THE FIRST WEEK

It’s my first Monday…the winds are blowing a constant 46 km/h and the temp is -34 Celsius (about

The sunrise before 8 a.m. with a clear sky on Wednesday

-29F). The sun has tried to rise this morning, just before 8, but the cloud cover has some thickening and refuses to let the light through without impairment. Across the frozen water, the snow/ice combination glistens as it reflects the light towards your eyes. The haze of the sunshine is quite beautiful against the blue tinges that the landscape portrays.

My week has started. Breakfast was a Jimmy Dean special …sausage and egg sandwiched between two small pancakes and was quite tasty along with juice, fruit cocktail and multiple coffees….wow, I just realized that I had a blueberry muffin as well. That should hold me until coffee at ten. The staff at the Health Centre, take their coffee at 10 and 3 unless our patients get in the way (LOL)...truly amazing how some things remain the same after all these years. That’s why Marie and I almost missed those delicious chocolate muffins on Friday.

I’m drinking a lot more coffee here and unlike when I’m at work in the store back at home...I’m drinking it hot. People have asked “How can you stand the cold?” Well, we do have heat indoors…and outside, you simply dress for it. This takes time, but if you are all bundled up you can go for a nice walk, even on the wildest days…you simply walk a shorter distance and try not to go directly into the wind. You take your time but you are definitely working up a sweat and burning up calories. I find when I get back home, here in Rankin Inlet, I have to change and let my clothes dry out. The layered look is definitely the way to go.

The beauty of the North on a sunny bright noon hour.

Even my boots, after the hockey game on Friday night, required the linings to be pulled and the inside of the boots needed to be dried out. As I pulled the one liner out, there, tucked neatly, between the liner and the outside rubber of one Sorel boot was my personal business card, one that I had laminated at home. The purpose of which, was to identify me in the rare instance that something should happen to me and I would be found later “out on the land”. This is the north….you just have to be prepared. My years of sailing have taught me well. Take nothing for granted…Mother Nature does not forgive.

On Sunday, I went out for a jaunt. It was a balmy -24C here while at home in Niagara Falls it was

Sun starting to set about 4:00

–21C on my backyard weather station. I took just a quick trip to the Northern to get some items that I had not listed for my Friday shopping blitz after work. I will post some photos of some of the goods and their costs at a later time. I try not to seem shocked at the prices but there is no getting around the costs and unavailability that the north imposes. I try to take some photos discretely. I’m very conscious of my role here and want to establish a good working relationship with the staff here at the Centre & with the community. I met two of the GRC-RCMP officers and introduced myself, knowing full-well our paths will cross in the near future.

The Polar Bear and North Star logo of the Territory

At the hockey game on Friday night, there were 20-30 people in attendance. It had been quite exciting as it was senior men’s playoffs, game 3 of the best of 5 series…the next game was Sunday ( I had completely forgotten about it so I can’t tell when the finals will be starting). As I was enjoying a warm hot chocolate, between the second and third periods, a lady approached and asked if I was enjoying the game. She recognized me (but I not her) and told me about the huge tournament this coming weekend. 

She went on to explain that her husband would be doing the announcing this weekend. It's the Polar
Plate tourney of 14-20 year olds with full body contact…all trying to impress…scouts, families and their girlfriends…and I’m on call. There'll be 8 teams from all across Kivalliq region in for the games here at our arena. Due to the possibility of bad weather, several teams flew in last night...2 teams are from Rankin Inlet as we have the largest population. The other six communities registered are Chesterfield Inlet, Arviat, Repulse Bay, Whale Cove, Iqualuit, and possibly Baker Lake, Coral Harbour or Cambridge Bay.

Quite a logistical nightmare with food, shelter and the like…apparently the small communities fund raise to offset costs. Billeting occurs with cousins, friends and the like. There’s another tournament here starting March 11 and finishing up on the 20^th. I’ll bet Marie has booked me for call that week as well (LOL).

For these two tournaments, there won’t be any coverage for you to watch, I’m afraid. But rest assured some of those players will soon be in other leagues across Canada…hockey is that strong here. I’ve seen them playing on the snow covered roads and in our rink.

Intense action in Third Period on last Friday Men's Senior Semi-Finals and yes that is 1/2"of frost on all the glass at that end

On Friday, when I was introduced to many of the Inuk staff, the second question out of their mouths

was “Leaf fan or Canadiens”? It was ironic then, that the casual conversations later in the day were about the upcoming LEAF vs. HAB game this past Saturday night. A match made in Arctic heaven, as it were. For, in Rankin Inlet, it seems that there are only two teams in the entire NHL…and they are both CANADIAN, eh?

Next up: 30 DAYS