Fishing Derby & Camping Trip – Part 4

It didn’t take long for people to notice my windburn tan when I arrived at Inuujaq School on Tuesday, May 24.  The tan wasn’t the extreme “raccoon face” kind, but still noticeable.  Everyone wanted to know how my trip to Ikpikituarjuk turned out.  I shared some stories and showed some pictures in my classroom.  Some of my students shared their stories about participating in the fishing derby.

            

The award ceremony was at the community hall at 7pm.  A feast would precede the award ceremony.  The fish that were entered into the contest were displayed at the front while the middle of the hall was completely covered with pieces of various country foods.  (Large tarps were placed on the floor and the country food was placed on top).  The food consisted of raw seal, narwhal, and walrus.  A large audience sat around the country food.

            

I walked up to the tables at the front to photograph the fish that were entered into the contest.  Each fish was labelled with the lake they came from and the person who caught them.  The arctic chars on display were really big, measuring two feet, at least.  The judges probably had to measure each fish at least twice because they all looked the same length.  There were 3^rd, 2^nd, and 1^st cash prizes for the longest fish from each of the chosen lakes.  I don’t think there was a prize for having the largest fish overall.

            

Country food up close.

The feast began once the majority of people were sitting down.  Everyone was welcomed in Inuktitut and English.  An elder said a quick prayer and then everyone “attacked” the country food with hungry hands and plastic bags.  I still had some country food at home so I didn’t help myself to any.

            

I was hoping the award ceremony would happen first because I couldn’t stay for the whole thing.  One of my classes had written their final exam today and I needed to get them corrected.  Two more would follow during the week.  The last full week of May was all about final exams & report cards.  I had to get everything done before the next weekend because of another commitment (more on that in a future post).  In the end, I didn’t stay for the winners to be announced.  The cash prizes ranged from a few hundred dollars to three thousand.  I was told that in other communities, the cash prizes are even higher.

            

Congratulations to all those who won this year.  Maybe I’ll participate in next year’s fishing derby and try my luck.         

End of Fishing Derby & Camping Trip mini-series.

Fishing Derby & Camping Trip – Part 3

I slept through the entire morning and woke up some time in the afternoon, on May 22.  My mind probably thought it was morning because the sun never sets in the land of the midnight sun.  I emerged from the green tent expecting to see everything the way it was the day before but I immediately noticed one difference: the Cabela’s privacy tent was gone.  All that remained was the Luggable Loo.  There was a particularly strong wind blowing.  I assumed JF had packed the tent into the qamutik (sled) because it could not withstand the wind.  I guess the tent pegs are not strong enough for the arctic, I pondered.  I checked the qamutik but didn’t find the tent in its carrying case.  Did the wind carry the tent away?  Yes it did, but not that far.  I looked across the lake and saw the privacy tent rolling away from me.  JF was running after it.  He caught it and slowly walked to where I was standing.  I thanked him for catching the runaway tent and added that I owed him a drink.

            

“If that Inuk lady hadn’t told me, you never would have seen your tent again,” JF explained.  “You need to get thicker and stronger pegs for this tent.”

            

“Definitely,” I agreed.  “I’m just glad the Luggable Loo stayed in its place.  I wouldn’t want that stuff flying around.”

            

We disassembled the tent and place it in the qamutik.  We also brought the Luggable Loo closer to the qamutik and double bagged the solid waste.  Apparently several people used the private washroom before the tent was blown away. 

            

JF stayed up all night and went seal hunting with several high school students.  He said they saw a lot of seals sun tanning on the ice.  JF took a few shots but missed.  One of the students managed to shoot one.  They also visited an old abandoned outpost camp where our current MLA, Isaac Shooyook, used to live.  JF retired to the tent for a nap.

           

I decided to do some exploring of my own.  I hopped on my skidoo and drove to the iceberg that sat across Ikpikituarjuk Bay.  It was windy in Moffet Inlet.  I followed a skidoo track over bumpy snow drifts and stopped a good distance away from the iceberg.  I walked the rest of the way.  The iceberg definitely looked twice as big as the one next to the Arctic Bay airport.  I took pictures of the natural landmarks before venturing even closer.  I wanted to find a way onto the iceberg but I noticed fresh water surrounding the large block of ice.  I was previously told that if you’re visiting an iceberg and worried that it might tip over, you guess how tall the exposed ice is and then use that distance to stay away from it.   

            

Wind in Moffet Inlet.

Incinerator.

I returned to Ikpiki but stopped at the lake’s entrance to photograph the summer camping place.  There were many rocks sitting in circles, marking where the Inuit put up their tents.  The incinerator was brought up to the arctic decades ago and was used at a nearby outpost camp to burn garbage.  The incinerator was moved to Ikpiki when the outpost camp’s inhabitants came off the land. 

            

I stopped my skidoo where the two high school students placed their nets yesterday.  I asked them if they caught any fish and they said, “Nothing yet.”  They were hoping to catch some by the end of the day.

            

Shotgun slug cartridges.

I explored one of the smaller lakes behind Ikpiki.  The walk took a little longer than I thought but it gave me much needed exercise.  When I found the secluded lake, I took out my shotgun and fired off several slugs.  I wasn’t aiming for anything in particular; I was trying to get used to the recoil.  I made sure no one was around before firing.  The gunshots echoed all around me, but when I returned to the campsite, no one heard anything.

            

An Inuk ice fishing.

JF had gone jigging again but brought his dog Tulu with him.  I put my shotgun away and walked out into the middle of the lake and took some more pictures.  JF walked up with his dog and said that he was unable to catch anything.  We had MREs for dinner.  We boiled fresh water we scooped up from the holes drilled into the lake.  I also used the water to mix juice crystals.  We both went to bed after 11pm – that’s early when out camping - because we needed to leave early the next morning.   

JF talking to Inuit kids.

The sun at 11pm. May 22, 2016.

Green arctic five-person tent.

We woke up on Monday, May 23, feeling fully rested.  We had to be because we would be spending most of Victoria Day driving back to Arctic Bay.  High school final exams were beginning on Tuesday, May 24, and we needed to be present.  We cleared everything out of the tent and disassembled it.  We packed the qamutik differently this time, tying the green tent and sleeping bags on the front, and the black sled on the side.  Inuit kids had a fun time using JF’s sled for sliding.  The gas cans and coolers were again tied at the back.  There was now more space in the qamutik for JF & Tulu to sit.  This time, JF & I would take turns driving.  We were ready to go at 11:30am.  A couple of people asked me if I was disappointed that I didn’t catch any fish.  I said I wasn’t and there was always next year.  They also asked if I had fun at Ikpikituarjuk.  “Of course,” I replied.  “I’ll see you all in town.”

            

JF the Hunter.

The sun was out today and the clouds were further spaced apart.  I didn’t feel worried about getting lost and I felt the drive back would be shorter.  We spotted several seals sun tanning on the ice.  They would quickly disappear down a hole when they heard the approaching skidoo.  We spotted one seal that didn’t disappear.  JF decided to try his luck and shoot it.  He took out one of his rifles and slowly approached the seal.  It took him about six minutes to get close enough to shoot it.  The seal disappeared down the hole after the gun fired.  JF checked the hole to see if there was any blood.  There wasn’t any.  He missed.  There would be a next time.

            

Skidoo highway.

I continued driving, following the main skidoo highway, before stopping past Fleming Inlet to refuel the skidoo with gas & oil.  We also used the opportunity to stretch our legs and go to the washroom.  The skidoo track I followed did not cross Moffet Inlet but followed the eastern coastline.  JF told me that the flap on the back of my skidoo was too short.  It was not preventing all the snow that was being kicked up from hitting the qamutik.  Some pieces were even flying above his head.  I guess I would have to buy a longer flap over the summer.  

JF took over and drove for the next little while.  I sat in the qamutik with Tulu and understood what JF meant by flying snow.  Small pieces of snow occasionally hit me but my head was completely protected by a hat, face mask, visor, neck warmer, and a hoodie attached to my Canada Goose parka.  I passed the time scanning the vast arctic landscape around me.  I saw a lot of seals sun tanning.

We stopped at “The Crack” between Levasseur Inlet and the Pirujiningit Islands.  I took a few wide pictures of the crack before helping JF with the crossing.  JF was better at pulling the qamutik across.

JF & I switched places when we reached Cape Cunnigham.  I would have the honour of driving into Arctic Bay.  We arrived at 4:30pm.  We spent the same amount of time driving back, but the drive still felt shorter.  The town looked the same but it appeared we were one of the first ones to return. 

I walked up to Frank’s house and was able to borrow one of his pickup trucks.  I drove it over to the community centre and helped JF with the unloading.  We were able to get all of our stuff into Frank’s truck.  I towed Frank’s qamutik closer to his house before driving back to the community centre.  I left my skidoo there, (well, out on the ice next to the building), and got into the truck with JF.  We unloaded my stuff first before going to JF’s residence.  I returned the truck after helping JF unload all of his gear.  (JF placed the garbage bag with the frozen solid waste from the Luggable Loo in his garbage bin.  It would be picked up with the rest of the garbage and taken to the town landfill).   Finally, Frank dropped me off at my place . . . in the same truck I just returned.

What a trip.  I got windburn and a lot of (arctic) camping experience.  I can finally say that I’ve been to the fishing lake that everyone talks about.  If my skidoo could talk, it could also boast that it travelled further than before and didn’t break down.  I spent the rest of the day taking a long shower, doing laundry, and unpacking all my camping gear.  I didn’t have to worry about preparing my final exams because I did that a week ago.  It pays to plan ahead.

The only thing left to do was attend the fishing derby presentation at the community hall on Tuesday.   

To Be Continued . . .

Fishing Derby & Camping Trip – Part 2

Photo taken on May 6, 2016

There was fog ahead of us.  Thankfully, I could still see the skidoo trail.  Levasseur Inlet appeared to our left.  I briefly looked in that direction to make a mental note that I was now crossing into “undiscovered territory.”  I stopped behind an Inuit family that was refueling their skidoos because I wanted to follow them for a bit.  If you’re pulling a qamutik (sled) then you can’t just stop your skidoo on the spot.  Qamutiks don’t come with brakes, so if you abruptly stop, the qamutik will rear-end your machine.  You have to gradually stop, like a train.

            

I followed them for some time but eventually lost them in the distance because they were travelling at faster speeds.  If I hadn’t been constantly worrying about my skidoo breaking down then I would have kept up.  As the two pairs of skidoos & qamutiks slowly disappeared from view, I made mental notes of where they travelled.  There was still sunlight but the overcast clouds was making it a challenge to see the skidoo trail.  Eventually the Inuit family disappeared from view.  We were truly alone.

            

I kept the coastline to my left but there came a moment where I needed to check my GPS.  The vast arctic landscape looked the same all around.  The Garmin device showed that we were indeed heading in the right direction, but there was still a lot of distance to cover.  It was well past midnight and we had been awake since the previous morning. 

A small wooden stake appeared out of the corner of my left eye.  It took my mind a split second to register what that meant.  I had just enough time to squeeze the throttle and drive over the crack in the ice.  The sudden speed increase caught JF by surprise.  I stopped after the crossing and apologized for not noticing the marker ahead of time.  He offered to drive for a bit but I said I wanted to drive all the way to Ikpiki.  Looking back, maybe I should I have taken him on his offer.  We were past the halfway mark but feelings of I-just-want-to-get-there-already were beginning to surface.  I think it was because I had been awake for so long.

Photo taken on May 6, 2016.

The drive in and across Moffet Inlet was long and monotonous.  I didn’t bother taking any pictures.  (Sorry).  I just wanted to drive and cover as much distance as possible.  I followed a skidoo trail that diagonally crossed Moffet Inlet twice.  The makers of these tracks were most likely trying to avoid loose ice.  My mind found a way to maintain sanity while the skidoo engine droned on and on.  I spotted a convoy of three skidoos & qamutiks in the distance.  This reassured me that we were getting close to our destination.  We stopped where they had stopped to stretch our legs.  After another long drive south, we spotted the large iceberg to our right.  We were definitely close now.       

            

My skidoo suddenly coughed, then began to struggle.  It coughed again and then the engine died.  I was out of gas.  The fuel gauge said that there was still some left but I guess that was incorrect.  My skidoo suddenly stopped; but the qamutik didn’t.  It rear-ended my skidoo.  Thankfully, the runners didn’t go underneath the track.  That would have been damaging.  JF untied a five-gallon fuel can from the qamutik and I poured it all into the fuel tank.  An Inuit family drove up behind and asked us if everything was alright.  We said we just needed to refuel.

            

Incinerator

I turned into Ikpikituarjuk Bay but I’m confused.  I don’t see any tents.  JF tells me the fishing lake is hidden behind the large rocky hill.  I follow a skidoo trail off the ice and past a camping site with an old incinerator.  The fishing lake and a collection of tents appear.  I breathe a sigh of relief.  We finally made it!  The time was 2am, May 21.  We had only passed two abandoned skidoos on the way down.

            

First collection of tents.

Second collection of tents.

Third collection of tents.

I drove up to the first collection of tents and greeted several high school students.  They were surprised to see JF & I.  We asked them where to pitch our tent.  They replied, “Anywhere.”  We surveyed the enclosed lake.  There were three collections of tents; one was near the bay entrance and the other two were at the far side of the lake.  We decided to drive across the lake and pitch our tent at the second collection of tents.  I parked behind the tents and we immediately went to work.  Our tent was a green arctic five-person tent supplied by the Department of National Defence.  We borrowed it from 3045 Army Cadet Corps.  Several Inuks helped us pitch the tent.  I went to sleep once I moved all of my sleeping gear inside.  I was really tired.  JF did the same some time later.

Children playing.

Seagulls.

I woke up twelve hours later.  My watch read 2pm.  I put on my outer gear and emerged from the green tent.  The lake was bustling with activity.  People were jigging, drilling holes using ice augers, and kids were playing.  There was also a large & loud flock of seagulls in the middle of the lake, waiting to steal arctic chars.  I went to the washroom before eating a snack. 

           

There are several large rocks you can hide behind when going to the washroom at Ikpiki.  Many people hop on a skidoo and drive up and behind a hill at the far end of the lake to answer the calls of nature.  I assume solid waste and toilet paper are buried.

            

Ikpikituarjuk.

People jigging.

Inukshuks.

I hiked up a nearby hill to take pictures of the lake below.  JF walked around the camp, visiting people in their tents.  He left his dog Tulu tied to the qamutik.  There was plenty of rope to let her run around.  Snow began to fall when I reached the top of the hill.  I was still able to see the lake below and the land beyond it.  I took wide panorama shots of the lake, and close ups of the tents & people fishing.  I also photographed two inukshuks that were built some time ago.  I turned my attention to the distant iceberg, zoomed in my camera, and took several pictures.  Looking at the photos, I was sure that the large block of ice had to be at least twice as big as the one next to the Arctic Bay Airport.  On my way down, I slid on several patches of snow.  These brief rushes of excitement made the descent more enjoyable.

            

Iceberg in the distance.

The path I created while sliding.

Cabela's Privacy Tent.

JF & I got a few Inuit kids to help us put up a privacy tent I bought from Cabela’s.  The snow had stopped falling.  The tent can act as a private washroom or shower room.  I bought it to be used as a washroom and so that you didn’t have to carry the Luggable Loo up a hill.  We placed the Luggable Loo & a roll of toilet paper inside the tent.  We made sure the loo had a garbage bag inside.

            

JF jigging for arctic char.

A young Inuk boy gets ready to jig.

JF & I walked over to where people were jigging.  JF brought his fishing gear and wanted to see if he could catch any fish.  I was mostly interested in documenting my trip so I came armed with a camera.  I took pictures of people jigging and the fish that were caught.  Some sat on the snow, while others sat on mats.  Many would jig at one hole and then switch to another.  Only the elders would stay at one hole for extended periods of time.  JF saw this as a good example of following the law of probability.  The elders had caught more fish than the people moving around.  I tried jigging for about 30 minutes but gave up.

            

An Inuk elder jigging for char.

An Inuk child runs with his toy qamutik.

Scraps of fish that no one wanted were thrown to the seagulls to keep them distracted and at bay.  Nobody wanted to see their entry into the fishing derby lost to a seagull.  I should note that representatives of the fishing derby were present in all the designated lakes.  They would tag the fishes before they would be displayed at the community hall on Tuesday, May 24.

           

Laying down fishnets.

Ice Auger.

Some people used fishnets.  JF & I watched two of our high school students install a net.  I did my best to understand and remember their explanations.  First they drill a deep hole in the ice using a gas powered auger.  (The ice was nine feet thick this year).  Then they insert a long but narrow wooden board that’s tied to a rope into the hole.  The water pulls the board in a certain direction; more rope follows.  After some time, you find the wooden board by pulling on the rope.  The rope is actually tied to a metal piece on the wooden board and when you pull the rope, the metal piece hits the wood, making a loud sound.  The sound tells the person where it is located and another hole is drilled in this location.  The wooden board is retrieved from the second hole.  With a rope now running through both holes and underwater, the nets are tied to this rope and fed through both holes.  The last thing to do is to wait for some time and then check to see if any fish were caught.

            

Fishnet.

Stew

JF & I ate dinner at 10pm.  We used my newly purchased Coleman stove to cook Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MREs).  JF also prepared caribou stew.  I fed Tulu a large piece of arctic hare.  Some kids and high school students came over to chat with us about our time thus far.  We told them we were having fun and would most definitely return in the future.    

I went to bed at 11pm. 

To Be Continued . . .