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June 25/04 - Pack up and return to Pond Inlet. Evening Barbeque with local Inuit students and elders, sharing of stories. Games and Celebrations.
UPDATE (Posted 1:00 pm EST)
Geoff, Pond Inlet
June 25th, 1:00am (Pond Inlet) I am sitting here in Pond Inlet in the wee hours of the morning. About to fall asleep on my laptop, but wanted to write something about our day before hitting the sack. It is 1:00 in the morning, but the midnight sun makes it seem like about 12:00 noon! All the students and staff have turned in for the night after what was a very big and exciting day!
It took us about 3 hours to break down our "ice camp" and load up all our gear into seven Komatics. We bid farewell to our campsite at about 11:00am and took off for one final visit to the floe edge. It was sad to leave our Arctic home but at the same time there was a sense of satisfaction in the air and a knowledge that we had experienced something very special.
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A giant tabular iceberg had appeared on the horizon overnight and was slowly making its way past the floe edge with the north to south current that will eventually take the berg all the way down the Labrador coast. We stopped at a nice spot along the floe edge to spend our final few hours before beginning the long journey back to Pond Inlet. A delicious lunch of hot dogs and chicken soup was served up by our Chef extraordinaire Lee and her team of Jen and Dan. It was a great few hours of observing the magnificent surroundings, talking, playing, taking more photos, laughing, sleeping and processing our thoughts.
Then just before 2:00pm something incredible happened. We were about to hit the trail when a spontaneous "group hug" broke out (a Students on Ice tradition!). We were all squeezed together like a pack of sardines, when suddenly someone called out "Whale!" We immediately ran to the floe edge and to our total amazement a Bowhead whale had surfaced just meters away!! I couldn't believe it at first. The estimated population in the Eastern Canadian Arctic of this endangered species is only 300. But sure enough there it was. Its big black body just lay there motionless on the surface. Here we were seconds away from leaving, and this gentle ocean giant had silently arrived almost as if to say goodbye. It floated on the surface for what seemed a few minutes and was observing us as much as we were observing it. Was it our group hug? Was it our kharma working at some incredible new level? Was it just coincidence? We all stood there in awe, wonder and excitement. Wow… Then slowly and gracefully, and with a resonating breath, the whale arched its giant back and slipped away under the ice…
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I've been very fortunate over the years to have had many whale encounters around the world, and without question they are my most profound experiences. There is a powerful feeling that you cannot describe when you share time and space with these our planet's largest inhabitants. However, I've only ever seen 4 or 5 Bowheads and never one so close, and until today Dr. David Gray who has spent half his life working in the Arctic had never seen a Bowhead!
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This encounter was truly a rare and breathtaking experience. And it doesn't take much imagination to think there could have been a higher meaning to it all. Maybe I just need some sleep, but perhaps this Bowhead was trying to communicate and convey a message to us today? A message to the students to take advantage of what they've learned on this expedition to make a difference in our world? A message to just smarten up, live more sensibly and sustainably, and take care of our planet? Who knows?! As absurd as that may seem, I would not rule it out, and I think we all felt it to some extent. Regardless, I'm sure today's encounter will have a lasting impact on our young adventurers for years to come…
What a farewell to the floe edge… After a wet and exciting ride, we arrived back to Pond Inlet just before 7:00pm and spent the night unpacking, eating dinner, and yes, having a shower! Tomorrow we have a big day planned here in town including some final lectures, a One-Tonne Challenge workshop, a visit to the local school and a special presentation for our group at the Cultural Centre.
It has been a great expedition in so many ways. Thanks to all our sponsors and partners and to you for sharing this journey with us. Stay tuned tomorrow and in the days to come as we update the site with more photos, journals and final thoughts from students and staff.
Gotta hit the hay…
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS HAVE ARRIVED!! (Posted 2:30 pm EST)
JOURNAL ENTRY (Posted 4:00 pm EST)
Sarah Burns
This trip has really been one of the most amazing experiences. I know that I will not know the extent to which it has served me until later in my life, when I look back on this trip. It was really sad to leave the ice floe yesterday. I didn't know it would be so hard because it is just where ice meets water. But on my trip I learned to recognize and understand the simplicity of nature's beauty. Just turning around on the floe to the snow covered mountains and then looking back to the calm glittering waves was the ultimate euphoric experience. If there is a heaven, I would imagine it looks a lot like the arctic. We are very lucky people.
Karma was truly working for us yesterday because about 40 ft. away a Bowhead whale appeared from under the ice. It was a glorious and rare site indeed. I see people taking pictures and videotaping the trip, and I think to myself these snapshots can never capture the full experience. Of that we can rely on are our memories. It was also sad to have my last ever komatik ride with Rachell, Rick, and Barb. They sang our usual medley of random songs, and I admit, I slept.
Right now, the most recognizable physical change from the trip is our sun tans (and by tans I mean burns). We are assured our unusual rosy cheeks and sunglass tans are dead sexy though. I am happy because I have my first set of freckles ever! So today is our last full day with the entire group altogether. It is really sad to think that I might never see some of these people again because we have all gotten really close. Despite the sad goodbyes that are going to take place in less than 24 hours, I am so grateful, and glad that I met such amazing people.
Goodbye, Sarah
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Geoff (Posted Sunday 4:45 pm EST)
June 25th, 2004
6:15pm Pond Inlet, Nunavut We've had a great day here in Pond Inlet and it has flown by. It's our last day in the Arctic and it's been yet another one filled with new experiences. After breakfast at the Co-op Hotel, we turned the dining room into our SOI classroom, and Ingrid gave the students a talk on Leadership. The students all reflected on their various leadership tasks during the past week. Ingrid also touched on University and College issues, and a great discussion ensued about careers, goals, future plans, etc.
A short washroom break, and then the students launched into another workshop about the One-Tonne Challenge, and how and why the experiences of the last few days have inspired them even more to make a difference. At first the students decided that they should produce a "Youth Statement" to share with others the need to become better stewards for the environment. This evolved to explaining how the experience of the last few days has taught us that our actions in the South have an impact on the North. We've learned how everything is interconnected in the Arctic as it is with the entire global ecosystem, and how so much depends on the ice. We've learned how Climate Change is having an impact on the Arctic. How can we share this understanding and appreciation for Mother Nature, and the concern for the future?
That's when our Bowhead whale encounter came back to us… Maybe our message of inspiration and could be told through the whale? So this story is in the works that will attempt to convey our thoughts and ideas. We'll post it on the website tomorrow for all to read…
After lunch, everyone spent time walking around town, looking at Inuit art, and generally just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day. Several soapstone carvings were purchased from the talented local craftsmen. A group at the cultural center put on a wonderful show of traditional dancing, throat singing, and Inuit games for us! Many of our students and staff got on stage to try some singing and games. Thank you Karen, Chris and Jane!! Then it was off to the elementary school where we were given a guided tour by the principal. What a great school.
We had a big dinner with Dave, Lee, Jen, Dan, and our local guides from Polar Sea Adventures, so we could thank them for doing such a great job and helping make our expedition a success. We wolfed down dessert and then set off to the Community Center where we had been invited to attend a special feast. There was lots of "country food" spread out on floor mats and a festive mood was in the air.
We had another nice surprise tonight while attending the Community Feast. The Premier of Nunavut Mr. Paul Okalik, had just flown into Pond Inlet to attend tomorrow's opening of the new Health Center. The Premier said hello to each member of our Students on Ice team, and he graciously welcomed us to Nunavut, asked the students about their expedition, where they all came from, and invited us all back one day.
Around 8:00pm we headed back to our Salmon Creek camp for the evening and some wrap-up festivities. We danced, sang, played games, impressions and stunts in our improvised "fundra in the tundra" amphitheatre! The hidden "talent" of our expedition team was staggering… It was an evening of celebration and laughter under the midnight sun and a true reflection of the spirit that this expedition has created. It was a perfect way to end our great Arctic adventure.
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