Pangnirtung & Kerkerten Island
The wide gray fjord stretched out before us. It was an austere scene like a black and white photograph that needs more contrast. Low clouds hid some of the higher mountains as our fleet of Zodiacs landed amongst the large canoe like boats of Pangnirtung. These fishing craft have high gunnels that accommodate a small cabin for escaping bad weather. High tide made our landing easy. Some hiked upwards while others explored town.
Those on tundra hikes made their way up across a stunning carpet of color. This is well into fall in this northern country. The dominant colors were the reds of tiny blueberry plants, the yellow of the one inch tall arctic willows, and the dark greens of arctic bell heather. It felt like walking on a large sponge. White and pale yellow swaths of lichen framed the brilliant patches.
Pangnirtung has numerous artisans that weave and produce prints and carvings. Colorful woolen hats and sweaters, carefully carved soapstone and antler animals, and prints of northern scenes were some of the treasures taken home for collections.
After lunch three young people from the town demonstrated skills most of us had never seen or heard. Vivian and Paulette gave a throat singing performance which uses circular breathing. This requires the singers to inhale as they make sound. Playing the Australian didgeridoo requires the same skill and to some, sounds similar. Robert is quite an Inuit athlete and did a number of kicks including the one foot, high kick. This requires a freestanding jump and a kick to a six and a half foot high object while airborne and then landing on your feet.
In the afternoon we visited an old Scottish whaling station at Kekerten within the Kekerten Historic Park in Cumberland Sound. This was in use during the 1850’s and 1860’s. The Inuit knew how to harvest bowhead whales and were used extensively by the whalers. Large cast iron tri pots for rendering the oil from blubber, massive skulls and native shelters were still scattered about the site. Once aboard, we made our way east and on to the Davis Strait and Greenland.
The wide gray fjord stretched out before us. It was an austere scene like a black and white photograph that needs more contrast. Low clouds hid some of the higher mountains as our fleet of Zodiacs landed amongst the large canoe like boats of Pangnirtung. These fishing craft have high gunnels that accommodate a small cabin for escaping bad weather. High tide made our landing easy. Some hiked upwards while others explored town.
Those on tundra hikes made their way up across a stunning carpet of color. This is well into fall in this northern country. The dominant colors were the reds of tiny blueberry plants, the yellow of the one inch tall arctic willows, and the dark greens of arctic bell heather. It felt like walking on a large sponge. White and pale yellow swaths of lichen framed the brilliant patches.
Pangnirtung has numerous artisans that weave and produce prints and carvings. Colorful woolen hats and sweaters, carefully carved soapstone and antler animals, and prints of northern scenes were some of the treasures taken home for collections.
After lunch three young people from the town demonstrated skills most of us had never seen or heard. Vivian and Paulette gave a throat singing performance which uses circular breathing. This requires the singers to inhale as they make sound. Playing the Australian didgeridoo requires the same skill and to some, sounds similar. Robert is quite an Inuit athlete and did a number of kicks including the one foot, high kick. This requires a freestanding jump and a kick to a six and a half foot high object while airborne and then landing on your feet.
In the afternoon we visited an old Scottish whaling station at Kekerten within the Kekerten Historic Park in Cumberland Sound. This was in use during the 1850’s and 1860’s. The Inuit knew how to harvest bowhead whales and were used extensively by the whalers. Large cast iron tri pots for rendering the oil from blubber, massive skulls and native shelters were still scattered about the site. Once aboard, we made our way east and on to the Davis Strait and Greenland.
