2026 SOI Arctic 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, with coverage up to $5,000,000 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 6, 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

Iqaluit, Nunavut

The team will fly together to Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, where we'll spend a short time roaming the city before boarding the MV Ocean Endeavour. We’ll set sail and head south through Frobisher Bay, a deep trough created by tectonic events and heavy glaciation during the Pleistocene era, before we get our first chance to jump into the Zodiacs!

Days 2-4

Monumental Island, Cumberland Sound, Pangnirtung, Auyuittuq

We'll board Zodiacs to cruise along the shoreline of Oomienwa (Monumental Island) for a chance to see wildlife up close. After, we'll sail across the Cumberland Sound between Baffin Island's Hall Peninsula and its Cumberland Peninsula to Pangnirtung. Fondly called ‘Pang’ for short, this artistic community is famous for its sculptures, woven tapestries, and lithographic prints.

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

Greenland's Western Coast

After landing near Sisimiut, we'll sail northward for a few days to Uummannaq, taking every opportunity we can to navigate the complex coastal waterway by zodiac! Uummannaq is Green;and's eighth-largest community and sits at the base of a heart-shaped mountain that rises straight out of the ocean. Uummannaq means “heart-shaped” in Kalaallisut.

Day 10

Ilulissat

We will land in Ilulissat, which is famous for its massive icebergs calving from the nearby Sermeq Kujalleq glacier (Jakobshavn Glacier), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the fastest-declining glaciers in the world.

Day 11

Sisimiut

We'll then head south to Sisimiut, Greenland's second-largest town known for its vibrant arts scene, outdoor activities like dog sledding, and stunning fjord landscapes.

Day 12

Kangerlussuaq

We will disembark the Ocean Nova in Kangerlussuaq, say farewell to our expedition teammates and journey home! Our journey as SOI alums will begin...

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