Arctic Bay On A Sunday

Dead Dog Lake.

On Sunday, September 18, I decided to photograph Arctic Bay and the surrounding area.  It had been some time since I documented the community and the lands around it on camera.  I assumed not much had changed, but it’s always good to take updated photographs.  You never know if they’ll be added/used for official historical purposes.

I originally planned to walk along the Road to Victor Bay, and then hike up a nearby hill, but, as luck would have it, I got a ride.  I thanked the driver for the lift and saving me time.  Large grey clouds hovered above me, but there were large patches of open blue sky.

Backup Water Reservoir.

The first landmark I photographed was Dead Dog Lake.  It’s located next to the Road to Victor Bay and is called that because a dead dog was found floating in the water.  The water looks fresh on the surface but I wouldn’t drink it.  There were plans to use the lake as a backup freshwater supply but those plans were quickly abandoned when the dead dog was found.  Speaking of a backup water supply, I photographed the backup water reservoir further up the road when I was halfway up the hill.

Victor Bay

Iceberg.

I had a clear view of Victor Bay when I got to the top of the hill.  I could see many cabins along the shoreline, endless blue water, and an iceberg near Graveyard Point.  I made a mental note to visit the iceberg next spring if it was still there in the frozen ice.

Uptown Neighbourhood.

New playgrounds on the right.

I turned south and walked towards the edge of the hill to get a better view of Arctic Bay, specifically the Uptown neighbourhood.  This part of Arctic Bay gently slopes up from the shoreline and is designated for residential use.  That and Uptown sounds better than Uphill.  I’ve lived here since 2013.  The latest additions to the neighbourhood are two playgrounds near the far ring road.  One playground is big and the other is small.  The kids in the area now have two new places to play that are close to home.

Uptown Neighbourhood.

I continued my hike and walked over to the top of another hill that overlooked the centre of town.  The top of the hill is a plateau and I wanted to take closer look at a large lake in its centre.  There were noticeable ATV tracks on one side when I arrived.  This area is surprisingly quiet given its close proximity to the community.  There’s also enough dry land to accommodate large groups of people.  If there was a permanent road to this place, large public gatherings, such as, picnics and games could be held.  Maybe that will become a reality one day.

Rocks underwater at the lake on the plateau.

Satisfied with the pictures I took of the lake, I turned my camera towards Arctic Bay and photographed Downtown, East Side, Gas Station, Breakwater Pier, Inuujaq School, and the West Side.

Arctic Bay proper.

Gas Station

Downtown consists of the Northern Store, Co-op Store, Inuujaq School, Old Health Centre, Breakwater Pier, and houses.  The East Side is mostly houses but also includes the local radio station and Heritage Centre.  The Gas Station is on the Road to Nanisivik before the local landfill and King George V Mountain.  The West Side consists of houses, the community hall, and hockey rink.  This area used to be a landing strip for small aircraft.

Breakwater Pier (top).

Inuujaq School (centre).

East Side.

I did take a few short breaks in between photographs to enjoy the scenery.  Taking pictures is fun and all, but it’s always good to see something through your own eyes.  I didn’t encounter anyone or anything during my hike.  It was just me and the land.  I doubt a hungry polar bear would have devoted the necessary time and energy to run up a great distance to devour me.  There are plenty of fish and seals in the sea.

West Side / Coast (centre).

Satisfied that I had taken all the necessary photographs, I returned the way I came and hiked down to the Road to Victor Bay.  I then followed the road back to Arctic Bay.  There was some vehicle traffic on the road because people were travelling between the town and their cabins. 

I safely made it home and immediately began working on editing the pictures I took.