5-Sept-24 Pond Inlet
Clocks move forward one hour. Again. 23hr days not good.
Wake up to steel grey skies. Steel grey water. Brew with a view as we sail close to Bylot Island.
Steel grey soon gives way to azure sea. Reflecting bright blue sky. And sun.
Nothing happens today. A leisurely day. Pottering. Catching up.
Sail for about 4hrs into Pond Inlet to the Inuit settlement of Pond Inlet on Baffin Island. Simply to pick up pilot for Greenland. Aircraft flies over and lands. Within ten minutes pilot boards Zodiac zooming to ship. Small airport then.
Settlement of Pond Inlet appears the same as Gjoa Haven, Cambridge Bay and Ulukhaktuk. No shore excursion. Just a view from the bridge. You know the score by now. Scrapheap Challenge and all that.
Chat with fellow Brits on deck. About Inuit. One has worked with heroin addicts. And thinks they are in better shape than some of the Inuit we saw in Gjoa Haven. Another has said that 40% of Inuit in Gjoa Haven live off the state. Some I saw wouldn’t seem out of place as a tramp in England judging by their physical state and appearance in dirty, raggy clothes. A number agree that the Inuit CAs are ramming it down our throat a bit. I know I’m not alone in thinking what I do but nice for it to be confirmed.
And back the way we came. Down the western approach. The northern approach is off limits due to whales and being a protected area. But no whales seen at all. Spend much time on the bow observation deck in the sun. Admiring the scenery. Cold. But not biting cold. Polar gear required though.
Use the time in between lectures to catch up on diary. Have been pootling about all day with my A4 Black n’ Red writing book. With black Bic biro tucked in right ear. Like you do. Like on site. But where else do you put it?
Busy scribbling away. Minding own business. Old woman approaches. Are you an engineer? No. But work in an engineering environment. I could tell. Said she. By the way you walked about with a writing book. And pen behind ear. She said. Oh. Said I.
Stunning snowy scenery and sea. Superb skies. So sunny. Sort of day you stand on deck and can’t take it all in. Too much scenery.
Final event of the day is Joe and wife Mary Rose. Traditional Inuits. Wholesome Inuits. Everyone likes them. Joe hunts. Doing manly things. Mary Rose cooks and sews. Doing wifey things. Woke leftie feminists getting their knickers in a twist now. Joe goes fishing for Arctic Char. Can be served six ways: 1) cooked fillet; 2) hot smoked – with a flaky cooked texture; 3) cold smoked – raw texture; 4) jerky – dried, salted and spiced; 5) Piffi – outdoor air dried fish which is the traditional way; and 6) raw – sashimi style.
Piffi is made by filleting the Arctic Char straight after being caught. It’s then hung outdoors on racks with skin facing out. On the second day it’s turned over and the flesh is facing out. Depending on weather it takes three to five days to air dry. Typically done in the Spring and Summer months. As soon as it starts to dry it can be eaten.
Chefs hand out four types of Arctic Char. Piffi the best. A real taste of the Arctic.
Joe had previously told us about his seal hunt. Standing there in his seal fur tie and seal fur waistcoat. Typically catches about 30 seals a year. For food. To sustain family. To live. Before you woke lefties get your knickers in a twist again. Rose then renders the skin and dries it so she can use it as material to make clothing for the family. Blubber and meat obviously used to eat. They discovered spices in Yellowknife. And now enjoying Seal Jalfrezi. Joe is a humble chap. This is what I do. Whether you agree with killing seals and whales or not. This is our life. Not ramming it down our throats. We do this to survive. Top bloke.
Evening briefing confirms that we have now sailed through the North West Passage.
Yay.
I did it.
Up to 2023, only 392 vessels had transited the North West Passage. Vessel may be a one man yacht. Or 300 people ship.
More people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed through the North West Passage.
I know I am lucky in life.
