The summer of 2015 marked the 16th season of Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge at Cunningham Inlet on Somerset Island, Nunavut. Canada’s twelfth biggest island, Somerset Island has no permanent residents on its 24786 square kilometers (9570 miles sq).
A world class beluga whale observation site, Somerset Island is of particular interest to naturalists and photographers. As many as two thousand animals come to the inlet to nurse their young and molt their skin in the relatively warm water of the Cunningham River. While also home to many muskox and polar bears, the terrain offers easy passage to both hikers and sea kayakers.
Located 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle and 50 miles from the nearest town, Arctic Watch is a permanent wilderness resort that offers hotel-like accommodations in a remote Arctic setting. Guests experience the beauty and wonder of this fabulous place, while enjoying the comforts of home and delicious meals.
Arctic Watch boasts 16 private guest cabins, each with a marine toilet and cold-water sink. Showers are located in the main complex. Every night, our guests receive hot-water bottles to take with them as they bed down under thick duvets that keep them cozy and warm through the Arctic night. Electricity is generated by a generator that operates from early morning to 10:30 p.m., which means there is no electricity in the cabins at night. Water comes from the Cunningham River. It’s fully potable and is pumped daily into a holding tank on a hill above the lodge. Gravity ensures that fresh water is delivered to the lodge and cabins 24 hours a day
