Torngats 25 - Seaweed on the Beach

Seaweed is Abundant Along the Shoreline  

Bladderwrack seaweeds are important for fish and birds...  

...and it's fun to pop the bubbles, too.   

Free-floating clumps of seaweed are common in the open water and along the shoreline in Saglek Fjord. The brown algae shelters  small organisms which are a food source for fish and birds. Humans eat it this seaweed too, it's a good source of iodine and other nutrients.  

Torngats 24 - The Tent Grounds at Torngat Base Camp

A Colourful Community of Tents 

Many visitors and staff stay in tents...  

... at the Torngat Base Camp.   

The bright colours of the nylon and canvas tents pitched close to the beach are among the first thing visitors to the Torngat Base Camp see when they arrive by boat or by helicopter. It's a colourful welcome.

Torngats 23 - Bannock on the Beach

Baking Bannock on a Flat Rock over an Open Fire

At North Arm, open fire hearths have cooked food and fed families...  

... for hundreds of years.   

North Arm has been a gathering place going back many generations. Archaeologists have excavated ancient cooking fires and hearth pits going back hundreds or possibly thousands of years - exactly the same as ours here. With a fire made of driftwood, and some simple tools, we were soon enjoying bannock and char and tea, with good appetites. 

Torngats 22 - Longliner and Cliffs

The Robert Bradford against the Cliffs of Saglek Fjord

The boat trip into the Saglek Fjord ...  

... goes through some amazing mountain scenery.   

3,000 foot high mountain cliffs dropping to sea level, a lovely clear day and a longliner to view it all from. Who could ask for more? 

   

Torngats 21 - Polar Bear on Shore

Polar Bear Disturbed

This polar bear was eating...  

... and wasn't happy at being disturbed.   

Polar bears are lovely to look at and dangerous to be close to.  They are strong swimmers, too, so we were lucky that this fellow decided to go inland instead of coming after us.

   

Torngats 20 - Saglek Fjord Rock Face

Folds and Deformations Exposed in the Cliffs   

On the boat ride up the Saglek Fjord to North Arm...  

...the height of the peaks is rivaled by the folds in the rock layers.   

The sight of mountain peaks plunging 3,000 feet to the sea on either side of the Saglek Fjord is stunning, while the awesome display of metamorphic rock processes in the cliffs adds to the drama.

   

Torngats 19 - South West Arm in the Morning Light

At the Head of South West Arm  

In the Early Morning Sunlight...  

...the hills are so high that the valley is still in shadow.    

The river that runs through this canyon reflects the bright sky in the depths of the shadows. It will be a while before the sun clears the crest of these peaks. 

Torngats 18 - Helicopter view through Mountain valley towards the coastline

Look Up, and Look Down, and Look Straight Ahead  

Only with a helicopter could you fly through a mountain valley...  

...with peaks above you and below you.   

A helicopter ride is an unbelievable experience. You can fly close to mountain walls, low enough to skim the water or the crest of a hill, and hold position to observe a waterfall or rock formation. Our pilot is a photographer himself and he flew us to some spectacular locations in the Torngat Mountains.

   

Torngats 17 - Broken Fog on the Torngat Mountain coastline

Helicopter View of Fog Banks Hanging Close to the Coast 

In the Early Morning Sunshine...  

... the fog will dissipate soon.   

Coastal fog is something we usually see from sea level. Looking down on it, the fog looks like waves lapping at the shoreline. The helicopter view is remarkable.  

   

Torngats 16 - Early Morning at Torngats Base Camp

Clear Early Morning Sky and Calm Water 

Sunrise Backdrop to Torngat Mountains Base Camp...  

... the accommodations include canvas tents, dome shelters, nylon tents and the bunkhouse.   

Staff are already preparing breakfast, while the campers are probably just waking up, to another fine day with lots of activities planned.  

Torngats 15 - A Matter of Scale

The Labrador Sea, the Mountains, an Iceberg and a Longliner 

The Robert Bradford and an Iceberg...  

...can you tell where and how far away they are, and which one is which?    

This part of the northern Labrador coastline appears so vast, it's hard to get a sense of scale on just how immense it all is.