Cape Breton and Sable Island NPR Expedition

After a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, the SOI Foundation has begun its ship-based expeditions once again. Aboard the newly painted Oqwatnukewey Eleke’wi’ji’jit (The Polar Prince) - the same vessel that circumnavigated Canada’s coastline as part of the Canada C3 expedition - a team of educators, scientists, artists, photographers and filmmakers, traveled with 30 youth (80% Indigenous) from across Canada around Cape Breton Island, also known as Unama’ki. A focus of the expedition was Etuaptmumk, or two-eyed seeing - a Micmaw teaching that demonstrates how we can incorporate culture into science and prepare for a more sustainable collective future. We visited existing and proposed protected and conserved areas, including National Parks, National Wildlife Areas, Indigenous Protected Areas, Marine Protected Areas, and a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Learn more.