The Bears Are Here!

Oh, so close.  Yes, I thought I was going to finally get to see a live polar bear!  I was in the community of Arviat which is the most southernly community in the Kivalliq region and situated directly on the shores of the Hudson Bay.  There were daily reportings of the polar beasts on the local radio.  The radio serves as the main means of alerting people to the imminent danger posed by these large carnivores. 

At midnight, a call went out that there was a massive male bear at the town dump.  When standing on his back legs, he was estimated to be 14 feet tall! Even the locals said this was huge.  The whole town headed out to the dump to see this massive creature.  Sure enough, he was there.  Safely in their trucks, many locals were able to get within 50 feet of the giant beast.  The bear seemed disinterested in the humans, more content on scrummaging for food.

The next morning, we heard the story.  "Ahh", I said.  "Call me if that happens again. Anytime of the day or night. I'll go!"  Sure enough, the next morning the local radio was announcing there was another bear in town, this time at one of the playgrounds on the edge of town. My host quickly found me and off we went!  I was going to see my first live polar bear! 

We drove around, trying to locate the bear.  My host said the bear must be gone because the dogs were not barking. Usually, when there is a bear close by, they start barking frantically.  The dogs are often a better forewarning than the conservation officers, who drive around the community constantly looking for bears.  In Arviat, because they have such a problem with bears coming into town, they have hired a person who drives around all night, armed and looking for the bears.  He's only employed during the months the bears are a problem, which is the time before the sea ice is solid. 

Nunavut has more polar bears than any other jurisdiction in the world.  Recent estimates put the bear population at about 17,000, many of which are in the Hudson Bay region. When the bears venture into town, they are looking for food.  One of the easiest places to find food is where people have piled whale remnants and other food they use to feed their dogs.  For a desperate and hungry bear, coming inland for food is one solution, but it can have deadly consequences.

My host suggested we take a drive down to the dump because the bear might have made his way down there.  Other people must have thought we had sighted him, because as we drove to the dump, we had a massive convoy of trucks following us!  Even in a community where bears are so prevalent, people still drop everything they are doing to see one.  I asked a local why this was so, and she said it is because these magnificent creatures are so revered in the Inuit culture.

With my binoculars in hand, I was ready to see my first polar bear in its native habitat! My host suggested I stay in the truck.  My co-worker who was with me suggested we get out, but not venture too far.  I thought that sounded like a good plan.  "Be careful," our host said.  "I don't have bear poppers or a shotgun.  Stay within sight of the truck. Don't do anything stupid!"

With those words and my heart beating rapidly, we got out of the truck. To the left was a short rise that was blocking our view of the area beyond it. My co-worker suggested we climb that rise, so we'd have a better view of the whole area.  That sounded like a great idea, as long as the bear wasn't on the other side of the rise!  Our host was shaking her head.  "Be careful," she repeated.  I wonder if what she really wanted to say to us "southerners"  was that this isn't a zoo, this is the wild, and people really can get hurt. 

As others started to get out of their vehicles we decided it was okay to climb the rise. If there was a polar bear there, surely with 10 or 15 choices for lunch, our odds of getting back to the vehicle were rising!  Just kidding, of course, but having more numbers did make it seem more safe.  I wonder if other unseasoned rookies had ever used that same reasoning and later regretted it...

As it turned out, the bear was no where in site.  What a disappointment.  I didn't want to give up.  He must be here somewhere. But once we heard a bear popper go off on the other side of town, we realized that our bear must be on the move again.  We'd have to wait until another report on the radio to find his location and start our journey again.

Unfortunately, no more sightings were made in the town or at the dump before I had to leave the next day.  However, the following week, we heard that a bear had made his way into town, and as often happens, with deadly consequences.  The owners of a house on "polar bear central" (that's what the locals refer to this part of their town as) was awakened by their sled dogs' frantic barking.  The owner rushed out to find the bear had killed one of his dogs.  He fired a warning shot at the bear but it would not back down, and was going after another dog.  The owner shot and killed the bear, a mother bear that likely had cubs.

Female polar bears have their cubs in November and December. As newborns, polar bear cubs are blind and only weigh about 600 grams, making them very vulnerable. They rely on touch, warmth and on their mother's milk to get the antibodies they need to fight disease and develop normally.

In the wild, the survival rate of polar bear cubs is not high. When faced with stressful factors such as not being able to hunt seal pups due to soft ice conditions, male polar bears will often eat their young. As experts say, it's an easy meal.


For this reason, the female bear will usually stay clear of their male counterparts, traveling inland for grasses, berries and remains from human hunting. This is what often brings female bears into communities like Arviat.  And while locals try not to kill female bears, in this situation there was no choice.  When female bears are killed, the communities' hunting quota for the following year is reduced by a 2 to 1 ration.

Nunavut has more polar bears than any other jurisdiction in the world.  Recent estimates put the bear population at about 17,000, many of which are in the Hudson Bay region. This current year the quota for this region is 21 bears.  Most of those bears will be harvested on the ice by local Inuit hunters, but some will be killed in the community.  Some will also be killed by sport hunters from the south who are willing to pay $20,000 to participate in a traditional polar bear hunt.

While polar bears usually live off their stored fat during ice-free times, the warming of the Arctic waters has extended the time bears are without seals, their main source of food.  With hundreds of bears unable to get to their traditional hunting grounds on the sea ice, the unintended killing of polar bears will continue in communities like Arviat.

In Churchill, Manitoba which is just south of Arviat, they have a "polar bear jail" where problem bears are kept until they can be safely returned to the ice flows. In Nunavut, this opportunity doesn't exist.  However, polar bear fences are being considered in high contact regions, and there is hope this will be a win-win solution for both the communities and the polar bears.

The picture below is taken from a local newspaper and shows a magnificent and healthy looking bear in our region. Hopefully, there are many more like him and, sooner or later, I'll get to snap his picture myself!

Until next time...

A Mighty Blow!

I thought I had seen the best that Mother Nature can do when it comes to blizzards.  Wrong!  This past week Baker Lake experienced one of the worst blizzards in decades!  The blizzard started on Monday and finally tapered off Thursday morning.  Environment Canada advised extreme caution, calling it a "prolonged blizzard event"!  The winds gusted to 120km an hour, the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane.  That, coupled with blowing snow, produced zero visibility conditions. As you'll see later in this blog, being out in zero visibility conditions in a blizzard is no fun.  In fact, it can be deadly.

The blizzard was forecast to start Monday morning. As staff arrived that morning, they were eagerly checking the windows, watching for signs that the blizzard was starting. People commented that everything outside appeared calm, maybe too calm.  It was an eerie silence that was soon to end. By 10am, the winds shifted to the northeast and snow started accumulating on the windows, one of the first signs of a pending blizzard. "It's coming," people were saying, still glued to the windows.  With unexpected speed that even the locals were shocked by, within 15 minutes we were in the middle of one of the largest and most potentially deadly blizzards of the decade.

Schools and offices in Baker Lake scrambled to get children and adults home.  Our office closed right away. I offered to drive four of my co-workers home. As we got into the vehicle, it became apparent that getting people home was going to be an adventure.  If you can imagine driving a vehicle with a white blanket thrown over your windshield, that is what it was like! We rolled down the windows, sticking our heads out, front and back, as we all tried to figure out where the roads were and which way was home!

We decided to drive down the main street.  In other blizzards I had experienced, you could at least see the telephone poles and could use those to help you navigate.  Not so with this massive storm.  We crawled along at 5km an hour.  I was constantly calling out, "What do you see on your side?", "Are we in the middle of the road?"  My four passengers would call back to me, "more to the left", "more to the right".  When nobody responded, I knew that none of us had a clue where we were!

And that became painfully obvious as we ended up axle deep in snow in a back alley.  No one could figure out how we could have gotten off the main road!  One of my co-workers jumped out and walking along the side of the vehicle, directed us back to the main street.  As we came closer to his house, he climbed through waist deep snow to get to his house, snow that had not been there 30 minutes earlier.  The blizzard was definitely in full force!

As I dropped off my final passengers, my co-workers insisted that one of them stay in the vehicle and drive home with me to make sure I would be safe. He would then walk to his place and we'd call each other to make sure we both got home safely.  Until you've been in a blizzard of this magnitude, this type of precaution might seem overdone.  It was not, and I believe it could have been deadly for people trapped out in that weather.  The only saving grace was a moderate windchill, only about -20C.  It could have been much worse.

I heard a story from a man who started walking home from his office that morning just as the storm was starting to unleash her fury.  He said it would normally take him five minutes to walk to his apartment.  It took his co-worker and himself 30 minutes to do so, and much of that time they were on their hands and knees.  The drifts, the blowing snow and the zero-visibility were too much for them to handle.  He said they tried to follow the telephone wires so they would know if they were still on the road, but even this was a challenge, as they were only able to catch occasional glimpses.  He said in retrospect, they were fools to try to walk home.  They should have stayed at work, even if it meant being stranded there for three days.  Quite a statement from a man who has lived in Nunavut for 10 years and has experienced many storms.

Thankfully, the blizzard died down early Thursday morning, however, Mother Nature had one more surprise in store for us.  The metal roof of our office building had been a victim of the storm!  The winds caught one corner of the roof, crumpling it over like the cover of a sardine can.  The windblown roof also took out the chimney, bending it over like a matchstick.  Needless to say, we weren't going to return to work on Thursday.  I've included a picture of our roof below.  Quite a sight.  If it wasn't so cold, I would have thought we were in the tropics, viewing the aftermath of a tropical storm!  Oh well, we'll chock this up to "the best blizzard yet" and a true test of the resiliency of the people, including me, who choose to make Canada's Arctic their home!  Until next time...

My Tribute

Welcome back to my Nanook of the North blog.  It's been quite a few months since I've blogged and you may be wondering if the wolves got me!  Well, the quick answer is no, I am still very much safe and sound in Nunavut!

I took a break from the blog after my dear father passed away this summer. I didn't intend to stop, but I guess I lost a bit of the joy of life with his sudden passing. As much as we all know that our parents are going to pass some time during our lives, one is never really prepared for the great loss we feel when it happens.

In some small way, my blogging about life in Canada's Arctic was a tribute to my father.  He wasn't able to travel, but always sought out opportunities to learn about places he wouldn't have the opportunity to go to himself.  He passed that love of life and adventure on to me, always encouraging me to venture out, meet new people and experience all that life had to offer. 

During the last time I spent with my dad, we poured over maps of the Arctic, looking at its topography and talking about the places I'd been and the many adventures I'd had.  He loved hearing about my adventures and I loved sharing them with him.  I remember him with a big smile on his face, telling me to be careful and not pet the polar bears.  My dad had a great sense of humour and this was his light-hearted tribute to my love of animals and my immense enthusiasm for seeing a live polar bear!

As I return to my Nanook blog, I do so with my dad close to my heart. I hope that the Arctic adventures I"ll share will continue to bring joy, not only to my family and friends who are following it, but also pay tribute to my father's passion for life and adventure.  And, when I finally get to see that polar bear, I'll keep his last words of wisdom close at hand!  

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”  Albert Einstein

 

 

The Animals Are Stirring!

Welcome back to my blog! Since my last email, we've experienced a bit of melting in Baker, but not to the extent that I expected. The streets are just now starting to replace the well-worn snow tracks with squishy red mud. However, with the sun now rising at 3am and setting after 11pm,it will only be a matter of time before the snow is gone off the land. The massive lake that borders the town and its namesake, Baker Lake, will not be clear of ice until well into July or August.

With the change in weather and the long days of daylight, the locals are getting ansy to get out on the land. I sat with a local at a recent farewell feast for a local southerner who was returning home to Newfoundland after many successful years in the North. The local was very excitedly telling me about catching his first grizzly bear during the previous week. I asked him what he planned to do with it and he said he wasn't sure but hoped to get a good pelt out of it. If the quality wouldn't allow him to keep the head, he hoped to harvest some teeth. I asked about the grizzly's claws. He said if he couldn't keep them with the pelt, he'd give them away. I'm hoping he remembers our conversation and offers one to me!


I was surprised to learn that grizzlies are so abundant in this part of Nunavut. This past week, someone past on a warning to us to not venture outside of town without protection, because a grizzly was on the prowl just outside of town. I have definitely listened to that advice!

On a trip around town this past week, there were at least 3 homes that had grizzlies (not alive!)outside in their yards. I took a picture of one of them and it is included with this blog. Unfortunately, you can't see his head very well as it is tucked under.

The other pictures I took while walking around town were of a muskox, two arctic wolves, an arctic hare (a live one)and a herd of caribou. It was the closest I'd even been to a muskox, and I can tell you it looks scary, even when it's only the head! I didn't want to touch it... I guess the spooky stories told by the locals of animal spirits was front and centre in my mind! The arctic wolves look majestic, even if only from a distance. I've included that picture in my blog as well.

The other picture is of an Arctic Hare that seemed quite curious about what I was doing. According to the locals, he was not a large hare, however, I think he could take down a small child! Unfortunately, my picture of the caribou herd didn't turn out very well. The herd, about 15 or so, was grazing in the field close to my house, just behind the sled dogs. Two other herds have been spotted close to town and creating excitement for the locals.

I asked a local about what parts of the caribou they would harvest and they went into great detail about the stomach, tongue and other parts that surprised me. Probably the most surprising were the delicacies: the brains (supposedly they taste better than yogurt (!)), and the eye balls. If offered, I have already decided to pass. Sorry, I just don't have it in me to try either of those!

I am off for a month, one week in Iqaluit, two weeks in the south visiting family, and one week in Kugluktuk (in the western Arctic, formerly called Coppermine). By the time I return to Baker, I'm hoping the snow is all gone, the roads have dried up, and I can try my hand at fishing for Arctic Char or the massive lake trout that lurks in the many lakes around Baker. Until then, have a great spring!!

A Whale of a Story!

Happy May! I've just returned to Baker after being on duty travel for 11 days. It was nice to get back home. I spent the first four days in Toronto at a provincial-territorial meeting. It was a great opportunity to meet counterparts from other provinces. And, unbelievably, I met someone at the meetings that I went to university with and hadn't seen for 30 years! How special that was!

While in Toronto, I stayed right on the waterfront and spent every free moment walking the boardwalk and taking in the sites and sounds of the waterfront, boats, birds and spring. I wanted to roll in the green grass, like my dog used to do, but thought that might attract too much attention! I guess my long days of winter are finally getting to me!

I left Toronto and flew to Iqaluit for 7 days of meetings. Needless to say, the green grass wasn't anywhere to be seen in Iqaluit. Spring is definitely on the way, but it is a few weeks away yet. Likewise for Baker. We still have snow everywhere, however, the long days of sunlight (the sun is rising at 4am now, and getting about 6 minutes a day earlier each day) will start the melting soon. I'm told that if the snow melts rapidly, it will be quite a mess. Baker Lake is built on a hill, with the main roads at the bottom of the hill, beside the lake. The runoff can be dramatic. I've got a pair of new rubber boots and expect I'll get great use of them soon. Red mud, water, it's all coming soon!

I am starting to see notices posted regarding wildlife and fishing tags that are available for locals. Muskox, for example, are a controlled species in most ares of Nunavut, with a lottery among locals for the right to get a tag. This reminded me of my visit to Repulse Bay earlier in the year and the story I was told about their recent whale hunt. My blog pictures are of the Repulse whale hunt this past fall.

Modern whale hunting goes back to the 1800s, mainly by Americans and Scottish whaling ships. The Inuit helped the foreigners hunt and render the whales, getting guns and ammunition and other technologies in return. The foreigners introduced round dancing (for runner of square dancing?) which is still popular today and what I witnessed first hand a couple of months ago in Iqaluit! Unfortunately, the foreigners also introduced diseases that the Inuit had no protection for, causing a lot of death and hardship.

Interestly, it is thought that the orignal inhabitants of Nunavut, the Thule, arrived in the 1200s, chasing whales and finally settling on Nunavut as their home. Today, whale hunting continues to be important, with the Inuit hunting beluga, narwhal and bowhead whales.

Bowhead whales are a protected (endangered) species in Canada and most places in the world. They are immense, the size of a school bus! Communities are allowed to hunt the bowhead if they have received special permission from the federal fisheries office. Because of this, the year that a community receives a license to catch and harvest a bowhead whale accompanies a great celebration. To underscore how special the event was in Repulse, only five bowhead whales have been harvested in Nunavut since 1991 when the Canadian government established strict limits.

In Repulse, the harvest began with a gathering of people at the shore and a spiritual send-off to Inuit locals who would hunt the whale. The Inuit believe that there is an entity greater than themselves who provides for all living things. This send-off was a blessing not only to the hunters, but also to the whale whose life would be sacrificed for the betterment of the community.

Some communities use traditional means like the harpoon on these spiritual quests. Others use more modern means like rifles. I'm not sure which method was used in Repulse. The Inuit used an open boat called a umiaq. At one time, they would use sealskin kayaks, but that isn't the case today.

The whale hunt is a very important source of protein for the locals. Without it, they would need to rely on southern food at their local stores (very expensive) or other country food like the caribou. Based solely on the size of the whale versus the caribou, the Inuit believe they would deplete the caribou herds if they didn't have access to whale meat on a regular basis. The Inuit often say they hunt the whale, not for sport, but for food.

Once the Repulse hunters killed the whale, they towed it into shore where the spiritual blessing was repeated. The locals then went about harvesting the whale. Every part of the whale was used, with the blubber, skin and whale meat being very prized. Once distributed among local residents, extras are shared with other communities.

I've included pictures of the hunt with this blog. And, while much controversy surrounds the right of Inuit to hunt a rapidly depleting species like the bowhead whale, I understand the context of the Inuit and their beliefs. I hope you enjoyed this blog and its insight into Inuit culture.

Until next time, enjoy!

Big City Issues

Happy Easter! I hope the Easter Bunny found you. He certainly found me, even way up here in Nunavut and with winter still firmly holding on. I guess even the Easter Bunny is resilient!

I've been busy at work and also struggling through frustratingly slow internet service. The speed seems to be picking up lately so I'll take advantage of that and update you on my latest adventures.

As you'll recall, I was in Iqaluit recently for meetings. It was the second time I've been to Iqaluit but the first time that I had some time to explore the city. Iqaluit is the largest community in Nunavut with a population of around 7000. It is significantly larger than any other community in Nunavut. The next 3 largest communities in Nunavut do not have the combined population of Iqaluit so it is considered the "big city" of the territory.

While I enjoyed my visit to Iqaluit, spending time in the city encouraged me to dig a bit deeper to understand its history and also its challenges. My impressions of the city was that it has the feel of a government town, with many federal and territorial departments and buildings standing admist its hotels and restaurants. Like all Nunavut towns, the choice of restaurants was somewhat limited and very pricey. However, I did have a great "Polish buffet" in one of the restaurants. I think I ate so much, they should have charged me double! In fact, I know that I was enjoying "pigging out" because one of the buffet waiters brought me a dessert and said "You haven't tried this one yet!". I thought that was so funny. I guess the big smile on my face must have showed how much I was enjoying this unique sampling of food!

With this blog, I've included some pictures from inside the Nunavut legislature. It is a beautiful building with many local artifacts gracing its interior. You will see in one of the pictures an antler carving that was done by a high school student. It is in the lobby of the legislature. Its intricate detail is amazing and representative of the many wonderful artisans in Nunavut.

Not to put a damper on this blog or my trip to Iqaluit, but I would be remiss if I didn't talk about some of the issues it faces, especially given that it's the only large city in Nunavut and suffers from many "big city" issues. Some of those issues are overcrowding and crime.

Since it became the capital of Nunavut in 1999, Iqaluit's population has doubled. In fact, the rapid growth of population across Nunavut is a problem, not only in the capital city but across its 28 communities. Nunavut currently has Canada's highest birth rate, with single young females significantly adding to this number. The high birth rate has added to immense overcrowding issues, with multiple families often sharing a single dwelling that is run down and sometimes barely inhabitable.

I have heard many stories of families where the chidren sleep on the floor of the living room because the bedrooms and couches are already overcrowded with adults from multiple families living in the house. The Nunavut Housing Authority recently overspent its annual budget by 100 percent (100 Million over budget). The saddest part of that story is that many believe that the money was not spent improving housing but squandered in questionable deals. Whether that is true or not, overcrowding issues are immense and not likely to go away soon. Compounding the issue is that Nunavut doesn't have natural resources (trees, for example) or industry capable of producing housing materials, so it has to import all materials from the south by barge or Hercules type aircraft, all extremely expensive.

Another issue that is alarming locals and southerners alike, is violence. The rate of violent crime per capita in Nunavut is 7 times what it is in the rest of Canada. The homicide rate is around 1,000 per cent of the Canadian average. If it were an independent country, Nunavut's crime statistics would rival that of South Africa or Mexico. While I was in Iqaluit, I did not go out at night, so I don't know if visitors to the city would feel threatened or intimidated by the reported violence and alcohol abuse.

When you discuss crime stats with people, they are quick to point out that the violence is not directed at "southerners". It is directed often at family members or locals and is often fueled by alcohol abuse. I have read that the Iqaluit RCMP detachment is one of the country's largest, and also busiest. The article also stated that RCMP officers in Iqaluit draw their guns more often in a week, than some southern mounties do in a career. Iqaluit's main jail, built to house 50 inmates, is reported to often have double that amount. Another overcrowding issue that is not going to go away anytime soon.

Perhaps one of the most troubling statistics and one that has reached the floor of the territorial legislature, is the issue of suicide. Often not talked about, the statistics are alarming: Inuit males aged 15 to 24 have a suicide rate 40 times that of their peers in the rest of Canada. During the 3 months I have been here, I have heard of 3 suicides. Given that I know few people and the reluctance to talk about suicide in communities, that statistic supports the belief that the problem is widespread and pervasive in Nunavut. The good news is that the gov't strongly supports making the issue more public and providing more support for those whose lives have been touched by the devasting affects of suicide.

In two weeks, I'll be back in Iqaluit for more meetings. During that time, I hope to talk with more locals about their city. I am hopeful to visit some of the galleries where many artisans from across Nunavut take their carvings and other crafts to be displayed and sold. That is the side of Iqaluit I'll be looking for, one that is hopeful and resilient, and demonstrates the unique culture of this territory. And, if I'm lucky, maybe I'll also be lucky enough to experience another "Polish feast"! Until next time!

The Traveller Curse Continues!

Hello again! Well, I have to admit that I mistakenly believed that, once the blizzard season was over, travel within Nunavut would be relatively straight forward -- you know, you book a flight, the plane arrives on time, you leave on time, etc., etc. Well, I can tell you with absolute certainty, fog in Nunavut can be just as big a headache as snow.

Last Monday I travelled to Iqaluit for meetings. The trip over was straightforward, but the leg home was not. When I arrived at the Iqaluit airport on Friday afternoon, the departures board indicated that my flight might not be able to land in Rankin, which was my transfer point. I thought, oh, isn't that interesting. I went to the First Air counter to ask them what happens if we can't land in Rankin. They said, "We'll continue on to Yellowknife and you'll stay the weekend there." Just like that, matter of factly!

In my head, I was thinking that wasn't so bad. Maybe I could hop a flight from Yellowknife to Edmonton and spend the weekend at home. I was all psyched up for the possibility. This was starting to sound like a great plan. But, it wasn't to be. The flight was able to land in Rankin. As I consoled myself that there would be no quick trip home, I prepared to spend the next 5 hours waiting for my flight to Baker.

After watching two movies (a double-bill!) on my computer, I eagerly awaited the call for my flight. I noticed people edging their way towards the windows as the magic hour approached. Hmm, I thought, what's up. I joined them to see what they were looking at. And, to my surprise, a large fog bank was making its way towards the airport. It was like I was looking at a ghost, eerily weaving its way up, then down, then closer to us. The people at the windows started saying "Oh, we're not going to get out tonight." And sure enough, they were right. Within minutes we were engulfed. We could hear an airplane above the airport, most likely our aircraft circling and contemplating a landing. As the sound of the airplane dulled in the distance, it became apparent that I would not make it home Friday night.

Dejectly, I walked up to the counter to ask what happens now. The response, "Come back in 24 hours. We'll try to get you on the Saturday evening flight." Well, add that to my growing list of travelling woes. People back at the office told me that it wouldn't be long before I got the dreaded Traveller Curse. They said it always happens on a Friday, when you've been away for the week and can't wait to get home to your own bed. Sure enough, they were right. I guess I can now proudly add the Traveller's Curse to my resume. I'm 3/3 for the curse, and all in 10 short weeks!

I was able to get a room at a local Bed and Breakfast in Rankin. There are two hotels and 2 B + B's in town. The hotels had some space for the stranded passengers, but I didn't know what I'd do once 11am came and would have to check out. I would still have 9 hours to kill before my flight home. I took my chances that the B + B would be a better choice. Of the two B + B's, one is owned by a man who runs a dog sled tour outfit. Now, normally, you'd think, given my love of dogs, this would be my first choice. But, when I checked it out, I realized that about 60 dogs, in a open air enclosure were directly across from the owner's B + B. A great location for the owner, but maybe not for the guests of the B + B. I understand the dogs tend to bark day and night! I took a picture of the dog pen so you can see some of the dogs. Not much sleeping would happen there!

My other choice was a little further away but promised to be much quieter. Wrong. There was a volleyball tournament in town and a group of young ladies from one of the competing teams were in 2 of the rooms adjacent to my room. And, they had a 10 month old baby with them! Needless to say, the night was interjected with adolescent laughter and baby cries! So much for my careful planning. Oh, well. The hosts were most gracious and allowed me to use my room right up until the time I had to go to the airport. They also provided an evening meal for me that was above and beyond the call of duty! Very nice, indeed.

Thankfully, I was able to make it home on Saturday night. I headed to bed right away and vowed never to let the curse get me again. I'll figure it out, I will! I've included a picture of the sign welcoming people to Rankin Inlet. As I've mentioned before, NHLer Jordan Tootoo is a local hero and admired by young and old. I've also included a picture of a statue outside the local Wolf Cafe in Rankin. Not surprisingly, a big bad wolf is the star attraction there!

In my next blog I'll share my impressions of Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital city. Until then... Have a great one!

Harsh Realities for Arctic Dogs

I’m back! I had a great week in Edmonton, even though I had to adjust to all the snow and the warm temperatures (yes, -10 does feel warm!). I barely made it out of Baker, as some nasty weather came up really quickly. We dodged the weather, getting out during a small pocket in the weather. I was so relieved!

As I returned to Baker, I was reminded that we truly are living in a harsh and unforgiving environment, prone with many risks for people and animals. I say that because, while I was away, wolves attacked and killed two dogs from one of our local dog sled teams. The dogs were tethered individually to their dog houses and would not have had a chance to defend themselves. The team is located just at the eastern edge of town. The owner of the dog sled team checks in on them every day, but no one lives immediately adjacent to them. The owner discovered the attacks the following day. The wolves not only killed the dogs, but also ate them.

My neighbour, who is an avid hunter and was out on the land the following day, said that he came across many wolf tracks. He believes it was a fair-sized wolf pack that attacked the dogs. The fact that they would have been able to smell human scent and know that humans lived very nearby, did not scare the wolves. Again, as I have been told many times, the need for caution is always there. Just because you live in a community, does not mean that you are safe from predators such as wolves who may be starving and desperate for food.

I love dogs, as anyone who knows me will attest to! Given the recent attacks, I’ve been asking the locals about the dog sled teams and how their use has evolved over time. The general consensus is that today, because of the use of snowmobiles rather than dog sled teams, hunters using snowmobiles do a lot more guessing. As one local said, “They do a lot of just driving around and looking and guessing with the limited senses that they have. In the old days the dogs used to have more senses than we do, because even if you can’t see the seal hole or the seal or the animal, the dogs could smell it. And today we’re basically hunting blind.”

Another local told me that the hunters were safer when they used the dogs rather than machines. If a blizzard was forming, the highly trained lead dog could sense a change in weather. They would also be able to smell the fire back at camp. Because of this, the locals did not try to direct the sled in severe weather. The hunter trusted the lead dog to lead everyone back to safety, even in zero-visibility blizzard conditions. She also told me that many more rescues take place today because people wrongly believe they can get themselves out of trouble, if need be, much like a lead dog would do. Sadly, this can often be a life and death decision.

For those that still use dogs, I found out that there are many dangers awaiting the dogs. As happened in our community, they can be hunted by wolves. When out on the land, dog sled travelers often prefer to use coastal trails, because food is more readily available for the dogs and there are many small communities located near the coast, ensuring help if needed. The winter and summer hunting camps are located in strategic places, not far from the floe edge and close to the sea mammals .

For dog sled teams, fall is the most dangerous time of year as some dogs will fall through the ice and into the frigid water where they cannot survive. It's not usually the lead dog that will fall through, as they change direction when they sense thin ice. However, the other dogs in the back who are not as familiar with the ice conditions can fall in. Because of this, the locals often take older dogs that are familiar with the ice conditions with them when they go hunting in the fall.

I’ve included a video of dog sled teams near the floe edge. The sound of the dogs is exactly like the sounds that I can hear from my place. You'll also see a kamatik (wooden sled) in both the video and the picture above. They are very unique, that is for sure, built with no nails. Rope is used to keep it together. The Inuit used to use sinew to do so, but that is quite rare today. My neighbour just built one to pull behind his ski-doo so I got a really good look at it. Very cool! Until next time!

Those Darn Nails!

Hello again! It's been awhile since my last update. I have the weather (always able to blame the weather!), and a very slow internet connection for my tardiness!

The weather played havoc with my planned trip to Iqaluit last week. My initial flight on Thursday was cancelled due to weather, then the make-up flight on Monday was cancelled due to mechanical failure, or "gone mechanical" as they say here. Makes you wonder when they have a term for something like that, that it probably happens quite frequently! My last attempt on Tuesday was cancelled again because of weather. Blowing snow, visibility less than .2K, wind gusts to 70 klics, all contributed to me staying grounded in Baker for the week.

The slow internet connection at my home is creating havoc with my blog updates. Unfortunately, my local internet service converts you to "dial-up" speed after you reach 3G of downloads per month. My nightly video Skype calls to my family eat that up within days! It really makes you appreciate unlimited high speed internet. As I type this, my internet is downloading at 1.5 K/per second. Now that's quite fast (not really, but at least I can get on my blog page)!!

Tomorrow I am heading to Edmonton for a week. I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that the plane will make it in tonight, so it will be parked and ready for my early morning flight. I'll fly over to Rankin, then down to Winnipeg and across to Edmonton. I'll return to Yellowknife and then across to Baker. Nothing like seeing the world, or a large part of it! I'm so excited to be going home for a visit... I just hope the weather and mechanical plane parts all cooperate!

My blog picture this week is of one of our stop signs in town. There are very few stop signs in town even though there are many intersections! The reason for so few is because when they first started installing stop signs a few years ago (trucks are relatively new here), the kids would take them home for souvenirs. It happened so much that the hamlet just stopped replacing them. So now, when you come to any intersection you have to stop, look 4 ways, and if something is coming, try to figure out who has the right of way. In my short time here, I've come to believe that ski-doos, ATVs, big trucks, dogs and pedestrians all have the right of way. So far, my theory is working because our company vehicle is still in one piece!

And what about those nails, what's that about? Well, when the temperature gets really low (-50s or so), the nails in northern buildings "pop" really loudly. The nails are getting heat from the interior of the building, then the extreme cold affects them and they start continuously expanding then contracting. The locals told me when I first arrived not to be worried about loud bangs or pops that I might hear during the night. However, I still wake up after hearing a loud bang and think, "What was that?". Then, groggily, I'd realize what it was and try to go back to sleep until the next pop. Last night was one of continous pops and bangs! Sure doesn't make for a restful sleep. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to that one. Oh well, as they say, never a dull moment! Until next time!

Food… I need food!

Well, my title may be a little dramatic but this past week I finally succumbed to the need to eat more than the rations I brought with me from Edmonton on my initial trip here! Protein shakes, canned chili and dry cereal just weren’t filling the bill for me. As you’ll recall from an earlier blog, I am still suffering sticker shock from the prices at the local stores. People like me have two options, they can grin and bear it, or they can use two options that are available for most of the communities in Nunavut – food mail and barge orders.

Needless to say, barge orders won’t work this time of the year! The barges (two companies serve Nunavut) make their way from Montreal or Churchill. They are dependent upon the ice thawing in the Hudson Bay, as well as many other logistical issues. Each company has one barge which arrives in late summer or early fall before the freeze up. Many people place big orders in the spring for shipment on one of the barges. ATVs, trucks, furniture, exercise equipment, you name it.

People order large bulk orders of food and supplies, like pepsi (remember how expensive it is here!), canned goods and other items that they can’t get through food mail. Obviously, I can wait and order items on the barge for the summer, but I don’t think I can wait that long! And, I do remember a couple of stories that the locals told me about the barge orders that makes me wonder if I should place an order this spring.

The first story was about office furniture. It seems that the person I am replacing placed a barge order for new office furniture in the spring of 2009. Eagerly, she waited for the barge to arrive only to find out that it wasn’t on the barge when it arrived! Somehow, somewhere, the order got left off the shipment. Yup, and you guessed it, that meant that she couldn’t get it until the next barge order – one year later!! As is, when I arrived the furniture was quite new, not by intention, but by real bad barge luck!

Another person told me that they found lemming droppings in some of their barge orders. Others have said that water damage can affect up to 20% of an order. There is no sending it back for credit, only the task of taking pictures and hoping that your vendor on the other end believes you and will provide credit that you can (you guessed it) apply for your next year’s order!!

Food mail is another alternative but it has its own ups and downs. Food mail is a national initiative to help get subsidized food to northern communities. Three companies in Winnipeg including Safeway, will take online orders that they ship out via the airlines. The government provides a large subsidy to help with the shipping costs and the companies give you the same prices as if you were shopping in their store. And, if you are a Safeway clubcard holder, you get those benefits as well as Air Miles! Sounds like a good deal!

The controversy regarding Food Mail is two-fold. One, the government decides what items will be eligible for shipping subsidy (called eligible items) and those that will not (ineligible). Surprisingly, and many local people would tell you frustratingly, the lists don’t seem to make sense. For example, I can order frozen pizza or hot dogs and get a shipping subsidy, but not chicken bouillon cubes, lemon juice, cans of diced tomatoes, soup or tuna (not that I’d eat tuna (!), but you get the idea) or pampers for babies (not that I need those either). Some of the locals told me they feel like big brother is telling them what to eat and they don’t like that.

More worrisome for locals is that the program is ending March 31 of this year. Instead of having the southern companies like Safeway and Canada Post look after providing the subsidy, it will be passed on directly to the local food stores. The concern is that it will never get passed on to the consumer. Some even say the recent spike in food prices is to offset the new “lower” prices that the stores will be offering once food mail ends. Who knows, all I know is that I’d better get busy and get what I can before this program ends.

As you will see in the pictures above, I did place my first food mail order! It arrived safe and sound (that can also be a problem when there are weather delays and your head of lettuce and fresh veggies sit in a cargo area, waiting for the next available plane)! I have so much food now, I don’t know what to do with it all. And yes, you guessed it, there were frozen pizzas and hot dogs in my order! I couldn’t resist. The good news is that I can put all the frozen items in my un-insulated back porch. Works like a charm as long as those sled dogs across the road don’t smell my cuts of meat! Oh, and those little critters in my kitchen, those are my virtual pets! Cute, eh!

I’m off to Iqaluit tomorrow, weather permitting. I must sound like a broken record, but once again my travel plans and those of my colleagues have been changed this past week due to blizzards in the area. I was supposed to go to Iqaluit on Wednesday. I will now leave (hopefully) on Monday! Other staff were supposed to return to Baker on Thursday and Friday, and they still aren’t back yet. Wish me luck!

Chat to you later from Iqaluit!

Down But Not Out!

Well, hello again! I am guessing my family and friends must have thought that I had been eaten by a polar bear – it’s been so long since my last update! The truth is that I am alive and well, having survived a fierce blizzard, being storm-stayed at a hotel with no water (!) and a solar outage. I’ll talk about the first two in a moment, but first about the solar outage. This past week, according to the news, 3 large fireballs shot off from the sun. One in particular was quite large and while people in most parts of the world wouldn’t pay too much attention to this, I guess it can have quite an effect at the polar extremes. It seems to have played havoc with my internet connection, so much so that I couldn’t connect long enough to the blog to update any text or pictures. In fact, this update is coming to you via Edmonton, where I have forwarded to family to have them upload it for me! Now that’s technology!

As you might remember from my last blog, I was in Repulse Bay, a nice community situated on the Arctic Circle. I was to stay there until Feb 9 and then fly on to Coral Harbour. Unfortunately, a fierce blizzard ended those plans. Even the other hotel guests were amazed at the winds and blowing snow. Everything was shut down, including the airport and the water trucks! Yes, even the water trucks that deliver to homes and businesses could not operate as the metal connectors on their hoses were freezing up. As a result, on Thursday, we ran out of water at the hotel, which meant that they couldn’t cook meals for us or yes, you guessed it, shower or use the facilities! Wowser, that was something. It didn't seem to faze anyone (including me) as all the guests sat around sharing great stories about blizzards and life in the north. I wish I had a recorder, there were so many interesting ones!

Now, the good news is that the hotel I was staying at allows their guests free reign of the kitchen at all times. The cook prepares lunch and supper (one choice, you either want it or you get something for yourself). I was a little concerned that we would be having Arctic Char and Caribou all week (I don't like fish and I'm not very adventuresome with my food choices), but I was wrong. While we had water, the cook made great meals of roast beef, chili and fries, etc. Arctic Char only showed up one night, and everyone grabbed for it right away. I passed on it, but maybe I should have tried it as everyone said the Arctic Char in Repulse is some of the best in all of the north!

Once we ran out of water and didn't have any more cooked meals, I wasn't too upset. Still suffering “sticker shock” from the high prices in Nunavut, I was more than happy to go forging through the kitchen, looking for treats! Bowls of ice cream and other sweets that I’m just too cheap to buy here looked really good! Check out my pictures of the prices of ice cream ($21.95), Lays potato chips ($6.99), Honey Nut Cheerios ($19.99) and Tide laundry detergent ($36.99) from the local store in Repulse Bay, and you’ll see why I thought that was a luxury worth having! I guess prices could be worse. There was a story on CBC this past week about a jar of Cheese Whiz being $35 or something like that in Arctic Bay, a community here in Nunavut. Now that’s pricey!

The storm started to subside on Friday around noon. I had been successful in rebooking my flight and now would be able to make it out on the 3pm flight with all the rest of the stranded passengers. We called the airport a number of times during the afternoon to see if the plane was coming and kept getting the message that it would be late. How late, no idea! Finally, we got word that it was coming at 5pm. Yahoo. Finally. We walked our luggage over to the airport (yes, the strip is right in town!). True to their word, we got out just shortly after 5pm. We flew to Rankin which was our transfer point for our flight home to Baker. If all went well, we'd be home by 7pm. Not too bad. However...

Again, more delays! Our connecting plane was delayed. How long? Who knows? The attends could only say it would be late. The airport snack shop was closed, the Rankin taxis were not running because the fuel depot ran out of fuel during the storm (!). We had nowhere to go and nothing to eat. I guess this was my just reward for eating all that ice cream in Repulse!

One of my colleagues and I thought we might watch a movie on my computer. But, we kept putting it off, saying that the plane would probably be in at any time. As is, we could have watched a double bill! It wasn't until 11pm that we finally saw our plane arrive! Happily, we made our way on the plane and gobbled down anything the attendant had to eat! She must have thought we hadn't eaten for days! By midnight, we were home. I guickly got ready for bed and smiled. Live in the north is unforgiving and unpredictable, that is for sure! Next time, I'll pack more food, just in case!

"Bearly" Escaped!

As I mentioned in my last blog, I am going to share a polar bear story with this blog. The story took place in Repulse Bay (where I am now stranded) during this past fall. Once every 5 years, the local Inuit community is allowed to kill one bowhead whale. The bowhead whale is the second largest whale in the world and the whole event is a very special one for an Inuit community. I have pictures of that event which I will also share in a later blog. They are amazing!

The killing of the whale brought many polar bears to the community, looking for fresh spoils. Eight or nine polar bears came ashore, coming directly into town and putting a great scare into the locals. One of my colleagues was here during this time and he said that he was scared walking between the school and the hotel, because the locals had warned everyone to stay indoors!

The local RCMP and Wildlife officers were able to scare off most of the bears, but had to kill 4 that would not leave the town. However, one bear was silently making his way back to town, out of sight of those that were trying to keep the community safe!

A group of locals were drying skins just on the outskirts of town, on the crest of a hill. All of a sudden, the group started making a great commotion and running down the hill toward the town. One of the local RCMP heard the commotion and drove out to see what was going on. What he found was a polar bear chasing the locals!

The RCMP officer fired a shot to scare the bear but he only stopped briefly then charged after one of the group. The officer fired again, this time killing the bear. His shot hit the bear in the head which killed the bear instantly. However the head shot made the use of the bear skin and skull useless for the locals. I've included pictures of the bear that are wild, to say the least. Look at those teeth, wow!

As much as I do not like the thought of killing animals, I am getting better at understanding the "circle of life" and how important animals have been to the very survival of the Inuit people. And today, while many do not depend on the caribou, polar bear, etc., for their survival, the locals continue to respect their culture and ensure that every part of the animal is used productively and humanely. I respect that.

Once the polar bear was deemed to be unuseable because of the headshot, a "qablunaaq" (white person, pronouced kub-lo-nak) thought the bear skull would be a great gift for her family down south! She was given an export license and was able to take it with her at Christmas time... in her carry-on baggage! It was not entirely clean by then and she said even that freaked her out a bit. Can you imagine the people at security, screening her carry-on baggage! That would have been very interesting!!

In my next blog, I'll share pictures of the bowhead whale capture and the special events that followed, courtesy of some local educators. Stay tuned!

Stranded!

Holy smokes. I thought my first blizzard in Baker Lake was a good blizzard. It couldn't hold a candle to the one that has stranded me in Repulse Bay! The storm started within an hour of us arriving and hasn't let up since. Even the other guests at the hotel, who have spent years in the Arctic, are standing at the window and "oohing and awing" at the wind and blowing snow. I have rebooked my flights to attempt to get out tomorrow afternoon, returning to Baker rather than continuing on to Coral Harbour. Coral will have to wait for another day!

Unfortunately, our transfer point, Rankin Inlet, is also experiencing a blizzard, so it may not work out for me! The possiblity exists that we could leave Repulse tomorrow, and, should we not be able to land in Rankin, continue down to Churchill, Manitoba. Churchill is the polar bear capital of the world, but unfortunately, the polar bears are out on the ice now and not visible from land. As I fly out of Repulse, however, I should be able to see polar bears near the ice floe edge, which is about 10 minutes by air, out of town. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I can't wait to see a real, live polar bear!

I arrived in Repulse on Monday night, just barely making it out ahead of a blizzard that was forming in Baker. In fact, as we drove out to the airport at 7am, we did so in total white-out conditions. We couldn't see anything other than the reflective pole markers on the left side of the road. We had to come to a complete stop a couple of times, because we couldn't tell the road from the ditch. But, the winds were not enough to ground the aircraft, so we made it out. Surprisingly, it was a calm flight, even as we could see the severe weather forming to the north of us.

After a short stop in Rankin Inlet (home of Jordan Tootoo), we made it to Repulse Bay. The community sits directly on the Arctic Circle and has a special monument to mark the location. It was covered in snow when we arrived but I did get a summer picture of the monument and an aerial view of the town from a local educator. He was also gracious enough to also tell me a great story about polar bears and one bear in particular, that was an unfortunate one (for the bear, that is). I'll tell you about that story in my next blog!

What an adventure!

Well, we made it to Iqaluit, but wow, what a trip it was! As luck would have it, we were able to get a Tuesday noon hour flight to Rankin Inlet, our main hub. From there, the plan was to catch a special charter to take us to Iqaluit. Unfortunately, lots of other regions of Nunavut were experiencing the same blizzard conditions we had on Monday and had to be rerouted to Yellowknife, NWT, which was the only major airport open. A decision to use one charter to pick up our people in Yellowknife and then fly over to Rankin (3 hour flight) to pick up the rest of us was made.

More flight delays caused the charter to arrive in Rankin Inlet around 8:30pm. The long wait, with little or no food available at the airport and no water in the washrooms (!), meant a trying start to the trip. We were excited to see the charter arrive, only to find out that the air temperature inside the charter was similar to the outside air temperature.

As we were boarding the aircraft (4 engine, Dash 7) I could see people's breath and thought, "Are they smoking? I can't believe they allow people to smoke on a charter!". It wasn't until I took my first breath that I realized that they weren't smoking. As I breathed out, I could see my breath! And wow, was it ever cold in that aircraft. The seats were frozen and the metal was "ouch" to the touch. I told myself that once we were in the air, it would be warmer. However, it was taking a long time to fire up the engines. I wondered why...

About 20 minutes later, one of the crew came out and asked to speak to the person in charge. Oh, oh... that was me! As it turned out, the number of passengers on our list (40) did not jive with their manifest. Given the amount of fuel on board and the number of passengers, they told us we were the equivalent of six too many people to get off the ground safely! Once our senior management team decided which six people to jettison off the plane, we had to figure out how to get their luggage off the plane. The airport was now closed and the luggage handlers were gone home, so we decided to pitch in and help the crew unload the cargo and find the luggage for those not going on with us. It was a great team effort. I guess that's what "other duties" refers to in our contracts!

Well, once we unloaded and reloaded the luggage, it was time to take off. And, despite my thoughts that the cabin would warm up once we were airborne, it didn't happen! I (and everyone else) was frozen! I could hardly feel my feet, they were so cold. I snuggled down into my Canada Goose arctic parka, but it wasn't long enough to cover my legs or feet. I tried to sleep but even that was hard in the cold! After 3 hours, we finally arrived in Iqaluit at 1am (Iqaluit is on Eastern time zone,so we lost an hour). After we unloaded our own luggage (getting good at it now), we called taxis and headed to the hotel. Thankfully, a large number of taxis responded to our call and we got to the hotel quickly. The front desk attendant was great and got us quickly checked into our rooms. By 1:30am, we were safe and sound in our hotel rooms. And, boy, was I ready to report for breakfast at 7:30am. Having missed both lunch and supper during our crazy day, I was starved. Oh, well, thankfully, morning arrived very quickly and with it, food!!

The rest of the week was very busy as the conference was condensed into two days, rather than three. I didn't get out to see Iqaluit, but I did get to go square dancing (!). Square dancing is very popular in Nunavut, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I did, however, pass on the raw Arctic char that was spread out on a tarp on the floor, available for anyone who wanted to eat it! Someone recorded one of my square dances, so maybe I'll post it sometime for a good laugh! The rest of the week went great and despite a few warnings that blizzards were on the way to our region again, we made it home safe and sound on Friday afternoon.

As I sign off for this blog, here is the answer to my last blog question re: most verocious animal that comes into our town. I said it started with a "w" and was more vicious than the wolf. The answer is "wolverine". Yup, those little varmits do come into town from time to time, especially during blizzards. I'll tell you a bit more about that in my next blog.

Tomorrow I am off to Repulse Bay (sits on the Arctic Circle) and then onto Coral Harbour (located on a large island in the Hudson Bay). Wish me luck on my flights (getting out on time, and getting home next Friday!). Chat to you then! Have a great week!

The Wolves are at the Door!

Well, we didn't make it to Iqaluit today. The winds howled during the morning (not enough to close our office!) which grounded all the planes in the Kivalliq region. The good news is that the winds have subsided and we hope to get out tomorrow. The government has chartered a plane to take us from Rankin Inlet to Iqaluit tomorrow, so we just need to get to Rankin. Again, we'll keep our fingers crossed that we can get out tomorrow!

While the storm makes for great viewing (from indoors, of course), it also has an affect on the wildlife. Whenever the weather turns really cold and especially during blizzards, it is very common for wolves to come towards our town looking for food. Some will actually make their way into town, causing the schools to put an alert out so that children don't play on the playground or walk home alone.

When they are hungry, the wolves will seek out dogs or other small animals. A few nights ago, I could hear the dog sled teams that live across the street from me barking ferociously. My colleagues tell me that it was probably wolves, as that property backs onto a hill at the edge of town, and wolves are frequently sighted there. Thankfully, I didn't hear any sounds that would make me think the wolves were successful in their hunt for "domesticated" food.

The wolves in this area tend to be grey wolves but the region also has the white or arctic wolf. I've included a picture of an arctic wolf that someone else took. And even though you might think that the wolf would be the scariest predator that the locals have to be on the watch for, that wouldn't be true. There is one more wild animal that will make its way into town that creates even more fear. Do you know what it is? It starts with a "w". I'll tell you what it is in my next blog!

It's a Blizzard!!

Wow! What a blizzard! We heard on Thursday night that a blizzard was coming our way. Friday morning I was eagerly looking forward to my first official blizzard and a day off of work! However, the winds blew and the snow whistled around, but it didn't meet the official criteria for closing government offices: Visibility less than 200 metres, constant wind speeds exceeding 60km/h and (if you can believe it) a wind chill index of -50C or greater! Now that in itself will tell you about how hardy the people of the north are!

But, by the time we left work on Friday afternoon, the conditions were worsening. And, as luck (or not) would have it, my first blizzard struck on the weekend! As I am sitting here typing this, the winds are howling outside my building. I can't see the buildings across the street because of the blowing snow. There is no way that I could walk outside... I'd look like a little black tumbleweed, blowing down the street in my arctic parka and gear! No way will I venture outside to see if that would be true!

Since coming to Baker, I've been told by the locals and staff who have moved here from the south, not to take the weather lightly. One story I was told was of a young mother from Baker who ventured out in a storm last year. She was suffering post-partum depression and wanted to go to the cemetary to talk with her grandmother who had passed on, but who she felt provided guidance and support to her. The young mother got disoriented on the way to the cemetary which is very common in the pure white-out conditions of a blizzard. A local search team comprised of RCMP, Rangers and volunteers searched for her. It wasn't until 3 days later that they found her body, in the fetal position, about a kilometre from the cemetary. Such a sad story, but one that definitely speaks to the immense power and fury of Mother Nature.

Tomorrow morning I am supposed to be flying to Iqaluit, the capital, for a week of meetings. It is quite unlikely that we will get out (and the only way to get out of communities in Nunavut is to fly, as there are no roads linking any of the communities). The blizzard is supposed to end around mid-day tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the airlines reschedule earlier flights if the weather lets up. I doubt any flights have come in since Friday morning, so it could be quite a backlog! Wish me luck!

I've included a picture of the blizzard from earlier in the afternoon. The winds had subsided a bit at that time but it was still difficult to see the buildings across the street. Unfortunately, it's difficult to capture the power of the winds and the bitterness of the windchill, but trust me, it's "hang on to your hat", "tie yourself down" kind of weather. Wicked!!

Where is Baker Lake?

So where is Baker Lake? Lots of people have been asking just that question! As you can see on the map, Nunvut covers a very large area! Formed in 1999, Nunavut is divided into three regions. Baker Lake is in the central region called Kivalliq. In fact, it is considered to be the geographical centre of Canada. To find it on a map, you can go directly north from Winnipeg, until you see a large river on the west side of Hudson's Bay. That's the Thelon River and Baker Lake is at its head, about 320 kilometres inland. Baker Lake is Nunavut's only inland community.

Baker Lake means "where the river widens" in Qamani’tuaq. Even though I haven't seen anything other than "white" so far, I understand that the community is surrounded by magnificent rolling tundra and is home to very large herds of caribou and muskoxen. The caribou have been known to make their way into town, but it doesn't happen too often. To the north of Baker Lake, Wager Bay boasts populations of polar bears, seals, beluga whales, wolves, caribou and other wildlife. I can't wait to see them!

Big Sale at the Northern Store

I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see this for myself... a case of pepsi, 12 cans for (are you ready for this?)... $26.99. Wow! I had to run out and get my camera so I could take a picture of this "sale". I guess the one good thing about the outrageous price is that I'll definitely be breaking my pepsi habit. I'm just way too cheap to pay that kind of price (so far, anyway, until I have a weak moment!).

-62C Now that's cold!

Wow! It happened. We hit -62 C today which was a milestone for me as I've never experienced any weather in the -60s! And let me tell you, it was cold! Thankfully, the air temperature wasn't "really" cold, only -40 (see how acclimatized I've become already!) but the wind speed made the air unbelievably cold. When I stepped outside, I knew that it was significantly colder than I've experienced so far. Instantly, my blue jeans felt heavy and cold and then my legs felt numb. Thankfully, I was only walking 50 feet or so to our vehicle. I've posted a picture of today's weather from our airport... seeing is believing!

Getting Ready to Go Outside

Brrr.... it is cold up here! Today it is -53C (that includes the windchill). The air temperature is around -46C (even the locals would say that is "chilly". I went outside to take a couple of pictures and had my mitts off for about 20 seconds. Wow, it was bone-chilling to say the least! Check out the picture of me getting ready to go outside. It took me 5 minutes to get dressed and I was outside for 30 seconds! Oh well, maybe Nanook will adjust with time!!

One of the pictures shows my apartment. It is quite nice, built within the last 10 years. This particular government housing complex consists of a row of 5 apartments that are all 2-bedroom units. The subsidized rent on them is $1300 a month (ouch!). Fortunately, that includes heat. It doesn't include water and sewar which we pay the hamlet for. Depending on my usage, it should cost about $30 per month. The trucks come 3 times a week to pump water into my house and take out the other "stuff". Because we live on the frozen tundra, everything including water and sewar has to be above ground. In some communities like Rankin Inlet, you will see above ground water and sewar lines. In Baker, our storage tanks for water and sewar are accessible from the front or side of our house, as the houses themselves are built on an elevated platform. I'll take a picture when I have a chance. The only bad side of this is when the hamlet has difficulties delivery water as is the case right now. A sign on our work bulletin board said "Conserve water, the trucks are down"! I don't know what this means, but I guess I won't shower this weekend, just in case I run out of water for my Monday morning shower! Just kidding, but you never know!

These are pictures of two dog sled teams that live across the street from me. Unfortunately, the zoom function doesn't show great detail, but in the first picture, you might be able to make out the small dog houses as well as one large dog house in the back (metal enclosure). Some of the dogs are tethered and some are loose. I guess the "problem" dogs are the tethered ones! I'm guessing the one dog in the back enclosure might be the lead dog. Can't risk something happening to alpha dog! In the other picture you might be able to make out the wooden sled and harness at the left of the picture. I can't wait to see it in action. Mush, mush!!