Discovery Week

Arctic Watch Lodge Discovery Week

Last summer – 2009, we celebrated ten years of Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge by exploring the unknown (at least unknown to us) corners of Somerset Island and the surrounding area. During the first week of July, we chartered a twin otter aircraft to be stationed at Arctic Watch to fly us to interesting locations for us to explore, experience and be amazed.  It was so much fun, we want to do it again in 2010 – We hope that you will join us.

This is where we plan to go:
                             
Port Leopold Hudson’s Bay Post
This substantial two story wooden house was built in the 1920s, used a few years, and then closed as an outpost. It was used as a residence during the 1930s, and then finally abandoned. It is a strange contrast to the surrounding empty tundra. There is also a large Thule site near by to investigate.

Prince Leopold Bird Sanctuary
This small island off the northeast corner of Somerset is home to thousands of nesting sea birds; Thick-billed Murres, Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and Black Guillemots.

Beechey Island and Franklin Graves
During first winter (1845-46) of Sir John Franklin’s fated expedition, they were camped at Beechy Island (really a corner of Devon). Three of the seamen died and were buried there. The graves were exhumed in the 1980s and frozen bodies, still intact, were examined. We will visit the graves sites.

Elwin Bay
Used by whalers to corral Beluga whales, a 1995 National Geographic photo of Elwin Bay shows the shores still white with bleached bones from the slaughter. Prospectors have been more fortunate, and found diamonds here in the 1970s. This could be your lucky trip.

Fury Beech
In the 1819, ice damaged William Parry’s ship, the Fury so much that Parry sailed the ship onto the beach and abandoned it. We plan to visit the site and look for the ship’s remains.

Creswell Bay
Some of Nunavut’s best arctic char fishing is at Creswell Bay. In the beginning of July, the char are running from lakes into the ocean – perfect fishing.

Boothia Peninsula  and the east coast of Somerset Island
We will fly between Boothia Peninsula and Somerset Island to look for narwhal. These “unicorns of the ocean” are mysterious animals and difficult to find, but can often be seen from the air, as they swim on the surface. We can also see belugas and polar bears here.

Catch and Release fishing on Somerset Island

Whales bones left by 19th Century whalers at Elwin Bay, Somerset Island

Walrus
We will look for walrus at Brooman Point on Bathhurst Island west of Resolute. We also found walrus by flying along the southern coast of Deven Island

More Fishing
We heard about another awesome place for fishing, we are currently researching this option.

Devon Island
A flight along the southern coast of Devon Island showed us great scenery, polar bears, walrus, beluga whales, narwhals and perhaps a bowhead whales.

Thule Site
The biggest Thule site (ancestors of Inuit) is Canada is located on southern Somerset.

Fort Ross

Hudson’s Bay Post from 1937 to 1948. Located on Bellot Strait, this 37 km strip of water separates Somerset from the mainland. Also a great place to see polar bears.

Cost:  The cost for the week from Yellowknife is $10,900 Cdn. This includes transportation from Yellowknife and 25 hours of twin otter time for everyone.

Dates: July 9 to July 16, 2010  – Yellowknife to Yellowknife