2026 North-to-North Educator Logistics

Ocean Conservation Expedition, Sam Dews

It's Not About the Destination

As an educator, your expertise is a vital part of shaping the learning experience—but our expedition is much more than its itinerary. The SOI Expedition Team will collaborate with you in creating a dynamic, place-based program that responds to the communities, cultures, and environments we encounter along our route.

This section provides an overview of your to-dos, our anticipated sailing route, the communities we expect to visit, and key dates to guide your planning. As you prepare workshops, presentations, or learning activities, we encourage you to consider the histories, stewardship efforts, lived knowledge, and environmental realities of the regions we’re travelling through. The most impactful programming often emerges from what the land, water, ice, and people teach us along the way.

Use this itinerary not simply as a schedule, but as an invitation—to adapt, collaborate, and design experiences that honour the place-based learning at the heart of every SOI expedition.

To Dos

Below is a list of items that you MUST complete prior to our expedition. Most of this should be straightforward, with everything you need linked and ready to go. If you require support, please reach out to our team at apply@soifoundation.org or education@soifoundation.org

Police Records Check

Without exception, ALL educators are required to have a security clearance to work with youth and vulnerable persons. This might be a government security verification, or a police verification from your city or region. For support email education@soifoundation.org

Dietary Needs

It is important for our team to be aware of any and all dietary restrictions or needs. We are really skilled at accommodating everyone; however, we must be made aware of your needs well before the expedition program starts. If you forgot to mention anything during registration, or you need to update your dietary information, please email: apply@soifoundatin.org

Travel Arrangements

The arrival window to the gateway city of Ottawa is between Sunday, July 5, 2026, 12h00 (noon) and Monday, July 6, 2026 at 9h00. If SOI is booking your travel, someone will be in touch once you have completed your registration. IMPORTANT: Once flights are booked, we will not make changes to the booking reservation. For support, email bookings@soifoundation.org

Travel During Expedition

Once you join the expedition, you will be a part of all the group travel on flight charters, buses and to and from the ship.

Baggage

The total baggage allowance on the expedition is 50lbs (22.6kg). This must include all your baggage. The planes we are chartering have strictly enforced weight limits.

Additional Baggage

If you require additional luggage for educational or science equipment, you must reach out to the expedition team to ensure that we can accommodate your request. For support, email education@soifoundation.org

Insurance

SOI purchases medical and evacuation insurance for all educators for the duration of your expedition. The policy includes coverage for emergency medical care, air ambulance evacuation from the ship or remote locations, and basic travel coverage up to $500,000 CAD. Your coverage starts the moment you board your flight to the gateway city, and stays active for the entire expedition until you arrive back at your final destination.

Educator Virtual Call

May 5, 2026 @ 11 AM EST

Ahead of our call, consider how you’d like to engage youth on expedition. Educators are expected to deliver several workshops in varied formats (hands-on workshops, larger talks, or evening movie-discussions, etc). Come with initial ideas to share. The SOI Education Team will support you in refining and developing them as needed.

Join the Call

Educators' Contributions

Ahead of our call, think about how you want to engage with youth while on expedition. Think about how your presence and contributions to the learning environment can make this expedition meaningful for youth. When we meet, share some of your favourite activities, ideas, or workshops.

In-Person Educator Orientation

We'll all meet in person on July 6, 2026, at 10h00 EST, and you'll have officially joined the SOI Expedition! Your tasks and duties for the duration of the expedition will be provided, and you will start leading programming with the youth! We will send out the location closer to the date. For questions or support, email education@soifoundation.org.

Post Expedition Feedback

As always, we take your feedback seriously. We are always striving to improve the expedition experience for both youth and educators. You will receive an email by the end of your expedition with a survey to fill out. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your thoughts.

High Level Itinerary

Our itinerary is a guide—not a strict schedule. Weather, learning opportunities, and unexpected moments all shape how each day unfolds. Sometimes the most memorable moments come from the unexpected. So we stay flexible!

Pre-Programming

You and your fellow participants will join the expedition team in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for a couple of days to get to know each other while enjoying some fun team-building activities.

Canada C3 participants arrive at the MS Ocean Endeavour for breakfast before heading into Pond Inlet together for the announcement.

Day 1

Nuuk, Kalaallit Nunaat

The team will fly together to Nuuk, the capital of Kalaallit Nunaat, where we'll spend a short time roaming the vibrant city before boarding the MV Ocean Endeavour. We’ll set sail and head south towards Sermiik Fjord. We’ll get our first chance to navigate the complex coastal waterway by zodiac too!

Days 2-4

Qeqertarsuatsiaat, Paamiut, & Arsuk

About 130 km south of Nuuk, we'll reach the settlement of Qeqertarsuatsiaat (which means “The Fairly Big Island”), which has been inhabited by the Inuit for over 400 years. After, we'll sail to Paamiut, home to the largest population of white-tailed eagles in Greenland, before proceeding to Arsuk on the Labrador Sea coast near the mouth of the Arsuk Fjord.

Days 5-6

Davis Strait

We will spend these days at sea crossing the Davis Strait, which is rich in marine life, including whales, seals, and seabirds. It's a perfect opportunity for onboard workshops and wildlife observation.

Days 7-8

Torngats Base Camp & North Arm

Sailing into Saglek Bay, we will visit the Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station, a hub of sustainable blue economy practices, deeply intertwined with indigenous culture, traditions, and governance. The Nunatsiavut Inuit community plays a pivotal role in managing this national park and preserving the area’s rich marine and terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity. From there, we will head to North Arm, a well-documented archaeological region, with tent rings, food caches, hunting blinds and graves.

Days 9-10

Nachvak Fiord & Killiniq Island

We’ll spend a couple of days travelling further north up the 45 km long glacial trough in the Torngat Mountains called Nachvak Fiord and to the extreme northern tip of Labrador stopping at Killiniq Island, between Ungava Bay and the Labrador Sea. Home to a former Inuit settlement, Killiniq Island is the only land border shared between Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Day 11

Oomienwa (Monumental Island), Nunavut

We will sail north along the eastern edge of Torngat Mountains National Park while learning about the proposed Inuit Protected Area under the Nunatsiavut Government's marine plan called Imappivut. We will cross the Hudson Strait before arriving at Oomienwa (Monumental Island) where we'll board Zodiacs to cruise along the shoreline for a chance to see wildlife up close.

Day 12

Frobisher Bay, Nunavut

We will sail into Frobisher Bay, a deep trough created by tectonic events and heavy glaciation during the Pleistocene era, to witness its stunning Arctic scenery, spot wildlife like polar bears and whales, and delve into its history, including Viking explorations and the Inuit culture. We will anchor in Iqaluit before disembarking.

Day 13

Iqaluit, Nunavut

After an incredible journey, we will disembark the Ocean Nova in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. We'll say our farewells to our expedition teammates and begin our journeys home! Our journey as SOI alum will begin...

Return to Educator Compass

Back

Logistics underline