In past two months, I had opportunity to visit east arctic again to hold public meetings in 11 remote cities and communities. Some facts about travel in arctic are very interesting:
Time zones. Canada has 6 different time zones from Atlantic coast to Pacific coast, but in Nunavut, there are three time zones, so you have to adjust your watch frequently to make sure the you are at right time. One community in Nunavut, Coral Barbour, make this even worse, it is located in Eastern Standard Time zone, but its time turns into as the Central Standard time as it does not adopt the Daylight Save system in summer season. because of the time zones, you flew two hours, but the arrive time was the same with departure time.
Transport. There is no road in Nunavut connecting neighbor communities and cities. Except hunting, air is the only way for business travelers, even it is as close as 60 miles. Take the trip from Igloolik to Hall Beach as an example, we still had to travel by air, and that was only 15 minutes flight. You can see your destination when air plan climbed to normal flight elevation from departure airport, and you are ready to land.
Logistic. Logistic is always the biggest challenge for traveling in arctic. Some places don’t have enough hotel rooms for a large team ( our team consisting of 7-11 people). so it was very common for us to share rooms with coworkers or strangers in some cases. Rooms were shared, but don’t expect cost would be reduced by half, one night hotel cost (actually spend on one bed) is more than what you pay for a week long holiday in Las Vegas from Toronto. In addition to accommodation, food was another challenge, some small hotels did not have restaurants, we had to prepare our food from previous location.
Travel in arctic is tough, but picturesque landscape and breath taking aerial scene will make every effort you made worthwhile. Here are some photos I took during the trips.
The travel routes from early April to early May
This is a big rock in front of Kimmirut, it shows the the difference between high tide and low time, at low tide, whole sea ice dropped about 10 meters, and ice bound on the shore became a ice cliff.
a Inuksuk in Igloolik, Igloolik has the longest human habitation history in Canada arctic, it is said Inuit lived Igloolik since 4500 years ago, and therefore rich in archeological resources.
Spectacular ice caps under sunset, they are close to Clyde River, lie northeast cost of Baffin Island, containing some of the most dramatic scenery on earth.
Picturesque Kimlik National Part at Pond Inlet.
A red cliff under midnight sunshine in Arctic Bay.
unique coast cliff at Borden Peninsula, a transit from arctic to high arctic.
Strange patters and open water lead on pack sea ice in Lancaster Sound, Lancaster Sound is the east portion of famous Northwest Passage connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Actual, some of the arctic ocean never frozen up even under minus 60 degree due to strong ocean currents, the opening is called lead, which is critical to marine wildlife living in arctic year round.
A sculpture in Grise Fiord, and a new monument pays tribute to Inuit who were relocated to Grise Fiord from Northern Quebec by the federal government in the 1950s.
Rough fast ice in front of mountainous Grise Fiord, it is the Canada’s most northerly community with a latitude 76 degree, and distance to the north pole only 1040km. How northerly it is? it is 1160 km north of the Arctic Circle, with in which, any piece of land or water is called arctic.
WOW, your pictures are always interesting and breathtaking, beautiful. I could never live in the arctic, I hate the cold, but looking at pics is as close as I get…lol
how very strange that must have been with the time zone thing, landing at the same time you took off…lol
I love reading about your adventures arctic wolfie, glad you are keeping well and thank you for posting such great pics,
Leaving you some Summer Breeze warmth…lol
haha, Summer.Thanks for comments for those photos. Speaking of Arctic, I understand that not so many people like cold weather, not mention arctic. but you live in warm and Britain, cold weather will bother you so often.
I feel i already got some some warmer summer breeze from Britain. Enjoy your warm breeze on behalf of me:)
you have such an interesting exciting life arctic and fantastic pictures lucky you to see these wonders very windy here in the uk just now have fun on your travels xxjen
Thanks Jenny, some time it is interesting, but most of times, they are tough, it is windy year round, it would a pleasure if wind dies out.
Hi Wolf, Great information and photos! They are great! Alice
Thanks for visiting, i see your Journey of Beautiful Life has resumed, and it is joy read you new entries after quite a while. keep update and share.
I think that no one can take such fotoos then u do Wolfy..
What a pics jesus These are awesome .Fantastic haha the prices as high as a week Las Vegas??? my God. I do hope ur boss payed the bill??
and when u fly u can see the place where u land.??
Mr Wan Li…u are a priviliged person.U have these imagines in ur head no??
ur eyes see and u absorbe.
Pond inlet is the foto I like most.The dark blue colour is special
hehe Wolfy enjoy the 24 hrs daylight..Font forget to go to bed in time U hear!!!
Mj
you can also say no one never experience the tough duty travel as i did, MJ. My boss paid the costs indeed as that is party of our business get paid. that is true when you climbed to normal flight elevation, you have to descend to land, only 90km distance. i am lucky i could have chances to experience those scenic places, Pond Inlet is the most scenic place on whole Baffin Island.you could make it by cruise ship as many German do.
don’t worry the time to go to bed, life rhythm here is totally controlled by clock:)
i talked abt this with my colleague. well she said.
sitting at a terras having a drink in the evening could be killing before u know its morning.
And indeed as u say we have a watch.
U can make ur room dark ??
Its a tough duty ur travels i know that.Temp below zero. Not my kind of thing My friend
have a wonderful weekend.
Sleep well ( hihi) MJ
Yes, i make my room dark using aluminum foil and heavy curtains. otherwise it is impossible to go to sleep well.
below zero is ok, but when it below -40, it would be challenge, but we can still handle as it is not uncommon during travel.
you too, enjoy a nice weekend!
Wow is all I can say as well. What a trip that must have been. Good thing your company was paying for it. You have seen landscapes that are beyond this world. Your capture of them are breathtaking. Bet you are enjoying those long sunny days. I just wish the sun would come out at our place. It’s rain rain rain. Loved seeing all those blues skies in your photos. Wow…. Hugs Carrie
Yeah Carrie, that is rewarding part for people like me work here when we face the harshest climate on the planet. now it is 24 hours day time again, and hope the sun at your BC not hide always. the sunny season is coming soon i guess. you would soon enjoy your prosperous life on your ranch.
take care,
hi arctic wouldnt you love some sunshine i would and this weekend its not happening showers and cool aww bring back the summer lol have fun arctic keep warm xxjen
just called by arctic hope your enjoying the week xxjen
thanks Jenny, and hope you have another great week. this week is supper busy for me, but it is getting warmer and nicer now.
Wow, amazing scenery.
Definitely well worth the effort i would imagine
Thanks for stopping by, and glad you like it:)
What an amazing adventure! you have had many but this must be a first for you?? not quite summer but does it make any difference? beautiful landscape up there! and the emptiness…what no roads? that means no noisy cars or trucks either! hurrah!!! ok it is a little on the cool side…maybe cold…maybe even gets very cold…but quiet
lots of great photos; love hearing about your adventure arctic
Eddie
Eddie, sorry for not coming back and reply your questions, actually this is my second trip to high arctic, but did not get some good shots at the first trip. summer season in arctic is quite different as snow covered tundra will turn into follower blanket in the short growing season. there are few road in each settlement location, but definitely no road to connect one to another. everything is depend on sea lifts, a total different worlds from our “normal” world.
“Normal” I don’t call the ‘rat race’ ‘normal’ our life up here is excellent, easy going, lots of laughter, clean water, clean wide open spaces, great fishing/hunting, and best of all clean air. Not even I would be able to afford an airplane ticket to go anywhere like the High Arctic. I consider myself one of the very lucky few who gets to travel to places I would have never been able to afford to go, Life is good. We got accustomed to being ripped off by our own government, we have no paved roads that are connected to the rest of our beautiful country, but it’s ok, we don’t want to see our beautiful scenery scarred by bulldozers anyway.
前一段我们回国拉!很少来这里!错过了这么精彩的一篇阿!
came here to cool off looking at your images hope your well arctic xxjen
calling by to say hello arctic xxjen
Have a wonderful weekend Arctic Wolfie, leaving you a warm summer breeze and a smile 🙂
哈哈,终于又看到你的博客了!真的很震撼啊!有朝一日我也能去就好啦!冰天雪地的诱惑也很大哦!很棒的图片!
welcome to blossom blooming world in short summer, and icy world in other time except in summer.
Oh wow, what a trip! The pictures are BEAUTIFUL! And I enjoy all the info you give us about the arctic! Always interesting to read you. Thank you again Wolf!!!!!!
thanks Jana, it was a long trip but there was lots fun when traveling all those small communities.
You know what?! Looking at these arctic pictures just made me feel soooo refreshed and cool down a lot in a hot summer night! Hahaha! 🙂 “The arrival time was the same as the departure time…” Isn’t that fantastic!! I wish that happened on my way to class every morning! :))))
Hahahaha, happy to hear that they help you feel cooler, unique condition in arctic makes so many things usual.
Hi Dude,
Long time no see…and I don’t even know that you have become a well-known versatile photographer and adventurer. Couldn’t say a word when staring at these pictures:They are as wonderful as those on the National Geography magazine. You’ve done a great work. You must feel a fulfilled life.
I am pretty busy at the moment with my new born boy. But I look forward to more visual impacts from your camera.
很好奇,什么样的工作让你有机会去那边啊?
谢谢百合来访,工作是项目的环境影响评估,去那些地方是去调研具体的民情及公众感受。