So many things happen here in a day that it’s difficult to keep up and tell the entire story. Yesterday first stop was Beechy Island where an Arctic Expedition in the mid-1800’s was lost and there remain graves for 3 of the crewmen… a long story to tell another day. Next destination was Radstock Bay but as we were headed that way someone spotted an elusive Bowhead Whale so we turned around and happily were able to see it’s spout in the distance before resuming our travels. At Radstock Bay we went ashore on the zodiacs and got to see the remains of the homes/huts of a population of pre-Inuit people called the Thule. They built round houses of bone and skins and snow which, according to our resident archeologist, were small and cramped but probably quite warm and cozy. The land there looked barren from a distance but as you walked across it you could see that it was full of life. The Arctic is basically a cold desert but there are plants and birds and mammals everywhere you look… well, that is if you know what you’re looking for and how to find it. Fortunately we have lots of experienced wildlife spotters with us so we don’t miss too much.

It’s just amazing how much life there is in the Arctic… it’s just that it takes patience to find it.

whale vertebrae in a Thule hut

Archeological remains of a Thule hut

You can’t see her but our expedition leader sat up high on the hillside on the left with a rifle the entire time we were on this island. Keeping us safe from Polar Bears is something the staff takes very seriously!

end of the day