Our first stop in the NWP was at Ulukhaktok on the west coast of Victoria Island. Population 400 and host of the world’s most northerly golf course. In the morning, some of the locals came aboard to demonstrate traditional music, dances, songs, games and sports. Briefly, the bar on the top deck was transformed into a colourful party. In the afternoon, we went ashore. Initially we followed a local guide but then wandered off on our own. There are many Starlink antennas around. Most households have one. This gives them good, fast internet access. The primary sources of income are hunting and fishing. Often the hunters will take a Starlink system with them so they can Facetime their family while they are away. Things have changed an awful lot since the days, not so long ago, when a hunter would set off the rest of the village would just have to hope that they came back.
There was a brief landing at Murray Island and the next day we arrived at Cambridge Bay. This was where Diane and I had left the Fram the previous year. In a sense, this completed our traverse of the NWP. All the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Rather satisfying. The weather was not so great and the previous year we had spent most of the day ashore so this time we gave it a miss.
Leaving Cambridge Bay we headed for the Bellot Straight. The next day was a rather tricky one for both of us. For several months, I had been suffering from a skin rash. Initially on my legs, it has spread to my arms and now was popping up all over leaving a trail of sores and blisters. It was very painful and getting worse. Three courses of antibiotics and a bucketful of ointment had not done much to slow it. So, I had decided to visit the ship’s doctor. Then Diane tripped on the last step of a flight of stairs and broke her arm. The pair of us spent the afternoon in the surgery. An x-ray confirmed a broken radius and Diane was fitted with a back-slab. The doctor had some insight into my rash and gave me a course of steroids. But we were facing a dilemma – the doctor wanted Diane to see a specialist when the ship arrived in Halifax. If the break needed to be surgically reduced, then she would almost certainly have to fly back to the UK. He also thought I might need some specialist steroids that would require close monitoring. This would also require a return to the UK. We were still ten days from Halifax but potentially this was the end of our trip. In the evening, we treated ourselves to a bottle of champagne.
Next day I saw a group of Harp seals in the water. We were invited on a tour of the bridge. The Amundsen is only a few years old and has a beautifully modern bridge. The biggest ECDIS display that I have ever seen – still rendered next to useless by the clutter of chart overlays. Several radar including one that specialises in spotting sea ice. Not a wheel to be seen anywhere. Control is all done through joy sticks. Multi-beam echo sounder that could be deployed from a pod in the bow. This can give them 3D images of the sea floor but it has to be retracted to avoid damage in sea ice. Many other computer displays covering the engines, steering, and all the other ship functions. The master was clearly very proud of it all and happy to explain everything.
The afternoon saw the Amundsen at the entrance to the Bellot Straight. Back in the day, this was the key to the NWP. 25 km long and very narrow in places. The weather was a bit dull but still an improvement on the previous time we had been here when there was thick fog. With land close on either side it was an excellent opportunity for spotting wildlife. Right at the entrance to the channel we spotted a polar bear. First polar bear of the trip. Further on we saw two more and also a Musk Ox. To date I have not managed a good photograph of a Musk Ox and this is still the case. We had an early night to prepare for a 6am start at Prince Leopold Island.
