| Arctic Circumvention with Elston and Jackline Hill on the Kapitain Khlebnikov July 8 to September 13, 2011 |
July 9, 2011
Fly to Anchorage, Alaska, USA
july 11 to 12, 2011
Embarkation Day – Russia
We fly to Nome on Alaska Airlines and then a charrter flight from Nome to Providenya, Russia crosses the
International Date Line.Travelers will begin their flight on July 11 and end it on July 12, losing a day en route.
Travelers are transferred to the ship after clearing Russian customs. The northward journey begins
through the Bering Strait.
July 13 to 15, 2011
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait connects the Pacific Ocean to the Chukchi Sea – a portion of the Arctic Ocean. Sailing
north, the ship will cross the Arctic Circle entering the land of the midnight sun. Daylight will be continuous
for 37 days!
July 16 to 17, 2011
Wrangel Island
Crossing the Delong Strait, the ship should encounter pack ice. The Expedition Leader will ask the Captain
to deploy the
helicopter so that travelers have an aerial view of the ship crushing ice up to a meter (yard) thick. Landings
are planned
on Wrangel Island, the first of two UNESCO World HeritageySites that will be visited during this voyage.
Wrangel Island wasydesignated for its diverse flora and habitat for migratory birds. Musk oxen thrive there.
July 18 to 24, 2011
New Siberian Islands
Kapitan Khlebnikov makes its way through the pack ice of the East Siberian Sea to the New Siberian Islands.
Ancient camping grounds will be explored on these remote islands. If conditions permit, travelers will see
the northernmost point of the European continent. During the 2008 expedition through the Northeast
Passage, polar bears were sighted in the archipelago.
July 25 to 29, 2011
Severnaya Zemlya
Landings on these, the least accessible islands of the Arctic, will be one of the highlights of this
circumnavigation. The
archipelago thwarted many attempts to sail around the Arctic Ocean until the development of engine-driven
surface vessels. Zodiacs and helicopter will be deployed during our exploration of the group. In 2008, a
visit was made to reindeer herders in the region. There are two indigenous peoples in the Russian Arctic
who depend on reindeer to exist – the Chukchi and the Tundra Nenets. The Chukchi People live on the
Chukotka Peninsula. The Tundra Nenets live in the region that stretches from the Tamyr Peninsula to the
White Sea, which lies east of Severnaya Zemlya. The visit was one of the highlights of that earlier
expedition. In 2011, we will attempt another visit to a camp of these nomadic peoples, who move from place
to place following their herds.
July 30 to august 2, 2011
Franz Josef Land
Well above the Arctic Circle, only 10 degrees from the North Pole, lie the most northerly islands in Eurasia –
Franz Josef
Land. They are the habitat of polar bear and walrus. We plan to visit Cape Flora, where the remains of three
historic
expeditions are found. If conditions permit, Zodiacs will cruise the base of towering cliffs where seabirds
nest. We expect
to use the helicopter for aerial sightseeing, and transfers to otherwise inaccessible landing sites.
August 3 to 5, 2011
At sea
August 5
Murmansk, Russia.
August 6, 2011
At sea
The icebreaker sails westward toward Svalbard, the Norwegian Arctic archipelago, through the Barents Sea.
Travelers become acquainted with the new guests that boarded in Norway.
August 7, 2011
Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen, Svalbard
Svalbard is Norway’s Arctic frontier. An international treaty was required to cement the country’s rule over
the islands. Crown corporations were established to exploit the natural resources of Svalbard. One such
corporation, located in Ny Alesund, was responsible for the deaths of three miners and brought down the
Norwegian government in the mid-1960s. Over time, the corporation has evolved from a mining company to
one that manages infrastructure for the researchers that have taken over the village. You’ll have time to
explore, but you will not be able to use wireless devices as they are banned.
August 8 to 9, 2011
At sea
As the Captain navigates the Greenland Sea, you will find the ship sailing along the edge of the pack ice.
The helicopter will provide an aerial view of the icebreaker crushing through the ice. When you are not
flying, scan the ice edge for wildlife.
August 10, 2011
Danmarks Havn, Greenland
This small weather station, operated by eight hardy souls, islocated about halfway along the coast of
Northeast Greenland National Park. You will cruise in Zodiacs through Dove Bugt (Greenlandic for bay),
alert for polar bear and walrus.
August 11, 2011
Shannon and Sabine Islands
As the flagship of Quark Expeditions, Kapitan Khlebnikov has earned an international reputation as an
expedition vessel.
So it is fitting that a landing will be made on Shannon Island, named for a Royal Navy frigate that sailed
valiantly during the Napoleonic and American Wars. No less significant is a visit to a hut built by Arctic
explorers from the timbers of the expedition vessel Alabama. The vessel, at anchor off shore, was holed by
ice and sank. The two crew members left in charge of the vessel constructed the hut to shelter the
exploration party on its return.
August 12, 2011
Daneborg and Eskimonaes
There are four permanent communities in the park. Daneborg is the largest, with a population of 12 during
the summer
months. The hamlet is the headquarters of the Slaedepatruljen Sirius (Sirius Patrol), responsible for
maintaining Danish
sovereignty and policing Northern and Eastern Greenland. The unit, comprised of drivers and sled dogs, is
a division of the Danish Navy. Each team of two men and 11 to 15 dogs carries between 350 and 500 kilos
(770 to 1100 lbs) of supplies for depot huts along their patrol routes. Special guest Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen
is a former member of the SIRIUS patrol. His shipboard presentations will prepare travelers for the visit to
Daneborg. After the visit to Daneborg, the ship will reposition to Eskimonaes, the former patrol
headquarters, which was destroyed by German invaders during World War II. Travelers visit the remains of
the headquarters and those of a settlement of Thule, the ancestors of the native people of Greenland.
August 13, 2011
Ella Island
The halfway mark of the circumnavigation will occur on Ella Island. Pack a knapsack and binoculars,
because travelers will climb to the summit of the islands for an outstanding view of five fjords and musk
oxen grazing.
August 14 to 16, 2011
Scoresbysund
The world’s largest fjord complex will take some time to explore by ship, by Zodiac and on foot. We have a
program
planned that includes sailing among icebergs in Hall Bredning, hiking near Rypefjord and cruising in
Zodiacs, alert for wildlife. At Sydkap, there will be an archeological site to explore.
August 17, 2011
Ittoqqoortoormitt
The Greenlandic name for the community located at the mouth of Scoresbysund means Big House. During a
visit to the
community, travelers will discover that the local economy is based on hunting, as sea ice makes commercial
fishing difficult.
August 18, 2011
At sea
You’ll leave behind the land of the midnight sun, crossing the Arctic Circle on a southbound course in the
Denmark Strait. Recap sessions will focus on unusual moments that have occurred, while illustrated
presentations prepare you for the activities to come.
August 19, 2011
Tasiilaq
Ashore on the island of Ammassalik, you will visit its principal community – Tasiilaq. With about 1,800
inhabitants, it is the
largest community in East Greenland. We have a number of activities planned including a hike. The area has
an excellent reputation as a hiking destination.
August 20, 2011
Bernstorfs Isfjord
South of Ammassalik are many fjords – deep, steep-walled valleys along coastlines that have flooded with
seawater. We will explore one whose name translates to “ice fjord”. In Greenland, that indicates the
excellent possibility that there is a
glacier that calves icebergs at the head of the fjord. We will sail the fjord in search of newly minted glaciers.
We will also seek a place to go ashore to hike. Hiking is always optional. If travelers would prefer to sit
quietly and contemplate the beauty that surrounds them, they may.
August 21, 2011
Nanortalik
This morning, we anticipate that the ship will round the southern tip of Greenland, one of the first regions
to be inhabited by European settlers. The community and the island that travelers visit today bear the same
name – Nanortalik. A hot spring in the area will tempt visitors to ease their tired legs after a tundra hike and
a visit to a former Viking settlement.
5 2011 arctic circumnavigation | expedition dossier
August 22, 2011
At sea
Sailing northward along the coast of Greenland, there will be magnificent vistas to photograph and
seabirds to watch as
they accompany the ship. As the icebreaker sails up Sondre Stromfjord, it will once again cross the Arctic
Circle, an
appropriate end to this leg of the circumnavigation.
August 23, 2011
Kangerlussuaq
While those travelers who have chosen to participate in only the Greenland segment of the
circumnavigation are disembarked in Kangerlussuaq, travelers who have booked the complete voyage will
participate in an exclusive excursion in the capital of Greenland.
August 24, 2011
Sisimiut
Kayak is an Inuit word that English has borrowed to describe a small vessel propelled by paddles that seats
one or two people. When ashore in Sisimiut, travelers will watch a demonstration of traditional kayaking.
There will be time to explore the town, where 18th century buildings from Greenland’s colonial period still
stand!
August 25, 2011
Ilulissat
Ilulissat Kangerlua is Greenlandic for “The Iceberg Fjord.” The glacier at the head of the fjord is the most
productive in the Northern Hemisphere. The icebergs it calves float down the fjord to enter Baffin Bay. As
the ship approaches Ilulissat,
travelers should have their cameras ready to take photos of young icebergs. The ‘bergs’ journey will end
years later
somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland. So significant is Ilulissat Fjord that UNESCO has designated the
area a World
Heritage Site. Travelers cruise the fjord in a Zodiac, hike the shoreline and explore the community of the
same name
located near the glacier.
August 26, 2011
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay, an extension of the Arctic Ocean, is a sea not a bay. The massive body of water separates
Canada from Greenland. As the ship sails from east to west, travelers are on the alert for icebergs. They
watch for seabirds gliding on the wing and whales in the water.
August 27, 2011
Pond Inlet
Back in the Canadian Arctic, the people of Pond Inlet, or Mittimatalik – as it has been called by the Inuit for
thousands of years – will welcome travelers to the Artist’s Co-operative. In addition to the internationally
renowned art they produce, the people of “Pond” earn their living fishing for Arctic char. Travelers will
have time to take photos, explore the hamlet and hike the nearby tundra, before boarding Kapitan
Khlebnikov once again.
August 28 to 29, 2011
Devon and Beechey Islands
Over the next two days, travelers will explore the southern shore of the largest uninhabited island in the
world, Devon Island. They will go ashore to visit a deserted Royal Canadian Mounted Police station. They’ll
learn about the Thule, the
ancestors of the Inuit. They will be alert for musk oxen as they hike or cruise in Zodiacs. Just off shore at
the western end of Devon Island is Beechey Island. There, on a stony beach, stand three grave markers,
grim reminders of the lives lost during Sir John Franklin’s search for the Northwest Passage. While
approaching Beechey Island, special guest John Murray will deliver the first of two presentations about
Franklin.
August 30, 2011
Prince Regent Inlet
Prince Leopold Island is a bird sanctuary with soaring cliffs where seabirds nest. It also marks the eastern
end of the
Northwest Passage. Khlebnikov will begin the transit of the fabled northern sea route to Asia today. Roald
Amundsen is
credited with the first successful full transit of the Northwest Passage. He, however, was not the first to
discover the route. The Northwest Passage was discovered piece by piece over hundreds of years. As you
travel south down Prince Regent Inlet, you will be sailing through a segment that was discovered by William
Parry in the early 19th century.
August 31, 2011
Bellot Strait
The narrow Bellot Strait has thwarted many ships as it is often ice-choked. The mighty Kapitan Khlebnikov
has never failed to make the transit. Travelers will be on deck as the Captain threads the ship through the
passage that separates mainland North America from Somerset Island for the last time. As the vessel
approaches the stretch of the Northwest Passage explored by the Irish-Canadian Franklin Search
Expedition, special guest John Murray will provide insight into the logistics and the motivations of 21st
century exploration.
September 1, 2011
Victoria Strait
No transit of the Northwest Passage would be complete without visiting the locales synonymous with Sir
John Franklin’s ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage. Franklin’s ships were beset in the ice of Victoria
Strait, off King William Island, before they were abandoned. Evidence of what happened next is scanty. The
longest search in maritime history was mounted in an attempt to solve the mystery. The Expedition Team
will provide the details in the form of illustrated presentations as you sail through Victoria Strait.
September 2, 2011
Iqaluktuuttiaq
The people of Iqaluktuuttiaq, also known as Cambridge Bay, the largest community on Victoria Island, will
welcome the
icebreaker and introduce travelers to their culture through dance and song. Travelers will have time to
explore the
community of 1,400, a commercial hub for the region.
September 3, 2011
Johansen Bay
A tundra hike is no stroll in the park. Travelers will walk rough, undulating ground that has never been
manicured, seeded or covered by a boardwalk. They will walk on the wild side in Johansen Bay.
September 4, 2011
Ulukhaktok
Ulukhaktok, known in English as Holman, is an Arctic village with an international reputation in the fine arts
community. The prints created in the artist’s co-op can be found hanging in art galleries and homes around
the world. Travelers will have time to visit the co-operative and attend a cultural demonstration, before
returning to the icebreaker.
September 5, 2011
Walker Bay
Throughout this expedition, activities on the ship and ashore combine to create a powerful package that
will engage mind
and emotions. The planned visit to the wilderness of Walker Bay is no exception.
September 6, 2011
Mackenzie Delta
The estuary formed at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, where it empties into the Beaufort Sea, is
classified as a delta.
For 7,000 years sediment brought down river has built up to create a vast surface area where wildlife
congregates. Travelers will be on the lookout for Snow and Brant Geese, Tundra Swans as well as beluga
whales while in the vicinity of the Mackenzie Delta.
September 7, 2011
Qikiqtaruk
Kapitan Khlebnikov has navigated the Northwest Passage more than 15 times, a record that no other
expedition vessel has surpassed. Today the ship’s last visit to Herschel Island – known as Qikiqtaruk in
Inuvialuktun – will occur. We plan to mark the occasion with the presentation of a plaque to the Territorial
Park’s administrators. On Qikiwtaruk, archeologists have found evidence of a thousand years of human
habitation. The Thule people were the first to settle on the island. They were the ancestors of the Inuvialuit,
the local native people. Whalers sheltered in
the island’s natural harbor. The Hudson’s Bay Company built a trading post and the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police assigned a detachment to the island. The park was established in 1987 to protect what
remains of the island’s human history. Birding enthusiasts should carry their binoculars during the visit to
the park. More than 90 species of birds have been counted on the island.
September 8 to 9, 2011
At sea
As Kapitan Khlebnikov steams westward across the Beaufort Sea, watch for marine mammals in the water
and seabirds
swirling about the ship. Should the vessel encounter pack ice, the onboard helicopters will take you aloft to
watch as the
powerful ship crushes through to open water.
September 10 to 12, 2011
Chukotka Peninsula, Russia
More presentations to commemorate the icebreaker’s farewell voyage through the Arctic will occur when
the ship
reaches Russia’s Far East – the Chukotka Peninsula. Cultural presentations will demonstrate the similarities
and the
differences between the indigenous people of the Russian Arctic and those of Canada and Greenland.
Travelers will visit
the tiny village of Uelen, known for its talented carvers who work in walrus ivory. At Cape Dezhnev, the
most easterly point of the Asian continent, the architecture of the buildings that remain is distinctively
Russian. Travelers cruise in Zodiacs to Puffin Island where two species of the comical bird cohabit. On the
shore of Ittygran Island, the ribs of whales, planted in the tundra by people long ago, still stand on lowland
known as “whalebone alley.” The final shore landing planned is a visit to Novoyo Chaplino, where the local
people dressed in traditional attire will demonstrate their skills as wrestlers and ropers of reindeer.
September 13, 2011
Anadyr, Russia
You will disembark the farewell voyage through the Arctic of Kapitan Khlebnikov in Anadyr, Russia. You will
be transferred by helicopter one last time from the ship to the airport for the charter flight to Anchorage,
Alaska, where you will spend the night. Crossing the International Date Line en route turns the clock back a
day to September 12.
September 13, 2011
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
After breakfast, depart for Seattle on 11:00 a.m. flight..
Fly to Anchorage, Alaska, USA
july 11 to 12, 2011
Embarkation Day – Russia
We fly to Nome on Alaska Airlines and then a charrter flight from Nome to Providenya, Russia crosses the
International Date Line.Travelers will begin their flight on July 11 and end it on July 12, losing a day en route.
Travelers are transferred to the ship after clearing Russian customs. The northward journey begins
through the Bering Strait.
July 13 to 15, 2011
Bering Strait
The Bering Strait connects the Pacific Ocean to the Chukchi Sea – a portion of the Arctic Ocean. Sailing
north, the ship will cross the Arctic Circle entering the land of the midnight sun. Daylight will be continuous
for 37 days!
July 16 to 17, 2011
Wrangel Island
Crossing the Delong Strait, the ship should encounter pack ice. The Expedition Leader will ask the Captain
to deploy the
helicopter so that travelers have an aerial view of the ship crushing ice up to a meter (yard) thick. Landings
are planned
on Wrangel Island, the first of two UNESCO World HeritageySites that will be visited during this voyage.
Wrangel Island wasydesignated for its diverse flora and habitat for migratory birds. Musk oxen thrive there.
July 18 to 24, 2011
New Siberian Islands
Kapitan Khlebnikov makes its way through the pack ice of the East Siberian Sea to the New Siberian Islands.
Ancient camping grounds will be explored on these remote islands. If conditions permit, travelers will see
the northernmost point of the European continent. During the 2008 expedition through the Northeast
Passage, polar bears were sighted in the archipelago.
July 25 to 29, 2011
Severnaya Zemlya
Landings on these, the least accessible islands of the Arctic, will be one of the highlights of this
circumnavigation. The
archipelago thwarted many attempts to sail around the Arctic Ocean until the development of engine-driven
surface vessels. Zodiacs and helicopter will be deployed during our exploration of the group. In 2008, a
visit was made to reindeer herders in the region. There are two indigenous peoples in the Russian Arctic
who depend on reindeer to exist – the Chukchi and the Tundra Nenets. The Chukchi People live on the
Chukotka Peninsula. The Tundra Nenets live in the region that stretches from the Tamyr Peninsula to the
White Sea, which lies east of Severnaya Zemlya. The visit was one of the highlights of that earlier
expedition. In 2011, we will attempt another visit to a camp of these nomadic peoples, who move from place
to place following their herds.
July 30 to august 2, 2011
Franz Josef Land
Well above the Arctic Circle, only 10 degrees from the North Pole, lie the most northerly islands in Eurasia –
Franz Josef
Land. They are the habitat of polar bear and walrus. We plan to visit Cape Flora, where the remains of three
historic
expeditions are found. If conditions permit, Zodiacs will cruise the base of towering cliffs where seabirds
nest. We expect
to use the helicopter for aerial sightseeing, and transfers to otherwise inaccessible landing sites.
August 3 to 5, 2011
At sea
August 5
Murmansk, Russia.
August 6, 2011
At sea
The icebreaker sails westward toward Svalbard, the Norwegian Arctic archipelago, through the Barents Sea.
Travelers become acquainted with the new guests that boarded in Norway.
August 7, 2011
Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen, Svalbard
Svalbard is Norway’s Arctic frontier. An international treaty was required to cement the country’s rule over
the islands. Crown corporations were established to exploit the natural resources of Svalbard. One such
corporation, located in Ny Alesund, was responsible for the deaths of three miners and brought down the
Norwegian government in the mid-1960s. Over time, the corporation has evolved from a mining company to
one that manages infrastructure for the researchers that have taken over the village. You’ll have time to
explore, but you will not be able to use wireless devices as they are banned.
August 8 to 9, 2011
At sea
As the Captain navigates the Greenland Sea, you will find the ship sailing along the edge of the pack ice.
The helicopter will provide an aerial view of the icebreaker crushing through the ice. When you are not
flying, scan the ice edge for wildlife.
August 10, 2011
Danmarks Havn, Greenland
This small weather station, operated by eight hardy souls, islocated about halfway along the coast of
Northeast Greenland National Park. You will cruise in Zodiacs through Dove Bugt (Greenlandic for bay),
alert for polar bear and walrus.
August 11, 2011
Shannon and Sabine Islands
As the flagship of Quark Expeditions, Kapitan Khlebnikov has earned an international reputation as an
expedition vessel.
So it is fitting that a landing will be made on Shannon Island, named for a Royal Navy frigate that sailed
valiantly during the Napoleonic and American Wars. No less significant is a visit to a hut built by Arctic
explorers from the timbers of the expedition vessel Alabama. The vessel, at anchor off shore, was holed by
ice and sank. The two crew members left in charge of the vessel constructed the hut to shelter the
exploration party on its return.
August 12, 2011
Daneborg and Eskimonaes
There are four permanent communities in the park. Daneborg is the largest, with a population of 12 during
the summer
months. The hamlet is the headquarters of the Slaedepatruljen Sirius (Sirius Patrol), responsible for
maintaining Danish
sovereignty and policing Northern and Eastern Greenland. The unit, comprised of drivers and sled dogs, is
a division of the Danish Navy. Each team of two men and 11 to 15 dogs carries between 350 and 500 kilos
(770 to 1100 lbs) of supplies for depot huts along their patrol routes. Special guest Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen
is a former member of the SIRIUS patrol. His shipboard presentations will prepare travelers for the visit to
Daneborg. After the visit to Daneborg, the ship will reposition to Eskimonaes, the former patrol
headquarters, which was destroyed by German invaders during World War II. Travelers visit the remains of
the headquarters and those of a settlement of Thule, the ancestors of the native people of Greenland.
August 13, 2011
Ella Island
The halfway mark of the circumnavigation will occur on Ella Island. Pack a knapsack and binoculars,
because travelers will climb to the summit of the islands for an outstanding view of five fjords and musk
oxen grazing.
August 14 to 16, 2011
Scoresbysund
The world’s largest fjord complex will take some time to explore by ship, by Zodiac and on foot. We have a
program
planned that includes sailing among icebergs in Hall Bredning, hiking near Rypefjord and cruising in
Zodiacs, alert for wildlife. At Sydkap, there will be an archeological site to explore.
August 17, 2011
Ittoqqoortoormitt
The Greenlandic name for the community located at the mouth of Scoresbysund means Big House. During a
visit to the
community, travelers will discover that the local economy is based on hunting, as sea ice makes commercial
fishing difficult.
August 18, 2011
At sea
You’ll leave behind the land of the midnight sun, crossing the Arctic Circle on a southbound course in the
Denmark Strait. Recap sessions will focus on unusual moments that have occurred, while illustrated
presentations prepare you for the activities to come.
August 19, 2011
Tasiilaq
Ashore on the island of Ammassalik, you will visit its principal community – Tasiilaq. With about 1,800
inhabitants, it is the
largest community in East Greenland. We have a number of activities planned including a hike. The area has
an excellent reputation as a hiking destination.
August 20, 2011
Bernstorfs Isfjord
South of Ammassalik are many fjords – deep, steep-walled valleys along coastlines that have flooded with
seawater. We will explore one whose name translates to “ice fjord”. In Greenland, that indicates the
excellent possibility that there is a
glacier that calves icebergs at the head of the fjord. We will sail the fjord in search of newly minted glaciers.
We will also seek a place to go ashore to hike. Hiking is always optional. If travelers would prefer to sit
quietly and contemplate the beauty that surrounds them, they may.
August 21, 2011
Nanortalik
This morning, we anticipate that the ship will round the southern tip of Greenland, one of the first regions
to be inhabited by European settlers. The community and the island that travelers visit today bear the same
name – Nanortalik. A hot spring in the area will tempt visitors to ease their tired legs after a tundra hike and
a visit to a former Viking settlement.
5 2011 arctic circumnavigation | expedition dossier
August 22, 2011
At sea
Sailing northward along the coast of Greenland, there will be magnificent vistas to photograph and
seabirds to watch as
they accompany the ship. As the icebreaker sails up Sondre Stromfjord, it will once again cross the Arctic
Circle, an
appropriate end to this leg of the circumnavigation.
August 23, 2011
Kangerlussuaq
While those travelers who have chosen to participate in only the Greenland segment of the
circumnavigation are disembarked in Kangerlussuaq, travelers who have booked the complete voyage will
participate in an exclusive excursion in the capital of Greenland.
August 24, 2011
Sisimiut
Kayak is an Inuit word that English has borrowed to describe a small vessel propelled by paddles that seats
one or two people. When ashore in Sisimiut, travelers will watch a demonstration of traditional kayaking.
There will be time to explore the town, where 18th century buildings from Greenland’s colonial period still
stand!
August 25, 2011
Ilulissat
Ilulissat Kangerlua is Greenlandic for “The Iceberg Fjord.” The glacier at the head of the fjord is the most
productive in the Northern Hemisphere. The icebergs it calves float down the fjord to enter Baffin Bay. As
the ship approaches Ilulissat,
travelers should have their cameras ready to take photos of young icebergs. The ‘bergs’ journey will end
years later
somewhere off the coast of Newfoundland. So significant is Ilulissat Fjord that UNESCO has designated the
area a World
Heritage Site. Travelers cruise the fjord in a Zodiac, hike the shoreline and explore the community of the
same name
located near the glacier.
August 26, 2011
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay, an extension of the Arctic Ocean, is a sea not a bay. The massive body of water separates
Canada from Greenland. As the ship sails from east to west, travelers are on the alert for icebergs. They
watch for seabirds gliding on the wing and whales in the water.
August 27, 2011
Pond Inlet
Back in the Canadian Arctic, the people of Pond Inlet, or Mittimatalik – as it has been called by the Inuit for
thousands of years – will welcome travelers to the Artist’s Co-operative. In addition to the internationally
renowned art they produce, the people of “Pond” earn their living fishing for Arctic char. Travelers will
have time to take photos, explore the hamlet and hike the nearby tundra, before boarding Kapitan
Khlebnikov once again.
August 28 to 29, 2011
Devon and Beechey Islands
Over the next two days, travelers will explore the southern shore of the largest uninhabited island in the
world, Devon Island. They will go ashore to visit a deserted Royal Canadian Mounted Police station. They’ll
learn about the Thule, the
ancestors of the Inuit. They will be alert for musk oxen as they hike or cruise in Zodiacs. Just off shore at
the western end of Devon Island is Beechey Island. There, on a stony beach, stand three grave markers,
grim reminders of the lives lost during Sir John Franklin’s search for the Northwest Passage. While
approaching Beechey Island, special guest John Murray will deliver the first of two presentations about
Franklin.
August 30, 2011
Prince Regent Inlet
Prince Leopold Island is a bird sanctuary with soaring cliffs where seabirds nest. It also marks the eastern
end of the
Northwest Passage. Khlebnikov will begin the transit of the fabled northern sea route to Asia today. Roald
Amundsen is
credited with the first successful full transit of the Northwest Passage. He, however, was not the first to
discover the route. The Northwest Passage was discovered piece by piece over hundreds of years. As you
travel south down Prince Regent Inlet, you will be sailing through a segment that was discovered by William
Parry in the early 19th century.
August 31, 2011
Bellot Strait
The narrow Bellot Strait has thwarted many ships as it is often ice-choked. The mighty Kapitan Khlebnikov
has never failed to make the transit. Travelers will be on deck as the Captain threads the ship through the
passage that separates mainland North America from Somerset Island for the last time. As the vessel
approaches the stretch of the Northwest Passage explored by the Irish-Canadian Franklin Search
Expedition, special guest John Murray will provide insight into the logistics and the motivations of 21st
century exploration.
September 1, 2011
Victoria Strait
No transit of the Northwest Passage would be complete without visiting the locales synonymous with Sir
John Franklin’s ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage. Franklin’s ships were beset in the ice of Victoria
Strait, off King William Island, before they were abandoned. Evidence of what happened next is scanty. The
longest search in maritime history was mounted in an attempt to solve the mystery. The Expedition Team
will provide the details in the form of illustrated presentations as you sail through Victoria Strait.
September 2, 2011
Iqaluktuuttiaq
The people of Iqaluktuuttiaq, also known as Cambridge Bay, the largest community on Victoria Island, will
welcome the
icebreaker and introduce travelers to their culture through dance and song. Travelers will have time to
explore the
community of 1,400, a commercial hub for the region.
September 3, 2011
Johansen Bay
A tundra hike is no stroll in the park. Travelers will walk rough, undulating ground that has never been
manicured, seeded or covered by a boardwalk. They will walk on the wild side in Johansen Bay.
September 4, 2011
Ulukhaktok
Ulukhaktok, known in English as Holman, is an Arctic village with an international reputation in the fine arts
community. The prints created in the artist’s co-op can be found hanging in art galleries and homes around
the world. Travelers will have time to visit the co-operative and attend a cultural demonstration, before
returning to the icebreaker.
September 5, 2011
Walker Bay
Throughout this expedition, activities on the ship and ashore combine to create a powerful package that
will engage mind
and emotions. The planned visit to the wilderness of Walker Bay is no exception.
September 6, 2011
Mackenzie Delta
The estuary formed at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, where it empties into the Beaufort Sea, is
classified as a delta.
For 7,000 years sediment brought down river has built up to create a vast surface area where wildlife
congregates. Travelers will be on the lookout for Snow and Brant Geese, Tundra Swans as well as beluga
whales while in the vicinity of the Mackenzie Delta.
September 7, 2011
Qikiqtaruk
Kapitan Khlebnikov has navigated the Northwest Passage more than 15 times, a record that no other
expedition vessel has surpassed. Today the ship’s last visit to Herschel Island – known as Qikiqtaruk in
Inuvialuktun – will occur. We plan to mark the occasion with the presentation of a plaque to the Territorial
Park’s administrators. On Qikiwtaruk, archeologists have found evidence of a thousand years of human
habitation. The Thule people were the first to settle on the island. They were the ancestors of the Inuvialuit,
the local native people. Whalers sheltered in
the island’s natural harbor. The Hudson’s Bay Company built a trading post and the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police assigned a detachment to the island. The park was established in 1987 to protect what
remains of the island’s human history. Birding enthusiasts should carry their binoculars during the visit to
the park. More than 90 species of birds have been counted on the island.
September 8 to 9, 2011
At sea
As Kapitan Khlebnikov steams westward across the Beaufort Sea, watch for marine mammals in the water
and seabirds
swirling about the ship. Should the vessel encounter pack ice, the onboard helicopters will take you aloft to
watch as the
powerful ship crushes through to open water.
September 10 to 12, 2011
Chukotka Peninsula, Russia
More presentations to commemorate the icebreaker’s farewell voyage through the Arctic will occur when
the ship
reaches Russia’s Far East – the Chukotka Peninsula. Cultural presentations will demonstrate the similarities
and the
differences between the indigenous people of the Russian Arctic and those of Canada and Greenland.
Travelers will visit
the tiny village of Uelen, known for its talented carvers who work in walrus ivory. At Cape Dezhnev, the
most easterly point of the Asian continent, the architecture of the buildings that remain is distinctively
Russian. Travelers cruise in Zodiacs to Puffin Island where two species of the comical bird cohabit. On the
shore of Ittygran Island, the ribs of whales, planted in the tundra by people long ago, still stand on lowland
known as “whalebone alley.” The final shore landing planned is a visit to Novoyo Chaplino, where the local
people dressed in traditional attire will demonstrate their skills as wrestlers and ropers of reindeer.
September 13, 2011
Anadyr, Russia
You will disembark the farewell voyage through the Arctic of Kapitan Khlebnikov in Anadyr, Russia. You will
be transferred by helicopter one last time from the ship to the airport for the charter flight to Anchorage,
Alaska, where you will spend the night. Crossing the International Date Line en route turns the clock back a
day to September 12.
September 13, 2011
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
After breakfast, depart for Seattle on 11:00 a.m. flight..
Oops! On July 8, as we were loading our car to go to SeaTac airport, we received a call that the KK had failed its annual
safety exam. The first third of the trip was cancelled. We hoped the rest of the trip would be a go. However, on July 13
we received further notice that our trip of a life time was completely cancelled. Within two weeks, Quark had refunded us
the trip price as well as our passport fees. We were very disappointed as were the people at Quark who had worked so
hard to make this trip a success.
safety exam. The first third of the trip was cancelled. We hoped the rest of the trip would be a go. However, on July 13
we received further notice that our trip of a life time was completely cancelled. Within two weeks, Quark had refunded us
the trip price as well as our passport fees. We were very disappointed as were the people at Quark who had worked so
hard to make this trip a success.