It’s snowing and blowing when we get up at 7:00am. We have quite a distance to cover today, so we pack the tents and gear, and have breakfast (cereal & fried zucchini bread) before organizing the snowmobiles and dogs. Because of the wind and fresh snow, we are putting jackets on the dogs and booties on their feet. The jackets give them some protection from the wind, particularly when it’s blowing from behind, and the booties protect their feet from the snow that will otherwise collect in their pads and freeze, causing significant injuries. It is a long process with 28 dogs – that’s 112 feet to be fitted!
Read More“Good morning, good morning from Herschel Island!” Larry is waking us up with a call home, on his CB radio. It’s 8:00am, and takes 4 hours to have breakfast (pancakes and maple syrup), pack our gear and harness the dogs. Because of the rough sea ice (take Port Phillip Bay on a very windy day and freeze it), I opt for the back seat of one of the snowmobiles, with Martha driving. Frozen sea as far as the eye can see, with pressure ridges that we climb up and over, making for reasonably slow progress. Although we’ve start in sunshine, it disappears quickly and before long the wind is blowing from behind us.
Read MoreIt's 6:00am in Unuvik, and the last shower for the next 10 days, so I make it a good one! And then a final call to John to say “speak to you when we’re back.”
Bob and I arrive at Aklak Air at the Inuvik Airport, and meet Karl, our pilot for the day, and a part-owner of the airline. We're expecting a Twin Otter so that we can make one trip with all our supplies. However Karl tells us one of the skis from the Twin Otter has had to be flown to Calgary to be used on another Twin Otter that will be flying to the South Pole to rescue Dr Ronald Shemenski.
Read MoreAbout 2:30am, there it is! All over the sky. White streaks and some “curtains.” It is somewhat eerie; beautiful rather than spectacular. The lights move slowly, appearing in some places and disappearing in others. There are stars visible through the lights. I almost expect to hear sounds associated with the movement of the lights, and have read that some Indian cultures believe that they can hear crackling sounds during an Aurora.
Read MoreIt’s good to be back in Whitehorse. Trees are budding and ready to burst into leaf, the Yukon River is beginning to thaw, and there is still some snow on the ground. I’ve spent the night at Hawkins House, a delightful B&B not far from Main Street. Meanwhile Rod, Martha, Steve and David are sledding to Herschel Island and expect to arrive today or Friday. They will prepare the landing strip for the plane carrying Bob, me and the supplies for the return leg. The weather is cloudy and windy here, but hopefully being fairly kind to them in the Arctic.
Read MoreI was relaxing in the main yurt in the Ibex Valley in the southern Yukon, having mushed in from Uncommon Journey’s homestead, 25 km away. It was February 2000, and my 2nd day (ever) driving a team of 6 dogs. Rod Taylor was preparing dinner and telling me about a reconnaissance trip that he and Steve were planning for May, in the Arctic. His question was "would it be possible to take a group of people by dogsled across the sea ice from Herschel Island to Aklavik?"
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