Richard
Thu Sep 1 10:02:00 EDT 2011, Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman), Diamond Jenness Peninsula, Victoria

Most of the residents of Ulukhaktok (1986 population 303) seemed to be away somewhere when we were there. We talked to several people, but mostly there seemed to be few people walking around. Perhaps because the most common way of getting around is 4-wheelers (All Terrain Vehicles--the kind you sit on, not in, powered by small engines), so not so much time is spent walking around.

Victoria Island is the ancestral homeland of the Copper Inuit, and in the 1900s there were about 300 Inuit in the area, hunting on Bnks Island in the winter and on Victoria Island in the summer. The first Hudson's Bay Company post (now called the Northern store) in the area was established in 1923 on the north shore of Prince Albert Sound. The post moved to Holman in 1939. In 2006, the name of the hamlet was officially changed to the traditional name of Ulukhaktok.

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Richard
Wed Aug 31 10:02:00 EDT 2011, Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman), Diamond Jenness Peninsula, Victoria Island, Canada

We had a pleasant daysail from Freshwater Bay to Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman). The hamlet sits between two bays, King's Bay and Queen's Bay. We had planned to sail into King's Bay (as mentioned in the Sailing Directions) and anchor, but, on approach, considering that Queen's Bay was wider, and more feasible to tack into if necessary, we sailed into Queen's Bay instead. I was apprehensive coming in, as there were only occasional soundings on the chart (the Sailing Directions note that the approaches have not been fully sounded), and I wasn't sure the features of the land we were looking at matched the chart very well. Sailing onto the anchor went really well, we made it into the bay on one tack, furled all but the mainsail, rounded up into the wind and lowered the anchor, later backing the mainsail to set it. No one noticed us at first, later several people said it was rare to see a sailboat here (though cruise ships commonly visit).

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Richard
Wed Aug 31 10:02:00 EDT 2011, Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman), Diamond Jenness Peninsula, Victoria

We had a pleasant daysail from Freshwater Bay to Ulukhaktok (formerly Holman). The hamlet sits between two bays, King's Bay and Queen's Bay. We had planned to sail into King's Bay (as mentioned in the Sailing Directions) and anchor, but, on approach, considering that Queen's Bay was wider, and more feasible to tack into if necessary, we sailed into Queen's Bay instead. I was apprehensive coming in, as there were only occasional soundings on the chart (the Sailing Directions note that the approaches have not been fully sounded), and I wasn't sure the features of the land we were looking at matched the chart very well. Sailing onto the anchor went really well, we made it into the bay on one tack, furled all but the mainsail, rounded up into the wind and lowered the anchor, later backing the mainsail to set it. No one noticed us at first, later several people said it was rare to see a sailboat here (though cruise ships commonly visit).

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Richard
Tue Aug 30 10:02:00 EDT 2011, Freshwater Bay, Diamond Jenness Peninsula, Victoria Island, Canada

The Sailing Directions for Arctic Canada mention that Freshwater Creek at the head of Freshwater Bay is an excellent source of fresh water. So, as our drinking water supplies were running low, we anchored in Freshwater Bay and rowed the dinghy ashore with the blue water jug. We made several trips with the water jug to fill Issuma's freshwater tanks. We chlorinated the water (added bleach) to keep stuff from growing in it (a carbon filter near the faucet later removes most of that chlorine). The water does taste good.

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Richard
Mon Aug 29 10:02:00 EDT 2011, Dolphin and Union Strait, Arctic

As we sailed slowly in light winds, this seal came over to inspect Issuma's hull.

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Richard
Sat Aug 27 10:01:00 EDT 2011, Dolphin and Union Strait

I have been very surprised by the lack of ice this year (not that I'm complaining--the idea of getting stuck in the ice has absolutely no appeal). We have seen hardly any ice since Lancaster Sound. The long range forecasts for this year indicated a slightly later breakup than last year, not nearly so much ice free water. I suppose it is only a difference of a few degrees in average temperature for a few weeks that results in suddenly there being so little ice, and that small a temperature difference being difficult to forecast.

The lack of ice makes for pleasant sailing (at times).

Comments [2]

Richard
Sat Aug 27 10:01:00 EDT 2011, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada

This was once a schooner, but the main mast was removed when the engine was put in. It was towed to Cambridge Bay from Tuktoyaktuk. One of the builders of the church bought the vessel, but was stationed elsewhere when it arrived, and it was never used.

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Richard
Fri Aug 26 10:01:00 EDT 2011, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada

Ruins of the first Catholic Church in Cambridge Bay, built with rocks, seal oil and clay.

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Richard
Thu Aug 25 10:01:00 EDT 2011, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada

I was surprised by the number of cruise ships visiting Cambridge Bay. There were three on one day when we were there (I'm not sure whether the one on the right is a cruise ship or a yacht, but there was another big cruise ship anchored there earlier in the day). There aren't always that many cruise ships, but the hamlet does a very good job of promoting tourism. They have a great visitors center/museum, and everyone is pleasant.

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Richard
Wed Aug 24 10:01:00 EDT 2011, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada

Jordan and Lin standing on a sledge, surrounded by drying muskox hides. We asked around, but didn't really ever find out what the hides are used for after they are dried.

Cambridge Bay is a large hamlet in Arctic Canada, population about 1800. It was named after the Duke of Cambridge by Warren Dease and Thomas Simpson of the Hudson's bay Company in 1839. The area had been an important Inuit camp-site for many years because it had plentiful caribou, seal, fish and birds. The permanent settlement was established in 1955 when a DEW (Distant Early Warning--a line of radar stations setup in northern Canada during the Cold War) line station was put there. It is now an Arctic adminstration, transportation, tourism and supply center.

We cleared into Canada in Cambridge Bay with the assistance of the RCMP (police), who were extremely helpful and hospitable. In fact, everyone in Cambridge Bay was pleasant and helpful.

We arrived too late in the year to buy any musxkox or caribou meat (next harvest starts soon) at the store, but did try the muskox burgers in the hotel, which were very good.

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