Operation Bonfire 21

Cadets resumed after my return from LETC.  The first activity was the annual bonfire behind the airport.  The event took place on October 10.  I guess it also counted as a Thanksgiving bonfire.

I tasked two senior cadets to buy the food and snacks before I left for LETC.  For transportation, Frank lent me one of his red pickup trucks.  He also got his grandson to acquire an atv and trailer.  The same RCMP officer who helped us at the beach cleanup in September also came along, adding another truck to the convoy.

I originally thought someone would drive the atv with the trailer attached to the airport.  Instead, the atv would be loaded onto the trailer and the RCMP officer would pull the trailer to the airport.  Whatever works best.

Everyone assembled outside the school gym at 6pm.  Roll call was taken, and the red truck was loaded with supplies.  The cadets divided themselves between the two trucks and we were on our way.  The time was 6:30pm.

The convoy arrived at the airport at around 6:40pm.  The atv was unloaded off the trailer and then the trailer was connected to the atv.  The bonfire supplies were transferred to the trailer.  Most of the cadets hopped into the trailer and were driven down to the woodpile.  I opted to walk.  The cadets were already taking pieces of wood and from the pile and building a bonfire when I arrived.

The bonfire was lit at 7pm.  I was unpacking food at the time.  The cadets used a combination of matches, Firestarter sticks, and naphtha to get the fire going.  Long wooden boards were arranged around the small fire in a cone shape.  A cot, foldout chair, and several large wooden logs were used for seating.

We sat around the fire and watched it grow.  Fifteen minutes passed and the fire reached an acceptable height.  I gave permission for the hot dogs and marshmallows to be roasted & consumed.  Metal roasting sticks were handed out, and everyone surrounded the fire with their chosen food.  We all stepped back when the boards forming the cone suddenly collapsed.  No one was hurt.  I prefer to roast my hot dogs halfway, as in, not entirely black.  Same thing with marshmallows.  Several cadets prefer to go all the way and roast both until they’re black.  Several hot dogs and marshmallows were lost in the fire.  Thankfully, there was plenty of food to go around.

We kept the bonfire going until about 8:45pm.  By this point, the food supply was low and I think we were starting to get bored.  At least we enjoyed some time away from town. 

Arctic Bay lights.

The fire was extinguished using snow and water.  A cadet used a shovel and I used a plastic foldable bucket.  I collected water from the shoreline and carefully carried it back to the bonfire.  I did this about five times.  The remaining cadets cleaned the roasting sticks and packed up the remaining food.  The RCMP officer warmed up the atv.  The remaining supplies were placed in the trailer.

Photo taken by RCMP Officer.

Most of cadets opted to sit in the trailer and be driven back to the airport, but some chose to walk.  I was the last one to leave the bonfire area.  I used a flashlight and headlamp to see where I was walking.  About halfway, the RCMP officer drove up on the atv and gave me and the remaining cadets a lift to the trucks.  The officer & I drove the cadets home.  A senior cadet dropped off the atv and trailer at Frank’s shop and was driven home by the officer.  I returned Frank’s truck the following day.