Lady Franklin Point, Nunavut, Canada

August 18, 2025

Today we visited Lady Franklin Point. It was named after John Franklin's wife who spent many years searching for him after his expedition disappeared in the Arctic.

Years later it was the site of a radar station that was part of the North Warning System that the United States and Canada set up to help protect North America. Unfortunately, the station burned down in 2000 and is now abandoned.

(Photo by ship's photographer - John Shedwick)

The day began with a beautiful sunrise.

On the walk to view the station, Brent and his group encountered a curious stoat who showed little fear of humans.

The ship's photographer, John Shedwick, was lucky enough to encounter an adorable lemming. This little creature has given birth to some wild myths such as that they explode or follow each other off cliffs to leap to their deaths. Luckily for the lemmings, neither of these myths are true.

A loon was lucky enough to catch an eel for its lunch.

Photo by John Shedwick

Besides the exciting fauna, there were also interesting flora.

The mossy saxifrage has special anti-freeze proteins that allow it to survive in the freezing Arctic weather up to -40 degrees Celsius.

The alpine bearberry has edible berries, but its leaves are useful also and can be used for teas.

Along the beach, Brent also found the remains of a sea urchin and mussel shells.