I took these pictures the weekend before I went to Pang...so they are two weeks old.

The path I took.


The path I could have taken. Yes, I think it seems to say something about my entire life, not just my route for that day.


Look at the blue, blue water and the mountains in the background, isn't it lovely to behold? Too bad it isn't the kind of water I want to see. This is just a layer of water on top of solid ice. Mother Nature has been teasing us lately with the idea of open water.


The clouds the Sunday I took the pictures seemed to be in layers of colour. Yes folks it's a picture of clouds.


More ice and snow at the opposite end of town from where I live. This photo was taken at a little park (name unknown to me) outside of Apex.


Eye of the storm? It wasn't storming or even raining, but the sky seemed to open up in a few areas and the sun poured in, reminding us that it was there.


I have returned from Pang and have a busy week ahead of me, so may not get to update for a few nights...of course I may also feel the need to procrastinate and therefore there could be a very LONG update. I took a number of pics in Pang while I was there and would love to take you down memory lane.

I'm back. Due to high winds I was delayed in arriving back in Iqaluit. But I'm back now....update with photos over the weekend.

I'm a travelling man. Made a lot of stops...all over this world...

I'm off to Pangnirtung this weekend!!! Woo Hoo!! We have meetings in Pang on Monday/Tuesday so I figured I'd head out on Friday and enjoy the entire weekend with some old friends.

Tuesday night the boys and I will be in Qik and then back to Iqaluit on Wednesday. Technically I've been to Qik before....my flight went there once and the view on the way over is amazing, but I've never spent any time in the community. We will only have from 5:30pm to 9:30am in town, but still...better than nothing.

I'm very excited about the trip.

In other news, I'm joining/have joined Habitat for Humanity Iqaluit. Our first build is this summer. I haven't offically been sworn in or anything, but the plan is that I will be a Board member and head up the Global Village aspect of the Iqaluit build this summer. Should be fun. There will be two teams coming up in August to do builds and I am looking forward to showing them around town.

Guess that's about it for tonight. Oh yeah, I joined the gym here in town...which would explain the early nights and sore muscles...no pain no gain. I actually have a personal trainor working out with me for the first month or so...just to get me started using the proper technique. It's working great, so far I've gained 5 pounds. I'm sure in a month or so there will be some noticeable changes in my muscles. I'll have biceps shortly. That might be neat.

Enjoy your weekend. I know I'll enjoy mine.

Not to be left out, I feel that I should comment on the ice in the bay. It's changing. No, it isn't melting or leaving or even breaking up, but it is covered in water.

In fact to the untrained eye one could think that the bay is a blue indeed open water...but it's not. It's simply the rain and melting of snow that is currently taking place sitting on top of about oh, say 6-8 feet of ice.

The reflection of the hills and mountains surrounding town was incredible tonight and I apologize for going out this evening without my camera...if I make it out for a walk tomorrow night I'll be sure to bring it along so you can take a peek.

The bay seems late in breaking this spring according to the word around town and no one is expecting an early July sealift, in fact the rumors are that perhaps the first sealift ship may not arrive until mid to late July. My friend got her truck a couple years ago on July 7, but that isn't looking like a realistic date this year. What happened to global warming?

For those of you on facebook you will notice that I wore a skirt last week in response to the expected 7 degree temps. Well, it only hit 3, but it was still one of the nicest days we've had this spring. And frankly, +3 here is like +12 or so down home. The sunshine and dryness make for great weather. And of course because the sun doesn't really set it doesn't really cool down at night. In fact, last night it was warmer between 11pm and 1am than at noon.

My apartment has been quite warm lately. It was warm during the middle of winter so you can only imagine how warm it is now. I sleep with the windows and door open and don't find that I get chilled at all. You know how it always seems a little colder just before dawn...not here.

It's been a long week and I'm tired...yes, I know it's only Monday. But if I get the energy I'll tell you later in the week all about the lobster I had on the weekend!

So I got a reminder email this week from the PEI Government that my JobsPEI profile had not been updated in 18 months. Which means that 18 months ago I gave up on the dream of settling down in PEI. Oh well. It's the Island's loss, not mine.

I did go in to see what information I had on line and thought I would update it...easy way to update my resume. What I found out is that no one working for the PEI Government has heard of Nunavut before...or at least no one in IT. I went to the drop down box for provinces/states and Nunavut is not there. Nope...not there. Now I know, Nunavut has technically only been in existence since 1999...so maybe the site just needs updating. Maybe the IT person who was suppossed to do that was also caught in the downsizing of a couple years ago and now there is no one there to do it. Maybe.

As I sit far away from the Island during my 5 year banishment I can ponder and think about life had I stayed. And I wonder if even at the end of the banishment period if I will return. Oh yes, I was paid handsomely to leave the PEI Gov't but at what real cost to me? No, do not for a minute think that I regret my decision to move up North, cause I don't. It's an adventure that I had wondered about for a while and may have done on my own at some point, but when the choice is taken away from you...that's different. I had no choice but to leave PEI. There was nothing there for me. Where would I have worked if not for the Gov't? I have skills aplenty, but none that seem to match the business back home. Isn't it funny, that twice I have failed to find employment in my home province and twice I was eagerly recruited to other parts of the country. What does this say for PEI and how it treats its youth? (Ok, I'm no longer part of the youth category...but I was the first time I left!) Why would I want to return to a province that is so short sighted in it's views that it continually turns away able bodied workers because they do not fix exactly the criteria they are searching for? And don't think for a minute that I am talking about just me. I have lots of friends who have left the Island for the same reason...PEI did not want us.

I would like to think that a few of my friends reading this are now saying...we want you...if you weren't...please start now. But in the end, PEI is a small place, and while I am living/working in a smaller place, at least here I am wanted and welcomed, even if I am from away.

Part 8 of 8
Rankin Inlet
Population 2400

The flight plan for the last trip had a lot of zig-zagging to and from Rankin.
Monday Iqaluit to Rankin to Whale Cove
Tuesday Whale Cove to Rankin to Arviat (Churchill)
Wednesday Churchill to Arviat
Thursday Arviat to Rankin
Friday Rankin to Iqaluit...wow!

I got to know the lady who works at the airport gift shop in Rankin. During our 5 hour layover on Tuesday I had ample time to chat with her. I also had a chance to visit with an old colleague while in town. We had supper, she gave me a tour of town and there was lots of laughter and chatter between us.

Flying into Rankin on Monday afternoon...the weather was perfect. In the Nunavut Capital Plebiscite in 1995 it was determined that Iqaluit and not Rankin Inlet would be the capital of Nunavut. The question on the ballot was...Which of these communities do you want to become the Capital of Nunavut? Iqaluit received 5,869 votes or 59.7% of the votes and Rankin Inlet 3,876 or 39.4%. 79% of eligible voters took part in the plebiscite. Just a little useless trivia for you.



Not sure how well the camo works out on the ice and snow...but apparently someone must think it helps them blend in.


Rankin Inlet tourist spot...


Just a couple more views of the community of Rankin. BTW, for you hockey fans out there, Rankin Inlet is where Jordin Tootoo is from. Jordin plays for the Nashville Predators (?) and while he wasn't born in Nunavut, he did grow up here. Jordin is said to be dating American Idol contestant Kellie Pickler...Kellie will be visiting Nunavut later this month and it was noted that she mentioned that she was excited to visit all the Eskimo's and that she was looking forward to building an igloo. Well, good luck Kellie....cause I think the nice folks in Rankin are gonna thump you for making stupid comments like that. It's a good thing she's pretty.



I have no idea what this is. The colour attracted me and then I ended up taking about 20 pictures of it from all different angles. Enjoy!




The town was founded by the owners of the Rankin Inlet Mine, which produced nickel and copper ores there between 1957 and 1962 from an underground operation. The mine was the first case of Inuit miners in Canada. Since the mine closed several attempts to develop an alternate source of income for the town were unsuccessful. These included a pig ranch in 1969 and a chicken raising venture in the 1970s. Both animals were fed a diet of local fish which unfortunately gave the meat an unpleasant flavour. It was also common for the animals to freeze to death or be eaten by polar bears. Brought to you by the wonderful folks at Wikipedia!

Here's some of the last few remaining pieces of equipment from the mine.


This is something I started to do during my European vacation...I would take a photo of the 'tourist thingy' and then a picture of the sign that explained what I had just taken a picture of....that way I won't forget...when 658 photos and various flight segments later I sort through the pics.


Just a dingy old shack...thought is looked interesting for some reason.


And that folks...is the end of my travels for a couple weeks. Phew! I don't know about you...but I'm tired. I did manage to get out for a hike on the weekend and took some pics, but I don't think any of them are blog worthy...but you never know. Blogging is a worse addiction than facebook.

Part 7B Arviat
Population 2060

Ok...we are almost finished our May community marathon...so bear with me. Due to the unexpected trip South (to Churchill) and the schedule of visits, etc. that we had booked I made the decision that I would continue on to Arviat and the guys would head to Rankin and I would catch up with them on Thursday. So we did...and this time there were no problems landing in Arviat.


I wasn't in Arviat long, no more than 22 hours, but I did manage to walk around the whole town and take a few photos.



Some of the roads were very straight and you could see to the very end, while others just seem to meander back a forth a bit.


It was extrememly windy in town the day I was there and because the land is so flat there is no finding an escape from it. Everyone walked at an angle into the wind to get around town and I can only imagine what the wind chill was on the back of a 4wheeler. Brrr.


The dull grey skies make it difficult to get a decent picture. This photo was taken out at the airport on Wednesday just before I left town.


My plane arrives. I was the only person flying out of Arviat that day...felt like it was my own personnal plane. I walked out with the Calm Air agent to meet the flight and exchange manifests/documents, etc. No point in doing a pre-boarding call when there is only one person getting on and no one got off the plane.


Arviat a whopping 32 feet above sea level. Maybe that is why there were 5 Islanders living there...the principal at the school, two rcmp officers, a teacher and one GN worker were all from PEI. How neat is that? When I introduced myself to the principal he did the...C____, you must be from Kensington. I was floored and then we did the PEI thing and exchanged pedigrees.
Next stop...Rankin Inlet....again.