Torngat Mountains Expedition 2023: Day 7
Polar bears, whales, and mountains, oh my!
We woke up this morning anchored in Saglek Fjord at Torngat Mountains Base Camp also known as “Home Base.” An overcast sky and much cooler temperature, it was quite a contrast to yesterday in sunny and hot Hebron. Named after the Inuktitut word “Torngait’ which means the ‘place of spirits’ and located 200 km north of Labrador’s most northerly community Nain, Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station hosts a selection of visitors from all over the world.
Upon disembarking, we were welcomed by Lindsay from Parks Canada who gave us an overview of guidelines of the Torngat Mountains National Park of Canada which covers 9,700 km of land. With a prominent polar bear and black bear population in all areas of the park, we were also given a review of bear safety.
White, orange, and green coloured intershelter domes are semi-permanent residences located in various parts of the base camp and park. Due to the colour and shape of the domes, bears often mistake them for toys and enjoy “playing” with them by taking them apart. An easy fix as most domes are made of plastic.
While on a lovely stroll on the shoreline, we had our first whale sighting, a minke whale. We were so excited we paused to take photos and videos.
Our tour continued with a visit to the lounge, where evening activities are often held. The lounge is the only permanent building at Base Camp. A special cookie treat was waiting for us prepared by the Base Camp culinary team.
Before we headed back on the ship, some of us went fishing and caught a few sculpins (bottom feeders). With the impending weather change and in the expedition spirit of ‘flexibility is key,’ we decided to set sail. We spent most of the afternoon on the ship decks in isuma, an Inuktitut word meaning ‘to foster a state of thoughtfulness,’ sessions while taking in the stunning Torngat mountain views.
While cruising through Silluak (Inuktitut) North Arm Fjord, we spotted two polar bears: a mama bear and her cub. SOI Team Member and bear guard Harvey observed that the mama bear was malnourished and explained that the current is quite strong so it’s harder to catch fish and bears rely on wild vegetation of the arctic tundra.
We anchored in Silluak and had an evening excursion on shore where we fished and spotted our second whale, a baby beluga whale! SOI Team Member Mary shared her fishing knowledge and taught us how to clean a fish. A few students who were fishing for the first time were apprehensive about touching fish. It was fun to watch their reactions. Before heading back to the ship, we had our evening debrief around a bonfire as the sun started to set.
It was a full fun day touring Base Camp, spotting wildlife and officially entering Torngat Mountains National Park. We are in awe of the beauty of the Torngat Mountains and are so excited for what’s next as we continue our expedition.