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I was told when I first got here to always expect the unexpected, and try (as hard as a quablunaa can) to prepare for very unpredictable and harsh weather. When I was told this (repeatedly) I thought it was more to do with the freezing cold winter that I have yet to see or experience. I thought... As a simple quablunaa would... "I'm already prepared. I have my Canada goose down filled jacket, my winter bunny boots (all arctic pilots wear these), a plethora of toques, mitts, gloves and wool everything"... But that isn't really what they meant at all. It's good to be prepared as I am, but also I was being told to prepare for the inconsistencies that occur here. The rapid change that happens with the weather is incredible. I have truly never seen anything like it. One day it is a nice, calm day with absolutely no waves on Hudson Bay, and then 15 minutes later the wind is howling, visibility is minimal and the clouds are lower than the towns houses. And it could easily stay like that for days.
The past few weeks I have been experiencing mother natures brashness. As the winds picked up to 100km and put our camping trip on hold, or as there was no bread or milk at the co-op for close to a week because the flights couldn't come in... I've been starting to understand exactly how reliant everyone here is on the weather, but yesterday It became more clear. I was scheduled to go to Iqaluit because I have volunteered to be a union rep for the NTA and my school. The training sessions start tomorrow and will go until Monday. In Nunavut there are not many flights, so I was scheduled to leave whale cove yesterday (Tuesday after school) and lay over in rankin inlet, where on Wednesday (today) I would catch my flight to Iqaluit.
Well as the tone of this post may lead you to believe, I am not currently in iqaluit as was originally planned. I am still in Whale Cove. Awaiting yet another flight (this will be the fourth attempt). At lunchtime yesterday everything was nice out, almost what you would say was a "perfect day" here. By 2:45 we were watching a very thick fog roll in and by 4:00 I was sure I wasn't going anywhere. The fog was so thick that as I drove with Morteza out to the airport I at a few points had trouble seeing. There was no way the plane could land, so they cancelled that flight. I was quick enough to get home and call to reserve a spot on the other flight company's plane that was scheduled to go this morning... But that thick fog was still being a problem... Second flight was cancelled. So then I tried with the help of a really nice guy "Dodai" who works at the airport here, to get onto a charter that was coming In through whale cove in the afternoon. I sat at the airport for a few hours but was again told that it was cancelled. I got to know Dodai a lot better (we had some quality time to talk while we waited). Michael was there too (one of my poker buddies), anyways they told me that the Third one didn't take off because it wasn't going to be able to Land in rankin inlet. Soooo all that to say that tomorrow morning that charter is "scheduled" to land in Whale Cove at 9:55 am. Fingers crossed people. I want to check out iqaluit!!
I usually would consider (as most of you would as well) myself as one of the most easy-going, happy-go-lucky guys around. But up here, I find myself surrounded by people who are more understanding, more patient and more sympathetic than I have ever been. I guess that is where I was actually going with this post when i started writing. The people here in Whale Cove are so understanding and patient. They accept when their flights are cancelled or they can't get milk at the grocery store. They understand that when the wind picks up it WILL put all their plans on hold and they really truly accept it. I guess that comes with living in a place where the only thing that seems to be consistent is the inconsistency of the weather. (I can only imagine the blizzards during the winter!!)
In the last few weeks I have been seeing more into me, I am starting to understand why I decided to come here, why I decided to leave everything in Longlac/Geraldton/Goulais and come here. Of course, it was for the amazing experiences that I am so excited for, the caribou hunting, the fishing 10-15 pound lake trout from the shore, the chance of seeing a bay full of beluga whales and the hunt that follows and all the experiences I will of course have in the classroom; the friendships I will build, the lessons I have/will teach but I have started to see the lessons that I have learned and continue to learn, the changing of me as a person... As someone who maybe sees things a little more clearly. This place allows that to happen. I know it sounds corny. But I can sense that I have found pieces of myself that I was blind to before. Anyways, this isn't like the other posts. Lately I have been hiding from the terrible weather that has been thrown at us, so I figured I would tell about that. Hope you enjoyed.
If I ever do get to iqaluit I will definitely take the time to travel around the capital city of Nunavut and take many pictures for my next post. (Which will hopefully come to you from the Hotel Arctic!
Goodnight!
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