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Aug 01 - Pangnirtung, Baffin Island - This morning we arrive to Canada and spend part of the day visiting "Pang", an Inuit community on the East coast of Baffin Island.
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(Posted Monday 2:15 PM ET)
Hello all,
This morning we set foot on Canadian soil (more like rock and tundra) when we successfully landed on Kekerten Island located in Cumberland Sound. It's the site of an old whaling station from late 1800's. We're now sailing to Pangnirtung, Nunavut to spend the afternoon. Gotta run. All is well.
Geoff
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Journal Entries (Posted Tuesday 9:30 pm ET)
August 1, 2005
Wow! Today started out with a wake up call wishing Bruce a happy 26th birthday (really the 44th) After Adele and I trudged out of bed we headed down to breakfast. We always wake up 5 minutes before we have to be down there, but we make it and that's all that matters. After a breakfast of cereal, bacon, and toast we hung around for a little bit waiting to get to Kekerten Island. This wasn't originally in the schedule but we were ahead of ourselves so we got to go. On the island we visited the only thing there, the old whaling station. It was amazing. Right after we stepped off the boat we saw an arctic hare (no dad not arctic weasels or at least yet). Then we had a small introduction to the place with David Gray. We had to stay on the boardwalks and the rocks as much as we could because in the grassy areas there were artifacts and bones everywhere. We got to wander around on our own after that and Adele and I went to go look at the beluga skull and bowhead skull. Then we just kind of cruised around looking at the smaller bones on the ground, seals and other misc. whale bones. We got to climb up the ridge, but we weren't allowed to go past the gun handlers [see note below]. After we left this inspirational spot we set sail for Pang in Nunavut (there is a longer name but I don't know how to spell it.) We ate lunch and waited for the custom officer to clear us (ughhhhh) and then we finally got to go ashore in Pangnirtung. We went straight to the cultural center where we got to learn Inuit dances and games. These things that they could do were amazing. Some of the Inuit students from our group participated along with some daring young souls. Then we went to the museum and looked at artifacts and watched a native make prints of some of the most gorgeous paintings I have ever seen. Then I went to the shop and bought some things. It was a really nice day and I had a lot of fun. There is so much more to say but I can't but it into words.
Mom and Dad, I am still eager and hopeful to see an arctic weasel although my chances are slimmed (I asked)! I love you!! See ya soon!!
Christina Goethel, Galt California
Editor's Note: Staff who are experienced and licensed in handling shotguns provide protection in the unlikely event that we encounter polar bears while we enjoy shore excursions in remote areas of Greenland and Baffin Island.
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Ahoy!!! We spent Sunday, July 31, at sea---and again the seas were calm. We had cloudy and foggy weather until we sighted the largest iceberg on our journey.and then the sun shone through long enough for us to circle that iceberg.and once again the fog rolled in. We are in Canada now. The Canadian Arctic is much colder than where we were in Greenland (which was cloudy, foggy, and raining almost constantly but not necessarily all at once.) and Iceland. We have the Labrador current in the Davis Strait which keeps this area colder. We landed at Kekerten Island, the site of an old whaling station and hiked around the island this am. It was very interesting---saw bones of seals, whales, and even the remains of humans (their makeshift coffins had opened and spilled their contents or polar bears may have opened them). We are all onboard now and will have a lecture on historic places of Baffin Island.and then we head to Pangnirtung which is a village on Baffin Island---Inuit (or natives of this area ) live. We will then leave the ship to visit this village for the afternoon today. Tomorrow we go on hikes---some will go to the Arctic Circle which will be a 10 hour hike through rivers, etc..and others will take shorter hikes. We have seen many whales---on our first full sea day last week we saw close to 40 whales in that one day. Two days ago we saw humpbacks surfacing near the ship---really a beautiful sight. When we crossed the Denmark Strait between Iceland and Greenland, we had seen a mother blue whale and her calf---the largest mammals on earth or sea..well over 100,000 tons!!! It was the first time in history that there was documentation of a mother and calf in the Danish Strait. We have a whale expert on board.and needless to say, that he was ecstatic!!!! More sights to see and so little time left. I miss you all!!!
Cheryl Horton, Chaperone, Brenham, Texas
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Icebergs are one of God's fascinating inventions; they just pop up there in the middle of nowhere, and they don't seem stressed at all. They are moving slowly, following the currents below it. An iceberg can be everything, all these forms and shapes play with your mind in such a way that you feel that an artist much have been involved. You can actually only see one tenth of an iceberg, and that means that there are many more wonders below the surface.
We arrived at Canada today, so I am excited to see what Canada has to offer after all the great experiences we had in Iceland and Greenland.
Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Denmark
Jeg har det stadig rigtig godt her paa turen og hver dag er en stor oplevelese. Jeg maa desvarre loebe nu da vi skal ind paa en gammel hvalstation.
Tillykke med foedselsdagen Hans-Jakob.
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Today was absolutely amazing; it opened my eyes to a whole new realm of the world and its unique cultures. We arrived at a small town in Canada mid-afternoon (after passing through customs). Here, the citizens were smiling and extremely welcoming.
They seemed to be fascinated by my hair, staring curiously (Princess). I sat beside a group of three young girls, who were able to imitate the "singers" on stage (Alison). They were captivated by our bracelets, longing for another glimpse. They were absolutely adorable! It is astounding how the people of the village are able to display so much glee in the midst of isolation. They created games, involving barely any cost, such as kicking a ball of string without the use of a hand and leg. They also created a song by repeating a series of noises. It was a sound I had never heard before . interesting in every aspect. The girls sitting beside me were able to duplicate these sounds.
In the town, we were able to stand directly beside an artist who used numerous stencils and paints to create masterpieces. They were absolutely incredible! It is amazing how each person is able to concentrate on an individual trade and becoming extremely talented. This artist had been painting for almost his entire life. In addition, we stopped at a museum and I met an artist, who was able to sketch with both hands. He had begun his training at the age of 17.
I also had a chance to listen to one of the Elders talk about climate change within the last five years. It was amazing to hear someone with that much wisdom take the time out to teach us about what he has seen in the last 5 years is something I will never forget. (Princess).
I can't wait for tomorrow! We are going to go for a long hike in a national park.
Princess and Alison
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Hello again! Once again Students On Ice has been keeping us very busy so we haven't really had a lot of opportunities to write. We will start off where we left off last.
July 30-After having that very cultural experience, (eating the whale blubber) we came back and had lunch. Fritz gave a lecture about ice cores; however it was mostly about glaciations. Rebecca then went to a workshop on creative writing and I wrote the journal/ did the bottle drop. Justin and Sophie came up with a great idea to do "Arctic Idol". The boys were divided up into 4 groups, as well as the girls. Everyone had to participate and you could choose any song that was appropriate. One group would be chosen from the boys and one would be chosen from the girls (we got to vote for our favorite). During one of the last nights on the ship the two winners would go up against each other. We had a few hours to choose a song and practice. The boys would be going tonight so the girls got to relax a bit. Rebecca and I were in a group together and our group chose to do Bohemian Rhapsody, which we though would be such a great song. After practicing for an hour we had a lecture by Bets, John and Justin on climate change mitigation. They only talked for a few minutes as it was more of a workshop that we had. Suddenly there was an announcement by Geoff saying that there were 3 humpback whales at 12 o'clock! Everyone ran out of the lecture room (which is at the back of the ship) and ran to the front. We watched the 3 whales for about 30 minutes just watching them dive under and then fluke and come back up. It was just great! We finally came back to the lecture room and had the action planning sessions. We got to discuss different ideas for sustainable living. We had some dinner right after which was great; however for some reason Rebecca didn't eat anything, which is really unusual as she almost eats as much as I do. She didn't feel sick or anything just not hungry. Afterward we had Arctic Idol which was so unbelievably funny. The boys all dressed up. Justin (who was dressed up as Ben Mulroney) was the host and introduced the judges. First we had Bets come in who was some earthy/ astrology girl and really believed in spirits (she was kind of tipsy). Next Sophie and Skid came into the lounge. Skid was this muscle man and Sophie was um.. well very provocative and ditzy. They were all over each other. Trevor was a gangster and was hilarious saying things like: that is the bomb, and off the hook. We went in numerical order (i.e. 1.2.3.4). The first group did "Fly for a White Guy," the second group did "Jingle Bells," third group did the "Bear Cat," and the forth doing "Yellow Submarine." It was close; however, the fourth group won, (We voted for the fourth group). Right afterwards we headed up to the lecture hall to watch the documentary called "Being Caribou." This movie was about 2 people who followed a group of caribou who were migrating to have their babies. They carried around a George Bush doll and it was kind of funny watching it be covered in ice as it was up in the Yukon/Alaska. We went right to bed and dreamed of all the boys dancing (it was really, really funny).
July 31-We got to sleep in till 8 o'clock and also got to turn back our clocks another hour -- so it was a very long sleep. We were briefed after breakfast and worked on our action plans for 10 minutes. In the lounge we all presented them. Even though Rebecca and I were in different groups we still were able to present. We then had a break and then had a lecture on "The History of Whaling." This was by David and it was very interesting learning about the exploitation of whales in the commercial industry. Afterwards we had lunch and practiced our Bohemian Rhapsody. It was coming along really great! We had a lot of fun dancing and prancing around and doing what ever we wanted. Skid then gave us a lecture about Earth Rangers and his life. He is amazing at keeping people's attention and telling stories. At snack Alysia came up to all the people from YC3 and asked us if we could meet her in 10 minutes in the dining room. After deciding that the dining room wouldn't be good enough for our purposes we went into Geoff and Diz's suite. She wanted us to make a mission statement about this SOI expedition and YC3. This will be introduced at COP11 (a conference by the UN). We then went to the workshops for education. There were many different ones to choose from education/ teaching, academic, medical, journaling and many more. I choose medical with the doctor and a nurse, while Rebecca chose the academic path. I really didn't know what one to choose as there were three or four that I really enjoyed, however; I finally chose medical as I thought it would be really interesting. We then had an hour break where we worked on the dance non-stop. It was coming along great, however we ended up learning that Ole and Ben would be joining our group. So during the documentary we were able to leave a few minutes early. The documentary was about a voyage that Geoff did and the climate change in the Arctic. Suddenly everyone ran past us; there were a huge iceberg right ahead. All day we had been in fog and as this iceberg came out in the sunlight it was unbelievable. Many people got great pictures however a girl named Kelsey and I just sat watching the iceberg in awe, not saying anything; just leaning on each other. It was peaceful until. Rebecca decided to come in and talk, even though it was about the iceberg. The lighting was just beautiful. We had dinner and got ready for Arctic Idol. We put on our stage make-up and crazy clothes. We looked um. interesting; with everyone staring at us everywhere we went. We also did our hair crazy on the top of our heads and everything. Justin came in as Enrique and the judges came in, just as funny as before. The first group was the staff and they performed a medley of songs they had composed about our expedition. The first performance was a Romanian song, the second song was "Kansas City", the third song was a farce of "The Lions Sleep Tonight", then our own "Bohemian Rhapsody", and finally "The Macarena". We had a lot of fun, and I (Rebecca) sang, while Jessica danced. The audience did the voting, and our "Bohemian Rhapsody" was the clear winner. Now, we have to get another song prepared for the last night of the voyage to present during the talent show. opefully, we can beat the boys. I (Rebecca) want to do "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. Jessica wants to do "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. Right after Arctic Idol we all went to bed.
August 1- Today there was another time change. We went back an hour, and wake-up time was 6:30. We had breakfast at 7:00, and then we went out by Zodiac to an island with an abandoned whaling station that dates back to the 1860's. It is a National Historic Site, so we could not touch anything, and could only walk in certain places. Lots of whale and seal bones were there, along with many interesting artifacts. I found the place very lonely and foreboding, especially once I stumbled across an open grave. It had a skull lying on the grass, and all of the bones were exposed. It .disturbed me a little bit, so I said a brief prayer. We then took the Zodiac back to the ship, where we immediately went to a lecture on Historical Sites, by David
Gray. We then had lunch, and are presently sailing through a very narrow fjord. In the afternoon we will be arriving in Pangnirtung to explore the thriving community. We'll keep you posted! Bye!!!
P.S - I can't believe our journey is nearly over!!!
Rebecca and Jessica
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We have touched ground again in Canada, walking in the lost footsteps of the whalers on the deserted island of Kekerten. An island of moss and lichen and barren rock, scattered with bones of whalers and whales alike. There is something haunting and lonely about the island. Actually, there is something haunting and lonely about the arctic. I ate whale meat two days ago, and experienced the unsurpassed generosity of the Greenlandic people. And now my feet are on my homeland again.
Leah Kasinsky
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August 1, 2005
Today we awoke to the gorgeous views of Kekertan whaling station. It was absolutely amazing to see that early in the morning. At 6:30 am this morning I was putting on my layers to go in the Zodiacs to see the sight up close. When we arrived on shore, we sloshed in the murky waters to the shore where we found the ground absolutely covered in bones of seals, whales, and other miscellaneous animals that had died there. The station traded hands between the Scottish, English and American explorers. There were different huts made from whale bone and wood, and human remains in coffins and barrels. Of course, no remains were complete or set as they would be naturally, since polar bears, scavengers, and other people have foraged in the area. The site is a Historical Landmark, so we weren't allowed to touch, pick up, or take anything from the site. I sat upon a rock at the top of the rocky mountain and just closed my eyes. I breathed in the crisp air and reflected on the things that had happened here. People and countless thousands of animals had died here! I was shaken by it, but also glad that whaling for commercial purposes is now strictly prohibited. One of the things that was kind of cool that I saw there was a huge, and I mean ginormous, Bowhead Whale skull that I got a picture next to for scale. I could hardly believe the size of it. I just happened to be walking with the whale expert *trying to absorb his influence as much as possible* so I got quizzed on where the baleen plates would be and what kind of whale it was and other questions that I had to really be prompted on before I figured them out. It was a great learning experience though, since I would have never learned these facts otherwise. Since I kind of forgot to write yesterday, I should probably tell you what happened. We were on the ship all day, and didn't really do much, but we did have some nice talks and saw some nice documentaries. I had the privilege of going to a workshop about teaching and educational career paths. It was really a push in the right direction! I loved chatting with the people who have lived out the type of life I want to have like Skid and Dianne. I also made sure to sit with David during breakfast this morning to talk about careers in Biology, since I have really taken an interest in that field. I know for sure at this point that I would like to double major in Biological Sciences and Music, minor in Psych, and get my teaching credentials. I know it will be hard to do this, but that is really where my heart and mind are leading me at this point. Anyway, later on today, after lunch, we went to Pangatongue, a small town in Nunavut, Canada. We got to take part in the dances and contests of their culture and see some displays of talents I didn't even know existed such as throat singing and kicking a target well above your head in the form of a very flexible jackknife jump! Oh, the day before yesterday, another one I forgot to write about, we went into a hot spring. The water was like 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the air was about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. It was very invigorating. After that, I found a seal skull bone on the ground, and was really excited to discuss it with our scientific staff. As you can see, our trip has been very full and fun! I've grown very accustomed to the Zodiacs, so much that I request that the driver do some fast doughnuts on the way back every time we go out! It has been so much fun with the waves and ice flying, and the sense of security knowing that all of it is safe and all precautions have been more than accounted for. Wow! I have written so much! I just have a little bit more to write. The reason my second half of the day isn't completely detailed, is because I missed a couple of the performances in Pang. This is because I got to call my mom! Hi, by the way. I was really glad to hear that she has actually been reading this stuff that gets posted. Hence, my inspiration to write as much as I possibly can. I should probably go, but thanks to those who actually check this thing, and in a nutshell, I'm doing wonderfully. I miss home, but I love this stuff! I'll see everyone at home. Love you all!
Mary Ann Thornton
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Last night was the Artic Idol for the girls. Unlike the boys, we girls got all dressed up and got the whole thing planned out. Every group should have won, but the winners were Group 4, I think. They did the Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen, now this the best song in the world. The singing or lip syncing was very dramatic up front, the dancing and hopping in the back was very um.I do not know how to say it.ask a boy, they will tell you everything. The other performances were great, Kansas City, Macarena, a Romanian song (this was my group) and some other one that I forgot.sorry. Going up on the stage and acting like a total freak was a bit different from my normal actions.on this ship anyways. Seeing all the girls from each group getting dressed up and saying we are going to win was funny compared to the boys. The boys were all like why am I up here doing this song and about two from each group were actually into it, like David singing Pretty Fly for a White Guy, which was the funniest thing I have ever seen on stage.
This morning we went to the historical part of Baffin Island, this place was where they had the old whale hunting type village. This place was crazy, I like to see really old things that you can learn a lot from. I think I feel like this because there has been so many changes from those old days that most people including myself do not even know what the object used to do. We also found human graveyards; that was crazy too. The place was very neat, with everything still preserved in it. We were not even allowed to pick up a raven feather and if we did, SOI would get into some trouble or something.
On our way back on the zodiacs the waves were the best in my zodiac life (mind you that my so called zodiac life is only 10 days and counting). So anyways we were flying on these big 6 foot waves (ha ha not big but big when you usually get like 1 foot waves). The ride was ace, but I also dropped my camera and bent my thumb nail, but it was all good.
Later on the ship we cruised our way to Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Going there and seeing throat singing and games of the Inuit was fun. Seeing people like Justin Trudeau try was funny. I would like to try throat singing, I have the easiest way of singing I do not think I will improve on it any more though. We went walking around the town for a little bit, seeing the four wheelers riding around the roads reminded me of Ahkwesahsne and for those of you reading this you can see my drift.
Now dinner time is over and I am writing this journal waiting for the next lecture to start. Our lecture I think is going to be about our hike tomorrow. I think the hike is going to be very tiring but in the end of the hike it will feel like a goal and you would feel a bit stronger.
Victoria Ransom, Ahkwesahsne, Ontario Canada
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