Pink Drinks....
Due to the limited amount of time I have when I'm home I need to combine visits...I am going to be at Pat 'n Willy's for lunch on August 1. If you'd like to join, let me know...or let someone know and we will book a table. Any and all are welcome.
Can't wait to see everyone and catch up. Can you believe it has been six months?
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Thank you for visiting the Arctic Circle. Please come again.
There really is no sign like that, but wouldn't it be funny to see that on the back side of the inukshuk?
North of Nain is going on holidays. I will be back in early August with more postings. Have a great couple of weeks.
NofN
There really is no sign like that, but wouldn't it be funny to see that on the back side of the inukshuk?
North of Nain is going on holidays. I will be back in early August with more postings. Have a great couple of weeks.
NofN
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Saturday out on the trail...July 1, 2006.
Red soil, like PEI only more red if that's possible. The occasional red streak of dirt/sand can be found in the park.
View from above, you can see the trail on the left hand side that we followed up to this point. The trail is very well marked so you always know where to go.
Sand bridge. When the snow falls in the fall/winter it gets covered by blowing sand, then in the spring/summer the snow melts but the sand stays and forms a bridge with nothing below. When you step on the sand it crumbles and there is a potential to fall. Seen here in this picture is sand buckling after the snow has melted.
Crossing the river
Here's me up to the calves in ice-cold glacier water. Typical river crossing. The poles are great for providing stability when crossing the unever river bed.
Arctic Circle
We arrived at the Arctic Circle and took tons of pictures to prove that we'd made it. I still would have prefered to make it in the winter time, there's something about arriving at the Arctic Circle in the summer that just doesn't seem right.
Chicken finally makes it to the Arctic Circle. He's been to Europe, Mexico and all over the Eastern US and it is only proper that he get to the Arctic Circle.
Red soil, like PEI only more red if that's possible. The occasional red streak of dirt/sand can be found in the park.
View from above, you can see the trail on the left hand side that we followed up to this point. The trail is very well marked so you always know where to go.
Sand bridge. When the snow falls in the fall/winter it gets covered by blowing sand, then in the spring/summer the snow melts but the sand stays and forms a bridge with nothing below. When you step on the sand it crumbles and there is a potential to fall. Seen here in this picture is sand buckling after the snow has melted.
Crossing the river
Here's me up to the calves in ice-cold glacier water. Typical river crossing. The poles are great for providing stability when crossing the unever river bed.
Arctic Circle
We arrived at the Arctic Circle and took tons of pictures to prove that we'd made it. I still would have prefered to make it in the winter time, there's something about arriving at the Arctic Circle in the summer that just doesn't seem right.
Chicken finally makes it to the Arctic Circle. He's been to Europe, Mexico and all over the Eastern US and it is only proper that he get to the Arctic Circle.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Everything we would need for the weekend had to be in our packs and carried on our backs. A new experience for me where camping down home means driving the car up to the pre-marked camp site where water and electricity are of course within easy reach. This is the type of camping I've always wanted to do and my next boyfriend must be willing to go on adventures like this with me.
This was taken about an hour into the hike Saturday morning looking down the Weasle River toward Pangnirtung.
View of our first glacier. Glaciers have a blue colour to them, but often are covered in dirt and debris in spring/summer so have a dull brown look to them. Nonetheless they are magnificent to see.
Standing in the same spot as the previous two pictures, but looking the other way into the park, up the river.
As glaciers come down over the mountains they push any and all rock in their path forming walls of rock, sand and whatever else was in front of them. As the glaciers receed they leave these walls and empty spaces in between. The walls are very unstable and it is recommended you don't climb most of them. The centre depression left often turns into a lake.
While the majority of the park seems barren of life, flowers and grasses abound in areas where the water flows on a regular basis.
More flowers, aren't they beautiful?
Crossing the rivers can be a challenge. There are many small creeks that branch off from the rivers. They were not very deep. The deepest section we crossed was just above my knee in the middle, but most were ankle to mid-calf. No problem you say...maybe. I took off my hiking boots to cross and put on a paid of little beach shoes I brought after all who wants to wear wet hiking boots all weekend. The little beach shoes were great, but provided absolutely no protection against the cold water...glacier cold water of the creeks. Brrr.
The water moves quickly in the rivers and is full of silt making it undrinkable. But in other spots along the trail there are many other creeks that are not directly from glaciers where the water comes down the mountain and is filters through the ground, the water is cool, refreshing and tastes a little like the land would. Unlike many places down south, all water in Nunavut is drinkable and there is no real risk of illness from drinking untreated water...which makes hiking easier as you don't need to worry about boiling water before drinking it.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Ok, so if you read the post from a couple days ago you know that I spent the weekend in Auyuittuq Park. I thought I'd do four postings on my weekend, one for each day. Turn in tomorrow for the second posting.
This post starts on Friday night. Before heading into the park you must participate in a mandatory orientation session. So at 5:05pm we headed down to the parks office to learn about the do's and dont's of life in the park. During the one hour session we learned about wildlife in the park and what to do in case of a polar bear attack and how the emergency shelters in the park work.
Basically, avoid the bears at all costs and if you do see one don't panic. Emergency shelters are located at a few different locations in the park, about one days walk apart. They are only to be used in case of a bear attack or if you lose your tent/belongings etc while crossing one of the rivers. Hikers are welcome to go into the shelter at 8:45am and listen to the daily report on weather and wildlife sightings and are asked to report in any such sightings and extrememly high river beds should also be reported. Also, all garbage must be taken out of the park...all garbage...you'll understand the significance of this information later.
So, orientation over we headed to the boat. One of the local outfitters took us to the park entrance, about 32km from Pangnirtung, about a one hour boat ride. Landing in the park can only be done at high tide, well, it can be done at low tide but it means walking about 1km over tidal flats to get to the boat, so it is best to land during high tide...which we did, 9pm Friday.
On our way to the park this little iceberg was spotted on way across bay from Pang.
The gentleman in the survival coat (big orange jacket) is Jeff, he was also going camping in the park, the anticipation in the boat was hard to hide as everyone was looking ahead into the fiord.
The boat dropped us off on the left side of the picture where the first point of land is. If you scrunch your eyes you can still see the blue boat at the rock where we were left. As the boat pulled away I thought, this is our last connection for a while to the outside world.
The first night we decided to stay at Overlord, (where we were dropped off), and start out fresh in the morning. This is our camp site a small patch of gravel. Our tent is on the right, that's Jeff's on the left. There was a rock wall seperating the two sites, we didn't build it, it was there from before.
The tide started going out about an hour after we arrived at our camp site in this picture the tide is only 1/3 of the way it would finally go out.
Washroom faciliities.
Yep, it's a big oil drum. And yes, there are stairs to get up onto the seat. These fancy washroom facilities are about a days walk apart (located near the emergency shelters). There is no toilet paper provided and campers are asked to not put tp into the toilet it must be packed out with you--remember I said all garbage must be removed. The washrooms are only for bowel movements, hikers are asked to urinate on the land away from water ways. (Some of you are probably thinking toooo much information while others are fascinated...)
And so ends the first day of our camping trip. Looking out the fiord, listening to the waterfall and wondering what the next couple of days had in store for us.
This post starts on Friday night. Before heading into the park you must participate in a mandatory orientation session. So at 5:05pm we headed down to the parks office to learn about the do's and dont's of life in the park. During the one hour session we learned about wildlife in the park and what to do in case of a polar bear attack and how the emergency shelters in the park work.
Basically, avoid the bears at all costs and if you do see one don't panic. Emergency shelters are located at a few different locations in the park, about one days walk apart. They are only to be used in case of a bear attack or if you lose your tent/belongings etc while crossing one of the rivers. Hikers are welcome to go into the shelter at 8:45am and listen to the daily report on weather and wildlife sightings and are asked to report in any such sightings and extrememly high river beds should also be reported. Also, all garbage must be taken out of the park...all garbage...you'll understand the significance of this information later.
So, orientation over we headed to the boat. One of the local outfitters took us to the park entrance, about 32km from Pangnirtung, about a one hour boat ride. Landing in the park can only be done at high tide, well, it can be done at low tide but it means walking about 1km over tidal flats to get to the boat, so it is best to land during high tide...which we did, 9pm Friday.
On our way to the park this little iceberg was spotted on way across bay from Pang.
The gentleman in the survival coat (big orange jacket) is Jeff, he was also going camping in the park, the anticipation in the boat was hard to hide as everyone was looking ahead into the fiord.
The boat dropped us off on the left side of the picture where the first point of land is. If you scrunch your eyes you can still see the blue boat at the rock where we were left. As the boat pulled away I thought, this is our last connection for a while to the outside world.
The first night we decided to stay at Overlord, (where we were dropped off), and start out fresh in the morning. This is our camp site a small patch of gravel. Our tent is on the right, that's Jeff's on the left. There was a rock wall seperating the two sites, we didn't build it, it was there from before.
The tide started going out about an hour after we arrived at our camp site in this picture the tide is only 1/3 of the way it would finally go out.
Washroom faciliities.
Yep, it's a big oil drum. And yes, there are stairs to get up onto the seat. These fancy washroom facilities are about a days walk apart (located near the emergency shelters). There is no toilet paper provided and campers are asked to not put tp into the toilet it must be packed out with you--remember I said all garbage must be removed. The washrooms are only for bowel movements, hikers are asked to urinate on the land away from water ways. (Some of you are probably thinking toooo much information while others are fascinated...)
And so ends the first day of our camping trip. Looking out the fiord, listening to the waterfall and wondering what the next couple of days had in store for us.
Monday, July 03, 2006
What did you do this weekend? I went here.....(excert from Park website)
Auyuittuq means the 'land that never melts.' Auyuittuq is home to the Penny Ice Cap, a 6,000 square kilometre ice cap that is a remnant of the last ice age. This is a park of breathtaking grandeur. Enter through the Pangnirtung Fjord at the entrance to the park.
The Arctic Circle passes through the park and is marked by an inukshuk that has been in many a tourist's photographs. Schwartzenback Falls can be seen off in the distance as you trek towards Mount Thor.
...my thoughts and pictures will follow in the next few days. I've been gone since after work Friday night and am in desperate need of a shower, some sleep and then a hearty breakfast.
Auyuittuq means the 'land that never melts.' Auyuittuq is home to the Penny Ice Cap, a 6,000 square kilometre ice cap that is a remnant of the last ice age. This is a park of breathtaking grandeur. Enter through the Pangnirtung Fjord at the entrance to the park.
The Arctic Circle passes through the park and is marked by an inukshuk that has been in many a tourist's photographs. Schwartzenback Falls can be seen off in the distance as you trek towards Mount Thor.
...my thoughts and pictures will follow in the next few days. I've been gone since after work Friday night and am in desperate need of a shower, some sleep and then a hearty breakfast.
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