A Better Day at Sea

We woke feeling considerably better than we had the day before. Thankfully, the rough seas had finally eased, and the ship was moving through much calmer water. After barely eating yesterday, we were more than ready for a proper breakfast — and we certainly made up for it with a hearty one this morning!

Back in the cabin, we let breakfast settle before heading to the gym. I managed a good run on the treadmill, which felt surprisingly good after yesterday’s rather unpleasant experience with the rough seas.

Afterwards, we headed up to the top deck to blow away the cobwebs and get some fresh air.

We wandered around taking photographs of the ship and spent quite a while simply enjoying the scenery.

There’s something very therapeutic about standing on deck with nothing but sea, sky and distant coastline stretching out around you.

We eventually sat down to work out what we were going to do for the rest of the day and studied the itinerary before heading off for lunch.

Approaching Nain

As we approached Nain, Newfoundland, things became a little more interesting. We watched some of the crew leave the ship, now at anchor, in a RIB carrying a rather large bag. We assumed it contained the paperwork — possibly our passports for immigration — and we later understood that a Canadian specialist rifle team would also be joining us.

Nain is the northernmost permanent community in Newfoundland and Labrador and is located on the northern coast of Labrador. It is an Inuit community and has a long history stretching back well before European settlement. Today, it is an important centre for Inuit life and services in the region.

Back in our cabin, we watched a fascinating lecture about identifying whales in Arctic waters (this was also live in the lecture room if we wanted to go there). With so many different species potentially appearing during an expedition like this, learning how to distinguish them by their size, shape, behaviour and the way they surface should hopefully make our future sightings much more meaningful.

Of course, after sitting through the lecture, we felt the need for some fresh air again — so it was back onto the deck!

Torngat Mountains and Polar Bear Safety

The serious part of the day came with our briefing about Torngat Mountains National Park and, most importantly, polar bear safety.

We met the team of five Inuit bear guards who would be responsible for helping keep us safe while we were ashore. Their knowledge of the land, wildlife and local conditions is invaluable, particularly in a place where polar bears can roam freely.

Before landing tomorrow, we also had to watch a safety video. It was a good reminder that although an expedition like this can feel like an adventure holiday, we are entering a genuinely wild environment where the wildlife has to be respected.

The Torngat Mountains are an extraordinary landscape of rugged peaks, deep fjords and vast wilderness. The name Torngat comes from an Inuktitut word associated with spirits, reflecting the deep cultural significance of this landscape to Inuit people.

And, of course, the possibility of seeing a polar bear makes it all the more exciting — although definitely one animal we want to admire from a very sensible distance!

A Much Better Evening

By evening, we were feeling considerably more human than we had the previous night.

We enjoyed dinner in the Lindstrøm restaurant, and it was a much more comfortable experience after our rough day at sea. Good food, calmer seas and the anticipation of what tomorrow might bring made for a very pleasant evening.

We called it an early night, mainly as our bodies were still firmly operating on UK time, four hours ahead of where we are now.

Tomorrow, the real Labrador adventure begins…