Torngat Mountains National Park on her adventure in the north! Nature Canada worked for years to help establish Torngat; here's is Claudette's latest diary entry.
Torngat Mountains National Park, which was created in 2005, lies on the eastern edge of northern Labrador. It runs from Labrador’s northern tip to St. John’s Harbour, about one third of the way down the coast to Newfoundland. It was created for its physical beauty as well as its historical and archeological value.
Our first port of call was down the Nachvak fjord, one of many which line the rugged coastline. This was also where we saw our first close-up of polar bears, a mother and her cub. A reminder of why anyone going into the park must be accompanied by bear monitors, which is not the latest gadget, but men with guns! As visitors and bear (polar and black) increase in number the need for vigilance is increasing as well.
Great views, oh yes, amazing autumn colours all over the place.
Despite the beauty of the autumn colours which carpeted the land wherever one looked, the cold winds of winter cut through and one could easily imagine how difficult life would have been. This is an unforgiving land, and to live here successfully the Inuit adapted their culture as well as their homes to be able to live in harmony with the environment. Qanuqtuurungnarniq – is an Inuit word for the concept of being resourceful to and able to adapt to solve problems, a concept they would have understood well.