August 20, Pond Inlet (Lat. 72° 41' N, Long. 78° OO'W)
We awoke this morning before the hamlet of Pond Inlet; 
population 1300. After clearing Canadian Customs and eating breakfast we rode ashore,
landing in surf for the first time and giving us a new found appreciation for our rubber boots! A group of long walkers headed along the beach 
to the old Thule settlement beside the rushing Salmon River. Set among Arctic Cotton we saw the remains 
of buildings, constructed with sods, stones and whalebone. A few of us climbed a nearby hill 
to get a better view. . Walking back to the townsite we passed the graveyard 
.. All of us were entertained and educated by a presentation at the Nattinnak Community Centre which included lighting of the traditional lamp, traditional songs, drum dancing, high kicking, head pulling, mouth pulling, and, of course, throat singing,.
. Next came an opportunity to wander the small, frontier-like town, quiet on this Sunday morning, and buy handicrafts at the Co-op 
before returning to the ship.
A supply tanker offloaded oil and later on a coast guard icebreaker paused briefly before continuing on it's way. There were many species of birds to be seen around the town including Long-tailed Jaeger, Baird's and White-rumped sandpipers, a pair of Red-throated Loons with their two chicks, American Pipits and Thayer's Gull. After weighing anchor we sailed west toward Milne Inlet.
The sky was overcast over Milne Inlet, but good visibility allowed terrific views of the limestone and shale cliffs of the Precipitous Mountains rising majestically to the west. Keen eyes on the bridge spotted blows and the flukes of a Bowhead whale in the distance. A single Thayer's Gull followed the ship for some time and gave a few people very good views. Other birds were few and far between; the ever-present fulmars being the exception. After dinner we enjoyed delicious mulled wine in the Sky Bar as the ship made a slow turn and set a course north towards Devon Island. At dusk we entered Navy Board Inlet, the water was still as glass and the glaciers of Bylot Island were illuminated beautifully in the waning twilight.
Back to Our Heritage Home Page