrive at the northern part of Baffin Island and the entrance to the legendary Northwest Passage. From here, we start our exploration of the high Canadian Arctic and attempt to successfully complete a circumnavigation of Baffin Island, provided the elements work in our favour.

Unpredictable ice conditions in this remote region lay the grounds for a true expedition where adventure is the only certainty.

Along the way, we aim to land at sites that are linked to early exploration history, visit traditional Inuit communities, and hope to spot Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, foxes, whales, seals, and large colonies of seabirds. There will also be opportunities for small expedition boat cruising between ice floes, and in true expedition style, we will go ashore and experience the pristine wilderness first hand.

The ship captain and Expedition Leader will continuously assess the current weather and sea conditions, adapt activities accordingly, and adjust the itinerary to where the sea ice allows us to go. Like all true explorers, we respect and work with nature, not against it.

Here are some of the places in the region that we plan to explore together:

Pond Inlet

Picturesque Pond Inlet, called 'Mittimatalik' in Inuktitut, is a traditional Inuit community on Baffin Island. It overlooks Eclipse Sound and the mountains of Bylot Island and is known as a great place to see large pods of narwhal.

Devon Island

Welcome to the largest uninhabited island on Earth. The only signs of human life are at the long-abandoned settlement of Dundas Harbour along with several archaeological sites from the Thule period. 

Prince Leopold Island

The sheer cliffs on this oval isle attract the largest number and greatest diversity of sea bird species than any other site in the Canadian Arctic. Most commonly seen are thick-billed murres, northern fulmars and black guillemots.

Beechey Island

This is the final resting place for three members of the lost Franklin expedition which sailed into the Northwest Passage in 1845 but never returned. It is customary for explorers to stop and pay their respects, as did Roald Amundsen in 1903.

Fort Ross

An abandoned Hudson’s Bay Trading post located at the southern end of Somerset Island. The storehouse here is still used as a shelter by occasional travellers, with bunk beds and shelves of canned goods.

Igloolik

Located on a small island, this hamlet is an active and vibrant community, and considered a cultural centre for the Inuit. It is also home to Artcirq, the only Inuit circus troupe in the world, who host an arts festival here every summer.

Cape Dorset

This beautiful settlement, situated on a hill next to a bay, has earned international recognition for its many Inuit artists, inspired by the unique landscapes, wildlife, and cultural traditions here.

Kimmirut

Named ‘the Heel’ for a distinctive nearby rocky outcrop in nearby Glasgow Inlet, this is Baffin Island's southernmost Inuit community. The 400 people here still maintain the traditions left by their ancestors 4000 years ago.

Akpatok Island

The dramatic towering limestone sea cliffs here, with waterfalls cascading off the plateau above, are a key habitat for many migratory birds. Drifting ice floes also attract walrus, seals, foxes, polar bears and whales.