Polar Bears and Walrus and Whales

On Thursday, it was mammal day. We saw Polar Bears and a large number of Walrus and Whales. We started the day early in the morning as we visited the bridge. There was a spotting of Bowhead whales (a very rare siting) in the distance, so we turned the ship and headed for the blows. By the time we reached the area, the whales were nowhere in site, so we continued a short distance to Butterfly Bay, on Baffin Island. As we approached our proposed landing site, we spotted three polar bears. One was feeding on a whale carcass on the very beach we were supposed to land the zodiacs. We slowed the ship and watched for about an hour. The ship then headed out of the bay and anchored and we launched the zodiacs for a closed look at the bears.

In the afternoon, we made our way to Monumental Island, a barren rock off of Baffin Island. Again, we spotted a polar bear and we launched the zodiacs in search of walrus - which we found in large numbers. The smell from these beasts was unforgettable! In the evening we attended a great dinner with a small gathering of guests and guides, including Kelvin from Scotland (a master diver) and Jenn from Maine (a master maritime pilot) in the chart room.