Background This summer Kayak Nunavut 99 will circumnavigate Bylot Island in the new territory of Nunavut. This historical journey will be the first recorded circumnavigation of this island by kayak. Our expedition, which will also include glacial skiing and trekking, will last two months and cover over 1,000 kms. Kayak Nunavut 99 is a two-part journey. Component I is our exploration and documentation of the spectacular coastal environment surrounding Bylot Island, the cornerstone of the soon-to-be-announced Sirmilik National Park. The island comprises 11,000 square kilometres of rugged mountains and glaciers rising to over 2,000 metres. Bylot Island is one of the most significant bird sanctuaries in the Canadian Arctic and the surrounding waters are rich with marine life. Its landscape was an inspiration for the Group of Seven painter Lawren Harris when he painted the island in the 1930s. Archaeological sites date back for millennia and to this day the Inuit of Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet) hunt and gather food in this bountiful region. Part II of this cross-cultural expedition will include a mix of approximately 10 Inuit and other Canadians that will join us during the final leg of the journey in August. Participants are people recognized as leaders in political, cultural or artistic fields and youth that show potential as future leaders and eco-tourism guides. The group will join us in Tay Bay on the west side of Bylot and kayak along the southern coast of Bylot to our finish. We believe that bringing together Inuit and other Canadians on such a journey will foster an exchange of cultural and artistic perspectives and inspiration. It will merge the ancient with the modern, northern with southern, young with old. We will utilize Inuit knowledge of the Arctic environment and the Inuit-inspired design of present-day kayaks together with a scientific understanding of the region and modern technology such as satellite transmission. Through magazine and newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, a film documentary and educational materials, we will heighten Canadians' awareness of the tremendous eco-tourism potential of the region, the birth of Nunavut and the expected establishment of the Sirmilik National Park near Mittimatalik.