Usually, I discover myself reflecting on my love for the ocean. I don’t know the place it got here from. I didn’t develop up close to the ocean, nor am I a lot of a seashore bum. Laying round in a swimsuit, like, in entrance of individuals all day doing nothing? And the way annoying is sand? Scoffs. No thanks.
Truly, if I’m being sincere, I’m extra of a seashore individual now than I was. Pretentious younger traveler me all the time needed to be doing issues and taking within the sights. Stress-free and vacation by no means belonged in the identical sentence. I have to SEE and DO it ALL.
Having burnt myself out so many instances since, your woman loves a lazy vacation now. Present me the resort pleased hour!
However again to the ocean. With no thought the place this ardour got here from, I can say now that I’m actually pleased at sea. To go to the Arctic is to fall in love. I am keen on it. I benefit from the rocking of the boat. The wild climate and waves. The sensation of transiting in a brand new approach. The briny air and the sensation of insignificance. Mom Natch is in cost at sea.
I’ve been touring to the polar worlds by ship for years and years, making a few of my favourite journey reminiscences alongside the way in which. In these distant corners of the earth, getting round by boat is just about the one possible approach to go to the Arctic. My job onboard was all the time journey content material, pictures, writing, and storytelling. I sat someplace in between the expedition staff and passengers.
However deep down, I knew I needed to be a part of the staff. I needed to get my arms soiled and learn to work at sea. In 2023, I lastly discovered the braveness to pursue working as an expedition information on the Ocean Endeavour, an expedition ship alternating between the Arctic with Journey Canada and the Antarctic with Intrepid, summer time to summer time.
I spent three months onboard with Journey Canada final summer time, touring from Scotland to the Faroes to Iceland to Greenland and ending in Canada. It was the journey of a lifetime, and I really feel honored to be a part of their household. There’s such a close-knit vibe onboard. My fundamental job was as media, taking pictures and gathering content material for storytelling, however I additionally doubled as a part of the expedition staff. After a decade of working independently, being a part of a staff felt so good.
And arguably the very best a part of all of it? Three months at sea means you see a ton of cool stuff. It allowed me to construct on my expertise, revisit locations I beloved, and see issues by way of recent eyes. Should you go to the Arctic sooner or later, hopefully, you’re going to get to share a few of these adventures, too. Listed below are ten of the best issues I noticed whereas onboard with Journey Canada – get pleasure from!
1. Polar bears consuming a beluga whale
I’ve managed to see some fairly superb issues in my life, particularly since I grew to become a full-time journey blogger in 2013. However indisputably, one of many coolest experiences of all occurred whereas visiting the Arctic within the Northwest Passage final September.
There’s this unimaginable place referred to as Coningham Bay, with a large, shallow bay with a slender inlet. Beluga whales wish to swim into the bay to roll round and scrape off their outdated pores and skin. However they develop into trapped inside at low tide due to the shallow entrance. Time for dinner for the polar bears.
Right here, we noticed over a dozen polar bears, together with cubs feasting on useless whales. It was wild. Solely in my morbid desires did I think about seeing polar bears with bloody, gorey faces. There have been beluga within the bay splashing round and even narwhal! It ranks on the prime of the best wildlife experiences ever.
2. Crusing from Iceland to Greenland with Margaret Attwood
One of many coolest experiences final summer time at sea was that Canadian icon and legend Margaret Attwood was onboard with us as a particular visitor on the Iceland to Greenland: Within the Wake of the Vikings journey. Should you go to the Arctic, arriving by ship is an actual journey.
A longtime buddy of Journey Canada, Margaret Attwood, joins in on a visit per yr. A passionate conservationist and hen nerd alongside along with her late husband, it was ridiculously cool to be on board along with her on such a enjoyable journey. Very very similar to everyone else besides with a crafty and darkish humorousness, it was inspirational to be round one of many best writers of our age. Hanging out along with her and listening to her tales, you type of simply shut up and hear as a result of they’re so riveting.
She even penned a brief story referred to as Stone Mattress whereas onboard years in the past. About revenge and homicide (after all) on the Northwest Passage touring by expedition ship, it’s now a part of the guide of the identical identify.
3. Lastly seeing the Northern Lights
I’m so pleased to report that I’ve lastly seen the Northern Lights in spite of everything these years. It was an enormous expertise for me and one which I nearly missed out on.
I’ve been to the Arctic just a few instances, and Aurora territory, and I’ve by no means seen them. I spent per week in Arctic Finland in winter—cloudy the complete time. Different instances, I’ve been within the Arctic in summertime when it doesn’t get darkish—no lights. I’ve seen their equal lots in New Zealand, however down right here, it’s nowhere close to as vibrant or dramatic—we’re not far sufficient south.
However this time, in September, as we made our approach south alongside the western coast of Greenland, the Northern Lights got here out in full drive. I used to be getting over being sick and had gone to mattress early after I began to listen to knocking on my door. I ignored it for ages, however my resilient boat bestie, Krista, was not leaving til I acquired as much as see them. Thank god for good mates!
Throwing my gear over my pajamas, we made our approach to the highest deck, and the aurora was popping off! It was insane! I watched it dance for ages, took just a few pictures, and simply jumped round with everybody, celebrating such a cool expertise. Should you go to the Arctic and need to see the Northern Lights, Greenland is the place to be.
4. Hanging out with the Shetland ponies in Scotland
My very first journey with Journey Canada was Scotland Slowly, which explores the northern Scottish Isles. Exploring Scotland by sea was unimaginable, and going by expedition ship meant we might absorb many locations which might be normally exhausting to get to.
As an enormous historical past nerd, I beloved this journey. The truth is, a lot of the books I purchased for the entire season had been on this journey round Scotland.
But when I’m being sincere right here, my favourite half was being across the Shetland ponies. The Shetland Islands will not be simple to entry, almost 200 kilometers north of mainland Scotland, near Norway. We referred to as into the tiny island of Foula for the day, house to some dozen people and a hell of much more ponies. With lovely hen cliffs and unimaginable views, and tiny horses roaming round, it was an actual spotlight for me for the entire some.
5. Standing on sea ice in Baffin Bay
By this level, I’ve been to the Arctic and Antarctic many instances and spent a good period of time shifting by way of sea ice, both by ship or on zodiac cruises. Punching by way of the ice, the crackles and booms towards the ship, wanting in the direction of the horizon for polar bears, sea ice exploration is one in all my favourite issues about polar journey. It makes you are feeling such as you’re exploring in the event you go to the Arctic.
Baffin Bay sprawls throughout northern Canada to Greenland. Frozen all yr, channels and huge components open up within the summertime. Ice situations undoubtedly dictate how we journey by ship. Ships are assigned ice class rankings, relying on the strengthening to undergo sea ice. The ice will be thick or skinny, super-condensed, or unfold out. There are heaps of things that go into understanding sea ice situations – many I’m nonetheless studying myself.
However one factor I’ve by no means executed earlier than is land on sea ice, i.e., get out and stroll on it. It needs to be outdated, thick, and durable. This season, we discovered the right sea ice to land on in Baffin Bay, nudging the zodiacs onto the ice earlier than hopping out and exploring for a bit. It was a very, actually cool expertise that not many people have executed earlier than. It was so particular.
6. Getting an actual schooling about Inuit life and historical past
I’ll be utterly sincere: I didn’t know heaps about Inuit life and tradition earlier than heading to the Arctic. I knew a good quantity concerning the Lacking and Murdered Indigenous Ladies and Women in Canada, together with the horrors of the residential faculties, largely from crime podcasts I hearken to.
However then, there may be solely a lot you may examine till you expertise it your self. And there may be solely a lot you may even start to grasp as an outsider.
Journey Canada cares lots about indigenous life, particularly since they function round their lands. Every journey has many native Inuk guides on board as cultural educators. They even have the one Inuk Expedition Chief within the business. Every thing occurs in an actual, genuine approach; nothing is hidden or sugarcoated. We visited deserted communities the place Inuit residents had been pressured to maneuver, see graves, and study concerning the tragic historical past, notably in Canada. It was actually eye-opening.
7. Getting up shut and private with puffins within the Faroe Islands
Similar to the ponies of Scotland, I used to be enraptured by one other lovely creature – the puffin. Should you go to the Arctic, hopefully you’ll see them!
I had seen puffins earlier than on my first journey to Iceland 1,000,000 years in the past, nevertheless it was earlier than I had a telephoto lens they usually weren’t notably up shut. This time round, I noticed them heaps, typically proper subsequent to you, and wow, are they one of many cutest birds of all time ever. I’ll die on this hill!
A lot smaller than they give the impression of being, they fly with the weirdest gait, legs splayed large. We noticed them just a few instances round Iceland after which heaps within the Faroe Islands, the place they hang around on the cliffs subsequent to a few of the hottest walks.
8. Having my thoughts blown within the Torngat Mountains
On the fringe of the Arctic Circle in Canada is without doubt one of the most unimaginable wilderness areas I had by no means heard of: the Torngat Mountains.
I hadn’t been onboard the Ocean Endeavour lengthy earlier than I heard that some of the universally beloved journeys is their Greenland and Wild Labrador journey, which spends time within the distant Torngats. Eternally enamored by the very far north, land of bears and ice, Labrador hadn’t actually occurred to me as a spot I might love.
My final journey of the season went right here, and holy crap, guys, it was my favourite place of all. I’ll undoubtedly go into this intimately later, however the Torngats may be my favourite mountain vary on this planet. A particular Inuit homeland, this place is extremely protected and solely open for just a few weeks a yr. There aren’t any roads anyplace close to right here. However due to Journey Canada’s unimaginable relationship with Inuit, and by bringing locals onboard this journey as guides, we’re in a position to spend almost per week within the Torngat Mountains – with all of it to ourselves. And the bears. There are tons of bears right here.
9. Loopy sunsets at sea in East Greenland
By mid-July we had been absolutely immersed within the Arctic as we sailed from Iceland over to Greenland. We spent a very good period of time exploring the distant japanese facet of Greenland, the place only a few individuals reside. With a lot of sea ice and good climate, it was lovely cruising by way of probably the most picturesque of Arctic landscapes.
However what made it much more lovely than regular with the loopy sunrises and sunsets we had been getting. Sadly, this wasn’t for a very good purpose. 2023 was Canada’s worst wildfire summer time ever. Almost 20 million hectares of land went up in flame, burning for months at a time.
And the smoke drifted to Greenland. Although it wasn’t tremendous smokey or sturdy in southeastern Greenland, the haze contributed to lengthy, misty sunsets that had been out of this world—a ravishing tragedy.
10. Wandering the magnificent autumn tundra
Autumn comes early in the event you go to the Arctic. By September 1st, the complete countryside had turned purple and gold within the far north. The mountains had their peaks dusted with the primary snow, and there was a chunk to the air heralding the change of seasons. The midnight signal was gone, and night time returned, bringing dancing auroras amongst the celebs.
I really like autumn a lot, and it was cool to expertise it in a wholly new panorama. There aren’t any timber this far north, so the tundra adjustments colours as a substitute. It’s additionally when all of the berries come out, so it made hikes even higher, munching on them.
Would you wish to expertise a few of these issues in the event you go to the Arctic? Or have you ever already? Share!
Many due to Journey Canada for internet hosting me within the Arctic – like all the time, I’m protecting it actual – all opinions are my very own, like you may anticipate much less from me!
