Cape Dorset Nunavut

Here is long awaited new post..

I spent 5 days in Cape Dorset (I was sent to cover a whale hunt which turned out bad - as they didn't get the whale until a day after we left!)

Anyway, here are some pics of the event.

This is how I got there - this is a dash 8 - noisy plane but very smooth flight overall - even got free pop - which up here is saying something at $5 per pop!



Every time I fly in the north I am struck by how barren the land is - here is a pic from the plane.

Upon our arrival (the flight is roughly 1 hour west of Iqaluit) we were greeted by the Cape Dorset International Airport;


We stayed at the lovely Kingnait Inn located in downtown Cape Dorset - service was plain but professional


One of our first stops was to the community hamlet office, where we met the local by-law officer Mark. He is quite a character- swore a lot and drove us around to all the 'good' spots in town - all in all he spent 3 hours driving us around. This is Mark on a bluff over looking the town.

Cape Dorset is still quite isolated- even though there are daily flights to the area. The towns population is roughly 1300 - mainly Inuit and government types. There are 2 stores in town and both close at 6pm Monday - Saturday and closed on Sundays.

This is a wide shot of the town;

And here it is again from a different angle - notice how it seems so foreign to the landscape - like it looks out of place? Kinda feels like it shouldn't be there somehow...

Did I mention this area is barren?

And a tad bit rocky??




Here is an interesting geological feature of the area - I will let you guess what this hill is called - it is aptly named a female body part...

A closer look - figure it out yet..?



Were you thinking areola area? Boobie Bay? Nope this is called Nipple Hill - can you see why?

This is the world famous Cape Dorset Co-Op where prints and carvings are created. They are collected from around the world and are highly prized. They often cost hundreds to thousands of dollars - a real boost for this community.


This is looking left and behind the inn - notice the sled dogs on the hill..

I like this shot - with the smoke coming out of the top of the hill - it looks kinda primordial

I have more pics, but I have to go to work now.

Here is a gratuitous shot - just to prove I was there.... such a handsome devil!


More Later, must work now......

New Post Coming I promise

I spent a week in the desolate town of Cape Dorset - Photo's and descriptions will be posted here tomorrow..... I Promise ya!!

Proof

Here is proof that is snowed yesterday in Iqaluit - Sept. 16 - this is for al you green leaf having, no sweater wearing, sun tan squishing southerners!!

These shots are from my aprtment window



And the last one...yesss snow!! More on the week end!


More later must work now....

Around Town

We received our first real dusting of snow - pics of that tomorrow - not more than a centimeter but, its on the ground none the less!

Here are just some random shots from around town. No specific order or meaning - just randoms.

This is the most fiscally successful Legion in all of Canada!!

Why? Might you ask.. 2 reasons - You pay a $75 a year fee to belong to the legion and hell - it's Iqaluit how many bars are there? Plus the drinks are like $1 cheaper - and the winter is long and dark here - perfect drinking weather!!

This is the seat in the Nunavut Legislature - notice PETA members (may you all rot in hell if your reading this blog!) - that it is covered in seal skin.


Here are some traditional tools used by the Inuit for centuries. You can see an Ulu - mainly used by women - and a few smaller knives. All made of bone and local stone.


The next 2 images are of the same subject. I've included a wider shot to set scale.

As you might imagine - carving material is highly prized as, there really isnt much up here to carve other than bone and stone. So the Inuit had to be creative and use smaller bones, this piece is tiny!



And the close up - very good detail as it is so tiny

Must work now....

Northmart.... Yes Northmart! FU@&!

Now like everyone other blog on the internet (you know I hear it comes in tubes now..) - I'm going to bitch about the prices here.

This is the world famous Northmart - located conveniently in downtown Iqaluit.

The prices here can be unreal! I was in there today - are here are a few examples that come to the top of the mind when I think of prices;

A 24 of pepsi Down South: $9 in Iqaluit: $35

and its not just food stuffs;

Sofa Leather Omni (the kind you would get as a set of 3 - its the smallest of the 3)

regular $1199. on sale 899.
3 shelf pressboard (the cheapest kinda wood) regular $129.99 on sale $99.99

A cheap ass plastic lamp that you could pick up in a dollar store - for well - a dollar - here, $49

Down south for a 40" LCD HD (1080p) - $899. In Iqaluit a 40" LCD (Not HD) regular 2199.99, on sale 1499.99

And it goes on and on - I could write volumes about the prices - but as in any captive town (no roads in or out) the biggest store has you by the collective balls!!

Enough crying for now, more pics

I included this one to show that they build building on every square inch of the rock.



And here...


More tomorrow - I have to upload over night - take sooo long here

More Photo's - and bloody little else!

This is a shot of the town's fuel supply. Notice the potential massive bomb is nice and close to town - that would warm up the town for a bit!


Here are 2 pics of the logical(?) city planning. Notice the posts along the side of the roads?

These pointy ones are supposed to represent harpoons (well the device that hold the harpoon gun in assume) and mark out where the 'sidewalk' is - if there actually was one.



These more rounded one are supposed to mark out where a crosswalk would be. An interesting note there - here In Iqaluit the pedestrian is given the right of way always! All you have to do is stand along the side of the road (anywhere - begging, middle, end) and all the cars stop and let you cross. As a result not many people actually use the 'crosswalks' and cross pretty much willy nilly as they feel like.


I've included this pic to show what the tundra in the town is typically like. As you can see there are NO tree's and it is very rocky! - Yo Adrain!!!

More later....

First Impressions

OK, so I've lived in Iqaluit for 2 weeks now, and so far I like it.

It's been cool (ranging from +4 to -2) - which as you know I love the cold! - We saw our first little bit of snow on Friday and over the weekend - didn't stick just a very light frosting really.

For this post I will just give you the basic overview of the town and as the days go on - I'll give more and more details - well hell, as I learn them.

So here's post # 1 - mainly it'll be pics of the town.

More real content in later posts

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This is downtown Iqaluit - population (7000 ish)


Here is the shot of the bay which as you can see from the pic above, is right downtown Iqaluit. Kinda Beachcombers feel isn't it? Cant you see Molly's reach being on this road?



This is some interesting architecture - this space ship looking place is actually a school. It was built in the 70's - notice there are no windows? Kinda reminds me of some of the vacation spa's I've visited ;)

More later - must work now...

Day Zero

OK, its 4am before my 9:3o flight - and I'm not sleeping :(

I don't generally have trouble sleeping - but I have to admit I am a bit nervous about the trip - I hate to fly. Well no, that's not entirely true - I just hate to crash!

All my worldly possessions are packed (save the computer I'm typing this on) - only 4 boxes - kinda sad when you look at them all lined up like this.

I have no furniture where I'm moving - little money - and NO fall back!

I will be taking pics of my adventure - stay tuned - this blog may be worth reading soon!