Travel northward

Today I left Edmonton and travelled to Resolute via Yellowknife and Cambridge Bay. I was armed with music and a book from geekchick, and wearing tenacious_snail's warm shirt... had my Canadian North-provided "Cafe Franklin" as we crossed the Arctic Circle.
( four photos )

Hurry up and wait...

Waiting in Resolute for the weather, again, before we can make our final hop to Devon Island. Conditions have worsened, in that the high we had yesterday is weakening and we're getting overcast and drizzle from the NE.

In California, I hardly notice weather forecasts... here, they're vitally important. Three years of work hinges in some sense on having sufficiently good weather in these two weeks. Still, last year we were stuck here for 3 days, and still managed OK.

Theoretically, we are supposed to depart after lunch around 1:30-2pm, but I doubt it. Weather at HMP is further to the east and hence worse than here.

Wandering around Resolute... very quiet Sunday morning. Walked by the tiny Anglican church, where services are held only in Inuktituk (I attended, a few years ago). the Co-op store is closed, so I can't do postcards...

headed over...

Just got the phone call, we'll be picked up here in ten minutes, then off to Devon Island and HMP. Time to leave behind the comforts of civilization ;-).

Back at a different sort of home...

I'm settled into HMP base camp... the flight was uneventful, albeit a bit bumpy with low ceilings. The rain stopped just before we arrived, and has stayed away long enough to get my tent up after dinner. Even though they ran out of food before I got up to the front, and I had to wait... (chuckle). Ironically, the only person in camp that I *haven't* seen yet is dangerpudding, who developed a migraine this afternoon and has been away in her tent since before we landed. A replacement cook (the camp doctor) took over the job of getting dinner ready, hence the running out of food.

Anyway... my tent is up, placed right next to Pascal's on the rocky tip of "tent city" because someone else had taken "my" spot. (grin) I'm unpacked, rearranged, and have met with the rest of my team here. Tomorrow I want to get into the crater and start setting up the drill site....

Strange but true... at least five people here have given me a hug or shaken hands with "welcome home!"

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( Here are some photos from today's travel to Devon Island )