The Arctic continues to unfold around us. Every moment seems to bring new encounters with wildlife, more fabulous scenery of ice and soaring cliffs, stories to tell, fascinating people, and a greater depth of experience as one facet after another of this unique region is revealed. It seems as though we are holding a precious stone in our hands, turning it slowly, gazing into the pure color within while watching the light glint off the surface.
This morning we cruised into Buchan Gulf under low clouds. Passing many small icebergs we made our way back through the passage and studied the geology visible around us in the dark veins and deep clefts of the cliffs between the waterline and the grey clouds. Then, looking toward shore as we passed a small glacial outflow beach, another amazing highlight. Our captain spotted a large adult polar bear, at the base of a rocky slope just above the water. As we began our approach he suddenly leapt from his perch into the water, pouncing on and killing a seal that had been invisible to us. We watched and shot hundreds more wonderful images (each!), marveling at the luck of our timing as he dragged his prey up onto the rocks. High above, on a wide ledge at the top of the slope, another mother and cub kept a close eye on things from their safe vantage.
We ate our delicious lunch quite quickly in anticipation of the afternoon and fortified for more adventures we boarded the Zodiacs and went ashore on a wide sandy beach at a site called Feachem Bay. Long, medium, and short hiking groups set out right away, each taking its own path up into the wide tundra valley. This was our first experience walking on the tundra. Seeing it close at hand we found it to be utterly different from the impressions we had formed observing it from a distance as we cruised by on the ship. What had appeared as a uniform golden green-brown resolved into a gorgeous palate of richly varied shades and tones, bright green moss, yellow autumn willow leaves, pale grey lichens, tiny white wildflowers and black rills of water running among the rocks.
We saw several well-preserved Thule house rings, beautiful stonework that had persisted there for many centuries, and some of us were lucky enough to spot a lemming enjoying its lunch among the ruins. Higher up the slope there were reindeer antlers, arctic poppies, a freshly dug fox’s den, and a fantastic view down over the fjord and the enormous terminal moraine of the glacier.
It just keeps coming. The riches of the Arctic seas, the lives of the animals that make their homes in this polar wilderness, and all the wonderful textures and details of the tundra. The magic of the Arctic surrounds us as we explore this extraordinary place, revealing one facet after another and drawing us into its depths.
