East to the Arctic

Overview
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Maps
Ship Information
Highlights

Immersing yourself in a coastal culture is a treasure to behold. Small outport communities along the coast of Newfoundland, remote northern towns amidst the Arctic. Imagine the colour, and feel the history of these unique and culturally enriched areas.

Embark on a journey of contrasts, from Newfoundland with its rich history of Viking settlements, generations of fishermen that have ventured to sea to fish for cod and aviation history (the province hosted 40 pioneering trans-Atlantic flights between 1919 and 1937) that have shaped the local culture and way of life, through Labrador discovering isolated fishing villages (called Outports) and finally reaching Baffin Island where the Inuit are still linked to the land in a way that very few cultures can claim.

24 July, 2013 to 04 August, 2013

Make a booking request for East to the Arctic, departing on 24 July, 2013

Main Deck Triple $5990.00 USD pp

Located on Deck 3 these cabins have bunk beds and a sofa bed. Facilities are shared. There is a washbasin with cold/hot water in the cabin, a writing desk/chair and ample storage space. All cabins have a porthole.

Twin Semi Private $7390.00 USD pp

Located on Deck 4 these cabins have one lower berth and one sofa bed, a writing desk and ample storage. Facilities are semi-private (one bathroom between two cabins). All cabins have a window which opens. Additional features and amenities: Toiletry kit Hairdryer Coffee/tea maker Bathrobes

Twin Private $8790.00 USD pp

These cabins are located on Deck 4 and 5. All cabins have two lower berths, a writing desk/chair and ample storage. Facilities are private and all cabins have a window. Additional features and amenities: Toiletry kit Hairdryer Coffee/tea maker Bathrobes

Superior $9790.00 USD pp

Located on Deck 6 these cabins have two lower berths, a sofa, a writing desk/chair and ample storage. Facilities are private and all cabins have a window. Additional features and amenities: Toiletry kit Hairdryer Coffee/tea maker Vanity kit Upgraded bed linen/duvets

Shackleton Suite $10890.00 USD pp

These cabins are located on Deck 4 and 5. All cabins have one double berth, one sofa bed, separate sleeping quarters, a writing desk/chair, TV/DVD Player, IPod Dock Alarm Clock. Facilities are private and all cabins have windows, which can be opened. Additional features and amenities: Upgraded bed linen/duvets CD player/mini stereo system with connection for Ipod™/mp3 player Use of our CD selection Mini bar/ice bucket Hairdryer Coffee/tea maker Toiletry kit Vanity kit Organic cotton luxury logoed bathrobes Arrival gift basket with healthy snacks and a bottle of wine Binoculars and wildlife reference book

One Ocean Suite $11890.00 USD pp

Located on Deck 5 this cabin has a double berth, one sofa bed and separate sleeping quarters, up-graded bedding, a writing desk/chair, TV/DVD Player, IPod Dock Alarm Clock and IPod Speaker System for main room. Facilities are private and have a bathtub. This cabin has windows overlooking the bow, which can be opened. Additional features and amenities: Upgraded bed linen/duvets CD player/mini stereo system with connection for Ipod™/mp3 player Use of our CD selection Mini bar/refrigerator Hairdryer Coffee/tea maker Toiletry kit Vanity kit Organic cotton luxury logoed bathrobes Arrival gift basket with healthy snacks and a bottle of wine Binoculars and wildlife reference book

East to the Arctic itinerary:

Day 1 – Embark and Departure from Saint-Pierre, France

In the afternoon we will board our vessel, the Akademik Ioffe and set sail from Saint-Pierre along the coastline of Newfoundland. Saint-Pierre and its accompanying island of Miquelon are the last bastions of the former French empire, called New France that covered large parts of eastern North America. They have served France well as an access point to the Grand Banks fishery and also as a hub for rum runners during the prohibition era in the United States.

Day 2 – The French Shore of Newfoundland

We will sail along the French shore of western Newfoundland, stopping at the Port Au Port Peninsula to explore the French history of fishing on this coast. With over 500 years of history on the coast of Newfoundland, French fishermen have played a large role in the development of this part of Newfoundland. We may visit the small town of Port Au Port or continue our exploration of the coast and stop at another scenic spot.

Day 3 – Gros Morne National Park and Woody Point

We sail into majestic Bonne Bay, in the heart of Gros Morne National Park. The cliffs soar up out of the bay on our starboard side covered in a green velvet of tuckamore – windswept spruce sculpted by the ocean breeze. Our destination will be the town of Woody Point where we will be welcomed ashore by a delegation from the community. With a few shops and pubs along the shore road, Woody Point is also our jumping off point for a hike up to the Discovery Centre – Gros Morne National Park interpretation centre. From there various guided hikes will take us into the Tablelands (UNESCO World Heritage geologic feature) and to the look out for a view over much of the park. Keep your eyes peeled for moose as we hike in the park and take time to look down for some of the orchids in the boreal bog and the pitcher plant.

Day 4 – L'Anse aux Meadows and Battle Harbour

We will arrive at L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and go ashore in our sturdy Zodiacs, landing on the beach, reminiscent of the ancient Norsemen. L’Anse aux Meadows is a corruption of the original French L’Anse au Meduse meaning Jellyfish Creek. This is where Norseman, Leif Erikson, is thought to have founded “Vinland” in 1000 AD. As we explore the reconstructed sod huts and Norse ruins with the site’s archaeologist, we will see evidence that the Vikings discovered North America five hundred years before Columbus arrived. During the afternoon, we will set sail for the coast of Labrador and cross the Strait of Belle Isle to arrive at Battle Harbour, one of the first British-based settlements in the east and home to the Church of St. James the Apostle, built in 1852. We will explore the restored fishing, whaling, commercial and religious buildings of this remote community, amid the backdrop of breathtaking coastal views. On the way across the Strait we will be on the lookout for humpback and Minke whales, along with seals and many species of pelagic birds. Dr. Wilfred Grenfell built one of the first hospitals in Labrador in Battle Harbour in 1893, with one doctor and one nurse on staff. Further along the coast we will arrive at Hawkes Harbour in the late afternoon for a visit to an abandoned whaling station built in 1933 and operated by the Newfoundland Whaling Co. Ltd.

Day 5 – Labrador Coast and Porcupine Strand

Today we will make our way along the wild and ruggedly beautiful coast of Labrador with some cliffs rising as sheer rock walls over 1500 metres. As we sail we will be sea watching from the bridge and upper decks of the Akademik Ioffe looking for humpback, Minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and perhaps orcas. We will pass the site of the proposed new Mealy Mountains National Park. The Park represents 39 distinct Canadian ecosystems and has been home to Labrador Innu, Inuit, Métis, descendents of European settlers and Quebec Innu. We plan to explore Porcupine Strand, a spectacular length of beach on the Atlantic Coast. This long line of sand glints in the sunshine, sweeping in a graceful arc for over 40 kilometres. Signs of human habitation have been found here dating back some 7,000 years.

Day 6 – Hopedale

The ancient rocks of the Canadian Shield cradling the hamlet of Hopedale, population approximately 620, will greet us as we rise this morning. After breakfast, we will go ashore by Zodiac to visit the Hopedale Moravian Mission – built in 1782 and said to be the oldest building east of Quebec. Here we will learn about the influence of the Moravian missionaries on the Inuit people of Northern Labrador. We hope to visit the local museum and perhaps buy a carving or two from the local Inuit as we explore the town.

Day 7 - Hebron

Today we hope to visit Hebron, once the northernmost settlement in Labrador. The Moravian missionaries established Hebron in 1831. The Mission was closed and the Inuit families relocated in 1959 but the buildings still stand today. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1976, the buildings stand as a testament to the influence of Moravian missionaries in the very remote stretches of the coast of Labrador. Buddy and Jenny are the Nunatsiavut Government ambassadors who will welcome us to this site and share the history of the site with us.

Day 8 - Torngat Mountains National Park

We will sail into Saglek Fjord, the southern gateway to the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, established in 2005. The Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve covers 9,600 square kilometres in Northern Labrador, bordering Quebec on one side and the Labrador coast on the other. It is home to Canada’s highest mountains east of the Rockies, breathtaking fjords and stunning barren land viewscapes. The Inuktitut word Torngait, means “place of spirits” and the Torngat Mountains have been home to Inuit and their predecessors for over 7500 years. The mountain peaks along the border with Quebec are the highest in mainland Canada east of the Rockies, and are dotted with remnant glaciers. Polar bears hunt seals along the coast, and both the Torngat Mountains and George River caribou herds cross paths as they migrate to and from their calving grounds. Inuit continue to use this area for hunting, fishing, and travelling throughout the year. We will go ashore and explore the area. Wildflowers are spectacular when in bloom and bears feast on the aptly named bearberry and crowberries among the sedges and grasses on the raised beaches along the shores of the fiords.

Day 9 - Nachvak Fjord

Nachvak Fjord is exceptionally beautiful. Deep and narrow this 22 kilometre long fjord is a place where whales, seals, walrus, Arctic fox and polar bear all congregate. There is also a great concentration of sea birds including puffins and murres. We will enjoy this abundance of wildlife and striking scenery by ship and Zodiac. Photographic and drawing opportunities abound!

Day 10 - Button Islands

As we sail up the final stretch of coastal Labrador, we will make note of Martin Bay, the site of the German automated weather station established in secrecy in October 1943 by a German U-Boat. This station remained undiscovered until the late 1970’s when a German historian came across a reference to it in the German naval archives. The equipment was collected by the Canadian Coast Guard in the early 1980’s and is on permanent display in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Later in the day, we will visit the Button Islands before sailing into southern Davis Strait. Named after Thomas Button who explored the area in 1612, the islands are in the middle of the upwelling of nutrients on the edge of the continental shelf. These nutrients attract thousands of seabirds and other marine mammals.

Day 11 - Monumental Island

Today we will sail across the mouth of Frobisher Bay to visit Monumental Island, a small, steep-sided island off the southeast coast of Baffin Island. Here we will be looking for the polar bears and walrus that live around this island in an uneasy truce. While polar bears have been known to attack and kill young walrus they are no match for a fully-grown male walrus especially in the water. This will be our last Zodiac cruise and tonight, on board the ship, we will enjoy the sumptuous fare at the captain’s dinner. During the night the ship will negotiate the narrow channels of Frobisher Bay on the way to our disembarkation point, Iqaluit, the capital city of Nunavut.

Day 12 - Iqaluit

We will disembark by Zodiac and, after a short tour of Iqaluit (if time and tides permit) we will transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. Specific sites visited will depend on ice and weather conditions experienced and the itinerary will be updated throughout the voyage in order to take advantage of favourable conditions.

Akademik Ioffe

Designed for polar research, the MS Akademik Ioffe is modern, comfortable, safe and ice-strengthened. From small group sessions to briefings for all passengers, we have public spaces onboard the ship ideally suited for each and every need. A separate bar and lounge, as well as a library provide ideal places to sit and relax or catch up on some reading. A selection of movies and documentaries can also be watched in the lounge. Enjoy the sumptuous meals prepared for you by our culinary team in our dining room, which can host all clients in a single seating with ample room. Comfort and Stability Designed and built as a scientific research vessel in Finland, theMS Akademik Ioffe is very stable, quiet and comfortable. Refitting and refurbishment over the last five years oriented towards her role as an expedition cruise vessel has greatly improved the comfort and calibre of the facilities aboard the ship. There is little if any ambient noise from engines or machinery and with most of the public spaces on a separate deck from the majority of the cabins there is little issue with passenger-generated noise. Vessel stabilization is gained through a combination of internal stabilizers and a built-in ballast trimming system. The rapid transfer of ballast between special trimming tanks reduces vessel motion and coupled with a modern hull design gives us a stable platform for science and exploration. Marine Safety The MS Akademik Ioffe is a Russian-flagged vessel and carries all current certifications required by Russian and international maritime law for ensuring passenger safety and wellbeing. An extremely experienced captain, crew and an ice-strengthened hull ( Lloyds Register 1A, Canadian Type B) provides an exceptionally safe combination for polar expedition cruising. Safety and emergency equipment onboard the vessel is inspected and tested on a regular basis and a passenger lifeboat briefing and drill will be conducted on the first day of each voyage to ensure that passengers are familiar with onboard emergency procedures. The emergency equipment onboard the vessel includes two fully-enclosed lifeboats with a total capacity of 132 and four life rafts with a total capacity of 200. The MS Akademik Ioffe has two main engines and twin propellers to propel the vessel through the polar waters at up to 14.5 knots. Coupled with a bow-thruster and a stern multi-directional propulsion unit, the One Ocean Navigator is extremely manoeuvrable and has a built-in propulsion back up. Bar Located aft of the lobby on the main deck and with a seating capacity of about 25 and/or sufficient standing room for many more, the bar becomes one of the activity hubs on the ship. With outside views through portholes and a door out onto the main deck, the bar is a comfortable place to enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie before breakfast, grab a bottle of water before an excursion or enjoy a cocktail before dinner. A stereo with MP3 player dock and a monitor showing live video footage of the view forward from the bridge at all times can be found in the bar. Bridge The ship’s bridge is located on Deck 6 and is open to passengers virtually 24-hours a day. The officer on watch and a helmsman can always be found on duty on the bridge and it is also the best place to meet the master of the vessel. The chart room is a fascinating place to visit and expedition staff or ship’s crew are often available to answer questions about the equipment and instruments found on the bridge. In addition, the bridge is an excellent place to sightsee and view wildlife from. Binoculars and wildlife identification guidebooks can be found on the bridge and during much of the day, an expedition guide will be watching for wildlife from the bridge. Communications The ship carries all required communications and navigation facilities and equipment. An Iridium satellite communication system is in place for both voice and personal email use. Equipped with Inmarsat telephone and fax equipment as well as a variety of shortwave, SSB, and VHF radio systems, she also carries fully current GMDSS (Global Marine Distress and Safety System) equipment. Dining Room With buffet breakfasts, buffet and/or plated lunches and plated dinners, the dining room can seat all passengers in one sitting. Attractively lit and comfortably furnished, it is served by our ship’s stewards and hosted by our Adventure Concierges. Our culinary team includes four chefs who are creative and outstanding in their commitment to quality, outstanding taste, and healthy preparation. To keep up to date with the view from the bridge, live streaming video can be viewed on a television screen in the dining room during meals. A small lounge can be found in the forward part of the dining room along with a small bar used during meal service. Elevator A lift (or elevator) services Deck 1 through 5, allowing access to and from the presentation room on Deck 1. The bridge and cabins on Deck 6 are not accessible by lift. Access to the zodiacs is by way of gangway stairs from the main deck (Deck 3). Gift Shop The gift shop carries a supply of souvenirs and sundries and is open most days of the voyage and can be opened at anytime for your convenience. From warm hats and gloves to polar books and t-shirts, the gift shop has something for everyone. In addition a small selection of toiletries and sundries can be purchased from the gift shop. Fitness & Fitness Room Our onboard fitness program allows even the most dedicated enthusiast or those interested in starting a new regime, the opportunity to keep up or start their individual or group fitness. The fitness room onboard the vessel has a set of free weights, exercise bike and rowing machine. Exercise mats and balls are also available in the fitness room, as is a stereo with an MP3 player dock. Wellness Centre With our registered massage therapist, fitness trainer, sauna/spa (Antarctica 11/12), and bouldering wall (Antarctica 11/12), your mind and body will be rejuvenated and ready for either the next round of activities or a chance to curl up in a cozy spot in front of our fireplace. Having the option to start and end each day with healthy and whole food options, provide the base for your system to be running optimally. Infirmary Located on Deck 5, the infirmary can cater to basic medical needs. Although containing an impressive quantity of medical supplies, passengers with pre-existing medical conditions requiring medication or supplies should come self-reliant. We will carry an English speaking emergency physician on every voyage. If there is a need to consult the ship’s doctor and receive medications from the infirmary, passengers will be invoiced for the cost of any items supplied. Library The library is located on Deck 5 and has wonderful forward viewing windows. A quiet part of the ship containing a large conference table, seating for about 18 and numerous polar reference books, the library is a great place to relax and learn about the region being visited. Just outside the library, there is additional seating in wingback chairs, another great place to sit and read. The library has a slide screen and whiteboard and is often used for small group focus sessions and discussions. Lounge Adjacent to the bar on the main deck, the lounge has a piano, television, board games and puzzles. It seats about 25 and has direct access to the outer deck, where a covered viewing and seating area is located. Be sure to take a cozy blanket with you from the lounge while you go out to sit and enjoy the view from the starboard side of the ship. A 24-hour coffee and tea station can be found in the lounge, which also serves as an overflow area for the bar during Happy Hour and for after dinner card games. Of course, what lounge would be complete without a fireplace? Mud Room An expedition requires expedition gear and a place to keep it. Our passenger mudroom is the ideal spot to prepare for excursions and keep your gumboots and foul weather gear separate from your cabin. Shelves on the aft wall of the mudroom help in the storage of gumboots and a pegboard is in place for drying gloves. The mudroom is on the main deck, between the reception area and the bar and we use this direct access to outside for boarding the zodiacs via the gangway. Presentation Room Our presentation room can be found on Deck 1, the lowest and most stable deck on our vessel. With seating for all passengers and elevator access, the presentation room is equipped with theatre style seating and modern multi-media presentation system. Sauna and Polar Plunge Pool Following a day of excursions, a sauna with complimentary aromatic oils can be a wonderful way to unwind. Located on Deck 5, the sauna and adjacent plunge pool is open each afternoon and evening. The sauna seats approximately six people and the plunge pool can be filled with polar water on demand or for special events. There is a change room with towels and a shower room between the sauna and the plunge pool. Top Deck and Observatory The top deck enjoys 360 degree views around the ship. A great place to enjoy calm sea days and spectacular Antarctic scenery, the top deck also has a small observatory where a spotting scope is stored as well as warm blankets and a comfortable bench. Bring your travel mug with you to the top deck on pleasant afternoons and our Adventure Concierges will bring carafes of steaming hot chocolate or other hot beverages to you. Refill your travel mug as often as you like. Multimedia Room Our multimedia room contains Apple Macintosh computers with the latest software for photo management and manipulation. External hard drives, a battery recharging station (110 V and 220 V powerbars for plugging in your charger), multi-card readers and a selection of cables for connecting various cameras to the computer can be found here. Manage your rapidly expanding polar image library, burn DVD’s or prepare slide shows to entertain fellow passengers or family at home. In addition we have available a portable 4”x6” photo printer to print out copies of some of your favourite photos. We do recommend that you bring your own recharger cables and download cables, as well as spare memory cards for your camera.