Polar tourism company Quark Expeditions announced the successful Monday launch of its new vessel, Ultramarine in the Canadian Arctic, in a release through PR Newswire Thursday.
The Ultramarine set off on Quark Expeditions' "Northwest Passage: In the Footsteps of Franklin" voyage, a 17-day experience that is one of five expeditions that take place in the Canadian High Arctic. Tourists can learn more about Inuit culture, polar history, and local wildlife, as well as take part in off-ship activities such as Zodiac cruises, kayaking, and hiking. Stops include Greenland, the Davis Strait, and the northern tip of Baffin Island, where tourists can see humpback and bowhead whales, as well as various seabirds.
The voyage is named after, and traces the footsteps of, 19th-century explorer Sir John Franklin, who set out from England in 1845 with 24 officers and 100 men to map the Northwest Passage, but never returned, setting up one of the Arctic's greatest mysteries.
"We're so excited to have kicked off our Canadian Arctic season with the 17-day Northwest Passage: In the Footsteps of Franklin itinerary," said Quark Expeditions Vice President of Sales and Customer Service Thomas Lennartz. "Not only does it herald our return to the much-beloved Canadian Arctic, but this voyage also marks Ultramarine's inaugural voyage in the Canadian North—which includes the fabled Northwest Passage. Guests get to enjoy the amenities of this technologically-advanced ship while steeped in polar history and wilderness."