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Ship:  Akademik Ioffe

Itinerary:  Heart of the Northwest Passage

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  Whale sighting during a wildlife tour of the Arctics icy waters

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Days 1-2 :	Ottawa to Resolute
Day 3 :	Peel Sound
Day 4 :	Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island
Day 5 :	Bellot Strait
Day 6 :	King William Island
Days 7-9 :	Coronation Gulf to the Beaufort Sea
Days 10-13 :	Pearce Point to Bernard Harbour
Days 14-15 :	Cambridge Bay / Edmonton / Return Home
	Click for full itinerary

Days	Dates	Deck + Cabin Type
		Main Deck Triple	Main Deck Twin	Upper Deck Twin	Twin Private	Superior Twin	Peregrine Suite	Cook Suite
15	Aug 24, 2009	$5,290	$6,990	$7,390	$7,990	$8,490	$8,990	$9,690
		Optional activity: kayaking Add $1650 per person for charter flights
Destinations : Arctic, Canada Activities : Nature Viewing, Photography, Sea Kayaking, Whale Watching

During this 15-day Active Adventure through the heart of the Northwest Passage, you will visit the islands and and waterways that are synonymous with the legendary search for the northern seafaring route to Asia. En route from Resolute to Cambridge Bay, an optional adventure will be offered – kayaking.

Days 1-2 : Ottawa to Resolute

Overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in the heart of the Canadian capital. The next morning, fly from Ottawa to Resolute, a hamlet on Cornwallis Island far above the Arctic Circle. (D)

Day 3 : Peel Sound

Overnight, we will cross Barrow Strait, and we will wake deep in the waters of Peel Sound, which runs between Somerset and Prince of Wales Islands. The names evoke the European history of exploration of the area: John Barrow, Second Secretary to the British Admiralty in the early 1800s, sent explorers to all parts of the unknown (to the British) world, including many to northern Canada. His most famous expeditioner was almost certainly John Franklin. The discovery of Peel Sound is accredited to James Clark Ross, who led the first (but not the last!) rescue team to go looking for the Franklin Expedition, which had been missing since sailing in 1845. John Franklin had taken his two ships, the Erebus and the Terror, down into Peel Sound and beyond, but never returned. We will explore this area, which is known for rapidly-moving ice, while keeping a good lookout for narwhal and beluga, thousands of which can be found in Peel Sound during summer. (B,L,D)

Day 4 : Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island

Many of the expeditions sent to discover the fare of the Franklin Expedition, perhaps the most infamous failure of all searches for the Northwest Passage, stopped at Beechey Island. There, as you will, they paid their respects to three of Franklin’s crew who were buried on the desolate island. The site is a reminder of all the courageous people who died while seeking the northern route to Asia. (B,L,D)

Day 5 : Bellot Strait

Today we hope to explore and possibly sail the length of Bellot Strait, the narrow, steeply sided strait which separates Boothia Peninsula, mainland Canada, from Somerset Island to the north. The strait was discovered in 1852 and named after the young French naval officer who was second-in-command of Captain William Kennedy's search for remains from the 1845 Franklin expedition. Later, Francis McClintock wintered in the shelter of the strait in 1858-59, while on another search for the Franklin Expedition. Bellot Strait is narrow (3-13 km wide and only 48 km long), and was missed by John Ross when he explored the area in 1829. The channel scenery is quite spectacular, with the southern shore rising to over 750 m in some places and the northern shore reaching almost 500 m. and if ice permits, it should make for great sailing. (B,L,D)

Day 6 : King William Island

We return to the saga of Sir John Franklin’s men and ships. For two winters, his ships Erebus and Terror were beset in ice near the island. In 1848, Franklin’s men abandoned ship. A decade passed before a cairn was discovered on Victory Point under which an officer had place a note explaining their circumstances. About 50 years later, Amundsen was able to sail the same stretch of water with little trouble. (B,L,D)

Days 7-9 : Coronation Gulf to the Beaufort Sea

Now, deep in the Arctic Archipelago, we will be exploring where ships seldom manage to navigate. Our course will depend on the ice and seas, but we will aim for the west, and the Beaufort Sea. We will be sailing in shallow, iced over seas, passing beyond the channels used by Canadian Icebreakers to escort provisioning vessels into Cambridge Bay.

Here, wildlife rules, and we will follow the polar bear through the ice as they track ringed seals, and watch as seabirds feed in the open stretches of water between ice floes.

Many explorers have aimed for these waters, but few have succeeded. The first European known to travel this part of the world was Robert McClure, who travelled from west to east in 1853-1854, but passed across land, and used sledges for a large part of the journey over sea ice. The information he collected helped to dampen Europe's enthusiasm for the fabled Northwest Passage, largely because he proved that there was not a viable shipping route to the east.

The Northwest Passage was finally successfully traversed east to west by Roald Amundsen. He began in 1903, and finally completed the amazing feat in 1906. The Norwegian Explorer travelled from east to west, down Peel Sound, through Queen Maud and Coronation Gulfs, and out into the Beaufort Sea in his little ship the Gjoa. It was not until 1942 that Henry Larsen was the first to navigate the Northwest Passage from west to east, in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police vessel St Roch, following a similar route through the southern-most Arctic Archipelago waters. Larsen exited the Arctic through Bellot Strait, and went on to Baffin Island. In 1942 the St Roch returned from east to west, mapping a new route which took the vessel west of Lancaster Sound and through Prince of Wales Strait.

Very few vessels have completed the passage, and most of those that do are special in some way. In 1969 the American oil tanker Manhattan, accompanied by the Canadian icebreaker John A. Macdonald, traversed the Northwest Passage from east to west, and raised Canadian consciousness over sovereignty of the Arctic.

While following in the metaphorical wakes of these special ships and incredible people, we will also make time to investigate the region to satisfy our own curiosity and explore its unique wonders. Every corner of this vast and almost unexplored land is beautiful, harsh and bountiful. The low tundra provides for an incredible array of wildlife that in turn supports complex and flourishing Inuit society. We will observe and learn about the lands and waters that attracted the Inuit to the region, and relax and enjoy ourselves as we sail through the incredible, changing, ice-dominated scenery. Returning to Coronation Gulf, we will take every opportunity to go ashore for long and short walks, enjoying the colour and texture of the tundra, and the complexity of the 800 plant species that survive by growing during the short summer season. (3B, 3L, 3D)

Days 10-13 : Pearce Point to Bernard Harbour

We will reach the end of the Canadian Northwest Passage when we enter Amundsen Gulf. We will begin our homeward journey. En route to Cambridge Bay, we plant to visit historic outposts and villages. On Victoria Island we seek musk oxen – prehistoric beasts with shaggy coats and massive heads.

The history of the search for the Northwest Passage coincides with the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Hudson’s Bay Company. Our shipboard historian will relates stories of the redcoats, the fur trade and the merchants who governed the Canadian Arctic for nearly two centuries. (4B, 4L, 4D)

Days 14-15 : Cambridge Bay / Edmonton / Return Home

Fly from Cambridge Bay to Edmonton to spend the night. In the morning, transfer to the Edmonton airport for flights home.

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- Add $1650 per person for charter flights
- Sea Kayaking Supplement is $495 per person

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-Fuel surcharge of $58/night on ship, per person, for Antarctic departures, Oct 2008 - Mar 2009.
- GUARANTEED NO FUEL SURCHARGE FOR CRUISES FROM APR 2009- MAR 2010
-Single Travelers: OPTIONAL single supplement of 70% for Standard Twins. There is no single supplement for travelers willing to share.
- All of the Akademik Ioffe's departures include optional sea kayaking. Sea Kayaking Supplement is $695 per person for Antarctic voyages and $495 per person for Arctic voyages
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$100,000 per person required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.

Ship Description: Akademik Ioffe

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Widely regarded as the finest expedition ship operating in Polar waters, the Akademik Ioffe offers a high level of comfort - in her appointment, stability and strength.

As a working scientific research vessel, the Akademik Ioffe forms the ideal platform from which to travel Antarctica and the Arctic. Including all the equipments needed for exploring, from Zodiac landing craft to kayaks and camping gear, even snowshoes.

The Akademik Ioffe is a well-equipped, ice-rated ship capable of carrying 110 passengers. In terms of stability and speed, she is 'state of the art' and, while not luxurious, she's very comfortable and kept in top condition.

All cabins have an outside view, with portholes or a window, and are comfortably furnished. Most of them have semi-private (one bathroom between two cabins) or private facilities. On-board facilities include a spacious top deck, where you can enjoy spectacular views, and a refreshing sauna and plunge pool - a great place to relax after your shore excursions during your travels. There is also a well-stocked library, a comfortable lounge and a friendly bar. Other facilities include an exercise room, gift shop and laundry.

Main Deck Triple Bunk beds and a sofa bed. Facilities are shared and there are 2 Portholes. There are 2 cabins in this category.	Main Deck Twin Bunk beds and shared facilities. Portholes. There are 18 cabins in this category.
Upper Deck Twin One lower berth and one sofa bed and semi-private facilities (one bathroom between two cabins). Windows. There are 12 cabins in this category.	Twin Private One lower berth, one sofa bed, and private facilities. Windows. There are 18 cabins in this category.
Superior Twin 2 lower berths, sofa and private facilities. Windows. There are 10 cabins in this category.	Peregrine Suite The Peregrine Suite is one of our fine premium cabins. 1 double bed, 1 sofa bed, separate sleeping quarters, and private facilities. Windows. There are 5 cabins in this category.
Cook Suite The Cooke Suite is our finest premium cabin. 1 double bed, 1 sofa bed, separate sleeping quarters, and private facilities. Windows. There is 1 cabin in this category.