Flying in Nunavut

Well I am now sitting on my charter flight from Whale Cove to Rankin Inlet.  I was on a wait list to get on a flight to Iqaluit this afternoon from Rankin Inlet, and for the first time in a few days... Something has gone the way of Andy. Someone cancelled their flight!! I'm no longer on the wait list and should be in Iqaluit this evening. 

Travelling in Nunavut seems to be very similar to everything else here. The people at every airport are very relaxed, the scheduling is basically a rough estimate of maybe when the flights will be boarding... But maybe not (all dependant on weather) and the whole thing is nerve racking for me. I really hope the weather at Christmas is good for flying. And I already am starting to worry about coming home for my brothers (Tim's) wedding in may. They say that time of year is the worst for flight delays and cancellations. That time of year is when they have the warm winter weather that causes lots of snow and many blizzards. I have been told that the best time to travel is when it is cold during the winter (like really cold) because on those days there is no precipitation, no fog and clear skies!  

Dodai told me that this is pretty normal, there are many delays and eventually it'll clear up. Well, yet again... He was right. It has cleared up enough for this charter to now be on its way to Rankin.  We'll see how the weather is there... Hopefully it is clear enough for my 1:45 flight to iqaluit to take off.  

There is a mine northwest of Whale Cove, outside of Baker Lake that flies guys in and out on a two week rotation.  I met a few of the guys today, they are flying back into camp on this same charter.  I imagine that this is one of the main business partnerships that First Air would have in this area, and that mine may be the reason this charter exists. The mining guys told me that the mine runs all year round, even during the coldest parts of the winter. They better get paid well for that because I can imagine how hard that must be in the nasty weather they must get during December, January and February. 

I think we are arriving in Rankin. It looks pretty foggy here. I hope we can get out of here today.

And the adventure continues... I am now sitting in the Rankin Inlet airport, waiting... Waiting to see if I'm no longer on the wait list. (Kinda ironic). This morning I called and they told me that I was no longer on the wait list... Now... Somehow Im back on it.  And im waiting to see if im actually on it or not.  But I apparently am still the first person on the wait list #1. Haha. So now I wait.  

I actually have started to accept this as being normal.  If nothing else, I am become one very patient and understanding man. 

...30 minutes later... (11:15)

The girls at the desk here for First Air are awesome...

They juggled the people around that were going to Baker lake, took them off the flight I am waiting for and put them in the mining charter that I just got off. Those people are happy because now they are going home a little earlier, and I am pumped because I Am no longer waiting to get on. 

So now I am going to eat. My flight doesnt leave until 1:45, so... food it is...I know there's a timmies here. Maybe I'll be able to find where it is and get a coffee and sandwich! 

...30 minutes later... (11:45)

On my walk to the Tim hortons, I passed a "welcome to Rankin Inlet, home of Jordin Tootoo" sign.  I think it's so incredible that he was able to somehow train, practice and build his talents to the level of an NHL hockey player in a place so far away from the rest of the hockey world. He must have been amazing for scouts to come all the way here to see him play. Lots of respect for that guy. Even more than I had than before. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he's on my favourite team. The Detroit redwings tough guy!

I also walked by an outdoor rink that will be ice soon enough, he probably played here during his childhood!

 It's crazy that they have outdoor rinks here. I can only imagine how cold it must get.  They also had a AstroTurf soccer field!  It's neat that all of the sports facilities are fake grass. The ball field here is fake too!  The grass won't grow well enough I guess. 

Well change of plans, I'm going to go see what the "Sugar Rush" is all about, grab a coffee and hopefully get something to eat! 

This place has Chinese food!  Not what i expected by the name "Sugar Rush" but... I'm sold. Chinese it is!

There must be a mining camp here too, almost the whole restaurant is reserved. 

Very cool place!  It's been two months since I've eaten in a restaurant. Haha. Small things that I definitely miss. It's not too expensive either. When I first came here I was expecting the meals in these restaurants to be too expensive. But they aren't at all!  

So... I'm back to the airport, after an excellent unexpected Chinese lunch!  Well, I got back to the airport and they told me that the flight to iqaluit stops at 4 different communities on the way to Iqaluit to deliver food to each community. They call this flight the "milk run."  Sooo this should be interesting. 

I'm actually on a flight destined for Iqaluit. 2.5 days, but I'm on my way. Now first. We deliver milk to chesterfield, coral harbour, and two other communities I can't remember. But I'll get pictures of each of the airports.  

Chesterfield first, 

Then we are off to coral harbour... 

Then we were supposed to drop milk off in cape Dorset... But the fog was too bad to land so we moved right on to iqaluit!  I am at this point tucking in to my bed in the Arctic Hotel. In the territory of nunavuts' capital city.

Until next time!