Qikiqtaryuaq

Welcome to the absolute extreme of the Canadian high Arctic. You have arrived at Qikiqtaryuaq, also historically mapped as Melbourne Island, located deep within the frigid waters of the Queen Maud Gulf in the Kitikmeot Region of…

Stepping away from the shoreline, we immediately encounter the defining geological feature of Qikiqtaryuaq: the permafrost tundra. Walking here is a bizarre, unsettling sensory experience. …

As we navigate the flat, marshy interior of the island, we must acknowledge our proximity to the Ahiak (Queen Maud Gulf) Migratory Bird Sanctuary, the largest of its kind in Canada. During the brief summer window, this desolate…

While the birds dominate the skies and waters, the terrestrial mammals of Qikiqtaryuaq command the frozen earth. As we scan the vast, undulating horizon with binoculars, we search for the resilient giants of the high Arctic. …

Moving along a slightly elevated gravel ridge, we stumble upon something that abruptly halts our progress: a subtle but unmistakable circle of heavy stones resting on the tundra. This is a tent ring, an ancient architectural…

We now approach the coastline, where the land violently collides with the freezing waters of the Queen Maud Gulf. Here, we must focus our attention on the most dynamic and critical element of the Arctic ecosystem: the sea ice. …

Before we conclude our exploration, we must pause to consider the dramatic celestial mechanics that govern Qikiqtaryuaq. At this extreme latitude, well above the Arctic Circle, the familiar daily rhythm of sunrise and sunset…

As the time arrives to depart Qikiqtaryuaq and begin the long, arduous journey south, we take one final, sweeping look at the desolate, magnificent expanse of the Queen Maud Gulf. This island does not offer the welcoming comforts…