yahhh...after some screwed up flights (there were only 6 flights) I'm home at last!
I have a few stories to tell you of the last few days in Inuvik, but those will have to wait as coffee is ready and I am going to go enjoy sitting on the deck with Scott. But to give you a teaser.... the stories include:
-being educated in the not so great side of the north at the MadTrapper Pub
-going to the YUKON!
-seeing the northern fringe of the Rock Mtns
-witnessing a caribou hunt!
May be I will save these last tales to tell you in person my friends!
This experience has been amazing, and I think will have a great influence over the future direction of my career in science.
But, boy, is it ever nice to be home.
Can't wait to see you all.
Cat.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
No Title
We completed our last full sampling station for the trip in Darnley Bay in the morning. Finishing up the squid trawls right around supper (the cooks don't take it well when you're late for dinner). There was no squid in the net, but a couple of fish for me to process. I took my time measuring them, savouring the last Beaufort sea fish I may not see for a long while (never say never, eh?). The crew and scientists were keen to put the gear away and head full steam back to Inuvik. It will take us a good day and a half to get to the mouth of the MacKenzie. At this point the ship has to wait for high tide to enter the river as it is so shallow. Also, as we are now experiencing 2 to 3 hours of pretty much darkness, during those hours the ship will be anchored as it is too dangerous to navigate the river at that time.
Somewhere along our route upstream toward Inuvik we will be met by the RCMP. A half day has been dedicated to a search and recovery mission on the river. I believe I may have mentioned this earlier in the blog (See post: Docked in Tuk, July 30th). As I wish to pay respect to those lost and their family, I will not be writing any further about the recovery.
As there will be little for me to do over the next few days, other than pack gear. I will be sure to add some a few more words to the blog as my time here draws close. This is my journal, you are my journal, and I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing. I'm not sure if I've done a very good job in reflecting my feelings of the voyage. That sounds like a good entry for tomorrow..."a wave of feelings abroad the Beaufort Sea - a more personal reflection"...cheesy maybe....we'll see what needs to be censored, the rest I'll post for you.
Somewhere along our route upstream toward Inuvik we will be met by the RCMP. A half day has been dedicated to a search and recovery mission on the river. I believe I may have mentioned this earlier in the blog (See post: Docked in Tuk, July 30th). As I wish to pay respect to those lost and their family, I will not be writing any further about the recovery.
As there will be little for me to do over the next few days, other than pack gear. I will be sure to add some a few more words to the blog as my time here draws close. This is my journal, you are my journal, and I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing. I'm not sure if I've done a very good job in reflecting my feelings of the voyage. That sounds like a good entry for tomorrow..."a wave of feelings abroad the Beaufort Sea - a more personal reflection"...cheesy maybe....we'll see what needs to be censored, the rest I'll post for you.
Friday, August 15, 2008
No Title
We completed a sampling station in Darnley Bay in the AM, and had our open house for the community in the afternoon. The crew put off one of the zodiacs and ferried crew, scientists, and some community members back and forth between the ship and town.
Seeing as the community is in an inlet separated from the main bay by a shifting sand bar, the ship had to anchor outside of this. Approaching Paulatuk, my first impression was of how isolated it is, and how harsh and barren the surrounding landscape appears. The Inuit (Inuvialuit) name for Paulatuk is Paulatuuq, this means "place one finds soot" as the Inuvialuit came to this area to collect coal to burn. The people have lived in this area for thousands of years, however a permanent community was not settled until 1935 with the opening of a catholic mission. 20 years later the DEW Line site on Cape Perry brought full time employment. Still the community lives off hunting (caribou, polar and grizzle bear, muskox) and fishing (artic char, whitefish, tomcod).
I really enjoyed walking around Paulatuk (maybe 20 minutes from the far side of town around the harbour). It was a grey, foggy day. The dirt street was muddy and full of potholes. There weren’t many people walking, but a few coming and going from the northern store on quads (four wheelers). Dogs everywhere (just as I described in Tuk) tied to short ropes in front of houses. Every house had a skidoo in front and at least one spare one for parts. Most houses looked fairly well cared for, if you ignored the piles of garbage and junk laying about. We walked to the store, not that any of us needed anything. Items to buy were sparse; I was told they were expecting a plane. The fresh produce and diary shelves had only a few rotting items left on them. I shopped the prices: $53.00 for a case of 12 cans of pop! $4.49 for a single box of Kraft dinner! $10.29 for a box of plain macaroni.
The annual Paulatuuq jamboree was taking place this weekend, marking the last official days of 24 hour sun. I followed the sound of the fiddle music to the school. Unfortunately the festivities were not yet in full swing. The music was being played by a DJ, and kids were running around the gymnasium. People were slowly gathering so I hung around. Some elderly people arrived, and many young women with small children. It was announced the games would start. I couldn’t stay long, but got to see them play a game where you have to kick a ball suspended on a rope with both feet off the ground – everyone was having fun watching the games.
The site of the mission is still in town. The tiny church is still used, while the mission house is boarded up. I was taking pictures of the church, when I noticed there was no door handle only a rock keeping the door closed, so I let myself in. The tiny church maybe seats 20 people and the alter was adorned with statues and worship ornaments I would believe have been there since the Catholic mission first arrived. This tiny church really was a gem.
There is a Parks Canada office in Paulatuk. Tuktut Nogait National Park originally set up in the 80's and formed in the 1996 is just to the south east, and within hiking distance of Paulatuk. The Parks office was open and then Parks Officer, a local woman, was very nice and chatted with us for a long time about the area and the park. "Tuktut Nogait" means "young caribou" in Inuvialuktun (language of the Inuvialuit) - this refers to the time the caribou is born til it is one years old. It protects the calving habitat of the Bluenose caribou herd of this area.
Seeing as the community is in an inlet separated from the main bay by a shifting sand bar, the ship had to anchor outside of this. Approaching Paulatuk, my first impression was of how isolated it is, and how harsh and barren the surrounding landscape appears. The Inuit (Inuvialuit) name for Paulatuk is Paulatuuq, this means "place one finds soot" as the Inuvialuit came to this area to collect coal to burn. The people have lived in this area for thousands of years, however a permanent community was not settled until 1935 with the opening of a catholic mission. 20 years later the DEW Line site on Cape Perry brought full time employment. Still the community lives off hunting (caribou, polar and grizzle bear, muskox) and fishing (artic char, whitefish, tomcod).
I really enjoyed walking around Paulatuk (maybe 20 minutes from the far side of town around the harbour). It was a grey, foggy day. The dirt street was muddy and full of potholes. There weren’t many people walking, but a few coming and going from the northern store on quads (four wheelers). Dogs everywhere (just as I described in Tuk) tied to short ropes in front of houses. Every house had a skidoo in front and at least one spare one for parts. Most houses looked fairly well cared for, if you ignored the piles of garbage and junk laying about. We walked to the store, not that any of us needed anything. Items to buy were sparse; I was told they were expecting a plane. The fresh produce and diary shelves had only a few rotting items left on them. I shopped the prices: $53.00 for a case of 12 cans of pop! $4.49 for a single box of Kraft dinner! $10.29 for a box of plain macaroni.
The annual Paulatuuq jamboree was taking place this weekend, marking the last official days of 24 hour sun. I followed the sound of the fiddle music to the school. Unfortunately the festivities were not yet in full swing. The music was being played by a DJ, and kids were running around the gymnasium. People were slowly gathering so I hung around. Some elderly people arrived, and many young women with small children. It was announced the games would start. I couldn’t stay long, but got to see them play a game where you have to kick a ball suspended on a rope with both feet off the ground – everyone was having fun watching the games.
The site of the mission is still in town. The tiny church is still used, while the mission house is boarded up. I was taking pictures of the church, when I noticed there was no door handle only a rock keeping the door closed, so I let myself in. The tiny church maybe seats 20 people and the alter was adorned with statues and worship ornaments I would believe have been there since the Catholic mission first arrived. This tiny church really was a gem.
There is a Parks Canada office in Paulatuk. Tuktut Nogait National Park originally set up in the 80's and formed in the 1996 is just to the south east, and within hiking distance of Paulatuk. The Parks office was open and then Parks Officer, a local woman, was very nice and chatted with us for a long time about the area and the park. "Tuktut Nogait" means "young caribou" in Inuvialuktun (language of the Inuvialuit) - this refers to the time the caribou is born til it is one years old. It protects the calving habitat of the Bluenose caribou herd of this area.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Franklin Bay
Winds were keeping us from rounding Cape Perry, so it was decided to do some work to the southwest of us in Franklin Bay. Mid afternoon winds changed and we snuck around Cape Perry. On our way by the DEW (distance early warning) Station, someone saw a helicopter land there. Our earlier ideas that it might be abandoned were wrong, seems it's still maintained if not still manned.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Darnley Bay
If you don't like the weather just wait a bit...
don't hold your breath for the weather...
sunshine? what's that stuff?...
What's the plan? ok, what's the weather plan? ...
This is life on the boat, and the theme of Thursday night. Winds were being shifty and it was decided we'd hide overnight from the swell. We ducked into some of the islands surrounding Cape Perry in Wise Bay. But science never stops, and this is a 24hour working ship. Throughout the night camera stations, CTD's and squid jiggin' (with no success) were done. Poor Kate really hasn't had much success finding squid. A few have come up with our bottom fish trawls but that's it for squid so far.
don't hold your breath for the weather...
sunshine? what's that stuff?...
What's the plan? ok, what's the weather plan? ...
This is life on the boat, and the theme of Thursday night. Winds were being shifty and it was decided we'd hide overnight from the swell. We ducked into some of the islands surrounding Cape Perry in Wise Bay. But science never stops, and this is a 24hour working ship. Throughout the night camera stations, CTD's and squid jiggin' (with no success) were done. Poor Kate really hasn't had much success finding squid. A few have come up with our bottom fish trawls but that's it for squid so far.
Cape Perry and the Squid
Today was a bit different as the fishing team was up first thing this morning after box cores. It was nice to have a reason to climb out of bed before 10am. The sun was out again this morning and the temperature a balmy 7C. Summer in the Arctic.
The fishing wasn't bountiful, but we did have another new species (we weren't 100% certain) but think its a polar cod. We were originally planning another trawl set closer to shore at 30m, but after having a look at the camera footage from last night in the area we decided it was a bad idea because of the random huge boulders that our net could get hung up on. We also found a tiny squid in our bycatch. Kate had tried both netting and jigging last night for squid in this area with no luck. So catching one in our net was good news for her as it affirms this type is actually found in this area.
Tonight we cruise south into Darling Harbour and we should be anchoring off Palutuk by 10am.
The fishing wasn't bountiful, but we did have another new species (we weren't 100% certain) but think its a polar cod. We were originally planning another trawl set closer to shore at 30m, but after having a look at the camera footage from last night in the area we decided it was a bad idea because of the random huge boulders that our net could get hung up on. We also found a tiny squid in our bycatch. Kate had tried both netting and jigging last night for squid in this area with no luck. So catching one in our net was good news for her as it affirms this type is actually found in this area.
Tonight we cruise south into Darling Harbour and we should be anchoring off Palutuk by 10am.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Dew Line Is Watching
We arrived at Cape Perry, and were greeted by this strange yellow glowing thing in the sky?shedding warmth upon us? the sun. wonderful sun. what a treat. Cape Perry is the site of one of the American Dew line stations built sometime during the cold war. As far as our crew knew, the station is abandoned now. It's a large building on top of the highest point of Cape Perry, with a huge white dome radar. Looks like a prison. I can only imagine those posted at this station often felt it was a prison during the long, cold dark winters.
Fishing in this area was exploratory, and we were super excited to find a (new to us) species!lumpsuckers! two different species of lumpsuckers. Although the name doesn't sound it, they are really cute. The smaller one we found looks almost like a type of puffer fish with little spines all over him but then he has a sucker on the bottom for attaching himself to rocks and holding his position while feeding. The other one is larger and darker coloured and shaped a bit lumpier, with big eyes and swam around his bucket with his oversized mouth hanging open. Very cool fish.
We had our fish work wrapped up by supper time. I spent a good part of the night on the bridge with the binos looking for whales. Sighted a few but they were far off. Tried to stay up for the sunset as it was looking like it would be amazing, but as sunset would have been about 2am - I couldn't do it. I heard in the morning it was a beautiful set with only moments until it was a rise again.
Fishing in this area was exploratory, and we were super excited to find a (new to us) species!lumpsuckers! two different species of lumpsuckers. Although the name doesn't sound it, they are really cute. The smaller one we found looks almost like a type of puffer fish with little spines all over him but then he has a sucker on the bottom for attaching himself to rocks and holding his position while feeding. The other one is larger and darker coloured and shaped a bit lumpier, with big eyes and swam around his bucket with his oversized mouth hanging open. Very cool fish.
We had our fish work wrapped up by supper time. I spent a good part of the night on the bridge with the binos looking for whales. Sighted a few but they were far off. Tried to stay up for the sunset as it was looking like it would be amazing, but as sunset would have been about 2am - I couldn't do it. I heard in the morning it was a beautiful set with only moments until it was a rise again.
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