The House & other Arctic musings

When Hares fly

One of my photos will soon be traveling around the north, in a rather big way. This photo of an Arctic Hare that I took this spring was bought by First Air. In about a month's time it will be put up on the tail fin of one of their ATR-42 turboprop passenger planes traveling on routes in Nunavut.

I'm often critical of First Air, especially about the cost of flying here in Nunavut and the impacts it has on all aspects of our lives. But I am grateful for the work they do in the north, and I am very grateful for this opportunity to showcase one of my photos, and for their purchasing of it. Look up, that might be my photo up there...

 

Backlit flight

Sure its a photo of burning garbage. But the backlit smoke, contrasted by the Raven in flight makes it one of my favourite images thus far this year.

More Hare

And in the morning.

Two ravens flying with purpose to a destination they alone knew, came straight at me from far out over the bay. Behind them the pale blue sky was tinged with mauve and pink at the horizon. The first sunless morning of the season was breaking.

There is a quality of light here that staggers one. Sets you back on your heels. Those jet black feathers against that light made me suck in a breath and my gaze bounced between them, until they passed over head and my eyes returned to the horizon.

This will be my 13th winter here and the vistas never fail to give me pause, to take my breath away. Who needs the sun when your world is filled with skies such as these.

At the going down of the Sun

Yesterday the Sun set. And that's okay.

We'll not see the Sun again here in town until the 6th of February. That curious tilt of the earth (23 1/3˚ if you're interested) has carried the pole away from the Sun and into the Earth's shadow for the next three months.

If you've followed along you'll know that I don't mind the dark season. The dark season has it's own charms. It is never completely dark. Even on the Solstice we lose the stars (but not the planets) at noon. It goes by quickly, and the sky is painted with an every changing palate of colours. The stars seem closer here than anywhere else on earth.  Close enough to brush the imagination.

In six short weeks the twilight will begin to grow, and with it the anticipation, the sweet sweet anticipation of seeing that first sliver of the Sun peek over the mountatins across Adam's Sound. It is hard to describe, its rays aren't warm enough to feel on your face, but it warms the soul. I think its the constancy that comes from the reassurance that it will continue to return. No fears, the Earth eventually makes that turn and the warmth does return.

But it takes awhile, traditionally the month after the Sun's return is our coldest month. But every day as the Sun creeps higher above the horizon the promise of Spring returns.

Anticipation

I so cannot wait to be able to get safely closer to this iceberg, which will probably spend the winter locked in the ice near town. I know, I know, more iceberg photos. You'll just have to tough it out.

The Big Freeze

Arctic Bay froze yesterday, hopefully it will stay.  If the calm weather remains, it will.  Once again it is late from what I know as normal, the Thanksgiving Weekend.  My understanding was normal used to be even earlier before I got here.  The last six or so years have seen late freeze ups, from 3 weeks to almost twice that.

Late last night you could see that the grey ice had begun coalescing into new landfast ice, and this morning it was ice throughout the bay.

Though most of the boats had already been pulled up for the year the season wasn't done quite yet.

We've had windy, miserable weather for so long that many people were anxious to get out on the water. Anxious enough to bust through the forming ice to get to the open water in Admiralty Inlet.

Threading their way home after a long, and hopefully, successful day's hunt.

Perhaps

It looks as though there may be some sun shining tomorrow. It may be a good day for some photography at last.

Pulled

Today the remaining boats were pulled from the water, as it looks as though freeze up has begun to take hold. But for this wind the bay would be solid.

The wait

The last sunset of the season is only about a week and a half away.  How quickly we change to the dark season.  This year we've had so many overcast skies that the dark season has crept up even more quickly. There have been so very few dramatic sunrises and sets this fall, just varying shades of grey.

Once again freeze up is late as well, although the bay has been trying the last few days, it is just being foiled by the wind. Until it does freeze, this komatiq will just have to wait.