In an unexpected turn of events…
…I found myself on the bow of a ship in the middle of the Hudson Strait up in the Northern Canadian Arctic, holding a mug of coffee and clutching my binoculars. I was milling through a crowd of passengers eagerly searching for signs of ocean wildlife within the great expanse of an ice field surrounding us. Everyone was zipped up snug in bright blue coats that bore the words “Adventure Canada” along with the company’s logo—a polar bear.
Suddenly, a voice came upon the intercom. “Hello passengers! It seems we have a sighting of some walruses. Head to the aft of the ship…” The sea of blue-coated people immediately rushed toward the opposite end of the boat with wide eyes and cameras at the ready. While not yet catching sight of a polar bear, spotting about 15 walruses sunbathing on a chunk of floating ice was equally incredible.
Understanding words like “bow” and “aft” became second nature after just a few days aboard the Ocean Endeavour during Adventure Canada’s 12-day Heart of the Arctic expedition cruise. From the start, the expedition team and ship’s crew educated and encouraged us to get involved with understanding not just the terminology and way of life on the remote waters, but also the environment, cultures, and peoples of the arctic regions we were sailing through.
As a first-time adventure expeditioner, I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect. The loose itinerary lined out a charter to the city of Iqaluit in Nunavut, Canada; a stop in Kimmirut and Kinngait; sailing through the Hudson Strait to reach the Ungava Peninsula in Quebec and Inuit Nunavik territories; and reaching Nuuk and Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord in Greenland via the Davis Strait.
Add to that the fact that no itinerary could quite capture the spontaneity of sailing through the arctic, and you’ve truly got an expedition. This isn’t your average cruise.
Adventure Canada prepped us thoroughly from the start and suggested we put our trust into their experience and expertise. They also suggested we let go of all preconceptions and lean into the idea of the unexpected, as we would land on islands filled with untouched flora and fauna and meet new people within each town we visited.
We were thoroughly rewarded when we did just that. By the time we were making our way through the Hudson Strait on the day we spotted the walruses, us 163 guests on board were accustomed to this new day-to-day routine filled with the thrill of the unknown. In good hands, all we had to do was open our hearts and minds to new sights, sounds, and ideas.
Family-Owned, Family-Run, and Family-Oriented
Adventure Canada began with two brothers, Matthew and Bill Swan, and their good friend, David Freeze. These three men wanted to share their experiences adventuring north with other travel enthusiasts—so they began hosting trips via ship. Today, their children keep the tradition alive: Cedar Swan is the CEO, Alana Bradley-Swan is the Director of Product, and Matthew James Swan is the Director of Business Development.
The Heart of the Arctic expedition is the oldest trip on their now extensive list of cruise itineraries. And for this particular voyage, we had the privilege to have Alana as our Host. Additionally, David Freeze’s son, Dan Freeze, was our Assistant Expedition Leader. And the idea of “family” extends onward, as you become part of this chosen expedition family throughout the almost two weeks (or more!) of travels, too.
The expedition team on each trip is made up of a large group of experts and researchers who are there to not only engage the passengers on board with life-long learning experiences, but to actively explore and discover themselves. On each landing, you can chat with an archeologist, geologist, or naturalist as they identify objects and ecology in real-time. When you aren’t hiking or meeting people in a new town, you can participate in a cultural workshop (like learn Inuktitut, Inuit language), listen to a presentation, or spot wildlife on the deck.
On top of it all, these same experts act as the musicians who entertain the entire ship at night and even have a drink or dance alongside you. Not to mention the above-and-beyond hospitality of the ship’s crew, who ensure you’re well-fed, comfortable, and have all the information you need at your fingertips.
Add in the conversations and new friendships formed with other passengers over countless meals—and, even more, the connections you make with the local communities you visit—and you’ve really got something more special, more meaningful, than other cruises.
Making every sailing count
Adventure Canada is constantly thinking of ways to make each trip more culturally enriching, environmentally friendly, or supportive of active scientific research.
They not only seek out and employ people from the places they travel to in order to cultivate an authentic educational platform and cross-cultural exchange between expedition team members and passengers, but they also form partnerships with local organizations that support and provide resources to Inuit and local Canadian communities. On our Heart of the Arctic experience, we raised money for the Inuit Art Foundation and the creation of one of our on-board cultural ambassador’s newest films.
Something very unique to our trip was that one of our stops was an inaugural visit to the town of Salluit, where they had never received a cruise ship before. Here, we had a grand feast and celebration with country food, dance, and music. Adventure Canada, with the help of Project North, donated full hockey gear sets to the community, and we had some guests join us on board the ship for dinner. It was a magical night full of grand excitement, as everyone was eager to meet, learn about, and host one another.
As for the environment, we all know that cruise ships leave a major impact wherever they go. Adventure Canada’s carbon offset program allows passengers to pay an extra fee that goes directly to the purchases of offsets from the Indigenous-led Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. During this Heart of the Arctic’s programming, the expedition team also presented a climate change panel that promoted awareness, and hope, to all on board.
Finally, their Researcher-in-Residence program welcomes on experts who are actively utilizing the sailing as an opportunity to further research in their respective scientific or cultural field. For example, our trip was host to active seabird surveying efforts and plastics research. To replace the common phrase… Adventure Canada aims to “save two birds with one ship”!
Begin equipped and come back inspired
From the very start, you never feel lost or ill-equipped. Adventure Canada has streamlined the process so that any new adventurer, whether they are 27 or 70, will feel prepared and come away with an amazing and transformative experience. Their easy-to-use portal comes with online resources to give you tips on how to pack, information on the history and culture of places you’ll visit, sneak peeks of local wildlife, and even “What to expect” articles and videos.
On board, you’ve got a gift shop to buy anything you may have left at home, a front desk ready to answer any question, an incredible expedition team to keep you safe on land and well-informed on the ship, and a crew that ensures your pillows are fluffed and your bellies are (much too) full.
All that’s left for you to do is give yourself away to the absolute adventure of a lifetime. Talk to people, tune in to new ideas, absorb all there is to learn, breath in the fresh air of the wildly beautiful Arctic, and you’ll come back way more educated and inspired than you could ever imagine.
Some of my favorite moments were watching the botanist’s eyes sparkle while explaining all the flowers of the tundra during a landing on Resolution Island; visiting the famous printshop in Kinngait, known as the Capital of Inuit Art; and hearing traditional throat singing for the first time from guests who joined us from the town of Kimmirut.
And, of course, spotting wildlife! Buy binoculars—you won’t regret it. With them, I was able to catch sight of birds, walruses, whales…and my first polar bear.
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