The story of Arctic exploration is one of the most interesting and shocking pieces of history I have ever read. The Arctic was mapped with stories of tragedy and triumph. Thousands of men laid down their lives in search of the frozen unknown. An impenetrable ice fortress, the Arctic has always posed a formidable challenge to all explorers who have sought to discover its secrets.
The Arctic took over 300 long years to map. The above video helps to illustrate this long process of discovery in an artistic manner but behind each of those voyages are harrowing stories that deserve careful examination.
In reading about the discovery of the Arctic two trips in particular are of interest to our expedition and those are of Parry in 1819-1820, where his ship made it across most of the Arctic from East to West but was stopped by heavy ice before accomplishing the feat and McClure’s voyage of 1850-1854 which attempted a West to East route but was halted by the same ice that blocked Parry from success some 30 years earlier.
This passage which blocked these explorers from accomplishing a Northern passage through the Arctic in the 1800’s and still to this day remains clogged with ice, is one part of the new Northern route we endeavour to sail this summer. While not battling with ice to achieve this route we hope to visit some of the bays where famous Arctic explorers like Franklin, Parry, Mc Clure, Svendrup and Amundsen wintered to understand what these men experienced hundreds of years ago and how these areas have changed since then.
If you are interested in learning more I suggest reading TO THE ARCTIC! by Jeannette Mirsky first published in 1934 this remains one of the most well written and entertaining accounts of Arctic exploration.
Having recently visited the The Canadian Arctic Expedition exhibit at the Museum of Canadian Civilization I realized that I had to learn more about the history of Arctic exploration. A few days later I was introduced to a McGill University Professor who lives in my neighborhood and has worked and travelled extensively throughout the Arctic while conducting his research. We spent hours discussing the remote areas he had explored the conditions in the Arctic and the research community and their work.
He had the largest and most extensive collection of Arctic expedition books I have laid eyes upon. The most impressive expedition books and archives he kept aside in a locked armoire, he removed one in-particular showing me that it had been written in by Greely the great polar explorer. I have had problems finding a useful compendium of Arctic exploration but that was quickly resolved by the kind Professor.
Edvin and I have been very interested in doing some scientific research projects during our Arctic sail and have been in contact with a couple of Universities and Marine institutions that have expressed interest in this. What I found incredibly exciting was what the professor told me in response to my question about conducting research. He noted that the Arctic remains a little explored area and being there makes you feel like a true explorer because often you are visiting places that no one has before and of the few people that might have visited there you will usually never walk the exact same route meaning that every trip could potentially be one of discovery.
Observation will be one of our strongest research tools. Keeping an eye on the birds, sea life and other wildlife we see and their behaviour, if they are in the right area at the right time of year or in a place they are not known to travel. Keep ones eyes open for Paleo-Eskimo or indigenous sites that often contain tent rings, artifacts etc. and to mark their location when we come across them. Generally look for anything that sticks out from the all natural Arctic setting and explore it. The Arctic is after all an area where as recently as 2007 a previously unknown island was discovered.
Throughout our planning for this voyage the topic of Greenland comes up over and over again. For many it’s more interesting then the Northwest Passage itself. The West Coast of Greenland is a little visited remote area that contains many of the worlds most beautiful fjords, stunning vistas and the worlds greatest Glacier.
We have heard that if we have the time we must try to transit Prince Christian Sound in the south of Greenland, it has been described to us as the “most spectacular mountain, fiord area you will ever see”. From there we will make our way North bound stopping as we please Frederikshab, Sisimiut, Disco Island, Jacobshavn (Ilulissat), Umanak and up to Upernavik. We have been told that Upernavik is an out of the world scenic trip with the largest glacier (Ilulissat) in the northern hemisphere and the center of climate change. Upernavik is the farthest north port with services and is at the latitude needed to split the pack ice of Baffin Bay to Lancaster Sound between 73-75 degrees north.
Other advice given to us is that we should not rush to leave the beautiful virgin coast of West Greenland as early entry into Canada means waiting for ice to clear out of the southern channels. Edvin and I are thrilled about this part of the voyage if not a little concerned by the huge amount of ice that travels down this coast.
Last night I had the great fortune to attend “Taste of the Arctic: An Evening Celebrating Inuit Culture 2011″ a fundraising gala held in Ottawa by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) the national voice of 55,000 Inuit living in 53 communities across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), land claims regions. Inuit call this vast region Inuit Nunangat.
It was a very high class invitational event held in the National Gallery of Canada. The setting was gorgeous but what made the night was the mix of traditional foods and arts. Some of the Arctics most gifted singers, performers and actors such as – Taqralik Partridge, Elisapie Issac, ArtCirq, and Nunavik Creations performed. The menu for the evening included caribou meat balls with LigonBerry sauce, dried caribou and fish, glazed Arctic Char, Baffin shrimp, Natsik (seal), Muskox and was topped off with Aqpik (cloudberry) trifles.
It was a great opportunity for me to be introduced to the culture and the many organizations working in the Arctic and make connections for our voyage. Many individuals I spoke to suggested we spend some time in the arctic and learn the ways of the north or even invite an Inuit from the area to join us for the trip so that we can share sailing with them and they their local knowledge with us.
The proceeds of this year’s fundraising event will go towards the Avataq Cultural Institute based in Nunavik, northern Quebec. Avataq will use the funds raised for the “Save Our Language” program, known as Inuktituurniup Saturtaugasuarninga.
Having recently visited the The Canadian Arctic Expedition exhibit at the Museum of Canadian Civilization I realized that I had to learn more about the history of Arctic exploration. A few days later I was introduced to a McGill University Professor who lives in my neighborhood and has worked and travelled extensively throughout the Arctic while conducting his research. We spent hours discussing the remote areas he had explored the conditions in the Arctic and the research community and their work.
