Day 7 Kekerten Island and Pangnirtung

I still can’t help but feel a little disappointed about the effect the thick ice is having on our travel plans. Today we recorded a video for the folks up in Clyde River. Since it’s highly doubtful that we can make it up there due to the ice, we did a video message congratulating them on the success of declaring nearby Isabella Bay (one of our planned destinations) a protected natural site. Although it was fun to record, there was a ripple of sadness that we probably won’t make it there to see it in person.

Despite the disappointment, we carried on with our current plans to travel into Cumberland Sound towards Pangnirtung. Along the way, we stopped at an historic whaling station known as Kekerten Island. This was our first landing on our expedition and it was a great start. Upon exiting the zodiacs, you are immediately greeted with a vast panorama of life including tiny little plants and grasses, birds swooping overhead and (apparently) the threat of a polar bear. I say apparently because we saw neither hide nor hair of it the entire time. And even if we did, we had a crew of watchers with guns all around us to deter said bear from coming anywhere near us. Still it provided an element of danger that made the landing even more exciting.

On the island, we were treated to an in-depth history of whaling in the area. All throughout the area we were exploring, there were remnants of this part of history, including a bowhead whale skull and various bits of whaling equipment. But perhaps the most somber of all the remnants were two Inuit graves we came across. Because of the permanently frozen ground, these graves were above ground and had weathered away so much, the bones were visible through the rotting wood. It was a moving sight, with the wind whistling over the hills.

Another highlight of Kekerten was the grassy vegetation. Walking on it is like nothing I’ve ever felt in my life. Despite being thick with grasses and plants, the entire ground was spongy, to the point my feet were sinking INTO the vegetation. And it saps the energy out of each step, meaning you are doing twice the work to traverse this rough terrain. It was definitely an experience to remember.

After Kekerten, we headed to the town of Pangnirtung. This community is home to two of our students, Danny and Jesse, and they promised us a warm welcome. We weren’t let down. We were greeted by some Students On Ice alumni, who toured us through various tourist spots. While they were all very nice, my favorite part was when I noticed an airplane about to take off from the airstrip, which quite frankly looks like a ramp. One of the other students, Allen, who was familiar with Pang, offered to get us front row seats and before long a few students and I were off through the streets of Pang to the fence along the airstrip where we treated to a close-up view of the take-off.

Back we went to the community center where the students got their first taste of how climate change has affected this friendly community. Two elders talked in length about the changes they have seen in their time, and answered questions from our group. Pang itself has felt the effect greatly as last year it was inundated with a flood that took out a bridge. What flooded them out? The permafrost that had dictated the way of life for these people for as long as they can remember had melted. It was a sober reminder of why we were on this expedition.

After some traditional Inuit games, throat singing and square dancing, it was back to the ship for dinner and a briefing of tomorrow’s activities. We are heading up a fiord to Auyuittuq National Park, where half the staff and students are participating in a 25km hike to the Arctic Circle. Sadly, I don’t think I can do that, despite all my desire to do so. Maybe next time…

In the meantime, I will be participating in some shorter hikes and activities near the coast. All of this is still part of the planned itinerary, but soon it will come time to decide where to go if the ice prevents us from going north. Our illustrious leader, Geoff Green, assures us there’s plenty to see so I’m going to sleep soundly knowing that. “Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey,” said Babs Hoffman. And no matter where we go, I know I will enjoy this journey…