Kap York, Greenland
Adventure Canada as usual starts us out:
Day 6 — Tuesday August 25, 2015
Kap York
In early August 1818, John Ross arrived at Kap York (named after the Duke of York) and became the first Westerner to meet the Inuit of the Far North. He called them the Arctic Highlanders—the Polar Eskimos known as the Inughuit. Evidence has shown that Inuit in the Kap York area used iron from meteors located on several islands. The surrounding cliffs are speckled with colonies of dovekies, clinging to the rocks. Glaciers abound in the area, making this region rich in scenic beauty.
Kap York is the northernmost boundary of Melville Bay. During the whaling era, Melville Bay was dubbed “the wrecking yard” due to the disproportionate number of wooden ships crushed by the ice during the annual whaling season in north Davis Strait. Fortunately, the Ocean Endeavour has a steel hull.
Kap York
In early August 1818, John Ross arrived at Kap York (named after the Duke of York) and became the first Westerner to meet the Inuit of the Far North. He called them the Arctic Highlanders—the Polar Eskimos known as the Inughuit. Evidence has shown that Inuit in the Kap York area used iron from meteors located on several islands. The surrounding cliffs are speckled with colonies of dovekies, clinging to the rocks. Glaciers abound in the area, making this region rich in scenic beauty.
Kap York is the northernmost boundary of Melville Bay. During the whaling era, Melville Bay was dubbed “the wrecking yard” due to the disproportionate number of wooden ships crushed by the ice during the annual whaling season in north Davis Strait. Fortunately, the Ocean Endeavour has a steel hull.
Inuktitut word of the day:
Qannuippit? = How are you?
Qannuippit? = How are you?
"I cannot rest from travel, I will drink
life to the lees. All times I have
enjoyed greatly..."
—Tennyson, ‘Ulysses’
A blue bird sky day for our day ashore at Kap York. Melville Bay is fairly shallow and in high winds can generate large waves...totally calm for our trip across the bay, as our good weather mojo continues. Beautiful area with a glacier, glacial lake, cliffs, and much sphagnum moss in beautiful fall colors. Another great day in the Arctic.
There is a monument at the top of a nearby cliff that was erected by the family of Polar explorer Robert Peary. He claimed to have been the first person to reach the north pole, a claim that the National Geographic upholds (although they sponsored him, so take that as you will)...much evidence suggests that he most likely did not reach the pole (our staff historian, Natalie and expedition leader Stefan, definitely do not believe he reached the pole). He was by all accounts a self absorbed jerk, so I'm voting with the "no pole" group.
We have several lectures every day on board ship when we aren't out and about - today we learned about polar bears from David Reid, our Scottish/Canadian naturalist and adventurer (no bears yet - but that will be changing - hang in there - , and Inuit clothing from Jane Thompson, one of two archaeologists on board (the other is her husband Kallum). There are several husband wife teams on staff: Mark and Carolyn Mallory ornithologist and botanist; Ree and John Houston, marine mammal biologist and famed inuit artist and filmmaker; Cedar Swann and Jason Edmunds (CEO of Adventure Canada and her inuit husband from northern labrador) - he told me that the first time he took Cedar to meet his parents in northern Labrador at Christmas it was -60 degrees! And on that cold note (it was in +40's for us) let's see some photos.
—Tennyson, ‘Ulysses’
A blue bird sky day for our day ashore at Kap York. Melville Bay is fairly shallow and in high winds can generate large waves...totally calm for our trip across the bay, as our good weather mojo continues. Beautiful area with a glacier, glacial lake, cliffs, and much sphagnum moss in beautiful fall colors. Another great day in the Arctic.
There is a monument at the top of a nearby cliff that was erected by the family of Polar explorer Robert Peary. He claimed to have been the first person to reach the north pole, a claim that the National Geographic upholds (although they sponsored him, so take that as you will)...much evidence suggests that he most likely did not reach the pole (our staff historian, Natalie and expedition leader Stefan, definitely do not believe he reached the pole). He was by all accounts a self absorbed jerk, so I'm voting with the "no pole" group.
We have several lectures every day on board ship when we aren't out and about - today we learned about polar bears from David Reid, our Scottish/Canadian naturalist and adventurer (no bears yet - but that will be changing - hang in there - , and Inuit clothing from Jane Thompson, one of two archaeologists on board (the other is her husband Kallum). There are several husband wife teams on staff: Mark and Carolyn Mallory ornithologist and botanist; Ree and John Houston, marine mammal biologist and famed inuit artist and filmmaker; Cedar Swann and Jason Edmunds (CEO of Adventure Canada and her inuit husband from northern labrador) - he told me that the first time he took Cedar to meet his parents in northern Labrador at Christmas it was -60 degrees! And on that cold note (it was in +40's for us) let's see some photos.
Jason and his daughter Charlotte
Robert Peary monument
Ivory gull ??
snow bunting
Dr. James Halfpenny (member of explorers club, expert biologist, and animal track expert, climate change guru, etc.)
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