The First Half of September

The month of September began with the appearance of snow.  The town was coated in a thin layer of white on Sunday, September 1st, a sight I wasn't expecting to see.  Prior to this, the Arctic snow only blanketed the surrounding mountains.  While walking to and from school after a long day of planning lessons & correcting work, I snapped several photos of the snow covered town.  The snow had melted by the next day.  Mother Nature was most likely giving the residents of Arctic Bay a sample of what was to come in the following months.           

            

The first school day of September was a day of strong cold winds.  I don't remember the velocity but they were fierce enough to warrant the wearing of many layers of winter clothing.  Out in the bay, a Canadian Coast Guard Ship that looked similar to the CCGS Des Groseilliers rocked in the frigid Arctic water. 

            

On Saturday, September 7, residents of Arctic Bay participated in a Walk/Run for Diabetes, organized by the Northern Store and the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA).  Diabetes is a chronic and sometimes fatal disease where the body doesn't produce enough insulin or improperly uses the insulin it produces.  This can lead to high levels of glucose in the blood, damaging organs, nerves, and blood vessels.  There are 4 types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, Gestational, and Prediabetes.  Currently there are 9 million Canadians living with diabetes.  The event was organized to raise money to find a cure for the disease and to promote a healthy lifestyle.  Participants could either run or walk a 2.5 or 5-kilometre distance.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to participate.  The event drew around 30 participants, some of who were Inuujaq School students, and a generous amount of money was raised.  

            

CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent

The town welcomed yet another Canadian Coast Guard Ship on September 8.  The CCGS Louis St. Laurent is one of two heavy icebreakers in the coast guard fleet and is Canada's largest multi-mission icebreaker.  The 119.6-metre vessel, based in St. John's Newfoundland, was built in 1969, and is operated by a crew of 42.  The St. Laurent travels to the Arctic during the summer months to assist in the annual sealift and also participates in scientific expeditions.  It was one of the first surface vessels to reach the North Pole on August 22, 1994.  Unfortunately, no tours were offered and the ship left the next day.  The St. Laurent was originally scheduled to be decommissioned in 2000 but a refit extended the ship's life to 2017.  At that time, a newly constructed replacement vessel, the John G. Diefenbaker, will come into service.

            

Lt. Frank May, CO of 3045, explains the cadet program to parents.

On the evening of September 11th, 3045 Army Cadet Corps was hosting a recruitment night at Inuujaq School.  The regular training year had just started and the corps administration was already enticing parents to enroll their children in an exciting Canada-wide youth program.  Since the commanding officer (CO) was expecting a large group of parents, the meeting was held in my classroom.  After the CO's detailed speech about the cadet program and how everything works, interested parents were asked to fill out the necessary forms.  At the end of the night, I believe five new recruits were signed up.

            

On a somber note, it is hard to believe that 12 years have passed since the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York City & Washington D.C.  So much has happened since then and yet, I can still remember where I was on that day.  Several of my students were also able to recall where they were.  The mastermind behind the deadly attacks has been dead for two years but I'm not sure if the world is any safer. 

            

On September 12th, the large oil tanker Havelstern dropped anchor in Arctic Bay to refill the five oil tanks at the town's 'Gas Station'.  The vessel is operated by Coastal Shipping Limited, a division of Woodward Group of Companies.  A long & robust tube was used to transfer the oil and gas to the large tanks.  There is enough oil and gas in the tanks to satisfy demand for a year.

            

My Grade 10 Social Studies students continued working through the Canadian Identity unit, learning new terms such as multiculturalism, bilingualism, regionalism and alienation.  We also touched on Canadian/American relations and how Americans view Canadians.  Despite the advances in media & technology, I still find that the further south you travel in the United States, the less people know about Canada.

            

My Grade 11 Social Studies students finished the section on the French Revolution and its lasting impact on the world.  They all did fairly well on the review test.  We started the last section of the Nationalism unit: Nationalism & Conflict.  This section examines German nationalism in the late 1800s, the causes of the First World War, and the war itself.  My students would learn the basics of imperialism, propaganda, economic rivalries, and the nature of trench warfare.  To bring the course material 'closer to home', I also prepared topics that dealt with Canada's involvement in the First World War, at home and on the battlefields (ie. Ypres, Somme).

            

September 1, 2013

In Grade 12 Social Studies, my students studied the topic of individualism, what it means, and how it affects people and society.  There are advantages and disadvantages to individualism, too many for me to list in this post.  To get a better understanding of the word, they also briefly learned about collectivism, the opposite of individualism.  I didn't give away too much because collectivism is the topic of the next section.

            

My drummers are getting more and more coordinated and disciplined with every passing day.  Their volume control on the actual drums is getting better but the loud rhythmic sounds still attract curious onlookers from the hallway.  For new material, we looked at a list of intermediate level drum rudiments, a warm up I wrote when I was teaching in Iqaluit, and a collection of stick visuals and tricks.  Of course, we reviewed the exercises and rudiments they previously learned.  Repetition, no matter how boring it may become, is essential in maintaining a disciplined and well rehearsed drum line.  I also began researching pieces that would be well suited for my drummers to perform in front of an audience.  I would like my drummers to publicly perform at least twice this semester; on Halloween and at the Christmas concert. 

King George V Mountain. September 9, 2013.

             

Garbage Cleanup

The cadets of 3045 Army, Canada's most northern army cadet corps, spent the last day of August cleaning up the shoreline behind Arctic Bay Airport.  The responsible endeavour would beautify an area that serves as a nesting and feeding area for birds.  As well, the participating cadets would accumulate community service hours.  Cadets are required to complete a certain amount of community service hours every year.  The corps does a cleanup of some kind every year before the first snowfall of winter.         

            

The shoreline behind the airport was chosen because it is the final resting place for various items that were left out on the frozen ice during the winter months.  When the ice in the bay melts, the current carries the objects towards the airport and washes them up on the shoreline.  I had been told that after several years, a substantial amount of garbage had accumulated and something had to be done.  Send in the cadets!

            

Saturday, August 31st, began with breakfast at the Commanding Officer's (CO) residence.  For breakfast, Irene, the mental health nurse, prepared egg 'McMuffins' with bacon and sliced cheese.  For beverages, there was apple juice and orange juice.  Everything was devoured within minutes.  After a quick briefing by the CO, the cadets put on their jackets & boots and jumped into the backs of two pickup trucks, eager to enjoy the rides to the airport.  I decided to ride in the back with the cadets while other adult volunteers rode shotgun.  Two ATVs with loading trailers were also brought along to assist in transporting the collected garbage to the town's landfill.

            

Before arriving at the town's airport, the convoy of trucks and ATVs made a brief stop at a small shed at the town's Gas Station.  The shed is used to store equipment, tools, and other supplies owned by the corps.  Forming a chain, the cadets loaded garbage bags, gloves, Individual Meal Packages (IMPs), and a white tent onto the pickup trucks.  As we drove onwards, I took photos of the town behind us and the surrounding landscape.  The sky was covered with grey overcast clouds and there was a cold wind.  Snapping steady pictures proved to be a challenge because the truck was constantly bouncing up and down.     

            

Upon arrival at the airport, everyone disembarked and walked around the left side of the terminal.  Since there were no morning flights scheduled, the place appeared deserted.  At the foot of runway, the ground turned to mud.  Several cadets who weren't wearing rubber boots hopped into a loading trailer attached to an ATV and were driven to the shoreline.  I chose to navigate my way through the mud with my heavy winter boots.  Thankfully, no water leaked inside. 

            

The land in this area is dominated by rocks of various sizes, but there is also a variety of colourful flora. The colours one can find are: red, brown, orange, beige, and green.  Upon reaching the shoreline, you get breathtaking 360-degree views of Arctic Bay, the red vertical cliffs, the pyramid looking mountain, King George V Mountain, and the seaway entrance to Admiralty Inlet.  After capturing all these natural landmarks with my digital camera, I turned my attention to the obvious sights that couldn't be ignored: garbage.  A substantial amount of litter was strewn across the shoreline.  Not for long, I thought.            

Before getting to work, the cadets were briefed on what to pick up and what to leave on the ground.  Garbage bags, wood, and metal objects would be stacked in separate piles.  They were also instructed on how far they could venture away from the staging area to pick up trash.  The cadets were divided into two groups and started at opposite ends of the designated area, armed with garbage bags and gloves.  An ATV with a loading trailer was also assigned to each group.  When the trailer was full, the adult volunteer would drive over to the landfill and dump all the garbage.  The large pieces of wood would stay behind and be used for a cadet bonfire later in the year.  While the cadets walked over to their areas, I assisted in the pitching of a white tent that would serve as a temporary kitchen, and as a shelter in case the weather turned sour.  Ropes and heavy rocks were used to secure the tent in place. 

            

Wearing garden gloves and carrying a yellow garbage bag, I started picking up all the various pieces of garbage on the ground. I was surprised by what I found.  There were chips bags, large plastic wrapping sheets, torn garbage bags, various items of clothing, shoes, toys, a rubber tire, two motor oil bottles (still full), and a working soccer ball.  The pieces of wood were from sealift crates and qamutiks.  I was surprised to see a small broken boat.  In the distance, I could see rusted oil drums being loaded onto the ATV trailers.

            

We had a short but well deserved hot chocolate break.  The hot water was prepared in a steel pot on a Coleman stove. 

            

The Road to Victor Bay.

Everyone continued with the cleanup and the shoreline looked more and more natural.  By the time lunch rolled around, I had filled five garbage bags on my own, and there was enough collected wood to have a bonfire for several days.  While lunch was being prepared, the cadets played with the soccer ball I had found. 

            

A portion of the amount of garbage and wood that had been collected.

Cadets eating 'delicious' IMPs.

Lunch consisted of IMPs, the Canadian version of America's Meals Ready to Eat (MREs).  Depending on who you talk to, IMPs are either loved or hated.  When I was an army cadet, I preferred IMPs to mess food.  A Coleman stove is required to cook the main course which is enclosed in an aluminum bag.  I forget what the selections were but I remember my meal was beef & vegetables.  Before the IMPs were served, all matches were removed from the bags - we can't have kids playing with matches.  While eating their main meals, the cadets traded the other goodies in the IMP bags.  The adults and I reminded the cadets of the golden rule of IMPs: don't throw away your spoon.  You never know when you may need it for hot chocolate or juice.

            

The Cliffs.

By the time lunch concluded, it was time to call it a day.  The shoreline looked pristine compared to when we first arrived.  Everyone posed for a corps photo in front of the piles of garbage and wood.  The remaining garbage bags were be dropped off at the landfill while the discarded pieces of wood, and a round wooden table were left behind.  The bonfire event in October would be big.  The white tent was taken down and packed onto one of the ATV loaders.            

The Wood Pile.

To avoid the mud patch along the way, the cadets who weren't wearing boots were given a ride back to the airport's parking lot.  The remaining cadets and I walked back.  Everyone posed for one more group photo before climbing into the back of the two red pickup trucks.  We were driven to the CO's house where Irene had prepared hot chocolate for the cadets and adult staff.  I chose to forgo the option because I had work to correct and lessons to prepare for Monday.  In the end, it was a day well spent.  The residents of Arctic Bay were grateful that the cadets took time out of their Saturday to tidy up the area behind the airport.  

Week of NTI

Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) legally represents all Inuit in the territory of Nunavut for the purposes of native treaty rights and treaty negotiations.  The organization is one of the four regional members of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and is the successor of the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut.  The Federation was a signatory of the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA), the document that led to the creation of Canada's largest territory on April 1, 1999.  NTI "ensures that promises made under the [NLCA] are carried out," by the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut.  NTI is organized into 10 departments: Lands & Resources, Wildlife, Claim Implementation, Human Resources, Business & Economic Development, Communications, Legal Services, Finance, Administration, and Social & Cultural Development.

            

Anna Desgagnes, anchored in Arctic
Bay. August 27.

During the week of the sealift, NTI and its board of directors had come to town for a meeting.  Its purpose was to discuss the progress NTI has made since its last meeting and listen to the concerns and questions of local residents.  Coming to Arctic Bay also gave NTI's executive members the chance to connect with its supporters and to maintain a presence.  The three-day meeting took place at the Community Hall from August 27-29.  Since the topics to be discussed and debated dealt with social issues, I decided to take my Grade 12 Social Studies class to the afternoon meeting on the 27th.  It would give them a real-life example of what responsible and concerned citizens do to better the world around them. 

            

The Community Hall was turned into a large meeting room.  The board of directors sat in a square in the centre and rows of spectator chairs had been set up at the back.  A line of tables on the far left side were reserved for NTI staff and travelling reporters to record and document the proceedings on their laptops.  One table was set aside for English/Inuktitut translators.  Four chairs, reserved for pages, were placed around the square, facing the corners.  The students who volunteered to act as pages were paid for their services.  Three NTI advertisement posters stood on the Community Hall stage.

            

My Grade 12s and I took our seats at the back of hall.  The spectator area was nearly empty.  The board members were in the middle of a debate.  Since they were talking in Inuktitut, I grabbed a black radio device from a nearby chair and switched it to the English translation channel.  Turns out it wasn't a debate but individual commentaries on the needs of northern communities.  The needs that were mentioned were: expanded daycares, mental health services, lower food prices, and alcohol education.  After some time, a 15-minute break was called.  A large group of people headed outside to smoke cigarettes while another headed to the refreshments table.  After filling up on snack food, everyone sat back down and the meeting continued. 

            

The presence of my students was acknowledged by the NTI panel and we were invited to stand to receive an applause.  Next came the free raffle.  One of my students won a brand new ulu.  Other prizes that were given away were seal skin mitts and NTI paraphernalia.  The board of directors turned their attention to the president's report that had been prepared for the meeting.  Spare copies were handed out to those in attendance.  The report contained details on: poverty reduction initiatives, mining symposiums, advances in Nunavut education, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the NLCA, and funding for summer activities, daycares, and training youth for employment.  We stayed until 3:35 before heading back to school.

            

My students & I talked about the meeting and its proceedings the next day in class.  Many found the meeting interesting but a little boring at times because the talking was putting them to sleep.  Regardless, they were glad to see the course material they were learning in class being used in the real world.              

            

Around this time, I noticed my mind was picking up more Inuktitut words with every passing day.  I was finally beginning to understand the language of the land.  Of course I still relied heavily on body language.  When I started teaching in Arctic Bay back in February, my students laughed at me when I tried to guess what they were saying because I was always wrong.  Now they were laughing at me because my success at guessing had greatly improved.  I still have a long way to go before becoming fluent in Inuktitut but the journey will be easier if I continually hear the language being spoken to me and/or around me.

            

NTI held a community feast at Inuujaq School's gym on the evening of August 28th.  My first community feast after summer!  I arrived on time at 7pm to see black foldout chairs up against three of the gym's walls.  Many were already occupied by hungry locals.  A row of tables had been set up at the front for NTI members to serve caribou stew, bread, and raw frozen char & caribou cubes.  In the centre of the gym, a mat had been laid out with several boxes of raw frozen seal & narwhal meats resting on top.  I walked to the back of the gym, saying hello to several recognizable faces and sat down on a vacant chair.  I came prepared with paper plates, a roll of paper towels, knife, fork, multi-tool, and several plastic bags in case I wanted to take any meats home.  As more and more people arrived, it looked like I was the only non-Inuit teacher present.  After an elder said a prayer, people lined up to get served.  Several elders skipped the line and went straight for the seal & narwhal meats.  They sat down on the floor next to the mat and happily cut up the meats with their ulus.    

            

I was glad to be present at this feast because there was seal meat and I had been longing to try it for a while.  But since I hadn't had country food all summer, I decided to play it safe and have the caribou and char first.  After receiving a plate full of raw char & caribou cubes, a small bowl of caribou stew, and a large piece of bread, I walked back to where my seat was and sat down on the floor (my seat was taken).  Looking at my food, I got the feeling that many faces were watching me.  Ignoring the thought, I picked up a raw frozen caribou cube and placed it in my mouth.  The taste was alright and my stomach had no problems digesting it.  The raw char was good too but it would have tasted better with a pinch of salt.  The bread tasted better when dipped in the caribou stew.

            

I finished my plate around the same time NTI began its community feast raffle.  I didn't have a wanting to stay because I didn't buy a ticket and I had schoolwork to complete at home.  As I walked towards the exit to throw out my plate, I noticed leftover char & caribou being given away.  Holding on to my plate, I had it filled with char & caribou cubes before carefully putting it into a plastic bag.  While an NTI member was speaking to the crowd in Inuktitut, I gazed at the seal meat in the centre of the gym.  An Inuit couple sitting close to the exit doors took note of my plastic bags filled with country foods.

            

"You know there's seal meat in the centre," said Jamie, the Inuk man.  "You can take a piece or the whole box.  No one will mind."

            

"No, I don't want the whole box," I replied. "I just want a piece, but I don't know which one."

            

"Any piece is good."

            

"Really?"

            

Noticing my hesitation, he stood up.  "Come, I'll help you."

            

Jamie led me to the centre of the gym and explained what parts were left.  After looking at the selections, I picked a big piece and placed it in two plastic bags.  Raw seal meat drips a lot of blood.  The Inuk man gave me several ideas on how to prepare the meat, from boiling it to cooking it in the oven to roasting it over an open fire.  "Of course," he added, "you can always eat it raw."    

            

"I'll definitely try it raw," I said with a nod.  I thanked him for his help and headed for the exit.  I finally had seal meat to eat!

            

"Stocking up on country food?" asked one of my students as I was stepping outside.

            

"Of course," I replied, holding up the plastic bags in my hands.  "Winter is almost here!"

            

On the morning of Thursday, August 29th, a representative from NTI came my Grade 10 Social Studies class to explain what NTI was all about.  She spoke in Inuktitut and English.  As an added bonus, Cathy Towtongie, the President of NTI, made a surprise visit to my class and spoke to my students about her work with NTI and pointed out all the countries she has visited on my world map.  If I had known earlier, I would have had my camera at the ready.

CCGS Des Groseilliers

Based in Quebec City, Quebec, the Des Groseilliers is one of four T1200 medium icebreaker vessels operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.  The ship was commissioned in 1982 and is named after Médard Chouart Des Groseilliers (1618-1696), a French explorer and fur trader in Canada.  He is also remembered for playing an important role in the creation of the Hudson Bay Company, the oldest commercial enterprise in North America.  Operated by a crew of 35, the ship spends the winter icebreaking and escorting ships through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the St. Lawrence & Saguenay Rivers.  During the summer, the Des Groseilliers sails to the Canadian Arctic to escort commercial ships and serves as the primary search & rescue unit. 

            

Between August 15 & 23, the ship was anchored in Arctic Bay.  In the late afternoon on Thursday, August 22, the staff of Inuujaq School were given a tour of the ship.  A tour is given every summer but this would be my first.  This would also be my first time on board a Canadian Coast Guard Ship.     

            

I headed down to the natural dock in front of the Northern Store, wearing my double layered skiing parka with a hoodie underneath, gloves, and sunglasses.  The real word escapes me but the natural dock is a long stretch of earth that extends in a crest to the right.  It creates a small but protected space for boats to park.  To prevent erosion, the sides are lined with heavy rocks.  The weather was sunny & clear but there was a cold wind.  When there is a cold wind blowing through town, you can bet it is much colder out in the bay.  Before leaving my residence, I applied sunscreen to my face and neck to prevent a sunburn.  And as a final precaution, I swallowed a Gravol pill to combat any sea sickness that may arise.  My stomach doesn't appreciate boats that rock. 

            

I arrived on time for 5:45pm but a small crowd of Inuit children and adults had already formed.  A landing craft was sent from the Des Groseilliers to pick us up.  The crew of four were dressed in thick bright red jumpsuits.  Since the craft could only take onboard 13 passengers, the teaching staff were split into two tour groups.  The first group contained the majority of Inuit staff.  Each person was given a life jacket to wear; safety first.  After the first group waved goodbye, the landing craft slowly backed out into the water, did an about turn, and proceeded towards the icebreaker.            

            

While waiting for the landing craft to return, the teachers passed the time talking, skipping rocks across the water, and watching two small dogs play fighting.  The Inuit children did the same.  When the landing craft returned, the crew realized that the water had become too shallow.  They instructed the remaining teachers to walk over to the rocky edges of the dock where the water was deeper.  After putting on our life jackets, we waved goodbye to the curious Inuit children, and waited for the crew members to get the craft moving. 

            

The principal of Inuujaq School is the
first to come aboard.

The ride to the Des Groseilliers took four minutes.  While I filmed a short 360 degree video of the surrounding landscape, excited teachers snapped pictures of themselves wearing life jackets and with the coast guard boat in the background.  The wind wasn't as bad as I thought but it still made everyone put on a hat and/or pull up their hoodies.  The closer we got to the vessel, the more we realized just how big it was (98.2 metres).  We waved to the first tour group who were watching us from the deck above the bridge.  As the landing craft came up alongside the vessel, a metal staircase was lowered.  We ascended one at a time, starting with the principal of Inuujaq School.  We discarded our life jackets in a pile when we came on board.            

            

The tour was given to us by two officer cadets who were doing their training placements.  For security purposes, we would not be shown the engine room.  We headed up to the main deck to begin our tour.  Two of the ship's four yellow loading cranes are located on this deck, as well as landing crafts, emergency vessel, and small dinghy boats.  Boarding and searching commercial & private ships are conducted either by the RCMP or officers of the Department of Fisheries & Oceans.  There are spare quarters for these boarding parties to reside in, and of course, they carry firearms. 

            

BO-105.

We were escorted to the back of the ship where the helicopter hangar is located.  We were allowed to take pictures of the BO-105 helicopter inside but were not allowed to sit in the cockpit.  The BO-105 is a German helicopter manufactured by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm.  The Canadian Coast Guard also flies Bell 212 & Bell 206 L helicopters.  These rotary wing aircraft are used for search & rescue, environmental response, ensuring safety of marine traffic, and reconnoitering.

            

(Picture taken by Kaitlynd - middle
school teacher).

Before stepping into the bridge where all the main decisions are made, we were taken to the deck above the bridge where one can find searchlights, radio antennas, and ladder access to the two main masts and the chimney.  The Des Groseilliers is a diesel powered vessel.  Up here, the wind was at its coldest and strongest.  But at the same time, the views were fantastic!  We spent some extra time taking photographs of ourselves with the town of Arctic Bay in the background.  I also took pictures of the bow (front) and the tightly secured rescue craft.

            

At the helm. (Picture taken by Ryan -
media studies teacher).

The bridge is where the ship is commanded by the captain and his bridge crew.  The steering wheel(s), throttles, radar, radio, GPS, and navigational charts can all be found here.  In essence, the bridge is the nerve centre of the ship.  The officer cadets explained where everything is located and how all the gadgets work.  The SONAR indicated that the water's depth beneath the vessel was 75 metres!  The captain was in the bridge as well but he was preoccupied with other matters.  Despite that, I noticed him keeping an eye on us.  He did give us permission to sit in the helm chair as long as we didn't touch anything.  He didn't want us sailing the boat right into town.

            

The helm.

We proceeded to the lower decks and were instructed to keep our voices down; there were crew members sleeping.  There are three working shifts: morning, afternoon, and night.  One of the officer cadets said it was possible to complete a deployment without seeing the entire crew.  The hallways are lined with portraits and a little cramped.  We visited the spacious & well furnished officers mess.  There's a dining room, bar, projector for movies, and plenty of books and board games to read and play.          

            

The next big room to visit was the rudder room at the back of the boat.  The rudder is controlled by the steering wheel in the bridge and is used to steer the ship.  The bolts, screws, and even the tools that are used here are big.  And I mean big.

            

The lower decks contain a series of watertight doors.  Installed on tracks, these doors can seal off a flooded area quickly in the event of an emergency.  Unless you're standing next to the door, don't bother running through when the alarm sounds.  The door slams shut in a matter of seconds.  If you ever find yourself on the flooded side of the doors, there is a manual lever system to open & close them.      

           

Vintage vending machine.

The ship's canteen is where you can buy pop, candy, chips, Coast Guard paraphernalia, and hygienic products.  Since the tour was happening before the sealift, much of the pop was bought because it was 'newer'.  Next to the canteen was an old vintage pop vending machine, most likely the one that was installed back in 1982.  And it still worked!  Several teachers also bought Coast Guard hoodies, t-shirts, and caps.  While I waited for the buying frenzy to finish, I asked one of the officer cadets, 'What do crewmembers say when they see a woman falling overboard?'  He replied, 'They would still say "Man overboard!"  It hasn't changed.'

            

The crew member's mess is smaller but still a nice place to relax.  There is a bar, TVs, chairs to sit in, and a portrait of the vessel's launching in 1982.  The crew members must like music because they had the video game 'Rock Band' hooked up to the main TV.  The crew members also have a small lounge where there are two computers with Internet access.  Using the Internet to communicate with family & friends is much better & faster than sending letters.

            

The tour concluded with a visit to the cafeteria.  An assortment of cookies, muffins, fruit, and other desserts had been prepared.  There was also complementary coffee and tea.  Despite a well established ranking structure, the second most important person on a boat is really the head chef.  We thanked the officer cadets for the tour of the ship before heading back to the main deck.

            

We descended the same flight of stairs we used to come aboard.  Of course, we had to descend one at a time and not before we put on our life jackets.  The ride back to shore also took four minutes but we had to stand with our backs against the cold Arctic wind.  We were greeted by Inuit school children as we disembarked on the rocks of the natural dock.  It made us feel like we had arrived in Arctic Bay for the first time.  The Des Groseilliers would sail for Nanisivik, the former mining town, the next day to serve as the backdrop for a photo op with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Canadian Rangers.  There are plans to turn Nanisivik into a Coast Guard and Navy base but progress has been very slow.

            

Overall, I really enjoyed the tour of the CCGS Des Groseilliers.  It was great to see what the Canadian Coast Guard is all about and what resources & equipment they have to get the job done.