Once I think about the Arctic the very first thing to spring to thoughts is the ice. A sea of ice.
Life within the far north revolves across the sea ice in each single method. In actual fact, in Inuktitut and different Inuit dialects all throughout the Arctic, there are often at the very least 100 phrases for snow and ice. Thick sea ice that lasts for years. The ice crystals that kind on the ocean simply earlier than it freezes. Snow that can be utilized to ice the sled’s runner. Ice that breaks after its energy has been examined with a harpoon.
Ice is life within the far north. Within the summertime, ice dictates the place we will go on expedition ships, too. Whereas plenty of sea ice melts within the hotter months, not all. The wind and the tides transfer the ocean ice throughout, typically blocking in bays and harbors. The thickness and talent to maneuver in it in several types of ships is an actual ability. Studying to learn these charts is one thing I’d like to be taught. Our ship, the Ocean Endeavour, has a 1B ice class score, which suggests it could navigate average sea but in addition would possibly have to depend on an icebreaker.
Whereas I used to be at sea with Adventure Canada within the Arctic final summer season, an actual spotlight was the ocean ice. And there’s nowhere higher to see it than in Baffin Bay.
Baffin Bay is a big stretch of marginal sea between west Greenland and Baffin Island in Canada. Located above the 70° North parallel, Baffin Bay spans an space of almost 700,000 sq. kilometers. And it’s almost all the time frozen strong and chocked filled with icebergs. Ships can’t go by way of within the winter.
I spent plenty of time in Baffin Bay this past summer. Most of Journey Canada’s Arctic expedition trips go by way of or alongside Baffin Bay at one level or one other.
Baffin Bay is a good place to see the enduring sea ice, and we regularly needed to journey alongside the perimeters of the pack ice in search of methods by way of or for paths to open up. I didn’t sleep a lot on today as a result of the pack ice is likely one of the finest spots to search for polar bears as they hunt right here.
We crossed Baffin Bay between Greenland and Canada a number of instances, and every journey was magical. And the water was lifeless calm.
Sea ice typically brings down the swells and waves, making it flat. We typically stopped within the bay and unloaded the zodiacs to cruise by way of the pack ice in search of wildlife. Typically, the water was like glass, even in the midst of the bay. It was significantly lovely when fog and mists would transfer out and in, creating an ethereal feeling.
Within the summertime, a part of Baffin Bay opens up within the north referred to as North Water, and it’s a polynya (an space of open water surrounded by sea ice) that’s round 80,000 sq. kilometers. It’s actually essential for its biodiversity; right here, on this little microclimate, you’ll discover a few of the most iconic Arctic animals, reminiscent of seals, seabirds, polar bears, walrus, narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales.
We noticed all of them.
Baffin Bay connects the Labrador Sea and the Davis Strait with the Atlantic Ocean.
First, the Thule and later the Inuit inhabited this space for 1000’s of years. Throughout their explorations, there may be proof that the Norse additionally arrived. There are nonetheless settlements alongside the bay at the moment.
The primary document of Europeans arriving right here was in 1585, with John Davis crusing below Queen Elizabeth I. The British started looking for the mysterious Northwest Passage by way of Canada that may join them to the Far East to no avail. The Davis Strait is called after him, a stretch of sea between Baffin Bay to the north and the Labrador Sea to the south.
This was the start of the countless searches for the Northwest Passage over centuries. I spent almost three weeks onboard as we navigated the size of the Northwest Passage; it was one of many coolest experiences of my life.
Within the early seventeenth century, William Baffin explored and charted the world throughout Lancaster Sound as a pilot below Henry Hudson. He’s thought of to be the primary European to “uncover” Baffin Bay, which is called after him, although they didn’t discover a method by way of the Northwest Passage.
It wouldn’t be till 1906 that the nice Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen would efficiently discover a route by way of the Northwest Passage.
One thing that’s essential to tell apart whenever you’re within the Arctic (or Antarctic) is sea ice versus icebergs. We see loads of each within the Arctic, particularly round Baffin Bay.
Sea ice kinds within the ocean from salt water. It’s additionally categorised by age and thickness, with multiyear ice being the strongest, having survived the summer season melts. The water must be -1.8°C for the ice to start to kind, and because it ages 12 months after 12 months, the brine within the frozen water disappears, which means that it turns to frozen freshwater – this was typically utilized by polar expeditions.
Most of the Arctic expeditions contain deliberately getting their ships caught within the sea ice and overwintering. This didn’t finish effectively meant instances. First off, the ocean ice will transfer and drift, taking you away following currents. Secondly, the stress within the ridges and the ice typically smash and destroy the ship, particularly within the spring when it begins to soften.
Inuit depend on predictable sea ice patterns and conventional routes on the ice for searching by dogsled or snowmobile. Sadly, local weather change is impacting the ocean ice, making it unpredictable. You possibly can stroll on secure, thick sea ice. You need to by no means stroll on an iceberg. In actual fact, you shouldn’t go close to icebergs.
Icebergs come from glaciers on land. They’re chunks of ice that break off of the glaciers that fall into the ocean. As they soften, their freshwater is what raises the ocean ranges.
Icebergs are lovely, and Baffin Bay is stuffed with them. They’re additionally harmful. I imply, I assume everybody is aware of that from Titanic, however there are different causes than simply sinking a ship. In actual fact, the iceberg that sunk the Titanic is assumed to have originated from the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland.
There are icebergs which are larger than buildings and even metropolis blocks and even Manhattan. They are often gigantic. A23a was the most important iceberg on the earth, calving off an ice shelf in Antarctica in 1986. It was almost 4,000 sq. kilometers in measurement.
Solely 10% of an iceberg is often seen above the waterline; this implies there’s a shit-ton of ice beneath stretching out in each path.
And icebergs love to interrupt aside or flip spontaneously. This implies for those who’re wherever close to one, not to mention on prime of 1, you’re screwed. Simply Google movies of it; it’s terrifying. If the ice is beneath you, you would possibly fly. They’ll ship out giant tidal waves that might simply swamp close by boats and flying ice shrapnel, too.
After we zodiac cruise alongside icebergs and glacier faces, we maintain a protected distance away. You possibly can inform when an iceberg has flipped over as a result of it’ll typically be vibrant, shiny blue. They’re mesmerizing.
For the previous 15 years, Greenland has been shedding 300 billion tons of ice and water yearly, and it’s rising. Someday in July 2012, your entire floor of the Greenland ice sheet melted.
In actual fact, there nonetheless wasn’t common cargo delivery by way of the passage for a lot of the 12 months till 2009. After that, the declining sea ice, because of local weather change, means which you could entry right here longer.
We noticed many glaciers on my travels with Journey Canada, and my thoughts stored returning to each the profound unhappiness and concern I’ve round local weather change. I want everybody might see what I’ve seen. Scorching days in Greenland, no sea ice within the Northwest Passage. Ravenous polar bears trapped on land. Conventional Inuit searching tracks gone.
Will all these lovely glaciers that drop down into the ocean dissapear in my lifetime?
By far, one of many coolest experiences I had final summer season was truly touchdown on the ocean ice. It’s one thing I’ve ever executed as soon as, and it was alongside the pack ice in Baffin Bay on our Out of the Northwest Passage journey.
We spent a while exploring the pack ice in northern Baffin Bay earlier than our expedition chief discovered a big, strong, and previous, protected patch of sea ice. It was misty and delightful, making the blue of the ice pop towards moody skies. Every now and then, the solar would peek by way of the fog, creating essentially the most unimaginable environment.
Revving the zodiacs up onto an icy seaside, we have been capable of hop out and discover the ridges and swimming pools of this previous sea ice. It was completely magical.
Nothing is extra of a poignant reminder that you’re removed from house, exploring the Arctic than drifting by way of the ice.
You would be centuries again in time. The silence is profound, solely damaged up by the occasional crunches by way of newer sea ice. Your eyes always scan the horizon, alongside the perimeters of the pack ice, in search of an uncommon form, the pale yellow that signifies a polar bear in distinction to the intense whitish-blue ice. Or the black of the flippers of a seal. Perhaps even the spray from a passing whale.
Baffin Bay is a magical a part of the world. I can’t wait to return.
Does sea ice maintain a fascination over you, too? Would you want to go to Baffin Bay someday? Spill!
Many because of Journey Canada for internet hosting me within the Arctic – like all the time, I’m preserving it actual – all opinions are my very own, like you can anticipate much less from me!
