Ice Hawg: May 2012

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

May 1st -10C, overcast, NNW15-20 kmph. Start of the Nunavut Quest Dog Team Race - Igloolik to Arctic Bay on Baffin Island - 500 km.s. Took 7 days. Igloolik man wins.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2012/05/12/north-nunavut-quest-race.html

Igloolik had 5 teams. The send off on the sea ice in front of the hamlet was a big event.

Read the article about other race from Clyde River. It was an epic.

May 5th, 2012 -15C, overcast, 20 kmph NW, flat light - Trip to Avajjauq.

Another weekend, another trip. This trip was back to the area od our IQ day. Questionable conditions early so we waited for an hour and a half. Conditions improved and we tentatively set off. Just like our IQ day the conditions improved as the day went on. The destination was Matt and Clarisa's cabin where there was a group hard at work. The route takes about 1.5 hrs across a sea ice channel to the mainland. The route is quite interesting and scenic. On the mainland you climb up some narrow gullies and over a couple of low passes in a complex of rocky hills. Cabin is coming along well.
Great hospitality from Matt and Clarisa as they spread out caribou skins on the floor. Everyone made themselves comfortable and enjoyed tea, treats and stories.

Iron women walk 200 km across tundra and sea ice. Raise $82,000.00. Took a few days longer than they planned but they perservered. Their first nice weather day was the last day of the trip. Mostly snow and fog. Finished May 21st.

4^th:Women halfway through walk to raise money for cancer research

They're fighting through weather and fatigue and have just reached a major check point. Six women are halfway through their hike from Umingmaktok to Cambridge Bay in Nunavut's Kitikmeot region. The walk across the ice started May 7 to raise money for cancer research. Here's Peter Sheldon with an update on the Women in Action - Steps of Hope team.

It's perhaps not standard affection, but it's clearly a sign that this group is getting along.

"We're at the point where we can tease each other now."

Nunavut Commissioner Edna Elias is leading the six women.

"We're really gelling together, and we know that people can take a little bit of joking and having fun."

Teasing is the delicate part of these arduous days. They're walking 20 km on average, and the legs are feeling it.

"And I was in a few tears. So I had to call a stop to the day, and we camped here. But we had done 20 km, so that was OK."

The walking is consistent, but not every day is the same. Elias says the group had some sombre reflection on Mother's Day. They've also sat in their tents for two full days of nasty weather. On one day, they even shot a caribou. They were scheduled to reach the halfway point of the journey yesterday.

"So we're really excited. It seems like everything will be downhill from here."

Commissioner Elias says they're still on schedule to make it to Cambridge Bay by next Friday, May 18. Peter Sheldon, CBC News, Iqaluit

May 12, 2012 -15C fog early but cleared during day. Flat light but trail fairly smooth. First ice fishing trip - Mogg Bay - Lailor Lakes area. 1.5 hrs one way. 85 km round trip.

Popular spot area for ice fishing. Many, many lakes. There are a number of cabins along the way. This dog paid a surprise visit at the first lake we stopped at..

Discovered the almost new ice auger we'd borrowed was broken. Tried to fix but no go so that meant it was tea time. In northern tradition out came the stoves. Peter has a classic 40 year old primus stove.

An Inuit family stopped by on there way back from a nearby lake. They generously gave 3 fresh char that were still flopping. We finished lunch and backtracked the family's trail to the next lake and their drilled holes. Mark uses a traditional stick with heavy line attached.

I thought the folding chair would come in handy when I packed it in Tofino. Great trip and fresh fish.

May 21st, 2012 -5C , sunny and calm. Perfect day for another fishing trip. This past weekend was the big annual fishing derby. Everyone goes to the Lailor Lakes area. About 1/3 rd of town (500 people) headed out of town to camp and fish. The winning fish was a 35" long lake trout. About 25lbs.

I had one fish on briefly. One the nicest days this winter. Learned a new route to Lailor Lakes that goes over a high plateu with inukshuk markers along the way.

Family in the fishing derby. Co-worker went caribou hunting while his family fished and came back with 2 from the far ridge.

Skidoo version of tying the diamond.

Sunday, 20 May 2012

April 20, 2012 -10C, low cloud, NW 20-30 kmph, Flat light.

IQ (Inuit Qaujiimajatuqangit) is a term used to refer to Inuit Traditional Knowledge. The GN permits and encourages staff to take 2 IQ days a year. The idea is for Inuit staff to share their knowledge of the area and traditional skills. Moshi (Social Scientist), Theo (CO) and Johnny (Finance Officer) led the day.

The trip was to the Avvajjaq area across the sea ice channel to the hilly, mountainous mainland. 80 km., 6 hours with activities. – Igloo building, navigation, seal liars, arctic fox predation on seal pup and a polar bear – my first.

10 machines and 12 Wildlife Section staff 3 qamutiiks with gear-food, fuel, shelter, firearms, harpoon, gaff, ....

Johnny even brought a boat in case we went to the floe edge. Moshi shows his line made of bearded seal hide that he uses with his harpoon.

Many sleds around Igloolik have boats loaded on them. The hunters sometimes hunt the open water along the floe edge. Our plans changed due to the weather. We decided to go the Avvajjaq instead of a polynia (open water area with seal and possibly walrus).

Guillaume examines Johnny's harpoon. The articulated harpoon end was crafted by Johnny's father out of brass and steel.

Theo taught us how to cut blocks for building the igloo. Much harder than it looks. I Broke many before I was successful which Theo found quite humerous. Theo once built an igloo in 14 minutes at a competition. At times in his life he lived with his family in an igloo. He bulit a giant igloo complex for his wedding ceremony. The large main igloo and 3 connected statellite igloos accomodated 100 people.

Johnny, leads the construction - 3 points of contact for each block.

8 of us could sit comfortably.

For lunch there was an opportunity to try raw, frozen caribou. I tried some later and found it OK.

Sharina's cloudberry jam was a big hit as were her home made gluten-free cookies. After lunch I led a practice session with various deterrents.

And right after that, Moshi, who had gone exploring arrived back and announced that there was a polar bear just up the coast. So off we went to try for a glimpse.

Check out the size of the track. Nico Lecomete got a picture with his 400mm lens.

After that excitement it was time to head back the 40 kms. back to Igloolik and there were more tings to see including evidence of the prey the bear was hunting, ring seal.