The Arctic Sea and Alaska
In the hamlet of Ulukhaktok, formerly known as Holman, we were welcomed by the Inuvialuit community, who shared traditions like the use of the ulu, a versatile Inuit cutting tool. We took a zodiac ride along the Smoking Hills along the shore of the Amundsen Gulf. Crossing the Beaufort Sea, we observed a rare fog bow, an arc without colors created by tiny water droplets in the fog. Herschel Island, was home to Inuvialuit families and later a bustling whaling station. We passed Prudhoe Bay, home to North America's largest oil field.
In the Chukchi Sea, we crossed Point Barrow, the northernmost tip of the U.S., and watched bowhead whales. That night we saw the Aurora Borealis shimmering on the horizon. Navigating the Bering Strait, we passed between Little Diomede (U.S.) and Big Diomede (Russia), separated by just a few kilometers and the International Date Line. As we crossed the Arctic Circle southbound, the calm waters allowed us to approach gray whales feeding on krill. Amidst dense fog, we past King Island, and later reached our final destination, Nome, Alaska, known as Sitrjasuaq.
