Operation Spring Fix 17 - Part 1

Report cards were due at the end of May but I worked as hard as I could to get them done early.  The last weekend of May would not be available to me because I would be leading a cadet field training exercise (FTX).  I marked final exams & any remaining classwork my students completed.  I inputted the final marks for all 4 classes into the school’s database.  The only thing left to do after the FTX was to write report card comments. 

My guitarists didn’t have a final exam; they had a final performance test.  They had to choose a piece from a preselected list and play in front of all the high school classes.  The performances happened in my classroom.  I sat in the audience and marked my students.  They did alright.  At the behest of the audience, I played a piece from the guitar textbook.  I survived.

Operation Spring Fix 17, the year-end FTX for 3045 Army Cadet Corps, occurred on the last weekend of May, from the 26^th to the 28^th.  This would be my first FTX as the new commanding officer of 3045.  I already knew from previous years that staging this kind of land excursion requires much planning, preparation, and teamwork.  Meetings were held as early as April.  I spoke with the Rangers about where to go and we decided to take the cadets to Ikipikituarjuk, a popular fishing lake, 105km to the south of Arctic Bay.  The vast distance was a concern because it’s a six-hour skidoo trip one way.  If there was a medical emergency, it would take a long time to drive back to town or wait for a helicopter to arrive.  We hoped nothing like that would happen.

Last year’s FTX was at Ijuyuarjuk, about halfway to Ikipiktuarjuk.  (Click here to read: Part 1 & Part 2).

The senior cadets were tasked with drafting separate kit lists for the corps & cadets.  The corps kit list included items such as: food, stoves, first aid kit, tents, naphtha, toilet paper, & garbage bags.  The cadet kit list listed all the items cadets were to bring for the FTX.  About two weeks before the big day, the cadets checked the tents & Coleman stoves for any defects.  They also assembled their sleeping bags & were issued kit bags.  Two cadets helped me with the purchasing of supplies at the local Co-op.  Skidoos & qamutiks (sleds) were organized separately.

I recruited several cadets to help me load & transport the corps supplies to the qamutiks on Thursday, May 25.  Packing the qamutiks early would save time.  Food & personal kit would be packed the next day.  When it comes to travelling in the far north, you usually leave & arrive an hour later than planned.    

Everyone assembled in front of the Northern Store on Friday, May 26.  Overcast clouds hung above the community.  The cadets packed the qamutiks with food & their personal belongings.  I made sure we had the Three Essentials: toilet paper, garbage bags, & scissors.  I also made sure that my belongings were packed.  The cadets were formed up and a roll call was taken.  I did a quick briefing about where we were going and what to expect when we got there.  The cadets were dismissed and everyone was divided among the four skidoos & qamutiks.  I removed the right side panel from my skidoo, exposing the exhaust muffler.  This would help cool the muffler faster.  When everyone was ready, I gave the signal to move out.  The convoy left at 6pm.

Ranger Samson led the way.  His wife & son joined us on this trip.  (His wife is the current mayor of Arctic Bay).  We drove out to Uluksan Point, turned right, and continued across the frozen ice.  The convoy moved at 48km/h.  We followed an established skidoo track and entered Admiralty Inlet.  I was glad to see the ice was still thick inlet and there weren’t any large cracks.  However, there were large mounds of snow and ice we had to drive around.  The further we drove, the more I wanted the clouds to part and reveal the midnight sun.  The sun brightens up the landscape and makes it easier to see the skidoo trails.

Tea time.

Cadets fill my skidoo with gas.

We had tea at “The Crack”.  There’s an actual Inuktitut name for the place, but I just call it “The Crack.”  It’s a couple of kilometres before Levasseur Inlet.  We crossed the large crack in the ice, stopped, ate rations, and drank tea.  We had been driving for nearly two hours, so it was a good time to give the cadets a chance to stretch their legs, go to the washroom, and eat something.  Two other families from Arctic Bay appeared and stopped to have tea with us.  They were also heading to Ikipituarjuk for the weekend.  The garbage was collected, and the skidoos were refueled.  The convoy was back on the trail.

"The Crack"

A line of skidoos.  (My skidoo isn't in this picture).

Tea time.

If you’re joining my blog for the first time, I’ll quickly review how one “uses the facilities” out on the land.  For starters, there aren’t any, unless you pack your own outhouse.  For males, you walk in a safe direction away from the convoy, far enough so that you can go Number 1 in private.  If it’s Number 2, go behind a snow bank, or iceberg.  Females drive away from the convoy on a skidoo and use the skidoo as a privacy wall.  Just remember to detach the cable between the skidoo & qamutik.  Snow houses without roofs are sometimes built at campsites as makeshift outhouses.  The only other rule I know is do not go where there is a lake because it contains fresh water.

Clouds above the Arctic.  Near Ijuyuarjuk.

Convoy catching up.

We passed Ijuyuarjuk on our left side.  Up until this point, Ijuyuarjuk was the furthest we ever gone on an FTX.  Ikpikituarjuk would be the new record.  We entered Moffet Inlet and settled in for a very long drive.  The ride became bumpy and the overcast clouds got darker.  I was glad I was following Samson because it was difficult to see the skidoo trail.  There was a short period when the sun came out revealing the skidoo trail.  We stopped once or twice to stretch our legs, switch drivers, and refuel our skidoos.  Unfortunately, we didn’t see any seals.

Green tent and camp supplies.

The convoy arrived at Ikpikituarjuk at 1am.  Several cadets helped me get the qamutik I was pulling over some ice hills.  If they hadn't been there helping me, I probably would have tipped over.  The cadets were formed up for another briefing.  I laid out the rules, the boundaries, & the locations of the washrooms.  The cadets were then instructed to set up the tents & their sleeping bags.  Ranger Samson & his wife would be sleeping in their own tent.  I would be sharing a green army tent with Civilian Instructor Reid.  Our tent would be in between the male & female cadet tents.  It took about an hour to get the camp set up.  I sent everyone to bed at 2am.  Reveille was at 11am.  The midnight sun was still up in the sky, trying to shine through the sky.           

The hills around Ikpikituarjuk Lake.

To Be Continued . . .