HELL GATE Known as the gateway to the mysterious Norwegian Bay, this narrow waterway runs alongside North Kent Island and sits between two of Canada’s most beautiful islands: Ellesmere Island and Devon Island. Transiting the channel is a rite of passage for any High Arctic explorer, as passing through it takes you to one of the most spectacular yet seldom-visited parts of our planet, Ellesmere Island. A natural convergence, channeling currents, drifting ice and marine life between its shores, Hell Gate supports a higher concentration of wildlife, including polar bears and northern fulmars, compared with the surrounding areas. PRINCE LEOPOLD ISLAND Impressive vertical cliffs surround part of this small island. This creates an ideal environment for nesting seabirds, and they nest here in vast numbers—more than 300,000 strong! Thick-billed murres, black guillemots and northern fulmars are most commonly seen here. RESOLUTE One of Canada’s most northern settlements, Resolute was formed by forceful relocation of Inuit from northern Quebec by the Canadian government in 1953, during the Cold War. Today, it’s also a jumping off point for high Arctic research. It has everything from a grocery store and cable TV to a school and a couple of hotels. About 200 people live in Resolute throughout the year, where hunting and logistical support to research, mining and tourism contribute to the community’s economy.
WINTER HARBOUR, MELVILLE ISLAND Winter Harbour is the overwintering site of legendary explorer Sir William Parry’s famous 1819–20 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The first recorded voyage to this region, it predates the later exploration of Sir John Franklin and others by over 20 years! The site is home to a large sandstone rock known as Parry’s Rock. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1930, this natural monument bears an inscription by the ship’s surgeon of the expedition’s vessels and their captains, as well as a plaque marking when Canada took possession of the Arctic Archipelago.
EXPEDITION SPIRIT Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must consider the sea, ice and weather to guide the route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not guaranteed.
Call your Travel Professional or a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.892.0073 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for additional details
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