Valentine and Vincent arrived Thursday in Qikiqtarjuaq, they are now ready to look after Vagabond during our three-month absence. For the past two and a half years, we spent only two months in France. We're a little nostalgic to leave this beautiful area, especially in this season, but very happy to soon meet with our families, friends and partners. Some festivals and talks are planned.

Vagabond is ready for winter, it is -8°C this morning, but the ice not expected to form before next month (the sea is already frozen in Grise Fiord). We had beautiful weather for the last few days, and Aurore discovered her first northern lights! A camera has been set up for nine months, it should take a picture of our wintering site every hour... Hunters are visiting us from time to time, Vagabond is three kilometres away from the village. Saturday, some of them were curious to learn that narwhals just passed. Another hunter came yesterday to give us a big Arctic char!

There was a great day of celebration last Tuesday, on the thirty-three years anniversary of Qikiqtarjuaq (it was previously a settlement). It allowed us to meet a good part of the community, and to answer many questions from the villagers. Sam, Mary's husband (Mary is the Mayor in Qikiqtarjuaq) was thrilled to receive a muskox hide that we brought from Grise Fiord from his mother Minnie. On the phone, she told her son that "it looks empty without Vagabond".