The Fishing Derby Awards of 2017

The Fishing Derby Awards of 2017 were held at the local community hall on Tuesday, May 23^rd.  I arrived at 7pm, just in time to see the ceremony begin.  Large grey tables were set up in a rectangle in the centre of the room, and were filled with various finger foods.  There were fruits, vegetables, crackers, assorted meats, cheese, and bowls of country food.  The large pieces, caribou, seal, & arctic char, were in large black Rubbermaid boxes on stage.  Those would be handed out after the ceremony during the feast.  The audience sat on chairs & benches along the walls of the hall.  Unfortunately, none of the fish that were caught & entered into the competition were on display.  The fish were measured when they were caught.

            

The ceremony began with a Welcome Message from the organizers and a prayer said by an elder.  The emcees spoke in Inuktitut & English.  There were many categories and prizes to give out.  The prizes ranged from cash to iPods.  The smallest cash prize was $50 and the highest was $7500.  The high cash prizes were reserved for the adult competitors.  I think the highest cash prize for youth was $400.  One by one, the 3^rd place, 2^nd place, and 1^st place winners in each category were called up to the stage to receive their prizes. 

            

Handing out prizes.

The competition organizers saved the best prize for last.  Everyone was talking about it for the last month.  Some believed that the best prize was just a rumour, but that rumour was put to rest when the new skidoo arrived on a plane.  That’s right.  This year, first prize for the longest fish caught in Ikpikituarjuk Lake was a brand new skidoo.  The snow machine was parked outside the community hall for everyone to see.  (Ikpikituarjuk Lake is 105km south of Arctic Bay).  Suspense descended over the audience when it was revealed that there was a tie for first place.  Two people caught arctic char measuring 38 inches.  Since no one wanted to cut the skidoo in half, the organizers asked one of the newly posted RCMP officers to draw a name from a hat.  There was a second of complete silence just before the emcee announced the winner.  Everyone was on their feet when Hannah Akikulu’s name was heard.  She is the same lady who made my sealskin parka, vest, and mitts.  She must have felt like she won the lottery.  Daniel Aola was the other competitor who was in the draw.  He was awarded $7500.

            

Dinner of Champions.

The ceremony moved on to the feast.  People swarmed around the grey tables while others lined up to get caribou & arctic char from the stage.  The activity around the tables was akin to “organized chaos”, but thankfully, no fights broke out.  The lines to the front stage were more orderly.  I was able to get a piece of char and a large piece of caribou.  I sat at the back and ate the entire piece of char using my ulu.  I ate a few raw pieces of caribou before placing the rest in a plastic bag.  I left with a full stomach.   

Exploring A Hidden Valley

The Plan.

My skidoo was fully functional by the Victoria Day Weekend.  I paid a local Inuk mechanic to clean the engine, replace several engine parts, and add several extra parts I bought on the internet.  JF installed the new plastic right hand deflector and rear-view mirror.  I was glad to have my skidoo “back in action” because I missed using it.  After three weeks of waiting, I was more than ready to take her out for a spin. 

            

A month had already passed since my last outing and the ice was beginning to melt.  I was already hearing from people that cracks & slush puddles were beginning to form.  The snow in town was also melting but at a much faster rate.  The skidoo trails were disappearing and the roads were turning into mud paths.  In another week, I would have to leave my skidoo out in the bay and walk up two hills to get to my place.

            

I cancelled cadets for the Victoria Day Weekend because most families would be out participating in the annual fishing derby.  The cadets asked me if I was going to participate like I did last year.  (JF & I travelled to Ikpikituarjuk, a popular fishing lake 105km to the south of the community.  Click to (re)read: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4.)  I replied that I was going to explore another area of land over the long weekend.  The cadet corps was already going to Ikipituarjuk at the end of the month so I didn’t feel like going there twice.  (More about this trip in a future post).

            

I already knew where I wanted to go; the valley I passed on my way to the end of Strathcona Sound.  I hoped the ice in the Sound was still thick & solid a month later.  I set my day excursion for Saturday, May 20.  It took me an hour to get ready.  I packed whatever I needed, from food to medical supplies to gas for my skidoo.  To avoid excessive sweating, I wore less layers underneath my Canada Goose parka.  May is a warmer month compared to April.  I informed my coworkers about my day excursion and performed my final checks before driving north towards Victor Bay.  (For my final checks, I make sure I’m carrying a GPS, SPOT device, firearm, and toilet paper).

            

Ice road heading north.

On a map, the valley is 53km to the northeast of Arctic Bay, but I would have to drive about 70km to get to my final destination.  On Google Maps, the valley is only 10km in length, starting from Strathcona Sound, and appears to stop at a point where the mountains come together.  This made me think that a waterfall may be there.  There was only one way to find out.  I picked a great day to go driving.  The sun was shining and the skies were blue.  My skidoo, fresh-out-of-the-garage, was working smoothly.  I drove onto the ice road and followed it to the co-worker’s cabin.  There road was mostly smooth but there were a few patches of slush. 

            

My skidoo with Graveyard Point in the background.

Sunbathing seal.

I drove off the ice road and was about to turn towards Graveyard Point when I noticed a small black spot on the ice.  It was a seal.  I cautiously drove closer to the seal to get a better view.  I stopped my skidoo and took out my camera.  I photographed the animal before driving a little closer.  There were actually two seals sunbathing and they disappeared down a seal hole when they heard the skidoo engine.  I briefly inspected the seal holes and then continued driving.

            

Seal holes.

Ice "minefield". (Bottom of picture).

I left Victor Bay and continued driving north towards Cape Strathcona.  My plan was to turn right upon reaching the Cape and then follow the coastline until I reached the valley.  I kept to the left, not wanting to enter the same “minefield” that caused my skidoo to tip over in April.  The further I drove, the more it looked like the “minefield” stretched all the way to Cape Strathcona.  In the end, I turned around and headed back the way I came, but towards Graveyard Point.  I may have wasted some gas, but I still have two red gas cans full of fuel.  And yes, they were securely attached to the skidoo. 

            

I didn’t have to drive all the way to Graveyard Point.  Instead, I was able to enter Strathcona Sound by driving ride down the middle of the frozen passageway.  I suppose that was risky because I was the furthest away from land in all directions.  Thankfully, the ice was still thick.  I drove onward, slowly steering my skidoo to the left.  The ice became smoother, enabling me to increase my speed.  Eventually, I passed Nanisivik on my right side.  I could just barely make out the buildings on the other side.  There weren’t any cracks in the ice until I passed Nanisivik.  The cracks were small but I still took notice.

            

Entrance.

The entrance to the valley appeared on my left.  A very tall & jagged looking mountain appeared in front of me.  I drove just a few feet into the valley and stopped my skidoo.  There were large patches of clear ice stretching from one end to the other.  I walked around for a few minutes and mentally mapped out a route for my skidoo.  I didn’t want to drive onto a patch of ice and then spend the rest of the day spinning in circles.  I passed the large ice patches and saw that most of the brown land in the valley was exposed.  The only snow and ice that was left were in the outwash riverbeds.  I would have to drive very carefully to not damage my skis.  From what I could see, the exposed ground contained an infinite amount of small pebbles and large plants.  I could drive over the plants but it would be best to avoid the pebbles.

            

I drove up a small hill next to an opening that led up to a small frozen waterfall.  I turned off the skidoo engine and stretched my legs.  I had been driving for over an hour and I felt I deserved a snack & short break.  I hiked up a hill and found a flat rock to sit on.  A seagull suddenly appeared in the sky as I began to eat a granola bar.  It landed near me and eyeballed the food I was consuming.  I was surprised to see a seagull had followed me this far away from Arctic Bay.  And then another one appeared.  And another.  In total, five seagulls swooped in from the skies above and landed near me.  They were all expecting me to drop some food for them.  That wasn’t going to happen. 

            

I got as close as I could to the frozen waterfall, took a picture of it, then turned around and photographed the valley beneath me.  The seagulls had flown away, upset that I wasn’t feeding them.  Using my binoculars, I scouted a path deeper into the valley for my skidoo.  I would basically follow the ice & snow in the outwash.  I slowly climbed down the rocky hill, fired up my skidoo and continued my journey.

            

Narrow passageway.

Dead End.

I came to a point where the mountains on both sides of the valley narrowed significantly.  I decided to leave my skidoo behind and walk the rest of the way.  The only sound I could hear was that of my boots crunching on the snow.  I turned a left corner and saw the dead end in the distance.  There was a frozen waterfall there.  A tall mountain & ridge line surrounded the waterfall.  I noticed an inukshuk to my left as I neared the dead end.  Someone was here before.  I set my gear down and cautiously walked up to the waterfall.  There was a large gap in the middle of the frozen formation and I could hear steady trickles of water.  I was able to walk up to the wall of rock and photograph what was behind the frozen ice formations.  I didn’t dare walk behind the waterfall because I thought it could collapse at any moment.  After photographing the waterfall from several angles, I ate some more snacks and relaxed in silence.

            

Frozen waterfall.

Behind the frozen waterfall.

Looking up.

The silence was short lived because my thoughts were interrupted by a loud squawking raven.  The raven was up high, flying from one cliff to the next.  I’m not sure why the raven was so annoyed?  Or excited?  Maybe the bird saw me as an interloper.  Eventually, the raven disappeared from view, but the loud squawks continued for some time.

            

Inukshuk

Following my skidoo tracks to
Strathcona Sound.

I placed a small rock on the inukshuk and walked back to my skidoo.  I refueled it and started the engine.  I followed my skidoo tracks all the way to Strathcona Sound.  I took a picture of the ice crack I passed before entering the valley.  I drove towards the Nanisivik Port Facility on my way back to Arctic Bay.  There was no one there when I drove by.  The summer construction crews will be arriving in June.  I stayed to the left, driving towards Graveyard Point.  The drive took longer than I thought because they were many snow drifts.  It was like driving around moguls.  The snow eventually smoothed out when I neared Graveyard Point and I followed a skidoo trail to Victor Bay.  I cut across the bay and found the plowed ice road.  I followed it until the end, then continued along the road to Victor Bay.  I was home by 7pm.

            

Ice crack.

My skidoo in Strathcona Sound, facing west, towards Nanisivik & Arctic Bay.

My day excursion was a success.  I saw another corner of Baffin Island and my skidoo didn’t break down.  This would be my last solo day excursion until the fall.  I spent the rest of the long weekend finalizing my final exams.   

Ice road facing south, towards Arctic Bay.

         

The Fast Month Of May

The people of Arctic Bay got word from Igloolik that the Nunavut Quest competitors arrived safely in the community after mushing for a week out on the land.  CBC News North reported on May 1 that Andy Attagutalukutuk won first place with a total time of 40 hours & 22 minutes.  He is from Igloolik.  “Lee Inuaraq finished second [with] a time of 41 hours and 10 minutes, followed by Michael Inuaraq, [at] 42 hours and 15 minutes.”  The eight teams crossed the finish line without penalties, having [travelled] “around 80 kilometres a day”.  First prize was $15,000, second prize was $7,000, and third prize was $4,000.  It would take a few days for the Arctic Bay competitors & their supply teams to return home.  “Next year’s race will run from Igloolik to Pond Inlet.”

            

May is always the fastest month of the school year.  There are so many things packed in 31 days that the month just flies by, even if you are paying attention.  As mentioned in my previous post, the Silver Star Expedition was at the beginning of the month.  The next big events on my roster are: fishing derby, final exams, Operation Spring Fix 17, and spring camp.  All of these will be explained in detail in future posts.  If you’re upset about this, I can briefly talk about final exams as a compromise.

            

Final exams usually happen at the end of the month.  When I returned from the Silver Star Expedition, I knew time was running out.  Three weeks is not a lot of time when it comes to reviewing and preparing final exams.  My English & Social Studies classes will have exams but my guitarists will have a final performance test.  I will be devoting a lot of time into review, writing the exams, and making answer keys.  Answer keys make marking so much easier & faster.  But before I could start working on my exams, I had to use whatever time I had left to finish teaching the course materials. 

            

In Grade 10 English, my students have been working on essay writing, studying the classic Canadian novel, Lost In The Barrens by Farley Mowat, writing poetry, and performing oral pieces.  (Oral pieces are one act plays).  My Grade 11 Social Studies students finished the imperialism module and studied the causes of international conflicts, particularly the First World War.  In Grade 10 Social Studies, the students completed their study of the Canadian Residential School System.  And my Grade 10 guitarists learned more difficult chords, power chords, and challenging songs.  Unfortunately, there wouldn’t be enough time to teach them barre chords and articulations.  Their final performance test will see them playing a song in front of an audience.

            

Plums for sale.

The arrival of spring in Arctic Bay is usually a joyous occasion because travelling out on the land becomes more scenic and the weather is warmer than winter.  What isn’t joyous is the rise in prices at the Northern and Co-op stores.  The increase usually occurs in the spring time when supplies brought up on sea lift in August are low and/or exhausted.  On two occasions, I walked around the Northern Store, covertly taking photographs of items on the shelves.  I’m sure the security cameras recorded me taking the pictures but the truth needs to be shown!  Plus, many people do this and post their pictures on the Facebook group “Feeding My Family”.  It’s the only way to get the rest of Canada to notice that the people of the territories are suffering from high food prices on a daily basis. The Nutrition North program provides some relief but it needs more tweaking.  I’m just going to share the most shocking pictures.

            

Who wants coffee?

I received my sealskin mitts on Friday, May 12.  They really complement my parka.  Surprisingly, there was left over sealskin.  I placed the remnants in a container.  Maybe they will be used in the future?

            

My sealskin mitts.

David Bouchard

On May 16, David Bouchard, Métis author, speaker, and educator, visited Inuujaq School to talk to students about: the importance of reading, maintaining good mental health, and succeeding while having a learning disability.  He also brought his collection of flutes to show & play.  He spent the entire day at school, dividing his time between the elementary, middle, & high school students.  I was present when he spoke to the high school students in the afternoon. 

           

Bouchard was quite energetic and full of life throughout his presentation.  He fluently speaks English, French, and Michif.  He enjoyed talking about his Métis heritage and telling stories about his life.  He only stopped talking to play his flutes and to share short clips of songs he likes to listen to for motivation.  We were particularly impressed by his flute playing and his ability to tell good stories.  The teachers were glad that he said it’s possible to succeed in school even if you have a learning disability.  We do have several students with learning disabilities and hearing that statement/declaration must have lowered their feelings of discouragement.  He answered questions from the audience at the end of his presentation.

            

Bouchard briefly spoke to the entire student body at the end of the attendance awards assembly in the gym.  He mostly reiterated what he said in his presentations.  He also played one of his flutes along to a backing track.  Everyone liked it.

Silver Star Expedition (2017) - Part 2

Saturday, May 6.

            

My group getting ready for their hike.

Reveille was at 7:00am.  Everyone woke up, got dresses, and prepared their own breakfast MREs.  (MREs stands for Meals-Ready-to-Eat).  Once breakfast was out of the way, the officers in charge of each group briefed the cadets about the upcoming hikes.  The main objectives for this field training exercise are: to hike a certain distance with a packed rucksack, learn how to pack only what you need, apply the navigation knowledge you learned at the corps level, and lead a group of cadets on a hike.  Everyone was instructed to pack their rucksacks as if they would be overnighting away from the main camp site.  We packed: our tents, sleeping bags, change of clothing, MREs, & first aid kits.  The cadets were issued compasses & maps of the park.  Before they could begin trekking, they had to plan a course on the map and calculate the distance.  The officers were given GPS devices in case their groups went off course.

            

Officers calibrating their GPS devices.

The hike begins.

Equestrians.

The hikes began in the late morning.  Each cadet would get a chance to lead their groups.  They hikes were to last until the late afternoon, covering a distance of 10 – 14km.  The cadets were instructed to be on their best behaviour because we were hiking in a public park.  They were also told to occasionally look down at the ground to avoid stepping on horse feces.  Birds Hill is frequently visited by equestrians & their horses, and the park is equipped with boarding stables.  I photographed several horse riders while on our way to the lake.            

Man-made lake.

Water break.

Hard shelter.

When my group arrived at the man-made lake, we were surprised to see it drained.  There was a plan to have cadets paddle from one side of the lake to the other in canoes but that would no longer be happening.  I was surprised by how shallow the lake was.  We walked around the lake and continued the hike.  We arrived at a hardened shelter, deep within the park, about an hour after leaving the lake.  The dragonfly burners were set up and the MREs were cooked.  Lunch lasted 45 minutes.

            

The hike continues.

Large friendly dog.

My group began heading back to the camp site but we took the scenic route.  We walked towards the stables and stopped there for a quick water break.  The cadets petted a large friendly dog before continuing the trek.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the horses in the stables like last year.  However, while we were walking past a large open field, two equestrians happened to be passing by on their horses and they, the equestrians, not the horses, let us pet them (horses).  (Trying to avoid confusion).

            

Is that Bambi?

An officer cadet helps one of my cadets.

One of my cadets happened to be in my group and she led the cadets back to the camp site.  It was the late afternoon and we were one of the first groups to come back.  Overall, each cadet did a good job leading the group, but some need to review their navigation & compass skills.  Dinner was prepared once all the groups returned.  A period of free time followed.

            

Bonfire.

Bonfire & marshmallows.

The senior officers in charge started a bonfire and brought out roasting sticks & marshmallows.  I had a few marshmallows but not as many as the cadets.  I was full from eating MREs for dinner.  I took several pictures of everyone standing around the warm fire.  The temperature was hot during the day but getting colder at dusk.  By nightfall, everyone was wearing sweaters.  Everyone went to bed that night with feelings of accomplishment. 

        

Sunday, May 7.

            

Cleaning out tents.

Taking down a tent.

The camp site was disassembled after breakfast.  Sleeping bags, air mattresses, and rucksacks were collected before the tents were taken down.  Personal belongings, (known as ‘kit’ in the military), that weren’t taken on yesterday’s hikes were returned to the cadets.  They organized their kit in neat piles.  Leftover MREs were also collected in large boxes and placed inside a large trailer.  The last task was a garbage sweep of the area.  The officers supervised the cadets at work.  Captain Francis decided to entertain the officers by making a kite from a garbage bag some rope.  He got it to fly for only a few seconds because there wasn’t much wind.

            

Captain Francis.

Final Debriefing.

The Captain-in-Charge had all the cadets sit in a semicircle in front of her for the Final Debriefing.  The officers stood behind her.  She congratulated the cadets for completing the hikes and briefly reviewed what they learned.  The other officers assisted her in announcing & rewarding the cadets from each group that demonstrated the best leadership skills.  My group had a tie.  The captain-in-charge ended her debrief by telling the cadets she hoped to see them at the Gold Star Expedition in September. 

            

Rankin Inlet cadets leaving for the airport.

The Greyhound bus approaches.

The Rankin Inlet cadets were the first group to be driven to the airport.  They had an early flight to catch.  The remaining cadets from Naujaat & Arctic Bay were picked up by a Greyhound bus about two hours later.  The Naujaat cadets would be overnighting at 17 Wing whereas my cadets would be flying to Ottawa and overnighting there.  I would meet them at the airport the following morning.  I had to fly to Toronto and then Ottawa.  I wasn’t worried because the cadets would be met by an escort officer in Ottawa.  Not the navy Lieutenant but someone else. 

            

Getting on the bus.

My cadets waiting for their flight to
Ottawa.

The journey home was an adventure on its own because of repeated delays.  I was glad there was a captain from 17 Wing at the airport because my flight left first.  She made sure my cadets were safe.  When I landed in Toronto, I learned that my flight to Ottawa was postponed until the following morning.  Thankfully, there happened to be two military officers at my gate escorting a cadet to a shooting competition in Winnipeg.  (I saw several teams arriving at the Winnipeg Airport).  They were able to get me a room at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel right next to the airport.  I was able to get a few hours of sleep before boarding my flight to Ottawa (May 8).  I met my three cadets & the escort officer at the First Air gate.  The officer explained that my cadets landed well past midnight and only spent several hours at Connaught.  I thanked him for looking after them.

            

Don't want to brag, but this my hotel room for several hours.

The flights to Iqaluit & Arctic Bay were much smoother & less stressful than the southern flights.  Usually, it’s the other way around.  Looking down below, the ice was beginning to crack & break apart in the Hudson Strait.  When the plane landed in Arctic Bay, the cadets were picked up by their parents & I got a lift from Frank.

            

Overall, the expedition was a success.  The cadets had a good time and made new friends.  It was unfortunate there was no canoeing because it would have been something different and fun for the cadets.  Next time, we’ll have to remind the park staff to not drain the lake.  My three cadets were now ready for the Gold Star Expedition in September.         

                

End of Silver Star Expedition (2017) mini-series.