Day: 56

Arctic Animals Abound

Temperature: -43F

Location: Dubawnt River

Latitude: 63deg 51’ 21’’ N

Longitude: 98deg 49’ 29’’ W

Distance Traveled: 18 Miles

It was cold this morning, 43 below zero Fahrenheit, but not windy. Actually, it wasn’t that bad. It was a little easier lashing the sleds than yesterday. For a while, it looked like it was going to be a really nice day. It began to warm up, but then the wind picked up. It was a pretty chilly day. We had the winds against us most of the day. Although the temperature probably did rise into the 20 below bracket.

We’ve got a southeast wind now, it’s a little windy tonight. We’re hoping that we will not have a weather change, and that we will be able to travel tomorrow.

Today was an important day for us, because we saw a lot of wildlife. There are caribou all around here, which has been a fascinating thing for the dogs. They took off a couple of times today chasing caribou, of course pulling the sleds, not obeying our commands to stop. This is typical for a dog team. But it motivates them a lot, they really perked up all day long because of the tracks.

Paul was out leading this afternoon and he saw a few Arctic wolves. He howled, and they howled back, and they had an exchange of music. The day before when he was out leading Paul also saw an Arctic fox. And Hugh and Eric saw muskox two days ago. So we are in an area rich in wildlife. We figured that as we got close to Baker Lake we would see more caribou. And where there are caribou there are wolves and where there are wolves there are foxes. The foxes of course live on the scraps of caribou that the wolves leave.

No birds, however. It is too cold for birds right now. The ravens and birds like these will probably migrate up in another six weeks or so when it warms up.

We are 101 miles from Baker Lake today, hoping to make it in by next Tuesday, a week from today. It was a pretty good day of travel, we are making good time right now. The sleds are lightening up. We are really us to the weather right now, even the minus 43 we had this morning. It is all a factor of the wind. The little wind we had to day made it pretty chilly.

Our exposed fingers freeze up within seconds, and it is still winter out here. The light, however, is coming back. We still have a little bit of light at six o’clock in the evening, which is really phenomenal. This has helped the mood a lot. We can take down our tents in the morning around 7:30 or 8, without candlelight or flashlights. And I am able to set up the tent in the evening likewise. When Hugh comes in it is usually getting a little dark, and I like to light the candles when he comes in from his outside chores.

But spring is coming, the light is coming back. Our best part of the trip is ahead.

I wish to say hello to all our friends in Ely and express my thanks for all your support.