Flew from Victoria to Vancouver, Vancouver to Ottawa (with an unscheduled stop in Calgary as air pressure was leaking from the plane). Taxi to hotel in Ottawa, meeting with Marine Expeditions, where it was announced by Stephen Spittler (Educational Coordinator on trip) that the trip had been delayed another day as the ship was delayed.

Checked out of hotel (only a few people can stay the extra night at this hotel) Rented a car, drove around Ottawa — Mayo Avenue, Beechwood Cemetery (Father’s tree doing well), Museum of Civilization in Hull. Bought 2 mosquito netting head covers. Checked into Adams hotel. Supper in Italian restaurant in market area with the group.

Fog came in at 7am. Breakfast, then general meeting at 9am. The original intention had been to go into the town of Ilulissat today. However growlers (small icebergs) were moving into the harbor so the captain moved the ship out of the harbor. According to the ship’s log on the bridge, the captain had started sailing south at 8:30am. At he 9am meeting, Steve reported that the captain was only moving out of the harbor, but that he still hoped we would be able to go to Ilulissat later that morning — a discrepancy!! At the meeting, Steve also announced that there was a change of plans — the trip would now be ending in Goose Bay, Labrador rather than Churchill, as there was too much ice in the Davis Strait — by order of the head office of Marine Expeditions in Toronto. At this point the captain and Marine Expeditions should have realized that the ship did not have any charts for Goose Bay or the Labrador Coast and done some forward planning!! The necessity of finding fuel and water for the next trip was important, according to Steve. The passengers suggested other alternatives, such as going up and down the Greenland Coast, but this was rejected. Lectures given during the day — 11am — Tim — The Iceberg’s View of Titanic and other Inconsequential Impediments; 2pm — Simon — Arctic Adventure — Splendors of the North. 5pm — Adam — High-flying Plans — about 3 men from Sweden taking a hydrogen balloon north to the Arctic in the 1890’s (they didn’t survive the trip). To bed at midnight, the sky is now clear.

Sky clear until late morning, getting foggy later in the day. Two talks — 9:30am — Pattty — from Lemmings to Leverets (How arctic animals survive). 11am — Tim — Sea Ice: Going with the Floe. (I fell asleep in this one!) 5pm — Gannets, Gulls, Guillemeots and Guano (Sea Birds). 1 hour time change. Good sleep (Finally).

9:30am — update by Steve — later this afternoon, we will head inland — aiming for Hopedale (North of Goose Bay). The landings/trips will not be limited to the usual hours, as long as there is daylight and the sea conditions are good. Still waiting for detail charts to be faxed from Toronto. Steve has also asked Toronto to get information on possible communities that we can visit. Hopedale is a place that a ferry comes in/out so we should be able to get into port. No information on the possible air Canada pilot’s strike or on compensation (even though I asked Steve to inquire about the strike a few days ago!). However, one of the passengers has a short wave radio and let us know that Air Canada and the pilots are still talking as of this morning. Steve will ask Marine Expeditions today about compensation. After this update, Steve gave a talk — Greenland and the Unuit. Then at 11:15am Adam gave a talk — Svalbard: Our Northern Neighbor. (Spitzbergen). The barometer is falling, misty and a little rougher seas. 2pm talk — Tim reviewed the theory of continental drift and told of the expedition of the man who revolutionized geology in his talk "The Greenland Expeditions of Alfred Wegener: Father of Continental Drift". 4pm tea with fashion show. Rougher seas this evening.

3pm lecture — Adam — Dead Rocks, about lichen. The ship went part of the way to Hopedale. Since some areas were only 2 meters deep and the ship needs 5.5 meters, the Captain stopped quite a way out then headed out to sea again and south towards Goose Bay. Note that a ferry goes to Hopedale so if you have the correct charts it should be OK.

Trivial pursuit (our group of 6 won — a bottle of champagne). Supper, then a "near riot" as tips were explained — 80% go to Russian crew and 20% to MEI staff.

"We are in a mess!" — Steve at 10am briefing. We are 70 miles east of the entrance to Hamilton Inlet; soon after the entrance to the inlet we can pick up a pilot. Steve has received communication that the Canadian Coast Guard are not happy; Steve will phone and see what they are unhappy about. "I don’t know where we are going and what we are going to!" The pilot is being helicoptered to Hamilton Inlet; the helicopter possibly will continue to our position and drop the charts that we need . Apparently faxed charts would be not good — the actual charts are needed to go any further. Stephen said that he and Steve were writing a letter to the Director of Operations at MEI with a copy to 2 other people in the company re: the trip. It will be an objective letter but he will not give a copy to the passengers. The next update was at 3:30pm — Steve — All the charts that we need to get from here to Goose Bay are now in Goose Bay (received from the agent in St. John’s). A helicopter has been chartered to bring the charts to either the ship or to Rigolet (the pilot station) if the pilot will not come to the ship because of the weather. The Canadian Coast Guard has asked us not to move from our current location. (70 miles east of pilot station). The estimated time to pilot station is 10 hours, then another 12 hours to Goose Bay. I asked Steve to give an update to the passengers at 5pm (on P.A. if no news). One suggestion was that the pilot could give us way points so that we could start sailing towards Goose Bay. 4:40pm Helicopter now on the way to Rigolet (Pilot station). 7:20pm Helicopter is not coming today! He is at the pilot station and will leave here at 4am tomorrow, arriving at the ship at 5:30am, to drop the charts. (i.e. wait until daylight). The weather is not good enough now — foggy. Trivial pursuit before supper, then "captain’s dinner". The captain left early, supposedly needed on the bridge. Orange juice/champagne (one glass each) for free at supper. One passenger (Leslie) asked for another glass and was told NO! Still charging for other drinks and telephone calls! ($4.30/minute)

7am Breakfast. Customs and Immigration came on board soon after 8am, completed around 8:45am; we then got our passports back, a copy of the log, certificates for being north of the Arctic Circle and a partial list of passengers. We then got on school buses for a tour of Goose Bay Station (the town is called Happy Valley; we did not see it) . Saw a number of planes, etc. and a museum. Went to the airport where a CBC radio and a CBC TV person interviewed some of the passengers.(including Howie). First Air charter flight to Ottawa. On the plane we were given a letter from Dugald Wells offering us 30% refund and $500 on another cruise!!! Although MEI staff had told us that there would not be a change fee charged by Canadian Airlines, there was — we had been booked in a much more expensive class. Also MEI had not rebooked the flight from Vancouver to Victoria! Fortunately, Canadian Airlines did this, so we got back in Victoria at 9pm. Picked up car and drove home.