EPILOGUE - EXPEDITION TRAVEL IN THE NORTH

The daily ice chart.  Red areas are "no go".

Fast moving swimmer

As our itinerary was adjusted to sail around heavy sea ice we were in for more polar bear encounters.

Ursus Maritimus is designed for the cold, built for predation and instilled with incredible patience. The polar bear is a strong swimmer, moving fast in the water while travelling long distances.

Our first nautical sighting was an adult bear swimming so rapidly he sent out a chevron-like wake as he moved between the sea ice.  

A further sighting involved a bear at much closer range.  He looked over at us sitting transfixed in the zodiac and didn’t look particularly impressed, changing his direction sharply away from us.

Continuing south we explored Maniiturjuaq Islands. Zodiac cruising produced more bird sightings and another polar bear in the water.  Several zodiac propellers met with submerged rocks and in retrospect the Inukshuks on shore could have been a warning sign to beware of shallow waters.  The islands’ Inuktitut name translates into “Rough Islands”. Very appropriate

As we headed south to Kugaaruk the ocean was now clear of sea ice, so no more bear encounters.  However there were bearded seals, walrus and even a brief narwhal sighting. Approaching Pelly Bay, a place where few vessels have been before, the hamlet of Kugaaruk came into view.  With a population of around 900, 97% of the inhabitants are Inuit.  This community, and many others, is supplied annually in an operation called “Sealift”.  Fortunately for us the gravel runway at Kugaaruk’s airstrip would be suitable to take us south. 

Our voyage of discovery!

Kugaaruk holds the record for the coldest wind chill ever recorded in Canada.  A new record was set in February 2018, -51.9 degrees centigrade. Despite the arctic freeze the warmth of the people was positively tropical.  We were warmly welcomed by the community as we awaited our charter to Edmonton. 

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be.  Weather conditions had prevented the incoming flight from arriving so it was back to Vavilov for another night on board.

Zodiacs from Vavilov speed towards Ioffe to begin the evacuation

This put everyone’s onward travel plans into chaos and staff on board worked hard to do whatever they could for us as well as assisting the delayed incoming passengers stranded in Yellowknife. While unsettling, all this paled when we realized what had been going on behind the scenes.  Vavilov had been summoned to assist another vessel that was in distress.  Coastguard vessels were en route but Vavilov was closer, just twelve hours away.  

Imagine everyone’s shock to learn that the stricken vessel was none other than Vavilov’s sister ship, Ioffe.  She had struck a submerged rock, apparently uncharted, and was taking on water which thankfully was contained in the hull’s compartment system.

Some members of the wonderful expedition team

Our job was to evacuate the passengers while Coastguard officials assessed the damage.  We reached Ioffe at five the next morning and the evacuation procedure was underway immediately.  

It went smoothly and efficiently but must have been shocking for the folks on board as they waited through the night with lifejackets in hand for us to arrive. Our little Vavilov was pretty crowded as we returned to Kugaaruk.  

The plan was to have Vavilov’s passengers fly out late that evening while Ioffe passengers, whose journey had now been officially abandoned, would leave the following day on aircraft bringing the incoming passengers delayed in Yellowknife.  A logistical nightmare.

Deja vu, we prepared to leave Vavilov for a second time.  As our zodiacs reached the pebble beach we were greeted by an armada of pickup trucks parked on the beach marshaled by local RCMP officers.  "Slide to the front of the zodiac and mind the Narwhal head as you step ashore ...."  I am not making this up.

Kugaaruk International Airport .... that should read "Airstrip"

It was a totally Canadian experience as we were helped ashore for what was supposed to be a dry landing even though we were well into the water.  Arms were about us from all sides as we stepped down onto dry land.  Good humoured police officers directed us to the waiting vehicles.  While caked in mud and dust it didn’t matter.  We piled in for the drive up to the community centre for a brief wait and then on to the airstrip.

Our driver said the RCMP had asked townsfolk to offer up their vehicles for the exercise, a sort of Arctic Uber which would likely be repeating itself the following day for the other passengers.  The gentleman who drove us said the town wanted to do anything it could to help out.

It left us with a warm feeling for our northern neighbours and the challenging lives they lead in this harsh environment as well as an appreciation for the value that is placed on the land and the water.  It also made us think about the reason we had ventured north in the first place – Franklin.

It had turned out to be not solely about the Franklin expedition, all the many other missions of exploration to find a northern trade route and the efforts to find out what had happened to Franklin, his vessels and crew.  It was so much more. We hadn't counted on our wonderful experiences with the first peoples of the north.  

Despite this, the Franklin story continues to evoke all sorts of emotions and made us think about Canada’s second National Anthem “Northwest Passage” by Stan Rogers.  The chorus summed things up perfectly –

“Ah for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage

To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea

Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage

And make a North West Passage to the Sea”.

During those daily ice briefings on board Vavilov, Franklin must have been there in spirit, muttering "I could have told you so".