C-day 10 Pond Inlet Baffin Island

 We entered the Parry Channel separating Baffin and Bylot islands about 7 am. 

It was all hands on deck looking for whales. No luck but we no did see lots of guillemots, and fulmars plus amazingly a gyrfalcon circling the ship (Google photo)

…lots of guillemots (Google again)…

…. also a huge iceberg with waves crashing into it..

…then Baffin Island emerging from the mist.

Mid morning the captain raised the Nanavit (the Inuit territory) flag on the front deck.

We cleared Canadian customs off Pond Inlet and waited for a Canadian Adventures ship to clear..

First views of the community

Then it was into the zodiacs for our visit

Our local guide

The remains of an original dwelling. Sod walls and whalebone frame supporting a sealskin roof

A general street view, lots of equipment in various states of repair and government housing. Lots of quad bikes, snowmobiles, fibreglass kayaks and 4WDs. Diesel powered, electricity and daily water drops and sewerage pick-up. Alcohol banned.

There was a small visitor centre with some interesting displays. Local faces…

 

…artefacts including fish skin bags, fish hook, and an awesome fish spear

The man made harbour

We had an on board cultural show in the evening with a seal lamp lighting, singing and dancing

So called trancing