Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

pondinlet.ca/history

In the first decade of the 20th century, the bowhead whale had almost disappeared from Arctic waters and the whaling fleet, which had numbered up to 70 ships during the best years, had been reduced to a few units. Some Scottish ship owners, realizing that whaling alone could never again be profitable, decided that trading for skins and ivory offered better prospects and they established a few trading stations on the coast of Baffin Island.

In 1903, Captain James S. Mutch arrived in the region on the sloop Albert. After spending the first winter at Erik Harbour, Mutch took his ship to what was later called Albert Harbour, and built a trading post at Igarjua. During the following years, the station was manned in turn by Mutch himself and then by Cameron. The Inuit they employed took a few bowhead whales, but it was mostly sealskins, narwhal and walrus tusks, as well as fox and bear skins that were traded.

In 1906-07, Captain Joseph Bernier, leader of the Canadian Government expedition sent to establish sovereignty over the Arctic islands, wintered at Albert Harbour on the Arctic. He was in constant contact with the Inuit of Igarjua. In 1908, returning from Winter Harbour on Melville Island, he visited the site again on his way home. In April 1910, Bernier bought from Robert Kinnes, a ship owner from Dundee, “the house and the other erections at Ponds Bay fishing [whaling] stations.” A month later, he received a tract of land of 960 acres in the same location by letters patent from King George V for the sum of one dollar. Its previous owner had apparently called the Igarjua establishment “Scotia.” Bernier renamed it “ Berniera”. Bernier visited his newly acquired post in August 1910, when he returned north with the Arctic on another government expedition. This time he spent the winter in Arctic Bay, but in December he sent his second officer, Robert Janes, to Igarjua. Janes remained there until the following summer.

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Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

pondinlet.ca/history

In the first decade of the 20th century, the bowhead whale had almost disappeared from Arctic waters and the whaling fleet, which had numbered up to 70 ships during the best years, had been reduced to a few units. Some Scottish ship owners, realizing that whaling alone could never again be profitable, decided that trading for skins and ivory offered better prospects and they established a few trading stations on the coast of Baffin Island.

In 1903, Captain James S. Mutch arrived in the region on the sloop Albert. After spending the first winter at Erik Harbour, Mutch took his ship to what was later called Albert Harbour, and built a trading post at Igarjua. During the following years, the station was manned in turn by Mutch himself and then by Cameron. The Inuit they employed took a few bowhead whales, but it was mostly sealskins, narwhal and walrus tusks, as well as fox and bear skins that were traded.

In 1906-07, Captain Joseph Bernier, leader of the Canadian Government expedition sent to establish sovereignty over the Arctic islands, wintered at Albert Harbour on the Arctic. He was in constant contact with the Inuit of Igarjua. In 1908, returning from Winter Harbour on Melville Island, he visited the site again on his way home. In April 1910, Bernier bought from Robert Kinnes, a ship owner from Dundee, “the house and the other erections at Ponds Bay fishing [whaling] stations.” A month later, he received a tract of land of 960 acres in the same location by letters patent from King George V for the sum of one dollar. Its previous owner had apparently called the Igarjua establishment “Scotia.” Bernier renamed it “ Berniera”. Bernier visited his newly acquired post in August 1910, when he returned north with the Arctic on another government expedition. This time he spent the winter in Arctic Bay, but in December he sent his second officer, Robert Janes, to Igarjua. Janes remained there until the following summer.

© All Rights Reserved

Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

pondinlet.ca/history

In the first decade of the 20th century, the bowhead whale had almost disappeared from Arctic waters and the whaling fleet, which had numbered up to 70 ships during the best years, had been reduced to a few units. Some Scottish ship owners, realizing that whaling alone could never again be profitable, decided that trading for skins and ivory offered better prospects and they established a few trading stations on the coast of Baffin Island.

In 1903, Captain James S. Mutch arrived in the region on the sloop Albert. After spending the first winter at Erik Harbour, Mutch took his ship to what was later called Albert Harbour, and built a trading post at Igarjua. During the following years, the station was manned in turn by Mutch himself and then by Cameron. The Inuit they employed took a few bowhead whales, but it was mostly sealskins, narwhal and walrus tusks, as well as fox and bear skins that were traded.

In 1906-07, Captain Joseph Bernier, leader of the Canadian Government expedition sent to establish sovereignty over the Arctic islands, wintered at Albert Harbour on the Arctic. He was in constant contact with the Inuit of Igarjua. In 1908, returning from Winter Harbour on Melville Island, he visited the site again on his way home. In April 1910, Bernier bought from Robert Kinnes, a ship owner from Dundee, “the house and the other erections at Ponds Bay fishing [whaling] stations.” A month later, he received a tract of land of 960 acres in the same location by letters patent from King George V for the sum of one dollar. Its previous owner had apparently called the Igarjua establishment “Scotia.” Bernier renamed it “ Berniera”. Bernier visited his newly acquired post in August 1910, when he returned north with the Arctic on another government expedition. This time he spent the winter in Arctic Bay, but in December he sent his second officer, Robert Janes, to Igarjua. Janes remained there until the following summer.

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Sundog, Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

A Sundog or Parhelion is a member of the family of halos. It is formed when sunlight is refracted by ice crystals high in the air.

Sundogs are best seen and most conspicuous when the Sun is near the horizon.

This atmospheric phenomenon consists of a bright spot to the left and/or right of the sun. They often occur in pairs, one on each side of the sun.

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Sundog, Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

A Sundog or Parhelion is a member of the family of halos. It is formed when sunlight is refracted by ice crystals high in the air.

Sundogs are best seen and most conspicuous when the Sun is near the horizon.

This atmospheric phenomenon consists of a bright spot to the left and/or right of the sun. They often occur in pairs, one on each side of the sun.

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