Adventure Canada's News - AC News

Early Booking Bonus - CDN dollar approaching parity!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:33:24 -0500

Now is the perfect time to
take advantage of our Early Booking Bonus offer!

If you book on any of our 2010 Canada and the North shipboard itineraries and pay in full by January 30, 2010 you will receive a 5% reduction on the berth cost.
With the Canadian dollar approaching parity, there is no better time to take advantage of this offer! Hurry - there are only 18 days left.

View our 2010 Canada and the North brochure online by clicking here or email your mailing address to info@adventurecanada.com to receive a paper copy.

Staff Announcement: Ukulele Chief Joins the Magical Mystery Tour

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:15:05 -0500

Ukulele impresario David Newland will be bringing the magic of that tiny instrument to Matthew James and Matthew's Magical Mystery Tour scheduled for
Sept 20 - 25, 2010 on Clipper Adventurer.

Head of the Corktown Ukulele Jam, a weekly gathering of uke enthusiasts in
downtown Toronto, David's wry observations and spontaneous quips, make his stage patter a work of art in itself. David's show is equal parts melody,
comedy, and philosophy. David is an accomplished songwriter and performer with a wealth of diverse material: cowboy ballads, Maritime melodies, roots-rock anthems, sentimental songs and silly little ditties.

"I've been bringing music to people, and people to music for years. I've had the chance to travel widely across Canada and everywhere I've gone, it's stories in song that have given voice to my journeys. Whether I'm writing songs, performing for an audience, or helping create and support musical communities, I'm always conscious that this music is about bringing people
into awareness of each other and the moment. To share music beneath a truly northern sky is a dream come true for me and I look forward to the magic and the mystery!"

Information is trickling out slowly about what the two M's are planning for their special departure, which features a taste of Greenland, the Labrador Sea, a visit to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites at L'Anse aux Meadows and Gros Morne National Park and a rollicking Newfoundland Kitchen Party.

"It's going to be big, bigger than the Friendly Giant," says Matthew Swan. "Tremendous music and good times at Sea - and hey who knows, a Friendly Giant might show"

Click here to view a clip of David Newland introducing Nick Tustin, a fine Uke performer from the Corktown Uke Jam.

For more on the Corktown Ukulele Jam please click here.

For more on the Sept 20 - 25, 2010 M&M Magical Mystery Tour, please email Matthew James by clicking here.

The Captain of all Archaeological Sites!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:07:15 -0500

AC Archaeologist Latonia Hartery and Adventure Canada are pleased to announce the recent confirmation of a newly discovered archaeological site
during our Out of the Northwest Passage 2009
sailing!

Just east of scenic Lady Franklin point an extremely large site featuring wonderfully preserved fox traps, meat caches, tent rings,
hunting blinds, and caribou drive lanes was recorded by archaeologist Latonia Hartery.

The discovery of several pairs of snow goggles and other wooden artifacts possessing holes created by bow-drills, a technology diagnostic of Thule Inuit, reveals the identity of the people that used this beautiful site.
In honour of years of service to Adventure Canada and his supreme nautical skills, as well as 20 years of sailing through Arctic waters, the site has been named after AC's favourite captain, Captain Kenth Grankvist.

Although this site is the largest, several other new archaeological discoveries were made on our Arctic voyages further continuing our part in reconstructing the Arctic past and settlement patterns over the landscape.

To be a part of these exciting discoveries and to learn more about the ancient Arctic and its people joins us on Into the Northwest Passage with Latonia Hartery or Out of the Northwest Passage with Bob McGhee, or join Captain Kenth Grankvist on any of our 2010 expeditions aboard Clipper Adventurer.

Congrats Ken & Sheena!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:57:19 -0500

Historian Ken McGoogan and painter Sheena Fraser McGoogan, who sail regularly with Adventure Canada, have just been awarded S.S. Beaver medals for community service through writing and painting.

In the accompanying photo, with some of Sheena's
Greenland paintings behind them, they receive the awards from Toronto lawyer Robert A. Maxwell. The medals were struck from the copper fittings of the first steamship to ply the west coast of North America. The first Beaver medal was awarded in 1963 to the father of Maxwell, who created a replica of the original paddlewheeler built in 1836 for Sir George Simpson, governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. Previous recipients of the honour include Winnipeg publisher Barbara Huck, Peter St. John (the Earl of Orkney), and politician Stockwell Day. Sheena has been painting scenes from sketches she did while sailing in the Northwest Passage, including these views of Greenland. Her next one-person show will be at Arts on Queen in March - stay tuned for details!

Both McGoogans will sail Into the Northwest Passage with Adventure Canada in August. For more information, please click here.

Updates from John Houston!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:46:23 -0500

John's latest film "The White Archer" broadcast dates set

As our constant readers will know, John Houston has been busy in the editing room, finishing up his 6th film. Today he is delivering"The White Archer" to the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). For John's first attempt at drama, he chose to adapt a children's book by his father, the late James Houston.

In this Inuit legend, a youth trains to become a great archer. Will Kanguq use this new power to avenge his family, or will he put an end to the cycle of violence?

APTN Broadcast Dates are: February 9, 2010 in Inuktitut AND April 7, 2010 in English.

John has dedicated this film to the memory of Thomasie Alikatuktuk (1953 - 2009)

Thomasie's talent and his hard work and his focus helped make Pangnirtung famous for printmaking. He was a true artist, and brought this dedication to everything he did, going on to become an Inuit leader, president of Qikiqtani Inuit Association, and a good family man - so proud of his children.

John will be joining us in 2010 on both NWP Expeditions and on our Greenland Explorer. For more information, please click here.

Mark Mallory Gets Worldly!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:39:15 -0500

Ornithologist Mark Mallory is published in The Circle, a WWF publication

In the most recent issue of The Circle, a
magazine published by World Wildlife Fund, AC's resource staffer Mark Mallory has an article on the effects of climate change on Arctic seabirds. There are also informative articles on walrus, bowhead whales and killer whales among many others. You can download the issue by clicking here.

To hear about Arctic seabirds first-hand, why not join Mark on Adventure Canada's "Out of the Northwest Passage" expedition in 2010? To find out more,please click here.

Congrats Carolyn!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:31:46 -0500

AC Botanist turned budding poet, Carolyn Mallory has recently had her poem published!

Carolyn Mallory's first ever-published poem appears in the Winter 2010 edition of the Northern Review - Yukon College's multidisciplinary journal of the arts and
social sciences. It is the only peer-reviewed journal in Canada devoted
exclusively to northern issues and published north of 60!

Data-less by Carolyn Mallory:

Fourth day of
fog.

We wake,

peer outside
the cabin

and resign
ourselves

to thick, gray,
opaque

fog.

Back to bed

into the downy
nest cavity.

Another hour --
it's my turn to check,

fog slides in
the door as I try to look out.

We rise.

Knit, read, write,
snooze, wait.

And wait.

The day wears
on.

Cliff's edge
remains swallowed up--

cotton batting.

No data today.

The fog lifts

beyond the
outhouse.

The valley
opens up

to the pale
gray sea.

Boots,

jacket,

gear,

gun...

The outhouse is gone.

You can join Carolyn on our Out of the Northwest Passage Expedition 2010 where she can answer all your plant-related questions and how to become a budding poet! For more information, please click here.

Collector's Corner: 'Mad dance of the Qailertetang'

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:29:40 -0500

The inspiration behind the purchase of the piece: Cultural Relevance

A little-known part of Inuit religious history is the Qailertetang episode of the Sedna feasts, as observed in the Cumberland Sound by anthropologist Franz Boas in 1888.

The "Mad Dance of the Qailertetang" was a festival game in which two masked persons, a man and a woman, marry off the rest of the men and women who take part in the game.

In 2000, when I returned North to the make "Nuliajuk: Mother of the Sea Beasts," Lipa invited me to his outpost camp, where he would re-enact the mad dance for my cameras, seen perhaps for the first time since the early 1900s.

The artist, Lipa Pitsiulak, learned of this ritual directly from his parents, the late Markosie and Kadlu Pitsiulak, originally of Blacklead Island, Cumberland Sound. To my knowledge, this was the first time the ritual, long since forbidden by the missionaries, had been portrayed in a sculpture, entirely in keeping with Lipa's philosophy of preserving Inuit culture, whether Christian or pre-Christian.

-
John Houston, Owner
& Director, Houston North Gallery

'Mad Dance of the Qailertetang' is available for purchase. As a member of the AC family, you are entitled to a 20% discount AND Houston North Gallery will contribute an additional 10% to the Adventure Canada Discovery Fund!

Details:

'Mad Dance of the Qailertetang'
Lipa Pitsiulak (1943 - )
Pangnirtung, 2000
H: 14.25 x L: 8 x W: 8 inches
Gallery # A3452
CDN $3,500.
Less 20%: -660 = $2,640 (plus applicable taxes), with $330 being donated to the Discovery Fund. Shipping is extra and will be billed at cost. For more information or to purchase this piece please contact Houston North Gallery: inuit@houston-north-gallery.ns.ca or toll free 1-866-634-8869.

Grab Some Gyre!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:21:35 -0500

AC Musician Ian Tamblyn releases 30th Album!

The release of GYRE marks the 30th
independent recording for Ian Tamblyn. Produced by Scott Merritt and Ian at Cottage Studios in Guelph, Ontario, this CD features some of Canada's finest players: Gary Craig, drums, George Koller, upright bass, Chris Whiteley, trumpet and harmonica, Jeff Bird, mandolin and harmonica, Fred Guignion, guitars, with Ian and Scott playing various instruments as well. This new collection of songs was recorded and mixed between January and June of 2009. GYRE was mastered by David Cain in Ottawa.

GYRE is a break from Ian's Canadian sketch, the Four Coast project. This collection of songs features songs that travel more in the interior landscape. Though many of these songs were written around the world- Prague, Norway, Ireland, or Antarctica, the map on this CD is less marked and more imaginary, whether on "The Road to Duntroon" or "Lost in Afghanistan". Ian would like to thank Scott Merritt for his help on this project.

Enjoy the musical talents of Ian Tamblyn during our Out of the Northwest Expedition - find our how by clicking here!

Nobel Prize for Adventure Canada!

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:50:54 -0500

Nobel Prize for Adventure Canada!

Adventure Canada is very excited to announce the addition of Claes Nobel to our fantastic line up of 2010's "Into
the Northwest Passage" resource staff!

Claes Nobel is a member of Sweden's Nobel family and nephew of Alfred Nobel, who established the Nobel Prizes over
100 years ago.

Claes is also the founder of the National Society of High School Scholars, and is a tireless advocate for addressing environmental issues, especially as they pertain to young people.

"Sadly the current generations have left the world a looted and polluted place", says Nobel. "Our best
hope is to invest our energies in young people to change that going forward."

In November of 2009 the two Swan brothers - Matthew and Bill - were attending, along with Bill Lishman, an environmental conference in Cascais, Portugal where all were featured speakers. Seeing they were all of like mind, the invitation was extended to Mr. Nobel to join us and happily - he readily accepted!

The Society is a private membership organization with more than 500,000 members in 180 countries. NSHSS'
vision is to connect its members with meaningful content, people, resources and opportunities to help build on academic success while enhancing each student's skills and desire to have a positive impact on the global community.

Claes Nobel's personal project is to initiate the writing of a set of Earth Ethics, utilizing the brightest minds from around the planet, to author an environmental manifesto that will serve as a good conduct guide for the future.

With the help of the National Society of High School Scholars, our Into the Northwest Passage Expedition -
Aug 14 - 28, 2010 will host a student member of the Society onboard this special Voyage into arctic waters.

For more information on how you can join Claes, on Into the Northwest Passage, please click here.

Adventure Canada Featured in the Times UK

nospam@example.com (Clayton Anderson) — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:56:55 -0400

Please follow this link to see the latest arctic on Adventure Canada!

New Trip Announcement: Silent Messengers with Carol Heppenstall

nospam@example.com (Rebecca Burgum) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:54:22 -0400

Silent Messengers, a camping trip into the northern Foxe Basin of Nunavut,
proved to be one of the more outstanding journeys of my life. First
undertaken in 2008 with a small band of courageous women, we headed by
boat north and west of Kingait (Cape Dorset) to explore the world of
the paleoeskimo and visit the sacred site at Inuksuk Point. Norm
Hallendy named the over 100 inuksuit (rock cairns) "silent messengers"
as they stand there in silence - no one knows who built them or when.
The journey was incredible in many ways, for those of us who
experienced it, our lives have been changed. I am repeating the journey
in July of 2010 for women and trip notes are available now. Included in
the itinerary is precious time spent in Kingait, meeting the sculptors
and print artists that have made this community famous for over 50
years. I would love to share this with you!

For more information on Silent Messengers, July 6-14, 2010 please click here. or email Judy at judy.harper@adventurecanada.com

Read Carol's blog on Silent Messengers 2008 by clicking here.

An
article by Lee Naraway chronicling Silent Messengers 2008 also ran in
Above and Beyond Magazine this past January - please make sure to check
it out!

Sought-After Triple-Occupancy Cabin Now Available On The High Arctic Adventure 2009!

nospam@example.com (Rebecca Burgum) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:52:37 -0400

A
female share, category 2, triple cabin on the High Arctic Adventure,
August 9-21, 2009 has just become available. If you are a female
traveller, looking to share with two other roomates on this incredible
adventure please email Judy Harper by clicking here.

For more information on the High Arctic Adventure, please click here.

Updates From The Set Of The White Archer!

nospam@example.com (Rebecca Burgum) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:48:29 -0400

The light... the LIGHT!!! Just returning from nearly two months in
the High Arctic community of beautiful Pond Inlet, Adventure Canada
senior resource staffer, Houston North Gallery owner and award-winning*
filmmaker John Houston is currently working his way through a bout of
Arcticus Feverous, mixed with culture shock in equal portions. John
and his crew just wrapped shooting of "The White Archer," a children's
drama for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) based on an
Inuit legend as interpreted by his late father, James Houston, in his
children's book of the same name.

While
he prepares for the start of his edit, John is keeping that Arctic
feeling alive by preparing and posting more of his photographs to
Facebook. Some of you have joined as his Facebook friends and ridden
along on the adventure, but he's just getting going, and there are a
LOT of new photo albums and descriptions to come, so join John on
Facebook and share the astounding visuals, along with the twists and
turns of Arctic filmmaking. Here's a link to one of his most recent
photo albums by clicking here.

To join John Houston on Facebook, please click here.

Travel with John in 2009 on our Out of the Northwest Passage or Heart of the Arctic Expeditions!

For more information on Out of the Northwest Passage, please click here.

For more information on The Heart of the Arctic, please click here.

My Spiritual Experience in Labrador by Patricia McPhail

nospam@example.com (Rebecca Burgum) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:32:06 -0400

When my husband Larry and I decided to embark on a journey to Canada's
North in September and October, 2008 to celebrate our 40th wedding
anniversary, little did I know that it would be such a life changing
experience.

We
went shopping for waterproof boots, jackets and pants. We gathered up
warm hats, thick socks, and extra mitts. We carefully packed our soft
bags, mindful of the lists we had been given, taking nothing that
didn't have a purpose on the trip. The only thing that seemed a trifle
out of place were the bathing suits we stuffed into a corner of our
cases. BATHING SUITS??? We were going to the land of walruses and polar
bears, icebergs and oceans, rocks and mountains. We were travelling on
a Russian adventure ship with 100 people, not a luxury cruise liner
with thousands. Why bathing suits?

The information we received
prior to leaving talked about a possible "Polar Swim" sometime during
the trip. Now I am someone who likes 'hot' showers, doesn't like to
swim in the lake at the cottage unless the weather is hot and sunny
(and the water has lost its winter chill). I happened to mention to my
kids that I wasn't sure if I would take my bathing suit as I didn't
think I would do the polar swim. What a reaction I got - "When else
would you have this opportunity? You are going to go all this way and
NOT do it? ARE YOU CRAZY???" So already the guilt was weaving a path in
my subconscious brain. I packed my suit.

There were days when
we got into the zodiacs to head to the land - the most amazing,
breathtakingly beautiful land - that I really pondered what insanity it
would take to jump into that cold, wind whipped water. I felt I was
safe to back out if need be, as the only person who knew I had even
considered it was Larry. Except how would I face my children? Their
mother would be a wimp, a chicken - who would ever listen to me again
telling them to 'just do it!'

The days passed in busy
whirlwinds of adventure - experiences overloading the senses, not
wanting to miss a thing. Then came the day they announced that those
who wished to do the polar swim should be prepared to do so - at Battle
Harbour.

The 'Swim' was scheduled for 3 o'clock. Even as
Larry (who was doing it no matter what) and I made our way to the
building where we could change, I still felt that I had the option to
not do it - until Matthew Swan, the President of Adventure Canada,
handed me the flag and told me I could be leader of the cheering
section. It was at that moment that I KNEW I had to do this - not for
Larry, not for my darling, supportive children, but for ME!

Once
that decision was made everything just fell into place and it felt so
right! Standing on the edge of the wharf, looking at the dark, still,
salty water below, there was a moment when I wondered if I had lost my
mind. But before I could process that thought, I had jumped into - The
Unknown.

I
have never felt anything so cold in my life! But it felt like I
was being caressed by black silk - smooth and velvety, inviting and
enveloping. As I made my way to the surface, shaking the water out of
my eyes, ready to take a breath, I realized that I could not take that
breath. But there was no panic - only a sense that all would be right.
Even after I was standing on the wharf, and given a towel, I could not
take a breath. And then, it happened! I had been given new life in a
single breath. Although I have no memory of being born, I imagine that
that is what it must be like. Once you have taken that first
life-sustaining breath, there is no going back. It is and was the most
amazing life-altering experience for me. The 8°c air temperature felt
positively balmy after the 2°c water. I was euphoric, I couldn't stop
laughing, I was alive!

I feel honoured to have been given the
chance to experience a rebirth of sorts - even if it was in a
relatively safe environment. The question remains - would I do it
again? Absolutely! In a heartbeat!

Adventure Canada will be visiting Battle Harbour on our Atlantic Arts Float 2009, for more information, please click here.

Experience
your own polar dip in 2009 on any of our Arctic itineraries. To
download a copy of our Canada and the North brochure, please click here.