ARCTIC QUEST
Canada and Greenland
Icebreaker Adventure |
| Start: |
Ottawa, Canada |
Embarkation: |
Resolute, Nunavut |
Disembarkation: |
Iqaluit, Baffin Island |
Finish: |
Ottawa, Canada |
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| This 18-day icebreaker expedition traces the history of the northern peoples across 4,000 years, from Resolute to Iqaluit in Nunavut, Canada's easternmost territory in the North. Landings are intended on Ellesmere Island, Greenland and Baffin Island. An attempt will be made to sail the Lincoln Sea, covered in ice so thick even a polar-class icebreaker cannot crush its way through! |
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| Polar-class Ice Breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov |
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| Staff & Crew: |
70 |
| Guests: |
108 |
| Length: |
122.50 m |
| Breadth: |
26.50 m |
| Draft: |
8.50 m |
| Propulsion: |
Diesel-electric engines - 24,000 total horsepower |
| Ice Class: |
LL3 |
| Cruising Speed: |
15 knots in open water |
| Registered: |
In Russia by Far Eastern Shipping Company |
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| The Polar-class Ice Breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov was purpose-built to sail the ice-covered waters of the Russian Arctic. This vessel is one of the few ships in the world that can break and crush ice to make this expedition possible. |
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| Dates and Rates – All rates are per person in US dollars and are subject to change |
View Cabins & Deck Plans |
| Ice Breaker Kapitan Khlebnikov |
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| Date |
Days |
| Aug 25 - Sep 11, 2008 |
18 |
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| Triple |
Twin |
Twin Single |
Suite |
Corner Suite |
| $14,500 |
$17,500 |
$29,700 |
$18,900 |
$21,400 |
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Itinerary |
Route Map |
| Day 1 Ottawa, Canada |
Arctic Quest – 3,720 Nautical Miles from Resolute to Iqaluit |
Ottawa, Canada's national capital, is a city of green spaces and cultural institutions. You will spend the first night of the expedition in a centrally located hotel. By next evening, you’ll be in Resolute and aboard the Kapitan Khlebnikov, on your way to the adventure of a lifetime.
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| Day 2 Embarkation Day |
We arrange a group fly for you from Ottawa to Resolute, a small village above the Arctic Circle, where you board Kapitan Khlebnikov.
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| Day 3-4 Lancaster Sound |
From Resolute, you will sail along the south shore of Devon Island into Lancaster Sound. Narwhals, polar bears, Arctic seals and about two-dozen species of birds inhabit the Sound. Our first shore landing may be at Dundas Harbour, where we will visit the remains of millennia-old Early Thule winter houses.
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| Day 5-6 Greenland |
Following the western coast of Greenland, we sail north through Smith Sound and Kane Basin. Our ultimate goal is the Lincoln Sea, more often than not the sea is covered in ten-tenths pack ice, making it virtually impassable, even for Kapitan Khlebnikov.
When satellite photos taken in May 2002 were compared to images taken in May 2007, we noted than area of open sea had developed. This |
open water may allow the icebreaker to enter the Lincoln Sea. Although we cannot be certain that an open passage will be found in 2008, we look forward to attempting to sail as far into Robeson Channel and the Lincoln Sea as conditions permit.
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| Day 7-9 Ellesmere Island |
| Fort Conger, on the eastern shore of Ellesmere Island, is another planned shore landing. From Fort Conger we plan to explore Buchanan Bay and its massive twin glaciers. In Alexandra Fjord we plan to visit Skraeling Island, where archaeologists have unearthed artifacts of Small-Tool cultures dating to 4500 BCE. If conditions permit, a landing is planned at Starvation Camp, Pim Island, where members of Adolphus Greeley's 1881-84 expedition died. |
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| Day 10-11 Coburg Island |
| When we reach Coburg Island, if conditions permit, the Expedition Leader will deploy the Zodiacs to cruise the base of the towering cliffs where fledged murres thrive. The vessel continues westward to Bylot Island, a vast bird sanctuary, with a diverse avian community. We hope to conduct a landing on the southern shore as well as exploring the tiny community of Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik). |
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| Day 12-16 Baffin Island |
| We will sail the steep-sided fjords of northeastern Baffin Island, where beautiful, rugged mountains soar above a black sea. Narwhals and beluga inhabit the nutrient-rich waters here. Caribou roam the extensive tundra. We round the headland into Cumberland Sound to Pangnirtung. Local artists famed for the prints and woven tapestries they produce will demonstrate their craft. En route to Iqaluit we plan more landings, taking advantage of local conditions. |
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| Day 17-18 Iqaluit to Ottawa |
| From Iqaluit, you will be flown to Ottawa, where you spend the final night of the expedition. |
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| Important Reminder |
| Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy - and excitement - of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage. Due to local ice and weather condition, the planned itinerary, schedule and activities are subject to change. |
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