Cruising Nunavet - islands and icebergs

 The first icebergs we saw on the cruise off NE Canada coast were in the Labrador Sea.

Our itinerary was to cruise the northeast coast of Akpatok Island, one of the uninhabited Canadian Arctic islands in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut. Nunavut is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada, forming most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. 

However we didn't get the permit to go to Akpatok. Apparently it is the hunting season for the Inuit to catch whales. Akpatok is the largest island in Ungava Bay on the northern coast of Quebec. The island is named for the Akpat, the thick-billed murre, or Brünnich's guillemot, part of the auk family. The birds live on ledges along the limestone cliffs surrounding the island. Akpatok Island is predominantly limestone, ringed with steep cliffs that rise 150 - 250 m above sea level. The cliffs are broken in many places by deep ravines allowing access to the flat plateau 23 km wide and 45 km long. The island is a Canadian Important Bird Area. The Thick-billed murre, photo from Wikipedia, by Verena Gill -

We did see some of the murres as we were sailing the previous evening. They were in small groups and all dived together and disappeared -

 We started the day scenic cruising Nunavut.

Atapak Island is the small island shown in the box (SW corner of red square). 

Got up to thick fog. We were off the south end of Resolution Island, Nunavet, but of course there was nothing to see. Resolution is a Canadian Arctic island south of Baffin Island, separated from it by the Lower Savage Islands. It is located in Davis Strait and is uninhabited. English explorer Martin Frobisher landed on the island on July 28, 1576, while on a voyage to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. However it appears to have been named Resolution in 1612 by Sir Thomas Button, after his own ship, the Resolution. It was badly contaminated by PCBs from an old US military base.

Resolution Island -

Thankfully it brightened up and the fog lifted so at least we could see the island. The redpoll stowaway was more alert as well -

However as soon as we got to the north end of Resolution, the fog returned. We sailed between the north end of Resolution and south of the Lower Savage Islands but it was still foggy. The Lower Savage Islands are an uninhabited offshore island group of Baffin Island, located in the Arctic Archipelago in the territory of Nunavut. The islands lie in the Gabriel Strait, an arm of Davis Strait, northwest of Resolution Island, and west of Edgell Island. 

We went up the east side of the Lower Savage islands then headed west along the top. We were quite close and “hoped” to see polar bears but the fog was back and we could hardly see the land. Such a pity.

 We got midway along the western island then it was announced that was the end of the scenic cruising as there was no view, and we would put on speed and head for Nuuk in Greenland.

At least we saw some icebergs on the way. This one had a cave, also a waterfall at one end.  We went around it, it was an estimated 40 x 150 m. -

Some different icebergs -

This one had a cave almost at water level -

This was one of the prettiest, with a long smooth whale-like front with a big tall crown behind. The bridge people estimated it to be 70 m high. Note how the shape changes as we went around it  -

Our next port of call was Nuuk in Greenland.

Icebergs in the Labrador Sea, Canada

 L'anse Aux Meadows was our last day in Canada, on the Canada and Greenland cruise. We then had 4 days sailing, which included scenic cruising. We were in the Labrador Sea. 

We saw our first iceberg of the cruise on the first sea day. We weren't expecting to see any so far south. It was really exciting. Approaching the first iceberg at 9 am, some people came out in shorts and Tshirts and were surprised how cold it was!!! The captain announced we would circumnavigate it. Captain Mikael Degerlund was brilliant on this cruise as he enabled us to get as close to some icebergs as we could, and some we went around, or turned the ship around, so passengers got the best possible views. We had 3 ice pilots on board whilst we were in these waters.

There was a big crack in the right hand corner -

Rough v smooth -

As we went around the iceberg we had a good view of the other sides -

That evening we saw another big iceberg, our 2nd. There was a line of gulls on the top -

It was 8 pm so many people were having dinner. Those that came out were more sensibly dressed! -

That evening we found we had some stowaways on the back deck -

 I think the one on the left is a siskin. The one on the right is a redpoll,

They were obviously very cold and tired and spent the night sheltering under the roof and some heaters.

The next morning, this one was still a sleeping bundle of fluff, standing on a chair -

That morning we saw our 3rd iceberg. We were still off the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. On this map, the numbers 1-4 relate to the first 4 large icebergs we saw -

The 3rd iceberg, at 8.40 am -

Note the hole in the ice  -

A really beautiful sight especially as we turned and the sun was shining on the crystals. We were 1 km away and the iceberg was apparently stuck on the seabed.

I went in to warm up and saw one of the birds asleep on a rubbish bin -

The 4th iceberg was a very nice shape. We were 1.5 km away and as we approached it, it calved which was really noisy. Then we saw a bearded seal in front. 

There were a lot of gulls on the water on one side -

Just as we were leaving the fog started to cover the berg, so we had been really lucky with the timing.

It had been a memorable 2 days of cruising, seeing those 4 icebergs. 

L'anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada

After leaving Red Bay on the Canada and Greenland cruise, our next port of call was L'anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland. It is on the Great Northern Peninsula, i.e. the northern tip of Newfoundland island. The L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site is a World Heritage Site .

We anchored in the bay and took the tenders to Norstead.

By the jetty is the statue of Leif Erikson. Also known as Leif the Lucky, he was a Norse explorer who is thought to have been the first European to set foot on continental America -

Norstead is about 1 mile down from L'anse Aux Meadows National Historical Site and is a reconstructed Viking port of trade, with a replica of the Viking boat that sailed from Greenland. I went to the Norstead centre ticket office to use the wifi but it was very poor, so decided to walk around outside the site and to my surprise it led into the back door of Norstead. The replica Viking boat -

Exhibits highlight the Viking lifestyle, artifacts, locals are dressed in traditional Norse costumes -

The buildings are wood-framed covered with peat-turf, similar to those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland. The church -

Looking across to the tender, and some eider ducks -

I followed the trail which led up the hill to a view point over the bay, though it was foggy at times. Really soft underfoot, but dry. A nice walk. Many people were plastered in insect repellent and using nets, but I didn’t see a single fly of any kind.

Our ship in the foggy bay -

In the afternoon I didn't fancy going out to L'anse Aux Meadows, as I'd seen enough in Norstead. The settlement of L'anse Aux Meadows has been dated to approx 1000 years, so is an 11th-century Viking settlement. The site was discovered 1960 and includes the remains of 8 buildings, made of sod over a wooden frame. They were dwellings or workshops. Now there are 3 reconstructed Norse buildings. The archaeological remains at the site were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

I went to have a look at the bay

The hill I walked up, as seen from the ship -