Coburg Island (Cue Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds)
Day 9 — Friday August 28, 2015
Coburg Island
Nirjutiqavvik (Coburg Island) is a National Wildlife Area within the Davis
Highlands and consists primarily of upland shield terrain with coastal lowlands in
the northwest. About 65% of the island is covered in glaciers and ice fields. The
rest is largely rugged, mountainous highlands with peaks reaching over eight
hundred metres above sea level. Cliffs and the western and northern sides mark
the eastern and southern borders of the island by extensive coastal glaciations.
Ice break-up begins in June, and freeze up occurs in October. Dense colonies of
breeding seabirds extend for six kilometres along the coast, owing part of their
success to the presence of a polynya off the southern coast of Coburg Island, in
Lady Ann Strait. Open water persists here virtually year-round and provides
seabirds with rich supplies of fish and crustaceans during the springtime pre-
breeding period.
Inuktitut word of the day:
Aiviq — Walrus
Aiviq — Walrus
"Islands have always fascinated the human
mind. Perhaps it is the instinctive response
of man, the land animal, welcoming a brief
intrusion of earth in the vast, overwhelming
expanse of sea.
—Algernon Charles Swinburne
Birds, Birds and more Birds are on the agenda for today. We ride in zodiacs right up to the base of the sheer cliffs of Coburg Island, which would be beautiful even without the bird colonies, but becomes spectacular with the bird colonies. Staff told us later that many times in the past that they have been here the seas have too rough to go out in the zodiacs - the weather gods remain very ind to us. Although it is fairly pleasant temps - in the low 40's, when moving at speed in a zodiac over the cold Arctic waters, it does get chilly, thus the winter hat that I am sporting in one of the photos. This afternoon is the first of two or long talks on the Arctic explorers by the staff historian - very interesting - as well as learning about the plants of Nunavut. A nice sunset finishes off another great day in the Arctic.
Birds, Birds and more Birds are on the agenda for today. We ride in zodiacs right up to the base of the sheer cliffs of Coburg Island, which would be beautiful even without the bird colonies, but becomes spectacular with the bird colonies. Staff told us later that many times in the past that they have been here the seas have too rough to go out in the zodiacs - the weather gods remain very ind to us. Although it is fairly pleasant temps - in the low 40's, when moving at speed in a zodiac over the cold Arctic waters, it does get chilly, thus the winter hat that I am sporting in one of the photos. This afternoon is the first of two or long talks on the Arctic explorers by the staff historian - very interesting - as well as learning about the plants of Nunavut. A nice sunset finishes off another great day in the Arctic.
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