In 1903, the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had entered the area on his ship Gjøa in an expedition intending to travel through the Northwest Passage. By October the straits through which he was travelling began to ice up. Amundsen put Gjøa into a natural harbour on the southeast coast of King William Island. He stayed there, in what Amundsen called "the finest little harbour in the world", for nearly two years. He and his crew spent much of that time with the local Netsilik, learning from them the skills to live off the land and travel efficiently in the Arctic environment. This knowledge proved to be vital for Amundsen's later successful exploration to the South Pole. He explored the Boothia Peninsula, searching for the exact location of the north magnetic pole.
A slightly iffy day until the evening. We went ashore at Gjoa Haven just before 9 am: on the way down to the side gate they announced that boots would be advisable , so Chris had to change into these without the necessary second pair of socks which made them comfortable. Once ashore we had a guided walk through the town with a guide, who requested tips and were selling his Own drawings for $40 a time in the museum that he took us to . We were advised that we had to be in the community hall by 10 am for a cultural presentation ( for which Dave had refused to tell us anything about the previous night ) and we arrive there soon after 10 am and we’re still there at 10:50 am without the show having started: we were offered a cup of soup and local bread by this time, but no Vale La Pena
Some Inuit in Gjoa Haven with European ancestry have claimed to be descendants of Amundsen (or one of his six crew). Accounts by members of the expedition told of their relations with Inuit women, and historians have speculated that Amundsen might also have taken a partner, although he wrote a warning against this. Not all descendants claiming European ancestry have been tested for a match to Amundsen. Permanent European-style settlement at Gjoa Haven started in 1927 when the Hudson's Bay Company opened a trading post. In 1941 Henry Larsen reached the post from the west. The settlement has attracted the traditionally nomadic Inuit as they have adapted a more settled lifestyle.
For a larger photo, click on the thumbnail photo below
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At this stage we decided to leave and try and wander to the greenhouse where they grew vegetable. It was on the outskirts of town. But we have been informed that the last zodiac was at noon and realised we had not got the time to get there and back to the beach on time, so we just enjoyed a wander round town. We were the first back at the beach but only by a few seconds as the culture show obviously only lasted 20 minutes at the most.
We enjoyed lunch in the restaurant and then Chris had a swim and we both had a shower before going to the champagne tasting at 2:30: this was not as good as the first wine tasting we had been to , as I was far too much information given by speakers With heavy accent and not enough volume against the throbbing of the engines.
For a larger photo, click on the thumbnail photo below
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At 5 pm, we went to a talk on biodiversity. - A pseudo science? But interesting.. After recap and briefing, we met up with Jane, Who we had met on previous cruises, but not known very well. In the panorama lounge for a drink and then dinner in the restaurant. Chris really enjoyed her conversation. And the Head Sommelier gave us an expensive bottle of champagne to make up for the communication problems at the tasting.
Then we went up to the panorama lounge again for coffee and Chris’s marzipan: Chloe was singing but this did not add to the environment. Back in the cabin we watched the replay of the Inuit custom lecture that we had had to miss to go to the wine tasting.