A Voyage on the Sea Adventurer Sept. 11-24,2014

The following is a daily account written by Bill during his adventures in Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador, and Greenland with the group, Adventure Canada that offers such diverse tours as Exploring the Northwest Passage,  the Bears of Churchill, and the Haida Gwaii: The Queen Charlotte Islands to name a few. Contact Bill if you would like to experience the Canadian wildlife and exotic locales offered by this group on your next vacation.
You can download the daily activity sheets here for a comprehensive view of what the tour included.

Here’s Bill’s diary of his experiences:

 There was a very good “vibe” amongst the Adventure Canada staff as well as with the crew/staff of the Sea Adventure. This suggests that each “Adventure” will have a unique flavour which will be enhanced by the weather experienced, the flora/fauna seen and the unique input from the expedition “knowledge” staff.

Daily Routine
– Wake up announcement as early as 6 am; a soft “good Morning, good morning”
– Breakfast at 6:30 to 7:30
– Zodiac departure at 7:30 and if you did not leave then, you stayed on the ship, there were no special trips or late departures
– During time at sea there were staff presentations and workshops for crafts, photography, etc.
– Before supper there was a daily recap of the day’s activities, chart of progress and next day’s route with destination activities
– After supper there was music featuring each of the 3 musicians in turn, sing-along, movies, and presentations by the staff. Two very touching evenings were the NFB’s “The Last Days of Okak” and CBC’s documentary on Rob Saley’s Painting Co-op’s trip with Adventure Canada
– “Newfoundland Bluff” was terrific, Daniel, Holly & Michael they made lies sound real and the truth sound as lies, our group only got 2 correct. 

 Workshops / Talks
– Copper tooling
– Drawing from Life
– Historical and Modern Inuit Art
– The Vikings in the North Atlantic
– Identifying Sea Birds
– Bedrock Geology in Ancient Lands
– From Snapshots to Great Shots

Clothing
– Water proof pants and jacket are a must, as you will get wet during the zodiac ride
– Water repellent is not enough!
– Rubber boots at least mid-calf height are also needed
– Hiking poles are very helpful, as on this trip much of the terrain is densely covered with low bushes and you are walking on top of them 

Meals
Generally all were very good, nicely presented and served hot; but vegetables were always undercooked and without any seasoning. Soups also lacked flavour, no matter their type. Portions were on the small side for entrees – thinnest slices of roast beef I have seen – almost translucent – but cooked to order perfectly! Desserts were good but similar in texture and taste, except for their “extravaganza” buffets; crepes, banana splits, flambéed pineapple, chocolate, and all with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce, slivered almonds. The ice cream was made onboard but was low-cal ice-milk. The breads and rolls were outstanding!
Breakfast
Buffet with choice of cereals and oatmeal, with fruit, scrambled eggs, overcooked sausages, crisp bacon, beans, French toast and pieces of cardboard masquerading as hash browns. But there was a cook-to-order special each day – good and inventive, peanutbutter+egg+sausage+croutons+onion.
Dinner (aka lunch)
Salad buffet with 3 types, cold cuts and cheese and 2 desserts plus made to order entre choice of fish, meat, and vegetarian. Had fresh caught cod (by crew) that was fantastic
“4 O’clock Tea”
Generally had sandwiches (Funeral type, no crust, white bread, triangles and slightly stale – tuna salad and turkey) plus a sweet
Supper (aka dinner)
No buffet, all served with an appetizer (no choice except leave it), 2 soups, 2 salads, 3 entrees and 2 desserts.
– Fish was generally very well prepared
– Good pot roast and tuna steak, cooked rare as requested
– Our “Last night” they had an excellent steak, perfectly cooked to order.

THE SHIP
The Sea Adventurer is an old ship, built in 1975 in Russia and originally called the Alla Tarasova, then the Clipper Adventurer and now the Sea Adventurer. As a result there was noticeable vibration, noise and a hint of bunker – C fumes. The ship is quite rugged with an A-1 ice-capable hull, 4’376 T, 100m (330 ft) length x 16.3 m (53.5 ft)  beam x 4.7 m (15.5ft) draft. Top speed is 12 knots. Capacity is 122 guests and 72 crew. Staterooms are not large, but adequate, comfortable with good storage.
The ship has a cozy feel and its public areas are well sized for the number of guests; large forward lounge, small mid-ship bar, library and aft dining room. There is 1 open seating for each meal.

THE TRIP – DAILY

Thursday, September 11:

KANGERLUSSUAQ, Greenland
Up at 4:20 am, and waiting for limo driver, who was 10 min early to our requested 4:50 am pick-up. Driver ran most of the stop streets on our way over to Avenue Rd., so trip took less than 15 minutes.
Checked in and no issue with weight – I had 22.5 kg vs the home scale’s 20kg. Plane had 108, of which 23 were staff, so we had empty seat between (configured 3X3). Charter was with a service called Miami. Movies were terrible – asked us what our choice was – it was nothing. Slept a bit and read a bit. Breakfast was ok, omelette, hash browns, fruit, rubber croissant. The later “snack” was a bacon/ham sandwich with chips
Flight took 4 hrs and on arrival in Greenland, they just stamped our passports. Small high priced gift shop and a Canada Goose store. Temp was about 5ºC, partly sunny and a light wind
Tour up to a radar station from where we could see glaciers in the distance and the barren landscape. It is hunting season and the muskox know this and have made themselves scarce however, 1 muskox was spotted in the valley, small speck but okay in binoculars. Also visited a sled dog kennel; – not very nice, bones and dog poop everywhere, cute puppies but could have done without – rather had time to visit town, museum, grocery store etc
Ship was moored well out in the fjord since it is silting up from glacial run off; so first zodiac ride of the trip – yes cooler and wetter than when just standing on shore. Also not the easiest getting in and out, due to swells and having to first step onto zodiac’s edge – but 2 guys helping and having your hands free make it safe
Lifeboat drill was a full run through, including at the boats
In bed by 10 pm – long day and they will announce wakeup at 7 am with breakfast at 7:30 followed by mandatory zodiac training / procedures at 8:30 and 1st trip at 9:30

Friday, September 12

KANGERLUSSUATSIAQ (EVIGHEDSFJORD, Danish); 75 km long and 700m deep
During the night we exited the fjord and the ship was noticeably but gently pitching.
Spectacular scenery at the foot of the Manitsoq ice sheet. After breakfast had a zodiac safety procedure session with a discussion our day’s activities. To avoid a rush to zodiacs, odd cabins then even ones
Saw a Ring Seal briefly while in the zodiacs as well as a Bald Eagle –neither close (like yesterday’s Muskox) Ride near glacier was about 45 min. cool but not uncomfortable. Just after we got back on board it snowed! Missed seeing the glacier calve.

KANGAAMIUT

The village is on an island at the northern end of the fjord and has a population of less than 350. Seas now up to 2m swells and 20 knot wind with hail/sleet/rain so could not anchor nor use zodiacs near the village. Anchored in lee of island and now a 2 km (30 min) zodiac ride with 1 to 1.5 m swells
Village had school demo; “polka” dancing – really Danish folk dance
Had Muskox barley stew – aka beef, but excellent
Fresh frozen whale skin is MUTTUK – chewy and salty taste
Bought a baleen pendant 150DK, priced muskox wool tam 600DK, their post office was the general store; 500ml ketchup $6, a small melon was $6. Also sold guns, ammo, liquor, pizzas, dry goods and staple food stuffs
Bought 2 Greenlandic CD’s 150DK each, hiked up their “mountain”, should have taken a photo of railings/steel guy wire railings – good view, but other side of the mountain was just more rocks!
Church choir was terrific – a choir member had written 1 piece and the leader had written 3 others. Church was very simple but elegant, warm and welcoming – really proud to show their talent. Cross behind altar was the window, and along 1 wall/ceiling was all window
At dock, dead seal tied there – cold storage until needed. “Drunk” local nearby trying to sell his crafts – necklace of seal claws – 200DK and an antler partly carved, also 200 dk
Captain’s cocktail party, he is German but lives in Colorado. Interesting division of presentation between Adventure Canada, the charterer and the Captain the rep of the charterer!
Supper was sparsely attended – we did not finish our meal as the sole was very over cooked and the lamb chops greasy.
Saturday Sept 13
3ºC with wind chill made it 0ºC, blustery, rain/sleet, but docked, so able to leave at your leisure
NUUK
Nuuk is the capital of Greenland, with a population of about 15000. Started with a 1 hr tour of “city”, during which we saw every part and drove on every inch of road!! There is a 9 hole golf course, must have a handicap of 54 or less to play!…fits my game perfectly
Grønlands National Museum is very interesting and has the mummified remains of an Inuit family some 500 years old.
The shopping centre had a free WiFi Hotspot, so checked e-mails and saw that Rob Ford had dropped from the mayor’s race. Walked back to the ship in rainy/sleet with Scott & DK, the photo journalists.
We are starting to cross the Davis Strait and the sea is running with a lot of commotion in the ocean – Barf bags are out!  By supper the dining room as at least 50% empty. We were invited to the Adventure Can table for supper but waited for everyone to arrive so long, I got really queasy so left and went straight to bed.

Sunday September 14
DAVIS STRAIT
2 to 3m swells, 40 to 50 knot head winds, 6ºC, so ship often barely making 5 knots
Tummy still sensitive but had 3 meals, dry toast/honey/cheese with tea for breakfast (Richard made me gag when he had peanut butter with smoked salmon) but folks are getting sea-legs – more people eating
Now 11 hours behind and therefore cannot make it to George River – would lose 2 days
Monday September 15
Dawned “sunny” calm seas, 5ºC, 8 knot breeze. Finished crossing Davis Strait and amazing everyone at breakfast and no one was in a hurry to leave!
KILLINIQ (ice flows in Inuktitut) / Port Burwell
The rough crossing put us more than 11 hours behind schedule, so we would not be sailing down Ungava Bay to George River where we would have re-entered Canada with immigration/customs clearance. The customs officers are flown from Quebec City to George River and then by helicopter to Killiniq Island which is an abandoned town, trading post and TCMP post, but still an operating radar station and radio communication tower. When the helicopter came in to land they were delayed because there was a bear – chased it away and when we arrived did not see it
A mandatory BEAR watch session – take it very seriously armed bear watchers surround the area we are to visit and if hiking then there is a guard with us.
Killiniq is now an unmanned weather station and an RCMP post. It is now part of Nunavut. Some ruined buildings, trash, and rugged scenery like the Hebrides.
The tide had gone out when we were re-boarding the zodiacs and it was a chore getting them off the beach when loaded. Some older folks had serious issues navigating the terrain and covering the relatively short distance. 1 guy had water proof hiking boots ‘ but only ankle high, another lady was so short had difficulty hoisting her butt high enough while standing in the water.
Tuesday September 16
10ºC, calm and sunny
NACHVAK FJORD
It is one of the most spectacular fjords in the world. It is 20km deep and 2km wide and is bordered by Mount Razerback and Mount Caubvak, the highest in eastern Canada.
Woken up early at 6:40 with the cry “POLAR BEARS TO PORT”! Yes they were there but too far to photograph or even see clearly with binoculars. The fjord is spectacular – mirror like, the sun warmly lighting 1 side.
After breakfast the REAL POLAR BEAR SIGHTING happened. It was at the water’s edge eating a seal, it went for several swims and returned to eating, even defecating – mooning us. It also became agitated and scampered back and forth from his seal. The Captain moved the ship very close so we all got great photos.  Scenery was majestic as well. We did not see any seals but did see their splashes. Did see several whales, but again just their flukes – small minky whales. Spent most of the morning on deck watching scenery and THE polar bear, looking for whales.
RAMAH
Afternoon at Ramah which was a small Moravian missionary post with ruins/foundations of their church and cemetery. Climbed the hill for great scenery and exercise. The walking sticks were appreciated (especially a pair). Lots of low bush blue berry bushes apparently some saw a black bear – I did not nor did I see another Minky whale sighting. Ramah is where there are a lot chert which was used for spear points and traded widely around the area.

Wednesday September 17
SAGLEK BAY / SHULDHAM ISLAND
Shuldham Island is where Callum spent most of his time as an archeologist exploring this Inuit site. Interesting and gentle walk. There has been human occupation for nearly 5000 years here.
This was the location for the POLAR “DIP” – Richard went, I chickened out because I had the night to think about it. 38 took the plunge, including a crew member, the water and air temperature were the same: 5ºC!
ST. JOHN’S HARBOUR
Afternoon at St John’s Harbour, very foggy so did not do the original hiking program. Richard and I went with Derrick on this 7km round trip hike, scenic, rugged, saw 2 black bears, a loon and Arctic char. Lots of blue berries, cloudberries, Labrador tea. The terrain was difficult at times because walking on top of the low bushes, walking sticks were a God send for balance. When got to the Arctic Char pool (large beautiful fish) Derrick tried catching using boot lace, name tag and my walking stick – got a hit but could not land
After super had a great sing along, Richard did ALL the verses to “TOM DOOLEY”, but had a true Canadian camp fire feel; Land of The Silver Birch, North West passage, I’s the boys.

Thursday, September 18
HEBRON
The weather here was awful! Started with 45 km wind and climbed to a peak of 70!! At times hard to stand against the wind. Temperature was 5ºC, snow on the ground, spray over the zodiac froze before hitting people on other side, I got soaked and water in my boots as it ran off me
Only visited the old church which was being restored by the Nunatsiavut government and had presentations from Inuit who had been moved away, some tearfully. Later watched an NFB film on the end of the community of Okak a Moravian mission that was decimated in 1918 by the Spanish Influenza.
Friday, September 19: 4C, calm winds, sunny periods, very smooth trip to shore
NAIN
Jason’s grandma hosted people, the elders told us about their early life, using pictures they had drawn of their experiences as kids, served great warm “doughnuts” with blue berry jam!! Also had smoked Arctic Char
Bought t-shirt, seal skin bracelets, carving, pictures and a fleece
Had presentation to school of hockey equipment from NHPLA, with demo of Inuit games; lie flat on stomach with arms and legs out-stretched so that picked up by each limb keeping body flat or lie flat and be brought upright by head without bending your body or kicking a tethered ball landing on 1 foot
Ship’s entertainers gave brief concert
Stopped at grocery store (IGA affiliate) baby food $1, had fox pelt $280, piñatas, small bag chips $1.89
Saturday, September 20
BYRON BAY
1.5 to 2m swells for the zodiac ride and temperature was 5ºC with forecast for afternoon of 14ºC! The beach was a wide expanse of sand, stretching for at least 2 km. We hiked for about 2 km and it was easy walking. We spotted a number of seals “basking” in the sun.
The afternoon was to have had a stop at Cape Porcupine, but the weather was worsening, so skipped completely, workshops replaced this.
Limerick contest with about 30 participants, mine was
“Two knighthoods were bestowed for work in Newfoundland and Labrador
For Grenfell’s missions were adored
His clinics their health did regain
His ethics did their dignity maintain”
I was an also ran, but they could hear me – the winner was an 86 year old and the prize was a lifetime subscription to the Walrus! So he joked that there was not much money risked here
Sunday, September 21; calm seas, partly sunny – WOW!

HENLEY HARBOUR
This is a recently abandoned out port, but one where a few people return for the summer. So a combination of ruins and run-down, but occupied homes/cottages. There is also an outcropping of basalt columns, similar to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Crossing the Strait of Belle Isle was uneventful.
L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS
Calm (swell <1m), 11 knot wind but drizzly, 8ºC BUT people in town told us we were in for a storm, 100 km winds etc and Anita e-mail also warned of this and the captain of the Silver Seas ship ahead of us also was  skipping ports because of the warning – not us, into the teeth! BUT during the night very calm
Gina’s restaurant was very popular but had only 2 people and could not cope plus ran out of popular dishes, figgie-duff, partridge berry pie BUT very friendly as she gave us the last piece of partridge berry pie because it was somehow below standard! – shared and it came with a scoop of ice creamº
That evening was Viking dress night, so good that while the winner was eating, little Charlotte looked at him and started to cry in fright
Monday September 22:
CONCHE
14ºC raining and light winds/swells – Got truly soaked today!
The tapestry made by the ladies here is huge and amazing for the detail and humour.
Ladies made a cod dinner for us – cod excellent, as were mashed potatoes, rest was awful.
In the afternoon the storm began, 100 knot wind with gusts to 120 plus, 4m swells and ship actually heeled steadily at least 5º which actually made for a more stable “ride”. We were told to stay inside.
Soap stone carving – surprised the stone was imported from Brazil! And had been bought in Toronto! It was easily cut and worked with the creations being presented to the wait staff as a memento of their time with Adventure Canada
Good supper but did not go to the chocolate dessert buffet in the forward lounge.
Tuesday, September 23
FOGO ISLAND
Docked, great manoeuvering by Captain Peter as the winds were still very strong. Walking tour of the town, but no trips to the luxury resort – they did not want a bus tour visit! Walked up to the site of the old Marconi tower for a great view of the area and for some good exercise.
Beginning in late afternoon sort of an extended farewell session: jam session by all entertainers, Captain’s cocktails, staff all commenting on trip, as did Captain Peter and all were sad at ending the charter relationship with the Sea Adventurer. There was genuine sadness that the charter was ending. The AC staff were clearing out their storage rooms of 3 year accumulation before arrival in Saint John’s.
After dinner was the guest talent show was good and had quite a range of performances; 3 photo presentations – Africa, India, Numidia; a choir had been assembled to sing a Greenlandic hymn, a French Canadian choir, Richard sang solo, a dance take-off of Lord of the Dance- Sea Legs, but legs hidden, only waist up.

The musicians were very versatile, playing just about any instrument and picking up any song: Leander Baikie, Daniel Payne and Marshall Dane.

Daniel Payne, Cow Head Newfoundland
Daniel comes from a long line of traditional accordion and fiddle players from Cow Head on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. He is a singer, actor and multi-instrumentalist who teaches at the Vinland Music Camp in Gros Morne National Park. He played a leading role in the Newfoundland-Ireland production of the TV miniseries, Random Passage, a portrayal of life in early Newfoundland. Daniel has an album of accordion music entitled The Four Stops and his first solo album, released in spring 2008 entitled Chain.

Marshall Dane, Ontario
Marshall Dane’s infectious music is country by definition, but fuelled by rock and roll and infected with a watermelon-sized helping of hope, love and salvation, Marshall’s the kind of guy you want to have on your side when the going gets tough in this world and his new album “One Of These Days” is set to be your alibi. Since its launch in May, in time for this year’s CMAO Awards – for which he was nominated in several categories including Male Artist and Album Of The Year – and featuring the new single “One Of These Days”, Canadian Country Artist Marshall Dane’s latest album puts life back in to the swing of things, driven by a swirling blast of fabulous melodies that gives you a country rush right from the get-go.                                                                                

Expedition “Knowledge” Staff
Naturalists
– Dennis Minty, (also photographer)
– Janet Bradshaw
– Holly Hogan
Archaeologists
– Callum Thompson spent his career excavating the Inuit sites we were visiting and we/they discovered 2 new sites on this trip!
– Jane Sproull Thompson
Geologist
– Scott Schillereff
Artists
– Rob Saley, Artist
– Heather Beecroft, Inuit Art Specialist
Author
– Michael Crummey
Inuit / Bear Guards / Culturalists
– Maria Dicker
– Jason Edmunds
– Pete Barrett
– Derrick Pottle
– Leander Blaikie

Dennis Minty has traveled extensively to many parts of the world and his professional photography path has taken him through more than 30 years of both local and international work as an award winning wildlife biologist and environmental educator; author of both educational and photographic books and CD-ROMs; multimedia developer and eco-tour guide. On Newfoundland he says, “It is my home. It roots me. After half a lifetime of shooting, I am still overwhelmed by its visual richness.” On photography he says, “For me, nature and photography are inseparable. I immerse myself in nature through photography….”  www.thehumannaturecompany.ca

Callum Thomson was brought up in the British Isles and spent his youth as a crofter, lobster fisherman and dairy farm manager before emigrating to Canada in 1968. He has degrees in archaeology and anthropology. His principal research focus during more than thirty years of fieldwork in the Canadian Arctic has been on the history and archaeological evidence for maritime adaptations of cultural groups living in extreme and marginal environments, including aboriginal people, whalers, settlers and explorers. Callum and his wife and business partner, art historian, museum specialist and shipboard lecturer Jane Sproull Thomson, make their home on the Northumberland Strait in Nova Scotia.

Jane Sproull-Thomson, writes and lectures in cultural history, archaeology and art history to museum, university and avocational groups. Until recently she was professor of Inuit and native art and culture at the University of Calgary, and is a former curator for the Glenbow, Newfoundland and Red Deer College Museums. She is a Research Associate and was appointed a Life Member with the Arctic Institute of North America. With husband Callum she operates  a consulting business in the field of environmental and heritage conservation, interpretation and planning.

Scott Schillereff, should have been born in Newfoundland and has spent more than half his life there trying to catch up. After earning advanced degrees in geology and hydrogeology from Memorial University, he has worked over 25 years in geology and water-related geoscience. He was a science technician aboard the MV Hudson on a marine seismic geophysical cruise between Greenland and Baffin Island. When not in Newfoundland, he and his wife Janet Bradshaw enjoy life around Lake Arenal, Costa Rica. On the music front, Scott has been playing hammered dulcimer for over 30 years, along with concertina, banjo and guitar. He has played and sung with numerous groups in Newfoundland at folk clubs, nightclubs and folk festivals, and has been recorded on five CDs. He performs an eclectic mix of Newfoundland and American folk music, fiddle tunes, as well as contemporary folk-rock music.

Janet Bradshaw was born in the small Newfoundland out-port community of Winterton, Trinity Bay and spent her formative years in the Central Newfoundland town of Gander. With degrees from Memorial University in Science and Civil Engineering, Janet’s 30-year career as a professional engineer has been divided between Newfoundland and British Columbia and has included field and project work in Iqaluit, Nunavut as well as more than 30 Canadian Coast Guard light stations around Newfoundland and Labrador. When not in Newfoundland, Janet and her husband, Scott Schillereff can be found in the mountains of Costa Rica where they are avid hikers, kayakers and nature enthusiasts.

Heather Beecroft has worked to promote Inuit artists. Travelling into the Arctic is her passion which she shares with fun and vigorous enthusiasm in her connections with all adventurers.

Rob Saley is a landscape painter, nothing pleases Rob more than stumbling across a rusted old car or animal carcass in the middle of a forest or field. “In my work I try to feature those things that others overlook, forget or discard,” he explains. Often Saley does this by fastening found objects like bullet shells, saw blades and fishing lures around his painting of the area in which they were discovered. Over the past seven years, he has given birth to a wacky school of scaly cartoon characters named the Bucket Fish, which appear in a variety of narratives on t-shirts, eating platters and in paintings. He graduated from the Ontario College of Art’s editorial illustration program in 1992. Rob lives and works in his beautiful log home in Nottawa, Ontario near Georgian Bay.

Michael Crummey was born in Buchans, a mining town in central Newfoundland. He attended Memorial University. His first book, Arguments with Gravity, appeared in 1996. Since then he has published half a dozen others, including Hard Light and Salvage, Flesh and Blood and three novels. His first novel, River Thieves, was published internationally and appeared on half a dozen award shortlists, including the Giller Prize. The Wreckage, published in 2005, was a national best-seller, short-listed for the Rogers’ Writer’s Trust Fiction Prize and long-listed for the Dublin IMPAC Literary Award. His latest novel, Galore, won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, the Canadian Authors’ Association Fiction Award, and was shortlisted for the Governor-General’s Award.

Holly Hogan’s fascination with birds began in her teens when she first discovered that they could be identified by sound. As a person with strong musical affinities, she found this particularly intriguing and she completed her graduate degree at the Memorial University of Newfoundland on songbird community ecology. Ultimately drawn to the marine environment, she has worked primarily on seabirds for the last 25 years, and has worked on seabird colonies including British Columbia, Alaska, Newfoundland and Labrador. Holly currently manages two seabird ecological reserves for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jason Edmunds (married to Cedar Swan of Adventure Canada), Expedition Team grew up in the communities of Nain and Makkovik in Northern Labrador. He was an active youth, participating and contributing in local and regional Inuit youth groups, language and culture preservation committees and sports teams. During the summer months he traveled the coast of Labrador extensively while hunting and assisting his father with tours and charters. Coming from a family of politicians, Jason went on to study Political Science at Memorial University, traveling between his home and the booming metropolises of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and St. John’s, NL.

Derrick Pottle was born and raised in Rigolet, Labrador and lives a traditional Inuk lifestyle as a hunter and gatherer, and loves being out on the land. He still hunts and prepares caribou, seal, polar bear, fox and wolf hides in the traditional Inuit way. He is a stone carver and is experienced in the challenges of long-distance travel in and around Nunatsiavut and Nunavik. While in town, Derrick teaches stone carving to students and adults and has a company which teaches bear safety and traditional Inuit survival skills to the public.

Maria Merkuratsuk was born in Nain, but raised on the land with 5 brothers, 4 sisters and a large extended family. She never attended school while growing up but graduated as an adult through Adult Basic Education, and has since obtained two diplomas in Social Work and Heavy Equipment. Maria has worked with a number of organizations as an instructor of traditional and cultural values – She has held workshops on how to clean and prepare sealskins, sewing of traditional clothing and crafts and Inuktittut. She is now employed as a Polar Bear monitor in the Torngat Mountains National Park and loves what life has to offer – especially out on the land.

Leander Baikie is a Labrador Inuit hailing from the community of North West River. He loves to spend a great deal of time in the outdoors of Labrador with family and friends He has spent many years as a community volunteer and worked in the fields resource management, economic development and as a musician with traditional Labrador recording artists, The Flummies. He spent many years as a music festival organizer of the renowned North West River Beach Festival, did a stint in International marketing of Labradorite stone found at Ten Mile Bay, Nunatsiavut. He is a manager for his own family business, and is proud to be one of the graduates of the Labrador Institute of Northern Studies.

Pete Barrett has been a Fiber Artist for over 40 years with metal arts joining her repertoire in 1995 to create visual landscapes used in wall art or jewellery. A graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador in Arts and Education and Small Business Counsel. For 23 years she was the Craft Consultant with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and in 2010 retired to devote her time to family, art and kayak guiding with Experience Labrador. Being nomadic like her Innu ancestors she roams between Labrador and Newfoundland and works from any of the three studios her husband George has created for her; Sandy Point in Newfoundland; Cartwright and the more recent addition in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Labrador.

Bill Winkler has lived and travelled all over the world. So naturally now that he is retired from business after 40 years, he is helping others plan their travel adventures.