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Expedition Update: Aug. 11
Auyuittuq National Park
It's not easy coming up with adjectives to describe Auyuittuq National Park - one of the world's great wilderness reserves. Auyuittuq (pronounced 'ow-you-ee-tuk') means 'the land that never melts' and is home to the Penny Ice Cap - a 6000 sq. km ice cap covering the park and its mountains - it is rugged, immense, beautiful and probably our favourite place to visit in the Canadian Arctic!
Bright and early this morning, the team broke into three groups and began exploring this spectular environment. Accompanied by Inuit and Parks Canada guides, the groups hiked along spectacular river valley, surrounded my huge mountains, stunning glaciers and waterfalls. Read on...
Participant Journals!
From: Alie Elliott
What a day! There are a lot of sleepy heads and sore legs on the ship tonight as we sit moored in the Pangnirtung Fiord. We have had a fantastic day hiking to the Arctic Circle through the awe-inspiring glacier-capped mountains of the fjord. This 27.6 km round trip into Auyuittuq National Park, which in Inuktitut means the land which never melts, had moments of adrenaline producing river crossings, moments of pensive reflection under the stunning scenery, and moments of friendship as we helped each other along the way. Jenna and I photographed ourselves in Trinity gear at the Arctic Circle marker and started planning how we are going to share our experiences when we get back. As a group, we have a lot to think about tonight as our Inuit guides talked to us of the drastic changes in the glaciers over the last ten years. We saw and heard it ourselves on our hike as the glacier tongues cracked and poured out water. The land which never melts is melting.
This trip is a life-changing experience for me. I feel so privileged to be here in this beautiful land with so many phenomenal people. Of course, I wish Ben could be with me too, but my journal is filling up with stories and I am over 400 photos now. So, lots to share. In the mean time, tomorrow we go searching for Bowhead Whales and visit the old whaling station at Kekerton Island. Then north to find some ice! Hello everyone at home!
From: Vicky Saunders
Hi! My name is Vicky Saunders from Tasiujaq, Northern Quebec.
Yesterday, we were in Pangnirtung. There, we looked around the village, went to the museum and the community gym to hear some elders talking about Global Warming. Today we went on a hike to the mountains. We went hiking at 9 am then we had lunch at 12:30 pm on the ship and then after lunch we went hiking again to the waterfalls. It was so much fun to be there! After we saw the waterfalls we went back to the ship and had dinner. That’s all I can say or write.
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From: Omar Beg
What a day! Today I found out that to have dry feet was one of the best things in the world!
Last night, in the daily briefing, we were told about our program in Auyuittuq National Park. We were told that there would be three groups for our hike: the first  group would go on a really long hike past many rivers and streams up till the Arctic Circle. The second and third groups would go, alternatively, on slow hikes to other parts of the National Park but not to the Arctic Circle (they were supposed to see more wildlife close to the ship and anyways we are going to cross the Circle by ship later).
So I got up on time woke up my roommate and then went back to sleep! I was then awoken by the morning check by the chaperone at 8:00 AM! I packed my bag as fast as I could and after breakfast headed for our hike!
We reached the beach, got off the zodiacs and went into the water. Even though we tried a lot to stay dry we got wet. As soon as we understood that Geoff was right and that there is no way to avoid getting wet, we were much happier.
Wading through the melting glacier’s streams and through the hot weather we reached the Arctic Circle in about three hours where, all of a sudden, the temperature dropped and strong winds started blowing! Here we rested for a while, had our lunch, and attempted to dry out our shoes and socks. After being refreshed and having a few photos with the sign board reading “Arctic Circle”, I left with my unofficial trek team consisting of Jean-Paul (“JP”) and Jenna for our journey back!
For some reason the way back was more tiring even though I had changed my socks my feet were as soaked as before. But I had sort of gotten used to the water. Fighting hunger, numbness and soggy clothes, we somehow managed to reach the rendezvous point. We waited for a few minutes and then boarded the zodiacs. Now, back on the ship, my cabin is full of drying clothes. It was a great but long and tiring day!
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From: Lexi Ng
Today has been a beautiful day at the National Park. The National Park we went to was called Auyuittuq. It was a little bit cool and moist the whole day. I spent the morning exploring around the peninsula and hiking.
At the peninsula, there were a lot of plants that I had never seen before. I was surprised to see any up there. We also took a stroll to a stream not to far away from where we were. When we arrived there, we learned how to calculate the velocity and the depth of the stream. Before we knew it, it was time to go back to the ship and eat lunch. After lunch, we headed to the national park for our afternoon hike. We hiked up to a waterfall. The scenery was beautiful and breathtaking. While sitting at the waterfall, we learned about the glaciers around the area. We went back to the ship again after the hike and cleaned ourselves up and made some warm hot chocolate.
Today was one of the many days on this trip that I will never forget. I hope many more days like today will come.
P.S- Happy belated birthday to Clifford and Uncle Joe and Happy Birthday to Jessica!
From: Nina W.
Today was a very long, tiring, and amazing day. We were in Auyuittuq National Park and split into two groups to hike around. One group went on the long 22 kilometre hike up to the Arctic Circle and the other group split up and spent half the day hiking and the other half exploring the peninsula. I was in the mixed day hike. On the first half of the day we started the hike with a very wet landing which made rubber boots completely useless. We then hiked up to a waterfall that was surrounded by the most spectacular view, beyond what you could imagine. Walking back to the zodiacs we took a short cut that was pretty straight but it was all mud! I sank a few times past my boots and almost lost them once or twice. When we were walking in the peninsula we stopped a few times to talk about the geology of where we were and the processes that took place to create the scenery that we were marvelling at. We hiked until we reached a stream where we were challenged to calculate the river discharge using only what we had on our persons. In case you were wondering, the answer is 8.12 meters per second. I ended my day with a few other crazy students by going swimming in the freezing cold water without a change of dry clothes. We all decided it was time to get out after none of us could feel anything below our waists. Today was a day filled with firsts for me. It was a very long day but it could not have been more perfect. It added a whole new batch of memories that will stay with me forever.
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From: Rosalind Crump
Today has been an incredible day. I woke up at 6:15 (having planned to wake up an hour earlier than the group) and went out on deck, into the misty rain, as we made our way up the fjord towards Auyuittuq National Park. The surrounding mountains were shrouded in low wispy clouds, towering on either side of the ship. At 8 am, about 50 of us were taken in loads over to the beach of the National Park. The other 30 expeditioners went off to the Park afterwards, to hike a different route and look at the wildlife and plants. I went on the hike to the Arctic Circle, more than an 11 km hike there, and another 11 km back. It was absolutely…humbling. Walking through torrents of glacial water – which were sometimes more than knee deep - numbed my feet but made me feel alive. The pull of the current against my legs was both frightening and exhilarating – it was nature at is truest. At the same time as being a part of magnificent peaks and glacial formations, climate change is prominent here too. Auyuittuq, as our guide told me, means glacier, or ice that doesn’t melt – and since the 1970s, the length of the glaciers (the ice that supposedly doesn’t melt) has receded in huge quantities. 
At the Arctic Circle (marked by an Inukshuk with a sign stating the longitude) we hunkered down, peeled our hiking boots and socks off to ring the water out of them and eat our long anticipated lunch. Sitting off on a rock at the base of a green sloped mountain, I thought about this trip, climate change, everything. It’s overwhelming to think of the impact our actions have had on this park, and thousands of other places around the world. Today I saw my first glaciers, and sitting there, I thought about future generations – will there even be glaciers in Auyuittuq for others to see 40 years from now?
Walking back towards to beach, shoes full of ice cold water and mud (I discovered that my boots are waterproof – so much so that once water spilled in over the top, it wouldn’t come out unless I took off my boots and poured it out!) I felt alive and inspired. I want to make sure that future generations will see what I had the chance to see today. We need to take some action.
That’s all for now – Never have I appreciated dry socks so much.
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From: Brianne Lovstrom
So I’ll make this short and sweet. I’m quite tired, and for the first time in my life I have a Charlie Horse on the top of my calf. But it was worth it! Today I hiked all the way to the Arctic Circle! It was…beyond amazing. Nothing in the world can describe the never ending drive to just put one foot after another.
But of course, me, being stubborn me, when it was offered if any of the students wanted to hike further to see the mighty mountain Thor, Canada’s highest vertical face, I took it. Then, Denis had to just show us this suspension bridge that was “just a little ways beyond the rocks.” Well, I guess it really wasn’t that far, but one thing I need to add in here about the Auyuittuq National Park, it is all rocks!!!!!! Anyway, I hiked down to this bridge with ten others, and yes it was, well…quaint. There before us was a small wire bridge crossing the rapid Weasel River. It was well worth the walk. All of it was well worth the 8 hour, 40 minute and 42 second hike. The stretching of the legs, the exhaustion, I greatly welcome it all. I must say I am very proud, not only of my ability to hike 34 km, but my acceptance of the lifestyle of just, marching through those rivers! For the first time in a very long time, I didn’t even think of whimpering, or even bighting my tongue at the cold and the unbearable, because it wasn’t. Today was a high. And my body let me do it!
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From: Connor Jessup
I can honestly say that today was ABSOLUTLY exhausting to the point of unconsciousness. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to watch our trip through the Pangnirtung Fjord. Out of all the beautiful waters we have sailed through over the past 8 days these were 100 x better. On both sides of the Fjord were some of the tallest mountains on Baffin Island. After a peaceful morning on deck I headed back inside for the beginning of a long day. At 8:00 a.m. we hopped on the Zodiacs and sped toward the entrance of the National Park. As we started our hike to the Arctic Circle I had already turned my hiking boots into sponges by walking in semi-quicksand and fording (complicated word for walking) across a river. The area of the park we were hiking in was a kilometre wide pass through 2 chains of mountains. I had never stood at the base of a REAL mountain before; it makes you feel so small and insignificant.
The first stage of the hike was rock/beach terrain. As the rivers and mountains passed I tried to stay dry but soon realized that was impossible. We walked in waist-high water dozens of times and most of those times involved a rather strong current. The pass was filled with streams and rivers coming from the many glaciers on the mountains to either side of us so the water was COLD!!! From a distance the rivers and mountains and other features looked rather small but as I got closer I realized they were ANYTHING but small. After 3 and a half hours of cold, wet, and EXTREMELY fun hiking we finally reached the Arctic Circle. It felt so great to make an achievement like that. Following a quick lunch and break we were back retracing our route. In all, the hike was roughly 8 hours and 27 km of walking. My legs and feet felt as if they were ice cubes. I am sure I will feel some pain in the morning. Tomorrow we are going to an old whaling station followed by an afternoon of whale watching.
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From: Laura Anne Carroll
It is becoming hard to explain everything we see and do in only a short letter: the ice, water, animals, people and what the people have to say. How it all fits together in the SOI experience is kind of cool. I’m starting to forget about the world and seeing the natural beauty of the north.
People on the trip are from many different parts of the world. Who knows what ideas will come up? There is also a lot of good discussion on how to change the world….
I just want to say hi to all my friends and say wow and you can do this and it will be a big part in changing you life in many ways!
P.S Claus V. was not in Pangnirtung. Hi Mommy, Daddy, Naliniq and Gaggy.
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From: Payal Patel
We just came back from Auyuittuq National Park 5 minutes ago and I felt that need to write down my feelings.
While we were there, it was serenity; there were no major movements except the mesmerizing water falls. It was a majestic place where the clouds above the mountains acted like a shield; you wouldn’t know what you saw beyond the deceptive smoke unless you physically went there and looked.
We were walking our way to a waterfall, when Geoff said, “Did anyone notice that we are making the most noise here?” – and it hit me – all of a sudden I felt like an outsider; I myself had pretty much lost all contact with the natural world. I wasn’t ever one who loved to camp or go for a walk and see the nature around me, and because of what he said, I felt a little weird. It’s like when you go to your parents’ friend’s house for dinner, and their kids are really peaceful and calm. You all of a sudden start screaming and yelling and you take over the place, and your parents remind you that this is not your house. Well, the park was just like that, you become the loudest thing and you take over, but you are not reminded that this is not your house until it’s too late. And too late could change the entire physical presence of the place, those mountains and waterfalls we saw might not be there due to what we are doing presently. This applies to almost everyone, unless your people have spent their entire lives embracing the challenges and adapting to the changes that nature holds, like the Inuit here. But where I come from, down south, we haven’t embraced nature, we don’t adapt, we make nature adapt. Therefore we become those outsiders when we come to a place like this. We have no right to be the loudest ones in the area, because we just haven’t been there for long enough. We haven’t spent time understanding, like the Inuit have. You can be loud in your own house, no doubt about that, but at another ones house it’s rude. We want the area to be our house, but the thing is that because of our actions, we have abused the right to want this. We need to travel here more often, observe the effects of our actions and make a change to keep the place the way it is. We need to say like everyone on this ship says, “LESS TALK MORE ACTION!” And if we can do this, then we can call this place home.
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From: Polina Polkovnikova
My day was filled with wonderful things! I did a mixed hike today and I thought I’d probably regret this, but no way! We went up the waterfalls, actually raced up to the very peak with Geoff, and I won! I didn’t venture to take the coolest shower in my life but other people did! They splashed in the ice-cold water as if they were swimming in the Bahamas!
It wasn’t all just entertainment though, I loved the hands on activities we did with Olle and David, and especially Lynn. It is so wonderful to be able to address her anytime with questions about lichen and moss and other Arctic plants. She seems to know everything!
Another thing which really inspired me today was how friendly everyone is and how relaxed and happy everyone felt throughout the whole day, the toughest so far. Whenever I asked either Joanna or Grant any thing I could not understand in English, they were so eager to help and explain the meaning. Today I learned from Olle what a “fjord’ means and from Joanna the word “awesome”. And this is really something you want to know. I loved the day!
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From: Sarina Sydney
Hello, my name is Sarina Sydney from Whitehorse, Yukon. As you know I am a student on this expedition. It is been an awesome experience, especially meeting new people from all over the world!
Today, a group of the fast hikers went on a 22 km hike in Auyuittuq National Park. They will be on this hike most of the day. I went on the shorter mixed hike. This way I got to look around more and go at a comfortable pace. On this more comfortable hike we got to see and hear a waterfall while walking up a rocky hill. Before we got to touch the water we had to go back down and walk back to the place where we got dropped off. As we were walking we decided to go down for a closer look at the water but because of the tide it was all muddy. So, we had to swoosh our way through the mud. I almost got my shoe lost! Then most of us got really muddy, so before we got on the zodiac we had to wash ourselves off, so we got wet too!
After I got changed into dry close we had lunch. Now after our lunch we will go to the other side of the river and learn more!
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