Today we spent the whole day in two beautiful fjords on the south side of Ellesmere Island. This is the third largest island in Canada and the tenth largest island in the world. Much of the land is covered in ice and snow and the vegetation is sparse. The Inuit name of the island is Umingmak Nunaat, meaning “land of muskox.” Muskox is one of the few animals that can survive the harsh climate in this part of the Arctic.
After lunch we sailed into Muskox Fjord. It was late at night when we spotted one lone muskox in the fjord carrying its name. During the afternoon, however, we had the most spectacular views of two large groups of walrus on the beach and on floating ice along the shores of the fjord. Many guests went ashore and got spectacular views of this true icon of the High Arctic. What a terrific day of Arctic exploration!
