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.....