Fishing Derby & Camping Trip – Part 1

This was it.  Over the next three days, JF & I would find out if we did our homework during the many days of planning & preparation.  We were certain that our preparations had covered all possible situations but we wouldn’t know until we actually got out on the land.

            

The Victoria Day weekend is the time of the annual fishing derby.  Families head out in droves to designated lakes to catch the largest arctic chars for cash prizes.  The town of Arctic Bay appears and feels deserted because of the mass exodus.  I have wanted to visit one of these far away lakes ever since I arrived in 2013.  I finally had the opportunity this year.

            

The lake I had my sights on was Ikpikituarjuk, 105km south of the community, next to Moffet Inlet.  I have heard countless stories about this fishing lake from my students & locals, describing it as a beautiful place to fish for char.  Everyone goes there; winter, summer, it doesn’t matter.  On a map, the place is listed as Ikpikituarjuk Bay, but everyone just says the first name, or Ikpiki for short.  The surprising fact was that this is not the furthest lake that participants travel to.    

            

Photo taken May 6, 2016

JF & I had several meetings before our departure on Friday, May 20.  We would strive to leave right after school.  We drew up separate lists of things to bring for three nights.  I was able to borrow a map from Frank that showed the land between Arctic Bay & Ikipituarjuk.  I also had a bonus.  When I was escorting the five cadets down to Winnipeg for Silver Star Expedition two weeks ago, the plane happened to be flying by the lake.  I had my cadets take several pictures of the lake and the surrounding area.  The pictures greatly assisted JF & I in our travel plans.  We noted that there was a large iceberg on the other side of the bay; we would use it as a natural landmark.     

            

When word spread that JF & I were planning to attend the fishing derby, many people were more than willing to give us travel advice.  I had travelled as far south as Levasseur Inlet but that’s only 65km.  The rest of the way was “unknown territory.”  Using the map & pictures at our disposal, students, community members, and Frank showed us where to travel and what areas to avoid.  Some areas were prone to loose ice forming because of the underwater currents.  We also had to watch out for large cracks of ice, the most notable one being between Pirujiningit Islands and Levasseur Inlet.  A lot of travelers stop there for tea & bathroom breaks.  We could always follow someone or the skidoo tracks.  My GPS would be an essential tool on this trip. 

            

All this planning and preparation made me think of a children’s book I used to read when I was growing up.  My parents bought a book called World Explorer: Arctic Expedition.  The picture book was written in 1989 and gives young readers a detailed look at how one plans and executes an arctic expedition.  I used to read it quite frequently, wondering, dreaming if I would ever do something like that.  Well, now I was living the dream after so many years.  The argument can be made that I have already done arctic expeditions, but those were attached to cadets and school.  This trip felt more independent, as if it was just between me, JF, and the natural (arctic) elements.  The setting is very similar to the one in the children’s book.  We weren’t going as part of a group.  We would be travelling as a duo towards a lake that would happen to be hosting other solo groups.

            

We borrowed a qamutik from Frank to carry all of our supplies.  I moved my skidoo down to the ice in front of the community hall because there was not enough snow to keep it at my house.  The qamutik was there, waiting for us.  When the school dismissal bell rang at 3:30pm, I told several of my students that I would see them at Ikpiki.  JF and I hurried home to change and to get all of our stuff ready. 

It took four trips using a borrowed SUV to bring all of our gear, supplies, and gas down to the community hall.  From there, we manually carried everything to the qamutik.  JF made the task easier by using a small sled.  A few Inuit kids helped us tie everything down with rope.  They wove the ropes above, below, and through everything.  The gas cans, naphtha, and coolers were tied to the back of the qamutik.  Everything else went inside the qamutik and was covered by tarps.  We quizzed each other to make sure we had packed the following: luggable loo, toilet paper, gas, oil, tow cable, shot gun, ammunition, SPOT, GPS, medical supplies, food, tent, sleeping bags, and fishing gear.  We also brought our niksiks because the area around Ikpiki is frequented by seals. 

We left Arctic Bay at 9pm.  We had been told that it would take between 4 – 6 hours to reach the lake.  Looking at our watches, we knew we would not arrive until the very early morning.  I also knew the drive down would take longer.  I would be driving very cautiously because I did not want to suffer another engine breakdown, especially far away from the community.  Of course, if we did get stranded, we would be stuck on a heavily travelled route.  We could wait and flag someone down.  As for weather, there was no need to worry about darkness.  Dark season was long gone; now was the time of the midnight sun.  Although, it was difficult to see the sun on Friday; the sky was very cloudy.    

JF takes pictures of the landscape.

I drove the skidoo while JF sat in the qamutik with his dog, Tulu.  I removed the right side panel, exposing the exhaust muffler to the cold.  This would help keep it cool.  I kept the speed at 30mph (48kmh).  I followed an established skidoo trail made by the families who left on Thursday, the 19^th, to get to the furthest lakes.  I also followed two Inuit families.  The trail between Adam’s Sound & Admiralty Inlet was alright for the most part.  There were just a few bumps along the way.  We briefly stopped at Cape Cunningham and Pirujiningit Islands to let my skidoo rest for a bit.

I spotted a skidoo in the distance coming our way.  When we finally met, I was surprised to see Frank as the driver.  He was returning from a fishing trip.  He said the crossing of “The Crack” was coming up and that it was wise to not get the skidoo stuck.

The Crack

The Crack was not one but several cracks in the ice.  Someone put a small wooden stake in the ice to warn people.  There was already a large collection of skidoos, qamutiks, and people on the other side of the crack.  JF got out of the qamutik and stood on the side; he would help me maneuver it over the cracks.  I was feeling nervous because this was my first time crossing ice cracks in this area.  Muscling up the courage, I squeezed the throttle and followed one of the skidoo tracks.  Due to the small size of skidoos, you have to drive quickly over the cracks.  Qamutiks are long and don’t have to be moved so quickly.  I successfully crossed all the cracks after several twists and turns.  I breathed a sigh of relief.  One of my drum students from last semester drove up and asked if I was alright.  I told him I was feeling fine.

We pulled up next to the collection of skidoos & qamutiks, and greeted all the Inuit travelers.  Many of them were travelling to Ikpiki.  They were also surprised to see us.  (I think it’s because in the past, many southern teachers say they’re going to attend but back out at the last minute).  The kids played soccer & ate snacks while the adults drank tea.  JF let Tulu run around.  I drank hot chocolate and ate pieces of Gouda cheese. 

Skidoo successfully extracted.

Skidoo engine being checked.

Two pairs of skidoos & qamutiks drove up behind us and the first pair attempted to drive across the cracks.  Unfortunately, the skidoo struggled and got stuck.  Several Inuit men hopped on their skidoos and quickly drove over and helped in the recovery.  Losing a skidoo is not an option.  The machine was extracted and the qamutik was pulled over the cracks.  The second pair didn’t have any trouble with the crossing.  The driver of the first skidoo drove up onto a mound of ice to check the engine.  Everything was fine. 

I took pictures of the surrounding landscape and of the people at this makeshift “pit stop.”  I also had to answer the call of nature (Number 1).  Going to the washroom out on the land is a unique experience in the arctic.  For starters, there are no trees to hide behind.  There are some large rocks but they are few and far between.  When you’re out in the open, like on the frozen ice, you just pick a direction away from everyone, walk several/many paces, unzip and go.  It’s understood if someone is walking away, it’s most likely for washroom purposes.  No one looks . . . for the most part.  If they’re looking, they’re making sure you didn’t fall through the ice.  For females, if there are no rocks to hide behind, you hop on a skidoo, drive away from everyone, and then use the snow machine as your privacy barrier.  (Men do this too when they need to do Number 2).  Just remember to not drive over the mess you made.

Playing with Tulu.

A brief period of sunlight.

It was nearly midnight before everyone continued their drive towards Ikpiki.  JF & I became worried when my skidoo wouldn’t start.  Thankfully, the engine coughed back to life after five minutes of waiting.  I squeezed the throttle several times to make sure it kept working.  Fuel was full and oil was half.  I looked back and JF gave me a thumbs up while holding Tulu.  I nodded and slowly got the skidoo and qamutik moving.  We were on our way again.

To Be Continued . . .