Voyage to Ungava – retracing the voyage in 1811 of an Inuit family and two Moravian missionaries in northern Labrador

Voyage to Ungava

Retracing the voyage of an Inuit family and two Moravian missionaries who – in 1811 – sailed in a 45-foot boat around northern Labrador into Ungava Bay to meet Inuit who’d never before seen Europeans. This voyage was one of the earliest cooperative ventures of Inuit and Europeans. Unlike many later voyages in which the Europeans considered their Inuit companions merely as guides, in the voyage of 1811 was captained by the Inuk leader Jonathan. The Moravians published a small book about the voyage.

For the last 5 years I’ve been researching, preparing my 32-foot steel sailboat Kuan Yin and attempting to go north down the Labrador to retrace their historic adventure. Three attempts in the last three summers have been thwarted by mechanical setbacks. But, with luck 2013 will be the summer I finally reach Kuujjuaq, 25 miles up the Koksoak River, which was the final destination of the voyage of 1811.

More information on this 3000 mile voyage coming soon. Subscribe for updates throughout the voyage.

Map of Kuan Yin’s route from Quebec in the wake of the voyage of 1811 around the Labrador Peninsula.

 

 

Voyage to Ungava:

Part One – Departing from Toronto – Finally Underway

Part Two – Kingston to Quebec City – Progress Seldom Comes in Straight Lines

Part Three – From Quebec City to the Gulf of St. Lawrence – Take the Rough and the Smooth

Part Four –  A small personal challenge and triumph – My Own English Channel

Part Five – Another small personal challenge and triumph – Rounding Cape Whittle

Part Six – A taste of heavy weather  – Post-tropical Storm Earl and other gales

Part Seven – A sense of accomplishment – Reaching Labrador At Last

Part Eight – reaching Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean – So Far So Good

Part Nine – moving forward despite disappointments – How to Keep Smiling in the Face of Endless Delays (1)

Part Nine -moving forward despite disappointments –  How to Keep Smiling in the Face of Endless Delays (2)

Part Nine -moving forward despite disappointments – How to Keep Smiling in the Face of Endless Delays (3)

Part Ten – ready in Newfoundland – Preparations before the 2012 Departure

Part Eleven – the secret of self-reliance – Simplicity is Complexity and Complexity is Simplicity

Part Twelve – Sailing in Labrador in 2012 – So Far So Good, and So Beautiful and So Daunting

Part Thirteen – only 300 miles – When Success Means Turning for Home