Sea Cans & G-Cans

Most of the summer toys are under Snow and Ice

Everywhere you look, if you really look close, you will find evidence of a coastal culture. 

Under the snow and amongst

All set ready to go...it will be a while yet!

the drifts are some very fine boats...no sailboats so far, just speed boats...those with wide hulls, big motors. The kind you would take out in Lake Erie on a rougher day...but they are not enclosed. There all open hulled.

The main reason is transport, fishing, and whaling. These boats allow the family to visit relatives up the coast. They allow for fishing out on the big bay called HUDSON...and the hunting of walrus and whales, both beluga and narwhales. Of course, Narwhales, are controlled these days and require permits... sometime a community will get the permit for a whale and everybody becomes involved.

The main feature in town you will notice, appears to be discarded containers from the shipping companies. These are sold and bought like any commodity. You do require a hamlet permit, like any permanent structure, and are subject to some rules and regs.  People use them to store summer goods. Christmas decorations or any other item that may be seasonal. 

Frozen in place...what hides inside?

"Quads",  BBQ's, tools are stored and anything else that we might put in our basement for storage are placed inside....they have no basements here! If you sell your Sea-can, and it has to be moved to a new location, you simply call the front end loader over and the man with the CAT comes by and drives it to the new spot. Right now there won't be much movement and they are frozen solid to the ground and surrounded by a little bit of snow.

SEA Cans...found all over town

The new Garbage Collection Truck...in action

The G-cans have a few uses and come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours. Primarily they are used for garbage, and dot the landscape...but closer examination on these during and after the big blizzard led me to a couple of other conclusions. Yes, they get packed with garbage and there is probably a schedule to the collection process. Often, travelling through the hamlet, is a very large garbage truck. It looks brand new, a year or two at the most, and obviously from its size had to come into this town by sealift as do most commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and the heavy equipment that we've seen used over and over. You got to have the tools to do the job.

Hiding out of the wind, but in the sun. An hour later, the wind swung and they were gone

One of the most prominent beasts in town is curiously absent these days. After the big blizzard they seemed to disappear. I have yet to find one or confirm it. I have seen the ravens in town, tearing the garbage bags and spreading a mess along the way, much like our seagulls do. They are wiley...they avoid the coldest weather by maintaining the presence on the lee side of the buildings, well out of the wind. During a coffee break last week, I was asked if I noticed that the ravens were absent, then was  told that they have started to nest for the season. Now the weather today is -28 and the news is that ravens are nesting.

This brought forward the conversation about the collection of eggs, goose and duck. The Inuit use them in their diet since living chickens are not found in this area. I then made the mistake of asking if they used the raven's eggs...You could have heard an ULU drop..."they're garbage eaters" was the first response..."we don't eat garbage eggs" was the second. Of all the crazy questions or statements that I've made since I arrived, this one seemed to hurt. I apologized but then I was asking questions. There may be reasons for the short fuse with the recent publicity about garbage and some citizens using the dump to find food. It was a hot topic in the news and lead to the deputy mayor's resignation.

The garbage cans mark the streets in "Old Town"

After the big storm, I noticed that you couldn't find the roads,or streets, just because the volume of snow and the resultant drifts in certain parts of town. You could imagine where the roads might have been...but here in Rankin Inlet, you could see the tracking of the streets. The people clearing the snow, post storm, also knew where the streets were. It was simplistic...the was a row of barrels along the side of the street, sometime both sides.

It's where the residents place their garbage for pickup...and the barrels provide a landing strip effect allowing the plowing teams to get the clearing done, when necessary. There are other bins around town in the larger buildings, including our health centre, with lids, but no one in winter uses the lids and the ravens and been seen ripping the green plastic to shreds and getting to the contents.

All ready for the new truck

The ravens are smart...One story that surfaced was about a dog in summer, whose owner had put food in the bowl, withing reach of the dog's chain. The story teller said the raven landed and moved around the spike until the dog became entangled in the chain as became shorter. As the chain became shorter the dog could not longer reach the bowl of food and the raven was free to enjoy the meal.

My education had continued as did those stories....an old computer adage came to mind..."Garbage in....well you already know the rest!"      

The Road to Nowhere...

The frozen car graveyard..just wait til Spring..oh wait...it's Spring

...it both starts here and ends here in Rankin Inlet. This hamlet received a boatload full of trucks, and vehicles in the last sealift. The numbers are astounding... I've been told that as many as 150 arrived last year alone. That's quite possible...I've also been told that at least1/4 of those are un-useable currently. Cold temps are the contributing factor.

All plugged in during  the blizzard

First the vehicle MUST be equipped with a block heater. In Winnipeg, the hotel parking lot provided an electrical hookup to plug your vehicle in....it's mandatory here, in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, or your engine block will be frozen solid by the next morning...defrosting here in the midwinter is quite expensive while most embarrassing at the same time.  The normal vehicle operating procedure includes details such as "the vehicle must be started 15-20 mintues BEFORE driving the vehicle."

The new lower level parking lot at the health centre has electrical hookups on the metal barrier just like the upper parking lot.

All vehicles running while the owners are shopping, banking, or visiting Tim's

Be back later with heavier equipment to finish the clearing

Each morning around the apartment complexes, there is a stream of fully outdoor-dressed persons..starting their cars...unplugging the block heaters, then going back inside and finally returning more than a quarter hour later for the 5-8 minute commute to work. At noon, staff at the health centre don their cold winter gear and go outside to start their vehicles about 20 to twelve..it's just the routine you have to do.  You must be fully dressed for the outside...you just can't run and start and run back in...wouldn't be a wise choice, perhaps in the summer and warmer weather, but not now. 

The buses transport the kids morning, noon and night

Here, no one drives their kids to school...if they do, it's a rare occasion...there are school buses for transport...both before school begins in the morning and after school ends. The buses also drive the kids home at lunch and pick them up, thereafter, for their afternoon classes. It keeps them out of the strong winds...and, at certain times of the yea,r safe from animals as well.

There are kids playing outside all the time...Minus temperatures are not a reason to remain inside...unlike the south...they embrace it...it's part of the culture, a large part of their life. Blizzards and high winds are different...and close businesses and offices as well as the schools. They do not take chances with their lives here. They are always aware of the weather and Inuit wireless network (telepathy) is active...and word spreads fast. Last week, when we closed early because of the rolling electric blackouts affecting our communications...landlines, cells and internet...someone asked who declared the building closed....the answer was the name of a clerk in our stores area...not half wrong, it turned out!

Another road temporarily to nowhere

No one locks their car or truck doors....too much power would have to be used to unlock as the locks would have frozen closed overnight...and then the battery might not be strong enough to turn the engine over to start. If the vehicle was stolen...they wouldn't be able to drive it far, as there are no roads south. NONE..NADA...Unlike you see on TV, there is no road that comes north....no Ice Road truckers. There's talk..and it might happen in time...but a connection south would change this place very dramatically....and contribute to losing the charm.

The cars, and trucks are left running all the time, outside stores, banks, the post office and many parking lots. It's a chance to warm the inside...but also to recharge that important battery...and it has to be a heavy duty with arctic extreme cranking power. Never seen a CAA vehicle...but a few jumper cables from time to time.  The service man usually arrives by snow machine..cables in a box on back...and a huge battery also mounted...often it's the neighbour, cousin, or other relative or friend.

RANKIN INLET AIRPORT known as  "CYRT"...busy night and day

The airport is the main link in and out..I'll soon be using its facilities...but my patients have been. Medical evacuation is common...more common than I had ever realized. Whether it's a "hot" appendix, or another surgical intervention that requires emergency surgery, all the communities including ours (the largest medical facility in KIVALLIQ), rely upon the various regional medevac options. Sometimes, due to weather, or flight crews being unavailable or the planes and equipment already in use, the patient awaits transport. Sometimes mere hours turn into days. Last week we had a plane diverted, we swapped the patient ONBOARD for the one at the health centre, providing a temporary home, while our more "critical" was transferred to Winnipeg on that plane. A different plane came in later to finish the initial transfer...such are the ways here, winter and summer.

These "Honda's" are built for all kinds of weather, heavy duty tires, extra light for the dark times...and extra bins for gear.

In the summer months, the "honda's" are the main mode of transport out to the cabins and lakes, rivers and streams for camping, fishing and picnics.Whole families climb aboard...as many as six or seven..all balancing...and did I mention that seat belts are used sparingly.  They are tough here, live a tough life, conquer a tough climate and I have the greatest of admiration for the residents.

The best example I can give is the patient that arrived a few weeks ago...He was a shoulder that I had to xray from an injury sustained a few weeks earlier. The relevant clinical history stated: "Skidoo injury on the land. Comatik/sled landed on chest and body. Sustained head injury from the Comatik travelling at 40 k/hr. Large laceration to scalp bleeding and right eye closed shut. Patient complaining of pain in upper back on the right." 

Many 'Quads' are used sparingly in the winter..they're a warm weather machine

At home, after an ambulance ride to the local hospital, he might have ended up in ICU a day or two, and would have had, at the least, a CT of the head and chest. In Rankin Inlet a few weeks later, he had his shoulder xrayed...at his convenience...since he was out hunting. I've met "tough"a few times now...just another example.

Time for a career change....

My second full moon is soon here

It's a week before Easter and my return visit to Ranking Inlet, Nunavut Territory is soon coming to a close. When I started to review my blog and looked back, I couldn't help but notice how much has changed in just a few short weeks. After a couple of weeks I stopped wearing the face mask protector, except during the big blizzard...the extra hood has also been put away. For a week now I've worn a baseball cap to prove the point that in -30C temps...spring is here! Today, I didn't wear my snow pants.

I just returned from the Health Centre, the second time on a friday night and it wasn't even 9 p.m. Tonight's sunset was another blue sky, drop dead gorgeous red ball descent. On the way back "home" the moon was greater than half, shining brightly, glistening of the new snow that fell today.

There are more "CATS" here than in any Broadway production!

When I arrived here in early February, the new moon soon became a slit, finally full and is now a few days away from full. It will be the second time since I arrived. During that time we have had our 'share' of momentus events. The 3 night blizzard with winds approaching 140 km/hr and above was probably an event that ranks right up there. The cleanup took more than a week and from the heavy equipment used, mechanics here will be busy with spring maintenance...whenever that arrives. The new power poles and transformers on them performed as expected and no power outages were recorded to my knowledge during the "big blow".

It took almost 6 hours to clear the hotel parking lot.

 

Many drifts were above my head...and those were the small ones

Same drift...different angle...a few hours earlier

The best/worst story of the blizzard...and there were many...was my patient on the last day of the storm. He arrived with a sore shoulder. Hockey? I asked as he shook his head in denial..."Was walking yesterday to the store during the storm", he continued, and "I was following the big snow drift..walking on top....couldn't see only a couple of feet ahead." Then he came to the swath that had been cut across the drift..by the front end loader..so cars could travel the road. Gravity took over and down about 6 feet he fell. He could have been killed from the fall, found frozen the next day, but he went home with a sore shoulder so he wouldn't bother anyone during the storm.  

The rotating hydro blackouts last week added some drama to an already "fun" filled week. That was caused by one of the three generators going down...but it's now history. The frozen water mains, could not be predicted and according to a conversation at breakfast are happening all over town as the hamlet has expanded with new buildings,and the flows in the circulation of that system have changed. The other interesting fact from that talk was that this time of year, and in the next month, as the sun warms the surface of the ground it can drive the frost deeper...so they may be seeing more of Big Bertha, soon, around these streets.

The "Big Bertha" watermain defrosting team...working their magic !!

Five days after the big blizzard, the work to clear continued

While the infrastructure has improved and continues to do so, the new water supply line is now in place and will commence to bring fresh supply of water into town from miles away. The final approvals have been granted and crews are ready in the warm weather to begin that process, and should ensure a steady supply for the next 20 years or more.

Minerals will continue to be the focus as more mines come online. Logistics, being an important part of any change, are the main barrier. The lead time for heavy equipment arriving by sealift in the summer months takes almost 2 and a half years from approval to delivery. The landscape is dotted with "c" cans. These are remnants left from the delivery of goods, act a storage units and are well used for everything from wind blocks to garages. Actually it's SEA CANS...since they arrive by the sea and bring everything from autos to xray film.

There will be tankers arriving in the warmer months to reload the tank farm so that the community will be able to function during the next winter. Heating oil, diesel, aviation fuel and automobile gas are all fluids that need replentishment for the town to function...and they need to order for the entire year in advance. Snow machines, bombadiers, "Honda's", SUV's and trucks all will need to be brought into shore from delivery vessels, anchored just offshore. With 24 hours of daylight the work is continuous and contracts allow much bonus money to be made as deadlines are shortened in the already concise "nice" weather.

The tank farm "up the hill" just out of town.

There is an abundance of east coasters here. More "newfoundlanders" can be found here than in St. John's...not really but they are a large group. With so many around, I may have developed a slight newfie accent. The biggest change, though, is the constant replacement of contract health care workers. While more Inuit are now starting to fill key positions, the bulk of health care workers are imports. Many come for a 4-6 week contract and leave, vowing to return. One thing that has been more noticeable, this trip, is the number of Inuit who are starting to take those higher responsibility jobs. Many of the contract spots are nurses. With my time here coming to and end, I wanted to introduce you to some of the St. Catharines General connection.

Nurse Bette upon Graduation

For a time there were three former "General" employees working here at the Kivalliq Regional Health Centre and another from the former Hotel Dieu on Onatario Street. Linda, Bette and I all worked together for many years at the General Hospital in St. Catharines. Both of them worked ER, while I was in Xray. Linda and I actually attended our anatomy classes back then as the xray and nursing students took those classes together in the same lecture hall...the Leonard Classrooom. I just found out last night that our teacher, was the daughter of a "mover and shaker" of universal health care, Tommy Douglas.

Nurse Linda at Graduation

Years later, here in Rankin, we have been working to provide quality care. The graduating pictures from the class of 71 and 66 (sorry girls) show we have hardly changed. Of course my graduating class was much smaller and less formal. Linda and Bette have been here for many years...Linda has been the Nurse in Charge at the Health Centre working here for almost 15 years and Bette has been coming here for almost as any years as well but on a contract basis.  I'm the new one as this is my second "tour". 

Back in January 2008, I survived an eight day "canadian record breaking" blizzard and rotating blackouts. This time I have survived several blizzards (the longest 3 days), multiple days of rotating electrical blackouts AND frozen water supply distribution. I've survived at least 6 hockey tournaments of various ages and genders. Here, the days have more daylight than at home in Niagara...and the sun is stronger and brighter every day.

Semi-retired, I wondered if I would be able to survive the daily regimen for this length of time and surprisingly have enjoyed every minute. They tell me the fishing is good a few miles inland. Many lakes hardly ever get "touched"...but that's the summer and currently everything is a few feet under ice. It'll take a little while to thaw...perhaps it's time for a career change....what if I sold cameras? I may be getting out of town at a good time.

Another Friday...another Tourney...

Spring has been here for a week...the winds this morning are blowing from the SW at about 10-15 km/hr and it's a warm wind. The snow still crunches underfoot but it's softer today. A few minutes ago I looked out and the skies had grown cloudy and huge big flakes of snow were falling....Niagara Falls kind of flakes...the flakes, I'm more familiar with. They are easy to sweep away, are soft underfoot and build quickly...so we'll see what happens as today and tomorrow the weather indicates LIGHT SNOW.

When I pointed it out to the staff in the Medical Travel office here in the Health Centre, they told me they get this kind of snow in the spring. Yes, you heard correctly...we have a Medical Travel Department here at the Kivalliq Heath Centre based in Rankin Inlet. Tonight in fact, I'll be waiting around for one of my patients to arrive for their xray examination. They will be flying in for their xrays and then have a return flight pre-booked.

The Medical Travel office here at Kivalliq Health Centre, Rankin Inlet

The medical travel office arranges flights for people requiring medical services in other communities. Since I arrived, I've had patients fly in for their xrays and then fly back home....sometimes the same day and sometimes a few days later. I have also had patients fly out to Winnipeg, sometimes with escort and sometimes without, for treatment based upon their xray findings.When in Winnipeg, accommodations are arranged at the Inuit Centre, for food and lodging.

I will be staying late tonight. The reason is that the patient is arriving after 5. They have a flight out from Baker Lake in the afternoon, but it stops in Arviat before arriving here at 1720 this afternoon. The early flight today is a direct one from Baker Lake to Rankin. That would allow me to take her films during regular hours, but it was all booked up...no seats were available. The reason, I believe, is that here in Rankin Inlet this weekend...another hockey tournament is about to begin...also sponsored in part by Calm Air.

The Rankin Rock have two 2 teams this time!

This time, it's the Arctic Atoms hockey tournament and the gold medal game is on Sunday at 3:15 with awards and a pizza supper to follow in the community centre. It's a six team tourney with 2 teams from here in Rankin Inlet. The Rankin Rock 1 and the Rankin Rock 2 will square off against Coral Harbour and Arviat respectively starting at 6 p.m. tonight. Saturday, a full slate of games begin after breakfast at 10 a.m.

Baker Lake is the other community represented. However, there are some of the smaller hamlets that do not have enough players to field a full team. The group is known as TEAM KIVALLIQ after the region of Nunavut that we are located within. They represent the communities of Whale Cove, Chesterfield Inlet and Repulse Bay. I'm looking forward to seeing these 8-10 year olds playing at the hockey rink this weekend... probably because my skill level might match theirs...but that may be wishful thinking.

At coffee this morning the discussion was not just about the tournament but the exciting news that there may have been approval for a new expanded arena, to be built just in behind the health centre here.  Like communities everywhere, ice time is sacred. Even at -28 degrees, there is not enough of it available and this is especially true during some of the bigger tournaments we have seen during the past few weeks.

Of course, the changes that have happened since my last visit, are unbelievable, yet there is still room to improve the well-being of the residents. Currently, a survey is being circulated to try and determine need and assess what changes and recreation facilities should be considered for the future. The growth in population, especially the younger age groups, means change and diversification. Hockey is not the only sport in town...it just SEEMS like the only sport in town.

Soccer and Baseball are still activities that include many youth, but hockey tends to lead the way with both adults and kids alike. The swimming pool here was condemned a few years ago and needs to be replaced. If it happens, and there is competitive swimming against the other communities, I wouldn't bet against the team being a strong competitor....But, I just can't imagine a swim team known as the "Rankin Rock"s...That name....just wouldn't float!

Gearing Up...Winding Down

The main means of 'travel' freedom across the north

With only a few working days remaining in the xray department here in Rankin Inlet, its definitely time to start putting things in order to reduce those inevitable last minute challenges that we all face. While spring has been here on the calendar for almost a week and....
while our daylight now extends from well before 6:30 in the morning and...
while the sun is now setting at almost 8:00 p.m. in the evening...and...
while my return ticket says tuesday... it's probably a great time to put to rest some of the stories that may not have been completed in my journal.

First, I have not really commented on the weather of late. It's still winter outside in my mind.Yesterday the winds were blowing from the NNW at between 50-65 km/hr...When it's at your back, it moves you...yes, moves you along at a fairly quick pace. When it's in your face you actually struggle with each and every step to move forward, so you angle the direction you are walking, cut down on the direct force...and walk a little farther but with less effort overall. Oh, and the temps...they were -28C yesterday but with the wind chill, the estimate went to -46C. Another heatwave is scheduled here for for friday with temps suggested between -7 and -14..The winds are less strong this morning at 6 a.m. at 28kn/hr and and swung so they are from the WNW.

Two languages on most signs

Last saturday, while on my tour of Area 6, the newest housing development in Rankin Inlet, I was passed by a man on a snow machine. It was an older model, ran well, but had seen brighter days. The seat was torn and broken, the skis were a close match, but not exact. He stopped up ahead at the stop sign. Got off...and looked around. By this time my legs had caught up to him and I smiled and thought he was going to offer me a ride.

Instead, he explained his journey. He was on a search mission...looking for his new snow machine. He explained the colour, and that he had recently paid $11,700 for it and...less than 48 hours later, it had been stolen out of his backyard. Since there is no access to the south, the trucks, cars and SUV's  are safe and can be driven only on the roads in and around the hamlet. The snow chariots are a different matter.

This machine, given the current snow and ice conditions, could be easily ridden out of town....I expected he figured it was already in another community and he would never see it again. Except for the fact, that in this part of the country, there are more cousins, relatives and close friends separated only by the miles and the weather. Now picture...modern cell phones and internet. It's quite possible that his "inuit" network is already on the case and my hope, and his as well, is that it will be found.

Lots of new machines in town...this wasn't the object of his interest

The weather ahead is encouraging. Next week looks like sunny and bright the whole week...so barring equipment failures, it looks like we will be able to take off...but you'll be kept posted. Another weather related story concerns the major three-day blizzard from what seems like so long ago. On the friday before the storm hit on sunday, a 19 year old left Rankin Inlet and was to arrive the same night in Chesterfield Inlet. He left town alone...on a snow machine...and late on Monday, early tuesday, at the height of gale force winds and blowing snow, he was found.

In the middle of the storm, a group of elders had left town to search for him. They do that here. When someone is missing in these temperatures...your skills and some luck has to be with you or the results can be fatal. The group left town in an enclosed bombadier snow blowing all around. They travelled towards the route people here take when going to "Chester". Behind them they dragged a qamutik, the famous inuit sled....loaded with extra snow machines, gas, and equipment aboard. Hours later, with the storm still continuing, he was found...a few days late, but alive. His safe return, a tribute to the community, is a tradition of the Inuit in these climates.

Many of the people here have cabins, out on the land. These vary in size and shape, and the amenities therein. A common trait in these parts is the sharing as required. I remember on my adventure seven years ago, hearing that town people did not lock their doors. It happened to me when I went to visit someone I had met and ended up in the wrong kitchen...after my directions were written down backwards.  The reason the doors remain unlocked is to allow anyone needing shelter from weather or animals to get out of the situation and get inside to safety.

 So when this "old" teenager lost his way, he was smart enough to get "inside" the unlocked cabins. This is stressed on any of the published blizzard alerts and taught to the children at an early age. He followed some of the rules of the north, got out of the wind....which reduced his loss of body heat. His safe return, depended upon his knowledge, skill and experience. He was a survivor in a situation that sometimes has a more negative outcome.

People here don't lock their cabins...out on the land. The tradition is that if someone needs your assistance, you offer it. The same holds true for your possessions. They will take care of them and return them when finished. The tenant's responsibility is that the user keeps the place neat and leaves it safe for the next visitor, should it be necessary...and keeps it available in the event of an emergency shelter requirement.

Trust....it's something that still occurs here in the north....sometimes it works out and sometimes you just hope it will.

The Power Struggle

The adventure continues with another twist. I've put some other stories on hold for this one. While in the transient apartment of the past month, we had several days without running water. Many towns and villages have suffered with this problem, more so this winter than past years. The hamlet of Rankin Inlet, here in Nunavut, is not unique. On my sunday stroll out to Lake Williamson, I happened to be heading past the Northern and noticed Big Bertha once again working her magic trying to free up some of the frozen water supply in that area of town.

The  NORTH star

I stopped to talk with the man on duty at the trailer, and to thank him for their hard work and efforts to help the town become free flowing again. It was -26C, sunny but with a strong wind. Our conversation continued and he said they were getting good support from the town people...doing the same thing..stopping by and expressing their gratitude, which surprised me for a moment. These were people who couldn't wash clothes, shower or even flush without effort. On reflection, it's what the people in this place would really do. I think it must be a characteristic of the Inuit people...working together through adversity for a common good. It happens elsewhere, but is very common in life here.

In Niagara, there has been talk of some 65 homes and business affected in one of our cities  and solutions are slow at best and tapping into a neighbours supply seemed the ready answer when other fixes were not available. Here, in the far north, the cold temperatures can create havoc with deep frost getting into the ground before the successive layers of snow start the insulation process.

The solution to a frozen water supply is something I had not come across in my previous travels. At the least, if so, I have not been aware. The solution for this town (and I would imagine is very common  in the north), is to keep the water moving. Coming here from Niagara Falls, I understand the concept. Despite reports of the great cataract 'freezing' this year, it did not. The surface and mist formed beautiful facades, but the flow underneath continued unrestricted.

It's a similar situation here in Rankin Inlet. Any commercial building or large apartment must have sprinkler systems. These buildings have a supply line usually 4-6 inches and a return of around 2 inches. Circulation pumps keep the water flowing in those pipes, which is extremely helpful when there is no internal demand (at night). With the return lines active, this flow helps in keeping movement within the main town line running under the street.

But this beautiful clear sky morning we face another challenge. During the night my power went off. The smoke detector beeped twice just to let me know. It was around one in the the morning. I confirmed this by looking over at the clock radio, expecting it to be blinking...but got a blank stare instead...probably no battery backup. My wrist watch finally put the issue to rest. Looking north out the window, the north end of area 6 was dark. No TV images were dancing in windows, no street lights, and only the occasional vehicle was moving during the blackout.

The reward was looking and watching the most incredible display of galaxies and star systems, I have ever seen. While we were in the midst of our blizzard last week with overcast skies and blowing winds, 'southerners' had the ability to view one of the best displays of the northern lights in recent history. WE could not see a thing. One of my goals this trip, was to see the northern lights. Last night, while they weren't the cloud burst of colour that I was hoping for, the display was most beautiful and thoroughly breathtaking.

Immediately, I grabbed my miniature Maglite, from my shaving kit. Ever present, but seldom used, this is a great piece to carry and while I've used it sparingly over the years, it was most handy this time again. The camera, the tripod..then set them up. I covered the door frame so the light would not come under the door from the emergency lighting in the hallway and reflect off the glass. I took my time to try various settings...took a few photos for about an hour. I had scouted to see what areas were affected by this blackout and found it to be localized just outside my window and north towards the edge of town. This being the case, I fully expected the phone to ring, to call me back to the health centre.

A localized blackout usually means equipment failure...sometimes caused by someone running their vehicle into a power pole. The phone never rang and the power came back in about 45 minutes. As quickly as it had arrived to my retina, then my Nikon, the starry scene was invisible...lost amid the sodium vapor street lighting. A big screen flickered nearby. Wisps of steam could be seen, as furnaces and the heating of the local houses began again.

Mother nature had showered me with a personal light show. It made me think about the distances that light had travelled, the millions of years to reach my camera and my eyes. A vision that I could only see here in Nunavut, when the lights went out. A power struggle of epic proportions. Man versus nature. Don't ever bet against nature!

A dazzling display last night

Update: On entering the Health centre this a.m., I was informed that we were on rotating blackouts as one of the 3 generators in town was not operating. Hopefully, man wins out soon here!

  

Spring is here...can't you tell?

The sun is stronger when it sets, these days

There are signs of Spring everywhere in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut....you just have to look a little harder at -20C degrees, our high for today. The days are getting longer, with these amazing sunrises just before 7 in the morning. As well, the sun seems stronger, could just be the winds are tamer or not quite as cold. When I arrived, I wore a face mask for added protection. After the second week, as I seemed to get more accustomed to the weather here, it has remained in my coat pocket.

The kids here play outdoors...even at these temps

I still carry it...plus the extra hood, just in case the wind is in the wrong direction and I have to do a long walk. I've been surprized how far I'm able to walk...the snow has always been firm as it blows together and you can actually walk on these amazingly high drifts that I posted about yesterday. The only danger has been that before the last blizzard we had freezing rain and it has made the under crust a little more slippery.

There is a trick I've learned from the others. Here, one learns by adapting and observing. I noticed that it is much easier to walk in the paths of others...especially if the 'other' happened to be about ten or twenty runs of a snow machine that has broken the snow's crust and made your footing much softer. The drive tread chews up the crust and smooths the surface...and you just have to follow in between the lines...of the runners.

The Rankin Stars Women's team

Before the blizzard, a few large rocks were starting to show through the snow. Warmed by the increasing sun exposure, the snow had partially evaporated and melted...revealing the rocks and boulders below. The photos of the landscape here without snow are quite a different scenario. Summer in Rankin is unlike anything I think I could imagine. I may never see it, but that's OK. I never ever thought I would ever return in Winter, so who knows what the future brings.

The frost INSIDE the Arena

The windy side of the Arena

The next few days are starting to show a trend of warmth...still below freezing but definite change. The hockey season has started to wind down. Last weekend's AVATAQ CUP, followed the previous four weekends of tournaments...with many teams and supporters from our other communities. This tournament was sponsored by First Air and the finals were delayed last Sunday night after the blizzard had officially landed. 

Once both semis were completed, the officials delayed the final so that everyone could get safely back to their homes, billets, hotels. Their planes wouldn't be flying so 's there was no rush to make their seats and safety was paramount. Rankin Inlet Miners eventually won the silver, while Repulse Bay won the Gold for Men's...duplicating the feat of the Repulse Bay Women the weekend before. The Polar Plate, sponsored by competing Calm Air, for midget hockey went to Iqaluit's team in a final against Rankin...and before that there were younger teams playing that respective tournament.

The rinks are ready for the Zamboni

Inside the Door of the Arena, the exit the Zamboni takes to Williamson Lake Outdoor skating rinks

At the end of March, each year, the community benefits from an outdoor rink on Lake Williamson in the centre of town. The rinks have been cleared, another snow job this week, and I hope to find out what time the Zamboni leaves the arena and travels across the road to flood both rinks. I would like to snap a photo. One resident told me today the weather is not quite as bad (meaning the temp and the winds) so its time for the outdoor rink.  I thought this funny, remembering the icy coatings on the inside of the arena on my last visit.

One of the multiple displays in the Northern

 While there may be no tulips or daffodils trying to break through the snow here, there is definitely spring in the air...How can I tell with all these snow drifts so striking? All you have to do is visit the Northern store. Atop the freezers and coolers, above the meat counters and over the dairy shelves. The latest load of two wheelers have arrived and are displayed...in time for Easter and just in time for Spring.