From Grise Fiord, the complete female crew (Léonie, Aurore ans me) had to be patient, nicely busy inside the boat during the bad weather: blizzard and white out were never ending, with some picks hardly ever seen up here. Apotheosis with 65 knots gusts (120km/h), a very special day: hamlet closed, health center closed, store closed and school closed! At this time Eric was in the nice and strong cabin in Hourglass Bay. Léonie wanted to play in the wind... I came with her for a while, but Aurore was not allowed to follow us... A neighbour roof almost flew off, one house had no electricity, no heater and no phone, our heavy qamutik went sliding fifty meters away. The next day, Léonie was the one who discovered the four puppies from Bella, one of our last year's dogs, another puppy was just cold and dead. Since then, Eric is back, we went out camping, this time with the whole family, for one night... 23°C bellow 0. The reasons were to test our new tent and celebrate my birthday under the midnight sun!

Posted May 2013 09 at 20:00 [en - fr]

Sun, 05 May 2013, Silence

Silence amazing. Fourth day of waiting here (down snowmobile) and I am still impressed by the intense silence. I'm the source of any sound. I hear my pulse. Just daring to breathe. I often stop all motion, thinking I heard something. It's amazing the diversity of sounds that I continuously generate. A soundman would be in heaven, or very unhappy!
Blame it on this trip three times longer than expected, my diet lacks a bit of fat and calories. While exploring the area, hoping to improve my meals, I find traces of lemmings. No hare or ptarmigan, or fox, or caribou or muskox, not even raven. Not bear or seal. In the next fjord, South Cape Fiord where Vagabond wintered, there are yet many seals on the ice, and often bears. But the ice is much thinner, the warmer water flowing under the ice is reducing the growth. It also brings nutrients from the bottom. This is what probably attracts seals and those who hunt them.
The differences between the fjords of the south coast of Ellesmere are significant and not always easy to explain. "If we knew it all, we wouldn't be researchers.", recently concluded a scientist receiving my latest data.

Posted May 2013 05 at 16:00 [en - fr]

Sat, 04 May 2013, Break down

After weather stand by and technical problems, skidoo break down. A new reason to enjoy this longer and longer trip, but I will not be back in time for France's birthday!
The weather improved, I left the cabin on Wednesday night. A big bear, then another, have stood in my way. I returned to Muskox Fiord (no muskox this time) with the icemeter (and running!) And I took a short nap in my sled (not the courage to pitch my tent). Before entering the next fjord (Baad), I found a tent! A hunter had finally agreed to come in this area but he left Grise Fiord three days later and got caught by the very bad weather, just after catching a bear. We are glad to be together! After the measurements in Baad Fiord, I was suppose to go back to his tent. Not seeing me back, he thought I left to Grise Fiord, where he learned upon arrival last night I was down in Baad Fiord. Another hunter will soon help me out... A three days trip about to last ten!

Posted May 2013 04 at 16:00 [en - fr]

Tue, 30 Apr 2013, Blizzard

I've been stuck in the cabin of the Hourglass Bay for two days, because of bad weather. The beautiful lull yesterday was too short to consider a return to Grise Fiord while measuring the ice thickness in Muskox and Baad Fiords. A recording problem forces me to do it again. Fortunately hydrographic profiles are looking good! Rest, repairs and maintenance, I enjoy the cabin before returning to my tent. I learned that two hunters are stuck in their sleds at Devon Island! I had better luck there last week, the weather was great to cross the Jones Sound to Sverdrup Glacier, near which I pitched my tent (in the end, the bear and her two cubs did not come to me). So I try to go around usefully with the icemeter and the CTD, in places that turn to be more fascinating than each other: Craig Harbour next to the floe edge (what a sight to see suddenly open water!), South Cape Fiord where we spent last winter (it was so strange for me not to find Vagabond)...
Our tent became too small, we just got one ordered by France and we'll celebrate her birthday by going out camping in 4 days!

Posted Apr 2013 30 at 16:00 [en - fr]

Sat, 13 Apr 2013, Danse and camping, by France Pinczon du Sel

Frenzied week! Each village has its own tradition, three Inuit teachers have come to call the tune. Every evening from 7 to 10pm, the gym sounds of accordion, guitar, bass and drums, which punctuate a wild round. You must be at least 12 and chain figures that one learns on the job, stomping. Eric either does not stop: since the arrival of new instruments working fine, he travels the region without satiety, returning one o'clock in the morning when not camping somewhere along the way. I was able to accompany him on a weekend, happy to prepare quietly our camp near the shore of the fjord (in the wind!) while he was doing measurements to the end of the fjord ... until midnight, this is his time! Happiness to enjoy the nature that never goes out.

Posted Apr 2013 13 at 10:00 [en - fr]

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