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June 24, 2004
Geoff (Posted 11:15am EST) Aslo see June 23rd - new Journal Entries posted at bottom of page.
It's now 9:50am and we're packing up camp! Sad but true. After breakfast Eric gave an outdoor talk on Glaciers. It was pretty amazing because all he had to do was turn around and point into the distance. No slides or powerpoint required. After we pack up this morning, we're going to visit the Floe Edge one last time, and then after lunch begin our long journey back to Pond Inlet.
Although we don't want to go back, we leave as a happy group, with red faces, enthusiasm, inspiration, knowledge, experiences and friendships to last a lifetime…
Stay tuned… Geoff
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UPDATE (Posted 2:20 pm EST)
By phone - 1:30 pm, from the Floe Edge
Geoff and Stephanie
Hello everyone! Calling from our final trip to the Floe Edge ... a little overcast today but we are well, just finished a great hotdog, soup and sandwich lunch. We are about to begin our 6 hour return journey to Pond Inlet ... after saying goodbye to the Floe Edge ... feeling some sadness yet content and in great spirit, knowing we have accomplished what we set out to do here.
Stephanie: Amazing, awesome time. As we look out at the floe - where the ice (which just yesterday was mostly clear) is now filled in again - so changable. We woke early ... had another briefing - this one from Eric on glaciers ... and then headed out for this final time at the edge .. to experience the freedom, the wildlife, the wonder of this journey. It has been such an awsome experience - I am so glad I came.
We will be in touch again tonight once back at Pond Inlet - we’ll try sending as many photos as possible! So do check back again ...
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JOURNAL ENTRIES (Posted Friday, 4:00pm EST)
Stephanie Bested
Oh my goodness yesterday (Wed) was an incredible day for many, many reasons. And in this journal I am going to name them all. Lilly (a girl from Iqaluit) went out with the guides to catch a seal for it was part of her culture. She arrived back at camp around one hour later with a dead seal on the back of the sled. Thomas (a guide) cut it open right in front of us. It looked exactly like surgery, seeing the body split open, seeing the intestines, heart, bladder, brain, etc. You could tell that Thomas has done this before because he did it so fast and smoothly. Eric decided it would be a good idea if he and I ate some of the seal parts, and I am not talking about the meat. Our deal was that he would take a bite of something and then I would. The first thing that Eric picked up was the eyeball. He did it like a champ. I am a woman of my word, and I took the eyeball and sucked it all into my mouth. Well, that didn't taste like chicken I will tell you that. I was told that I ate the eyeball socket, and it was salty and kind of fishy. It had a lot of blood on it, and when I swallowed it, it took its time going down. The next thing that we tried was the seal liver. I have never had liver before and it was super, super strong. I will admit that the eyeball tasted much better than the liver. The only unfortunate thing was that I didn't get $50,000 for my bravery!
Well today (Thursday) we woke up at 7:30am and had a huge day ahead of us. We ate a great breakfast and started to pack up the camp. It was really sad to leave the place where we have called "home" for the past 5 days. But we all managed to do it. We decided it would be a good idea to go to the Floe Edge one last time. We arrived at the Floe Edge at around 12:00 and just sat at the edge and soaked everything in one last time. We also played some soccer and ultimate Frisbee on the Arctic Ocean. We saw lots of wildlife, but it was still really unfortunate to leave the Floe Edge for it was a place where we could forget about everything like the media, news, conflicts, etc back at home. We had our last Arctic lunch and then starting getting ready to head back to Pond Inlet. When we were having a "group hug" just before climbing back into the Komitic's to go back to Pond Inlet, Eric yelled "Bowhead whale" super loud. In fact, he was so happy about spotting this whale that he pushed me out of the way. But I must admit seeing that whale was the best thing ever! It came right up to the Floe Edge and just sat there and let everyone take lots of pictures of it before it swam under the Ice Floe beneath us. The most amazing part was, listening to it breathe. That was awesome!
On our way home during the 5 hour journey we were talking about how dirty we were. I mean of course we would feel and look really bad since we haven't had a shower for 5 days! In the komitic's we talked about how much fun this trip has been and all the wonderful people we have met. Everyone has said plenty of times that we would love to keep in touch for we have developed such big friendships and bonds out here with the students, adults, and the guides. Everyone out here has been amazing and they are such amazing people. I am so happy that I have met them.
We arrived at Pond Inlet and there were only 3 things on our minds… or at least my mind. Those 3 things were a SHOWER, food, and CALLING HOME! I ate my dinner super fast so I would have time to have a nice hot shower. Now, let me tell you that it took me at least 3 or 4 minutes to actually get lather in my hair, that's how oily my hair was!!! But it felt really, really good.
After my shower I made a few collect phone calls to my loved ones back at home. I miss them so much, but I am not home sick... okay maybe a little. The first phone call was to my parents.
Mom, Dad, and Jen- I miss you guys a lot. Jen I am so sorry that I will not be home in time to see you, but I must say that I have said your name a lot on T.V. So I hope that for allowing me to go on this trip, and I am so happy that I came out here. It was well worth it. This is so much better then a car and I am glad that I finally spent my money wisely. xox
Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle- I miss you guys a lot. You guys have been on my mind a lot this trip. xox
Lyn and Tyler- I must say that I have said your name lots as well on camera. I thought that it would mean a lot to you guys. Tyler, I hope you had fun at your graduation ceremony tonight and congratulations to the class of 2004. Lyn, I miss you a lot. I hope that your summer so far has been a good one and I will talk to you in a couple of days when I return home. xox
Uncle Glen and Aunt Laurie- thank you for following my journey. I hope that L.A. is treating you guys really well. I miss you guys and I love you. I hope that my baby cousin is doing all right. Well I guess he is not really a baby anymore because he is growing so much. But I miss him as well. I will talk to you guys when I get home. xox
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