It has become clear to me now that I should have completed this final blog entry before I left iqaluit and returned home to Nova Scotia to have a baby! It has been an ongoing work in progress, but one which I feel it is important to complete, so here goes...
During my time in Iqaluit four seasons came to pass, four profound seasons in my life. As I departed the smallest town I ever lived in, the last of the snow was melting, the ice on the Bay was poised for break up, and the sled dogs would run no more... the snow buntings were singing, and the saxifrage was in bloom. New life was blooming all around me, new life was blooming inside me... the beauty and perfection of it all left me breathless... or maybe that was the extra twenty pounds of weight pushing up on my diaphragm!
Little more than a year ago I applied for a job in Nunavut on a whim. When the response was that the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board would like me to travel to Iqaluit to interview for the position, my first course of action was to promptly Google where in the world Iqaluit was! Baffin Island, I thought, ‘huh’. I took full advantage of that trip to Iqaluit last May, thinking it was a good chance that it would be my only opportunity to experience northern life. I stayed for an additional four days, which I later learned had a positive impacted on my chances for the position – they appreciated my interest in getting to know Iqaluit.
Then before I knew it I was moving more than 2000km to the Canadian north. I have been looking back on my blog entries and following my arrival I wrote “I'm here and I'm happy” and I continued to be happy throughout my adventure in Iqaluit. These are some of the highlights from my year on Baffin Island…
I think though that the elementary school takes the cake for the most interesting architecture in Iqaluit! Looks like a giant ice tray! You’ll notice that there are very few windows, which is pretty clever when you are trying to keep students awake and engaged in the dead of winter when the sun goes down at 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
During my time in Iqaluit four seasons came to pass, four profound seasons in my life. As I departed the smallest town I ever lived in, the last of the snow was melting, the ice on the Bay was poised for break up, and the sled dogs would run no more... the snow buntings were singing, and the saxifrage was in bloom. New life was blooming all around me, new life was blooming inside me... the beauty and perfection of it all left me breathless... or maybe that was the extra twenty pounds of weight pushing up on my diaphragm!
Little more than a year ago I applied for a job in Nunavut on a whim. When the response was that the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board would like me to travel to Iqaluit to interview for the position, my first course of action was to promptly Google where in the world Iqaluit was! Baffin Island, I thought, ‘huh’. I took full advantage of that trip to Iqaluit last May, thinking it was a good chance that it would be my only opportunity to experience northern life. I stayed for an additional four days, which I later learned had a positive impacted on my chances for the position – they appreciated my interest in getting to know Iqaluit.
Then before I knew it I was moving more than 2000km to the Canadian north. I have been looking back on my blog entries and following my arrival I wrote “I'm here and I'm happy” and I continued to be happy throughout my adventure in Iqaluit. These are some of the highlights from my year on Baffin Island…
This picture was taken just days following my arrival in Iqaluit on June 27th, 2010. You can see snow on the distant mountains in the background. The beauty of these mountains across the bay continued to take my breath away throughout the seasons, right up until the day I departed.
Northern Architecture
I just fell in love with the big yellow airport in Iqaluit. It would be hard to miss this airport even in a storm! There is talk of building a new airport, but I sincerely hope they stick with the yellow submarine!
I think though that the elementary school takes the cake for the most interesting architecture in Iqaluit! Looks like a giant ice tray! You’ll notice that there are very few windows, which is pretty clever when you are trying to keep students awake and engaged in the dead of winter when the sun goes down at 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
Inuit Culture
There is no sound in the world like Inuit throat singing...
Seal skinning competitions could be found at major events in Iqaluit like Nunavut Day and Toonik Tyme.
I enjoyed watching the igloo building contest so much. The survival of the Inuit in the north for millennia was closely tied to their ability to create shelter where most would see barren landscape.
And in the summer they lived in tents made from animal skins, as they continue to do today, although I’m pretty sure today’s tents are made of canvas.
There is no sound in the world like Inuit throat singing...
Seal skinning competitions could be found at major events in Iqaluit like Nunavut Day and Toonik Tyme.
I enjoyed watching the igloo building contest so much. The survival of the Inuit in the north for millennia was closely tied to their ability to create shelter where most would see barren landscape.
And in the summer they lived in tents made from animal skins, as they continue to do today, although I’m pretty sure today’s tents are made of canvas.
Exploring the Tundra
Last summer and fall I spent countless hours exploring the vast expanses of arctic tundra around Iqaluit. I have always been one to enjoy a long walk, but I don't think I ever spent so much time out 'on the land' by myself exploring my surroundings. Arctic tundra is just so dramatically different from any environment I have ever known, though I must say, of all the places I have been it reminded me the most of the desert in Arizona, which really is exactly what it is. A desert is defined by the amount of rain it receives, not the amount of sun or heat. With so little precipitation and such harsh, dry cold and wind vegetation is severely stunted with few plants exceeding more than a couple of inches in height. The terrain around Iqaluit is very hilly with the tundra spotted with ephemeral ponds and windy rivers. To someone new to the north every hillside and trail looks like the next, so you have to be careful not to lose your way, even without the blinding affects of snow and ice. Most of the time I just walked and thought (walking is my favourite time to think), though sometimes I picked berries or took pictures. These were some of my fondest times in the north.
Inukshuks help to lead the way.
This coastal route between Iqaluit and Apex was my favourite trail to hike.
Our campsite along the river’s edge… a tranquil setting, though the mosquitoes were like nothing I have ever seen before!
Inukshuks help to lead the way.
This coastal route between Iqaluit and Apex was my favourite trail to hike.
Our campsite along the river’s edge… a tranquil setting, though the mosquitoes were like nothing I have ever seen before!
The Scenery
Icy fiords...
Glaciers...
Crystal clear waters, ice bergs…
And stunning sunset after stunning sunset.
Northern Lights
Icy fiords...
Glaciers...
Crystal clear waters, ice bergs…
And stunning sunset after stunning sunset.
Getting out on Frobisher Bay
The boat tour that we took when dad was visiting last September took place in a single day, but it was possibly the most thrilling experience of my arctic adventure. From the moment I landed in Iqaluit in the spring of 2010 I marvelled endlessly at the distant snow capped mountains on the other side of Frobisher Bay, so stunning in the evening sunlight. This boat trip, arranged by my boss, provided us with the opportunity to explore the deep fiords and bays on the west coast of Frobisher Bay. Jim Noble gave us the option to travel to one area in search of walrus and seals, or to travel far to the south where there was a small chance we might see polar bears. We chose to go in search of polar bears, but he warned us the chance was remote. It was a beautiful day, with the water glassy within the protected bays and fiords, creating a tranquil setting for our polar bear hunt. We even visited a bay where one of my coworkers, Taqialoo (her name means ‘big, bad moon’ in Inuktitut) spent the summers living off the land with her family when she was a child. AND, le piece de resistance, in the farthest reaches of our day long trip, high up on one of the ridges above us, there she was... a polar bear with her two cubs... in the wild. With binoculars you could see her calling back to her cubs, encouraging them to hurry along. It was such a thrilling experience, definitely one of the most thrilling wildlife experiences of my life, right up there with wild elephants in Thailand and a vampire bat in Belize. The trip was completed with an up close encounter with an ice berg on the return trip. Perfect day.
Northern Lights
I don't think I was alone in my dream of one day seeing the northern lights in their full glory, and now I can say that I have. Adjectives that come to mind... eerie, breathtaking, magical, surreal, spectacular… a wonder of nature.
Dog sledding
Dog sledding
I can't tell you how fortunate I was to find myself living with someone who owned her own dog team. Experiencing traditional dog sledding while living in the north was a must for me, but doing through one of the local adventure tour companies costs hundreds of dollars for a couple of hours. By living with Siu-Ling, I got to really get to know her dogs. They all have such distinct personalities, it's pretty hard not to fall for them. And I got to experience sledding at different times of the season and in different terrain. It is both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. I'm so grateful for Siu-Ling's generosity in letting me be so involved. I miss those big goofy dogs!
Sharing my experience with Family
Sharing my experience with Family
It was so special to be able to share my northern life with family, with visits from both my parents and my husbands. You can tell stories about a place for days, but it means so much to be able to introduce a person first hand. I appreciate so much that they all took the time and spent the money (tickets to Iqaluit are expensive!) to come and see me.
The sun has set on my northern experience but I have hardly had the opportunity to reflect. I have been too busy preparing for and then diving into my next adventure, the greatest adventure yet… motherhood.
The sun has set on my northern experience but I have hardly had the opportunity to reflect. I have been too busy preparing for and then diving into my next adventure, the greatest adventure yet… motherhood.
Hi Lesley, your blog is incredibly interesting. I teach 6th grade social studies in Virginia and we study the Inuit. I am interested in having the students read your blog to learn more about the culture of the Inuit as well as look at environmental concerns facing the Inuit today. I would love to be able to speak with you more about this idea and your experiences. If you could please contact me back I would really appreciate it. Thank you!
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