The Cold & The Beautiful

Coming home...

Remnants from the winter of 2014-15 April 1st

That mere thought drives people. It rekindles relationships and is a focus for the many, who are away. I am no exception. During the past 2 weeks, since I arrived back in Niagara, I've had a number of people checking up on me...online, in person, by phone and at the store. It's been quite interesting. I've been quoting the current days temperature (anywhere from -32C  to -8 )...along with "I'm thawing nicely, thank you".

Niagara's temperature have been quite balmy from what I was used to for 7 weeks, and when I arrived home I still had remnants of our local February and March drifts in the shade of my backyard. Those have since evaporated and a dried brown grass covering remains that, in the next few weeks, will return to its glorious green and need a cutting soon, thereafter.

After the big blizzard,  the hard packed snow drifts were everywhere

There's always an adjustment period after an adventure. A time when you return to some comforts...the things you've been accustomed to. I've always said the best thing about world travel is the return to Canada and an appreciation of the special life we lead here, especially in Niagara. The fact we have seemingly unlimited and unrestricted drinking, bathing and fresh water that surrounds this peninsula, is lost only those who take it for granted.

While visiting most parts of Canada, you tend to appreciate the vistas that are usually attached to vast quantities of oceans, lakes and rivers. Over the years, My wife and I have been blessed to be able to travel quite extensively. Our travels inside this massive country have been primarily Ontario, Quebec and east coast with a couple of short excursions in Vancouver. To date, we have not visited the Yukon and North West Territories, nor Alberta and Saskatchewan. That, I hope will change within the year.

The dogs enjoy fresh snow...just like everywhere else

This week I've had some time to reflect on the "Rearctic Tour" of 2015. What I've gained from the experience, cannot be measured easily. First, and I think the most important, is a further appreciation of the vastness of this country...It's the size...and the history of its exploration. When you really sit down and think about what those early explorers had to endure, to even map these lands, I can't help but feel in awe. Couple that with their means of transport and the navigational tools of their day, it is amazing that we know so much...or do we really?

The hardships that people endure in  their day to day life, is probably the second most amazing thing learned. For centuries, the 'people of the north' have lived in one of the harshest of climates on the earth. Their winters are not only three months as designated on a calendar. Their summers are a stark contrast and I dream to visit during those times at some point in the future to appreciate the difference.

Modern conveniences coupled with traditional ways, allow the dweller's in the Arctic to live a longer life, which in itself can increase problems. While nursing homes and extended assisted living are difficult to find and expensive here in the south, it seems simply non-existent in most of the northern settlements. Family still look after family. Promises of better care and more focused care, like everywhere, are dollar dependent and the "Elders" remain on the sidelines with their needs.

The vista looking out over the frozen bay.

The north is no different than the south, except the people. They are interested but skeptical of strangers...with good reason...given their history. They are sharing. They are knowledgeable. They are eager to teach and want to learn more. They are quick to offer advice and help. Those are the qualities of the many Inuit that I had the good fortune of meeting....and it rubs off on those who visit, those who stay for a while, and those who settle there.

The sun rises, a new day and a young territory 

In Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Territory, Canada there are problems like everywhere else. Solutions are slow, expensive, and sometimes not available, just like the rest of our nation. But there, the people
are the difference. I call it "the warmth of the people". 

You dress for the weather!

It took seven years for me to be able to return to the land 'up north'. The experience, the learning, the sharing, the camaraderie, the highs and lows proved....LIFE ENDURES and PEOPLE ADAPT. A few have asked, how I was able to cope while in the Arctic for seven weeks. We encountered three blizzards (one for three nights), bitter cold temperatures and high winds, rotating power outages, water disruptions, closures of services and countless other hurdles.

How did we survive? In one word... the "people". If you ever travel north, be adaptable and ready for change at every instance. It's the "way of the north" and describes the crazy things that you can experience on your journey. Through it all, we survived...and people remain...and they too survive. 

I've returned to Niagara, but I can still see those vistas in my mind (and some photos). I have the memories that this blog has documented along the way which lead me back to the title of this edition, "The Cold & The Beautiful".  To survive the Arctic, there are two things you must know.

 "The people are the warmth...you dress for the weather".

 Thank you, Rankin Inlet!!!!

The sun sets after seven weeks.... after 7 years!

CALM AIR, WINDY SKIES ... continues

Announcing RANKIN INLET AIRPORT in 3 official languages

It was 1045. I had arrived to a large crowd in the waiting area of Rankin Inlet Airport. In front of the CALM AIR counter, ahead of me were three customers...with hockey gear, heading back home, I think to Repulse Bay but maybe Whale Cove. They had been knocked out in the Bronze medal game at the weekend Atom tournament. I asked if they had a good tournament and both boys agreed.

I was next. The counter rep. greeted me, smiled and said we were delayed but offered nothing further except to say the plane was on its way. This time check in was much faster and smoother than Toronto's experience. In my hands, I had my flight info from the travel desk, got my boarding pass....which said the flight was at 11:30 (not gonna happen). No seat assignment but now it was time for the weigh in. Now down to two bags, (well I did have two helicopters to bring home), the first came in at 34. The second at 47...no overweight charges this time. Only the extra bag charge of $50 from Air Canada for the second bag. This was good.

Rankin Inlet airport terminal

Then she asked about my carry on. I said I have one plus my 'personal' bag, which carried my camera and a flash. She said we needed to weigh the carry on so they would know cargo weight. I struggled to make it appear light but the scales revealed 24...she said "that's over the allowable carry on weight".

After the big blizzard there was a single lane swath into the airport

Would I have excess baggage charges? What would I do with all this camera gear? She just said "I'll make an exception but they may have to stow it in the rear of the plane if it doesn't fit under the seat. That was it! I quietly breathed a sigh of relief. My luggage was checked, my hand luggage approved and tagged, now we needed the plane. The sun shone brightly and as is was almost midday, I left my carry ons amid the crowd and headed back out the front door of the terminal.

Two weeks ago, after the blizzard, I had visited the airport after hearing about the huge drifts that had formed at the terminal entrance gate. They were huge 12-14 feet in height with a single lane path cut through providing access to the airport. In those two weeks all evidence of the big storm was gone. I knew it had not melted but that the front end loaders had been busy moving and clearing. I moved another 500 yards down the road to the entrance at the road.

Welcome to RANKIN INLET at the airport exit....tradition of Old & New

There sits a "Welcome to Rankin Inlet" sign. It features a home town hero of sorts. Actually he's been a hometown favourite since he played in Halifax, in the Junior Hockey Tournament at Christmas in January 2003. Currently, on the roster of the New Jersey Devils, he returns to Rankin for at least one trip a year and spends some time returning to "the land" to re-establish his roots and spend some time with his dad, Barney.

My ATR just parking after arriving from Churchill

Barney signed my flag again this time. The second week in Rankin Inlet, I was invited over but never made it. Last trip I spent some time at the Tootoo house. While Rose played bingo on the radio, Barney had showed me the boy's trophy room. Hanging from the ceiling were two large canadian flags signed by everyone in Rankin Inlet and sent to Jordan for the 2003 Halifax tournament showing the support of the hamlet. From this, I thought what a great idea.

So, last trip seven years ago, I had everyone at the health centre sign a large Nunavut flag. When I arrived this time, they didn't really remember me initially, since I had been there but a month and people rotate in and out all the time. Their memories became sharper once they saw the flag and they looked for their names on that Nunavut flag. This trip I had no problem getting them to sign a larger Ontario flag, which many had never seen.

Welcome aboard...the next 7 steps to home

I got some shots of the welcome sign, then returned to the airport to find people starting to move. Had I missed the announcement? Yes, but not my flight as of yet! The yellow school bus arrived and the passengers filed out Gate 2 into the bus to be driven across the windy tarmac to the waiting ATR in the distance.. Ten minutes later, that plane was gone and another was loading...still not mine. It was well after 1220 and no plane had arrived yet from Churchill...That was soon to change but not before the next ATR was loaded and on its way to Whale Cove, again after everyone had lined up and exited Gate 2.

A landing at 1230 meant we still had a three hour trip ahead to Winnipeg, after the dual prop was gassed, loaded and ready to go. The clock was ticking, would I make my flight to Pearson? Would Air Canada be friend or foe? The overhead was garbled but enough sound to hear "loading"...and "Winnipeg"... I was ready and standing near Gate 2...It was our time!

Starboard engine on the ATR

In a few short minutes, the boarding passes were double checked with the passenger list by that same counter rep. and we made our way through the gusting winds, across the bare tarmac with a bit of swirling snow...and moved the 50 yards to the rear staircase where I climbed the final 7 steps into the fuselage.

The grey leather seats, were chilly, as was the entire aircraft. Odd, I thought since had only been n the ground for thirty minutes or so but the back hatch had been open and the cold air had been blowing inside. Once we were loaded and the hatch secure, the inside started to warm, as the engines sprung to life....It was 1315 and we were moving down the runway, soon aloft and viewing Rankin Inlet from the air as we circled and redirected south to Winnipeg.

The view from the sky enhanced to show the formations in the Snow and Ice on the Land

 My only problem, I was on the wrong side. Those on port had the great view, I was on starboard and saw the sky! Once we flattened out, I saw some great ice and snow formations on Hudson Bay as we winged south. An overhead announcement...beverage service would be followed by lunch! I decided on a Coor's Light...my sixth beer in seven weeks... My lunch arrived...arctic lasagna with fruit salad...fresh watermelon and a date square to finish. I decided to make it 7 for 7 instead. At 5 bucks each...cash sale, the best value at 24,000 feet in all of Nunavut! 

Farewell to Rankin Inlet YRT

During the flight, the attendant, explained the reason for the tardiness...on the way from Winnipeg to Churchill and then to Rankin Inlet, the aircraft had been buffeted by headwinds approaching 240 knots. No wonder they were late. Hearing that I was surprized that they had made it at all. The good news...as we neared Winnipeg...those same headwinds, for us, were tailwinds and we had made up almost a half hour.

Cargo stowed at the back of the ATR

During the last hour of the flight, there were three on board that notified the flight attendant of connecting flights, mine was the latest at 1655. The others were at 1600 or thereabouts. It might be tight for us, but we were determined and had Calm Air on our side! As the flight attendant cleared the cabin of the remnants of lunch, she told us three that she would make an announcement as we arrived at the terminal asking cooperation from those aboard to remain seated while 3 on board left to make connections.

As I have now become accustomed to, cooperation with authority remains a tradition of the north...as many on board had been through the same situation at one time or another, and true to form, remained seated while us three dashed off. No one moved as we made our way out the rear cabin door, down the steps and then were advised by ground crew to the closest entrance to the terminal.

Transitioning to more ice...less snow

I had been previously advised by our Calm Air attendant, to head to the baggage hall, go and check in at the Air Canada kiosk, get my baggage tags and boarding pass, then return to the luggage hall to grab my bags as they arrived on the carousel. The events couldn't have been "swiss timed" more accurately. Returning to the hall, my two bags were just coming onto the stainless steel belt. I grabbed them, placed them on a cart and proceeded to find the elevator to the departures level.

Back to trees and visible vegetation

At the Air Canada check in area, I was directed to the next available wicket, which took only a few moments to finalize. My new luggage tags were applied as the old ones had been immediately removed in the baggage hall. I put the newly checked bags on the belt and hoped we would all arrive in Toronto together. A quick, uneventful trip through security this time, allowed some time for a quick Tim's decaf...my first in seven weeks...It had been high test til then, but I was back south and time to return to my old routines. With thirty minutes to spare, I was checked, secured, and sitting and sipping at my new gate, anticipating a two hour trip to YYZ. Did the other guys make their Westjet connection...we can only hope!

     

Calm Air, Windy Skies

The Winnipeg Jet that stayed "home" on Tuesday.

I think I have suceeded in experiencing the north this time

I took a trip on Tuesday. That was the day I was scheduled to travel south, back to my more "normal" life. It had been seven weeks since I left my wife, snow piled high on both sides of the driveway, -15 to -20 degree days, the 11th of February. It had been seven weeks of colder temps, stronger winds and wonderful experiences.Well, let's say northern experiences, not all good but every one interesting just the same.

I had two flights scheduled, and was to leave mid-morning on the first. A four hour layover in Winnipeg ( I already knew where the Tim's was now in the airport, having been there twice already.) I was flying with CALM AIR on their new jet out of YRT (Rankin Inlet). Being a regional carrier, they don't have that arrangement with my second carrier of the day, AIR CANADA.  That's the arrangement where you can check your luggage straight on to your destination (which was to be Pearson's YYZ).

My itinerary left me ample time. A two hour flight to Winnipeg, sufficient time to collect my bags, head over to the Air Canada people on the new departures level in Winnipeg airport, check, in and get organized for that 1655 flight. Two hours later, I would be in Pearson and a couple of hours after that, home in Niagara. All seemed so simple, straight forward and workable.

This second trip to Canada's Arctic reinforced what I had learned first time around. Be prepared for change, no matter where, no matter when. The changes were about to begin.

On the way to Churchill...Calm Air 535

As I arose Tuesday morning, after having breakfast, I was watching another beautiful sunrise and said to myself and the others present..."this is going to be one beautiful day to fly". There were a few sparse clouds but the sun glistened brightly off the snow and ice out in the bay, and by 7:30 was higher in the sky than at any other time in my journey. I packed my bags and headed back across the street for my final visit to the Kivalliq Health Centre to say my last goodbyes.

In my knapsack, I carried my Ontario Flag, signed by the medical staff as they rotated in and out...and signed by those I had worked with at the health centre for the entire time. I managed to get two more signatures, from staff who had been away and were finally back. There wasn't much clear space left to sign.

Calm Air 535 finally on the way from Churchill

As I unpacked, defrocked and debooted, I signed into my Government of Nunavut account. No special notes of goodbye from them....Iqaluit was miles away across a frozen bay. I signed onto flightaware.com to check my travel status and see what time I must arrange transport to the airport for my first flight.

A closer look at my flight number and plane info showed that the jet had been replaced today by the ATR, a slower two engine prop plane. The plane was coming from Winnipeg via Churchill to Rankin Inlet. My departure time was now 11:30 and even though there would be a longer flight due to a slower speed vehicle, I still had adequate time for the layover challenges.

The Calm Air ATR arriving from one of our sister communities

Since, I didn't have to get to the airport until 1030, now I had time to help Marie with the patients that had arrived. I did the darkroom while she did the xrays. We worked our magic as I tracked, in realtime, the flight from Winnipeg to Churchill noticing that the arrival time kept getting pushed back. From Churchill it still had to travel to Rankin Inlet.

It was ten o'clock and my tracking system said that it was still on the ground in Churchill. It was ten fifteen, and same status, when I called the airline desk at YRT. She calmly explained that the flight had completed loading was just ready to take off  in Churchill and the new departure was now 12:00. Be there by 11.

I said my final goodbyes, dressed for the weather, no snow pants, no face mask, no extra hood...I had become acclimated to -24 weather. I contacted the health centre driver who met me at the hotel a few mintues later and we were loaded and off to the airport. It was 1035.

With no transient apartments available, I stayed at the Katimivak

I thanked both Cyrus and Kane, the new driver, for their assistance while in Rankin Inlet. Cyrus had originally picked me up at the airport on a snowy February 12th and had helped me move my stuff to the transient apartment once it became available. I called him my camel... explaining that he had carried the heavy stuff...and that he was the only camel I knew without humps on back, who spoke english and inuktitut. Kane was the new guy, learning the ropes, and this was my second move with him, from the apartment back to the hotel for my extended time and now to the airport.

UP NEXT:  CALM AIR, WINDY SKIES continues.....

Victor's Playground

In Winter the kids play outside, -24 plus wind chill, the drifts make great slides

When I arrived in Rankin Inlet, on February 12th, the weather was -23 in Winnipeg.. and a little colder here with a higher windchill due to the stronger winds. On Monday this week, the temperature in Rankin Inlet at noon was -28 and the windchill brought it to -44C.  In almost 7 weeks the weather hasn't changed much...but wait, it has.

The days are now 2 and a half hours longer....the sun rising at 6:30 in the a.m. and setting around around 8...but the sun is so much stronger every day.  It's the wind here that seems to keep the temps so low.

The sign announcing "VICTOR'S PLAYGROUND"

VICTOR'S PLAYGROUND

Moving through "old town" the first time on a saturday morning, a sunny bright day with those unbelievably blue skies, I happened across a snowy playground with a sign. It said "Welcome to Victor's Playground" and nothing more. It took several weeks with everything else being so new or so different, that I didn't think too much more about it until almost my last week.

You could recognize the ladder and a slide under the white stuff. There looked like teeter tooters as well. A few other pieces of equipment and at the time wondered what was there. It was surrounded by a group of houses sort of in a 'cul de sac' arrangement. The park was along the roadside, the housing was surrounding. The blue sign stood proudly proclaiming Victor's playground.

It was not the only play ground area that I recognized while in Rankin. In the new section of town (Area 6), the one where there seems to have been the most residential development, I could see a playground in behind some houses, on a raised section. It was visible from the window at the end of the hall where I was resident. That one had no sign.

A rare sight...a "lost" mitten

Awaiting warmer temps

After going through some of my photos to try and figure out what I had missed getting recorded digitally, I came across those two saturday photos...and it was time to figure who Victor was and why the playground named in his honour. I had lots of ideas but no foundation...perhaps someone young who had succumbed to a dreaded disease or someone honoured by the hamlet for their humanitarian works.

Another coffee break in the staff lounge, with no tuktu and no muktuk on the table to increase conversation, I asked another question. (I'm sure that the coffee breaks at the Kivalliq Health Centre have returned to their normalcy since this question man has left town). Today's question concerned the playground and who Victor was.

The staff there told me I probably have seen Victor around town . He's a big framed guy in town. He's in his mid twenties apparently, and spent hours as a child in the play area. He's popular with the younger kids and looks after them when they are playing there. Pushing them higher and farther in the swings, as we all liked to do as children, Victor spends countless hours.

Growing up, he enjoyed the area and loved to play there. In the summer months, this hamlet has almost continuous daylight. It gets twilight for a few short hours around 1 a.m. but is bright again between three and four in the morning. It would be good for those enjoying an early golf game, but it wrecks havoc with sleeping patterns for both adults and children. Blackout curtains were on the bedroom windows of my transient apartment for those reasons.

You can't say "come home when the sun sets" or you'd never see your kids. In the midst of all this, the playground is used extensively in the warmer weather. And Victor is there. A gentle hand helping those who need it and "being there" for everyone else.

You see, Victor is special. He's a special needs kid, who grew up at the playground. That's why its been named after him. I'm sure he is protective of it, nurtures it and cares for those in need. I never met Victor in person while in Rankin Inlet. Perhaps, another day, we may.

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.