Page 27 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2026

home” calls a
“Welcome to my
young boy, from
the basketball
court in the centre of the hamlet.
“Welcome to Pond Inlet” calls a
mom carrying her baby in the
hood of her traditional jacket,
called an Amouti, as she passes
by. This sort of welcome and
friendliness is the norm in one
of the most isolated, northern
communities in Canada.
I’ve returned once again to
the captivating community of
Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik), home
to approximately 1,600 resi-
dents. Situated on the north
shore of Baffin Island, in
Canada’s High Arctic, it’s one
place I hope to never visit “for
the last time.” After exploring
every continent on Earth,
experiencing the Amazon,
African safaris, the Sahara and
more, this is possibly the most
exotic destination one can
experience, and it’s right here
in Nunavut, Canada.
Every year this community
springs to life under 24 hours of
glorious midnight sun. It’s pay-
back for long, dark winters. It’s
around midnight when I hear the
laughter of children, and bicy-
cles screeching to a stop on a dirt
road. Peeling off my sleep mask
to peer through my hotel
window, I marvel at the pink
hues of late-night sun that
drench the landscape in a pastel
cloak of otherworldliness.
Locals take full advantage of
the season to gather and travel
roughly 70 kms to the floe edge
to camp, or to hunt. It’s their cot-
tage country, and my favourite,
nature inspired adventure. Pond
Inlet is the jumping off point to
visit the floe edge, where winter’s
sea ice meets the open waters of
Baffin Bay, and where a conflu-
ence of marine life exists. Algae
under the ice brings fish, fish
bring seals, followed by whales,
then Polar bears and sea birds.
It’s a real time example of the
food chain at work. I’ve joined a
Black Feather tour, with my adult
son Ben and seven other intrepid
travellers to witness this gath-
ering of wildlife set against the
stunning Arctic landscape.
Our campsite for five nights
is established a safe distance
back from the shifting floe edge.
Tents are supplied with cots,
sleeping bags, and hot water
bottles to keep us extra cozy at
night. There’s a communal tent
where we meet to share meals
and discuss the marvels of our
endless days. There’s a cook tent
which is manned by the most
resourceful chef, knocking out
dishes that range from Eggs
Benedict to fajitas. Not just good
considering it’s cooked in a tent,
on the Arctic ice, but good by
any measure.
By day, we jump into qamutiiks,
which are traditional Inuit sleds
made ingeniously without a
single nail, allowing them to flex
without breaking as we travel
over the bumpy sea ice, pulled
behind Ski-Doos. Our party
includes Inuit guides who we
could not make the trek without,
as their knowledge of the land,
ice, sea and wildlife keeps us safe
and informed. They are beyond
generous with their time and
knowledge, sharing stories about
life in the north, its challenges
and rewards. They love their
home and cherish their relation-
ship with nature. It’s inspiring.
For most of us, this is a time
to re-center amidst a world of
shimmering crystal white and a
myriad of blues; a world where
you feel only as significant as
one should. This is a place where
nature rules, rendering much of
our southern savvy meaningless—
a true adventure.
It’s hard to turn away from the
mesmerizing mountains of
Baffin Island to the south, and
Bylot Island to the north. Yet we
find the time to excitedly watch
Narwhals dive under the ice, sea
birds like Murres, Eider ducks,
and Guillemots fly by, and seals
stare us down as we approach,
right until the last moment
before diving to safety through
their holes in the ice. The floe
edge experience changes day to
day and year to year. Nature
never duplicates itself. And it
never lets me down.
TRAVEL PLANNER
For air travel north and into Pond
Inlet, see canadiannorth.com.
When visiting the floe edge, I
worked with blackfeather.com.
They have a history of safe opera-
tions, environmental concern
and respectful collaboration
with the Inuit. For travel infor-
mation about Canada’s North,
visit travelnunavut.ca.
SPRING/SUMMER 2026 DREAMSCAPES 27