Introduction

For nearly 5000 years, the northern part of the Borden Peninsula of Baffin Island was occupied by Inuit nomads.  In 1872, the European whaling ship Arctic, captained by William Adams, sailed into an enclosed bay and named the area Arctic Bay.  The Hudson Bay Company became interested in the region in 1926 and built a trading post but closed it the next year.  It was reopened in 1933.  The community rapidly expanded during the 1960s, with the Canadian federal government constructing public housing units, medical facilities, and a school.  The remaining nomadic Inuit families moved off the land and into the community in 1971.

            

Nearby, in the small community of Nanisivik (the place where people find things), just 32 kilometres to the east, a lead-zinc-silver mine opened in October 1976.  The towns were joined by Nunavut's only highway which still remains to this day.  When the mine closed in 2002, the town was abandoned and its residents moved to Arctic Bay.  There was a hope that Nanisivik's buildings could be moved as well, but this was not possible due to heavy lead-zinc contamination.  Today, all that remains are two small houses.  There are currently plans to convert Nanisivik into a refueling station for Arctic patrol and government vessels in an effort to enforce Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.

            

Today, the population of Arctic Bay is around 750.  The town is the birthplace of  Nunavut's current premier, Eva Aariak.  In Inuktitut, the town is called Ikpiarjuk, meaning 'the pocket'.  On three sides, the community is surrounded by high hills with jagged tops, and King George V Mountain.  Since the town is situated above the Arctic Circle, there is a period of continuous night for two and a half months (mid-November to January) and continuous daylight for three and a half months (May to mid-August).  It is here where I would continue my Arctic adventure.

            

For those of you who are new, let me give you a recap.  My exploration of Canada's Arctic began a year ago, in January of 2012, when I was hired to teach music and English for a year at Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit, Nunavut.  Overcoming nervousness and the unknown, I made the northern trek and enjoyed teaching young Inuit & non-Inuit students and forging new contacts with teachers and staff.  (You can check out my Iqaluit blog here.) 

            

When the new year arrived, I was sad to see that my term was nearing completion.  Not wanting to return to 'the South' just yet, I looked for other teaching opportunities in the northern territories and successfully applied for a senior English/Social Studies teaching position at Inuujaq School, in Arctic Bay.  The school teaches kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) and has a student body of 235.  Looking on a map, I noticed that I wouldn't be leaving Baffin Island, merely moving to the other side, some 1,227km northwest of Iqaluit, the territorial capital of Nunavut.  Upon mentioning this to the teachers at Inuksuk, they informed me that instructing in a smaller community is nothing like teaching in the city.  To experience the true North, one must live in one of the many smaller, more isolated communities that dot the expansive northern landscape.

            

Preparing for the 'Big Move' was a little tough because I had many items to pack into boxes, such as, food, clothing, teaching resources, and kitchenware.  I was glad that the Government of Nunavut (GN) covered the moving costs and my plane ticket.  And then there was the task of cancelling all the local services.

            

When everything was taken care of, I took a taxi to Iqaluit Airport on January 28th.  While I trudged up a ramp with my loaded baggage cart, I noticed a large Airbus A380 parked on the tarmac.  Word on the street was that the large passenger plane had come for cold weather testing on its engines.  After checking in my luggage, I patiently waited in the terminal for boarding to begin.  I wondered what was to come?  I had been told that news of my impending arrival was the talk of the town.  Would I be greeted by a crowd of locals?

            

The First Air plane was an ATR-42 turboprop, meaning passengers didn't have to go through the security checkpoint.  The flight was fully booked with passengers to Arctic Bay and Resolute.  We all boarded a bus which then drove us to the assigned ATR-42.  Out of the nineteen travelers I counted, only five, including myself, were Qallunaat (non-Inuit).  As we disembarked onto the tarmac, the plane was being loaded with cargo at the front, separating the cockpit and seating area.  I took one last look at the scenery around me before stepping into the turboprop.  I was going to miss Iqaluit.

            

When it comes to seating in turboprop planes in the north, it's a free-for-all, regardless of what your ticket says.  I took an aisle seat and did my best to get comfortable.  The seats are too small to accommodate large parkas.  Once everyone was buckled in, the pilots fired up the plane and taxied to the runway.  When clearance was given from the control tower, the plane accelerated and lifted into the afternoon sky with ease.

            

I was on my way.