AC News

Recent studies have revealed that the bowhead whale population of the eastern
Canadian Arctic is higher than the previously believed. The range of
probable estimates for the eastern bowhead is presently 4,811-43,105,
with a mean estimate of 14,400. While the range is quite large and
exact figures still unknown, the numbers are higher than previously
thought and this is good news for the population. Past estimates put
the population at only a few hundred. The reason for the larger numbers
is in part due to surveys of new areas which were not known until
recently to have large numbers of bowhead whales. Tracking with
satellite-linked transmitters has been very helpful in determining the
wider range of occupation.

We are looking forward to
travelling in bowhead whale territory this summer and hope to have the
great fortune and privilege of spending time amongst them. Over the
past four years we have been very blessed indeed with viewings of pods
as large as sixty and last year spotting a rare albino bowhead whale.
In 2008 we travel with bowhead expert Pierre Richard on our High Arctic
Adventure who will share with us his knowledge of the bowhead whale and
be glued to his spotting scope in hopes of sharing these great beasts
with us.

For more information on our High Arctic Adventure

We are delighted to have awarding winning author and poet Michael Crummey
join our team of wonderful resource people on our 2008 Newfoundland
Circumnavigation. Throughout our journey Michael will share selected
readings and his insights into the Newfoundland literary scene. Michael
was born and raised in Newfoundland. He has published half a dozen
books, including Hard Light and Salvage (poetry), Flesh and Blood
(short stories) and two novels. His first novel, River Thieves, was a
national bestseller and appeared on half a dozen award shortlists,
including the Giller Prize. His most recent book is The Wreckage,
published in 2005. A national bestseller, it was short-listed for the
Rogers' Writer's Trust Fiction Prize and was long-listed for the Dublin
IMPAC Literary Award. His work has appeared in The Penguin Book of
Canadian Short Stories and in The New Canon: An Anthology of Canadian
Poetry. He was recently named the winner of the Timothy Findley Award,
given to a Canadian writer at mid-career to honour a significant body
of work. He lives in St. John's.

For more information on our Newfoundland Circumnavigation please click here.

From time to time polar bears reach their southern-most limit when they
reach the coast of Newfoundland, especially in the spring of the year
when the arctic ice presses onto the northeast coast. This appears to
be one of those years. Polar bears have been sighted on Fogo Island and
elsewhere in Notre Dame Bay as well as on the Northern Peninsula. A
woman from Lumsden, Notre Dame Bay recently had to stop on the highway
on her way to work and wait for a polar bear to get out of the way. The
bears are in the area largely because of the harp seals that are
whelping on the ice at this time of year. It seems as though there are
more bears this year than usual. Is this just another sign of the
effects of global warming? Who knows.

Adventure Canada's cruises usually visit Newfoundland in the late summer and early fall
but mid- summer is also a great time to visit. Wildlife viewing
couldn't be better when seabird breeding is at its peak and humpback
whales are in the thousands. Why not join Dennis Minty and Antje
Springmann for their Newfoundland Close Up tour July 12-19 and
experience "the rock" at one of the finest times of year and learn to
improve your photo skills too.

For more information on Newfoundland Close Up click here

On Baffin's Northeast coast one will find the lovely hamlet of Pond Inlet
or Mittimatalik in Inuktitut. Archaeological evidence indicates a
history of Thule, Dorset and an earlier population known to Inuit as
Tuniit. It is no wonder, the region abounds with wildlife, with
numerous bird and whale species that inhabit the cliffs, air and sea.
The English name, Pond Inlet has its roots in early exploration, when
British Adventurer bestowed the name Pond's Bay (to the original
settlement 5km away) after John Ponds, at that time the Astronomer
Royal.

During our time in this friendly hamlet we intend to explore by foot with
local guides, engage with elders and youth alike, learning about life
in North Baffin through song, dance and sport - participation is
welcome!

For more information on our Baffin Expedition click here.

Adventure Canada is pleased to return to St. John's, NL this October for a
delightful montage of Newfoundland's finest theatre, visual arts and
literature. Join celebrated Newfoundland writer Kevin Major for an
insider's look at the culture of his Island, four art-filled days at
the edge of the North Atlantic. Let him take you through the multi-hued
streets and back lanes of St. John's, to his favourite galleries and
music haunts. Meet artists and poets and musicians (sometimes all three
in one). Spend time in their studios. Hear them explain their art.
Listen as they read from their award-winning books, and chat with them
leisurely over wine.

Whether you join us as a pre-excursion to our Newfoundland Circumnavigation or
on your own, this program is a wonderful way to explore St. John's and
its vibrant art scene.

"What I loved the most about Art on the Rock was Kevin! He is very
knowledgeable and pleasant and knows so many persons on a personal
level, persons who like and admire him. This meant that the many visits
we enjoyed were tailor-made for us and prepared with lots of love. I
also loved the wide range of art and artists included in our program.
Art on the Rock is a program that one can definitely join more than
once." - Cecily Mills, client.

For more info on our Art on the Rock program please click here

After our inaugural safari this past February, Adventure Canada is thrilled
to visit Africa again - this time by ship! Our exploration takes us to
the exotic Northwest shores, the launching grounds for many ventures to
the new world. From Senegal's energetic capital, Dakar, to the
volcanic islands of the eastern Atlantic, to the Kingdom of Morocco to
Spain this adventure is sure to please. Our epic voyage tells tales of
conquest and colonization, reveals bewitching landscapes and geological
wonderlands, and showcases an amazing variety of cultural treasures.

Throughout our journey, we witness the legacies of the great age of exploration in
extraordinary cities and timeless villages, at celebrated UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, and in the warm hospitality that comes from the rich
cultural blend of the people. Nature and bird lovers are rewarded with
incredible diversity spread across a wealth of ecosystems and by the
vast numbers of seabirds making their northbound migration.

For more info on our Senegal to Spain program please click here

The Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnean, is an Arctic species that breeds in the
north Atlantic and Arctic oceans above the Arctic Circle and winters in
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans near ice edges. Breeding sites are
generally discrete, either on nunataks (mountain peaks that project
from glaciers), flat offshore islands, or windswept hills on gravel
plateaus. In Canada, all breading locations share the characteristics
of isolation from mammalian predators and support only the Ivory Gull.
Arial surveys and collaboration of local ecological knowledge have
shown a 70-80% decline in Ivory Gull numbers from that 1980's-early
2000's. Human harvest and trace metal contamination show promise as
possible and avoidable causes of population decline. However, the
shooting of Ivory Gull is no longer considered a major source of
mortality in Canada or Greenland (it is unknown if they are shot in
eastern Russia), and the reduction of trace metal contamination in the
Arctic will be a long process requiring international collaboration.
Several types of environmental change could be involved in the apparent
declines, but once again, little can be done in the short term to
ameliorate climate conditions in the Arctic. Assessments of population
trends and avian health from other parts of the Ivory Gull's
circumpolar range will help to ascertain whether the declines in Canada
are a regional issue or whether the entire global Ivory Gull population
is under stress and declining. Canadian colonies have continued to
decline from 2004 to 2006, with sites at the southern edge of the
breeding range on Baffin Island almost completely extirpated; only one
pair remained in 2005 and 2006. The suggestion that Ellesmere Island
may be the only site where the breeding of the Ivory Gull will persist
in the future is supported by the recent discovery of new colonies
there in 2006.

Adventure Canada resource guide Mark Mallory is a noted biologist and has been
key in understanding Canada's Ivory Gull population and its unfortunate
pattern of decline. Our onboard observations add to the knowledge and
recovery strategy for the Ivory Gull. When out on deck with your
binoculars just remember, not only are you viewing a beautiful and rare
species, but helping to ensure that the future of the species is
secure.

Visit Ivory Gull habitiat on our High Arctic Adventure. Click here for more information

Travel with biologist Mark Mallory on our Baffin Expedition. Click here for more information

In 2008, one of our chartered vessels is introducing ground breaking green
improvements in the shipping industry. Nova Envirocom and Nunavik
Marine Supply and Services is outfitting the Lyubov Orlova with 100%
compostable environmentally friendly product to replace all the plastic
and Styrofoam based product now filling landfills throughout the arctic
region. The project, designed by Northerns for Northerners, will help
alleviate pressure on Northern landfill sites. On top of providing the
exciting new product to our vessel and other northern industries, Nova
Envircom plans to assist at the local level. Through education within
the school system and community involvement the biodegradable waste
will be composted and safely infused back into the ecosystem. We at
Adventure Canada applaud the efforts of Nova Envirocom and Nunavik
Marine Supply and Services in taking the steps towards sustainable
industry in the North.

For more information on our Baffin Expedition, September 2-12th, 2008 onboard the Luybov Orlova click here.

For more information on our Ghost Coast: Wild Labrador, September 24-October 4, 2008 onboard the Luybov Orlova click here.

Love being outdoors and enjoy viewing wildlife in their natural habitat as
much as we do? Help grow the understanding of our natural world by
participating in Adventure Canada's wildlife survey project onboard our
expeditions. Surveying remote and rare species is a challenging
endeavour as detailed demographic data may not be available for any
number of reasons such as logistics, expense, and the fact that
disturbance involved with monitoring a species may impinge on its
recovery. Last year Adventure Canada received a grant from the World
Wildlife Fund to assist northern researchers by recording our
observations. For small and endangered populations, an assessment of
their ability to persist can be an important tool to guide management
and recovery efforts. Traveling by expedition vessel allows for viewing
of many species that are difficult to monitor from land, such as marine
mammals and avian species. This year we are making special efforts to
observe the endangered Ivory Gull in the High Arctic and Orca and
Humpback Whales along the Labrador coast.

For more info on our High Arctic Adventure click here

For more info on our Ghost Coast: Wild Labrador Adventure click here