Calving in Croker Bay

Here’s your latest bit of trivia, if you want to stump your friends…

What’s the largest uninhabited island in the world?

That would be Devon Island- located in the Qikiqtaaluk region of Nunavut, Canada.

It’s waaaayyyyy up there, peeps, 74.7 degrees North.

And if you are looking for high arctic scenery, you can find no place better.

It’s even more fun if you are up close and personal in a zodiac.

This was our second “unexpected adventure”…and it was worth getting all geared up.

Serenity's been pretty mauled up by the ice.....

We kept our distance as stated by law….and that afternoon witnessed the wisdom of those laws in action.  But first, just some stunning scenery.

Yes, there was a hot chocolate break...

And, after about 75 minutes of bone-chilling cold (I had several layers on my upperbody, but only 3 on my lower.  And the cold just seeped its way upwards as the minutes ensued)...we were greeted once again by our deck crew to help us safely aboard.

Bejeezus, it was cold.  Once I got my legs working and de-layered, it was time for an Irish coffee.

And then - much excitement.  Just as everyone was aboard and accounted for, and as the zodiacs were heading back to the Shackleton, the glacier calved.

It's definitely not NASA Shot of the Day worthy, but here's a side-by-side of a photo I took at lunchtime, and a photo just after the ice broke away from the glacier.  Hopefully the arrows help orient you.

Pretty darn spectacular- we missed the initial break and fall, but the wave and the floating debris we got to see first hand- and it was impressive.

Croker Bay alone would be enough to encourage me for a second Northwest Passage.  And there's still more to come.