High Arctic Expedition

August 24, 2008

Cruising into Dundas Harbor on a very sunny morning, a polar bear was spotted on a point as we went past, also by some, 3 more up on a hill. A zodiac cruise for the Oopik group followed among the icebergs and iceflows, and then a good sighting of a polar bear on land, swimming and back on land following an artic hare up the hill.
Everyone went ashore to see the camp of the RCMP from the 1920.s, three buildings, one with a sewing machine in the window, and outhouse, and a grave site. On the hillside, one grave: Constable Victor Marsonneuve, RCMP, 1899-1926.
The mounties were there to claim land for Canada.

In the afternoon we moved on to Crocker Bay, with two large glaciers at the head of the bay. Zodiac cruises went out among the ice floes and icebergs, and up to the glaciers. A few seals were spotted in the bays, which has large steep walls similar to the Grand Canyon, according to Tom, the geology expert.

Louise