August 15, 2010

Sorry for no journal yesterday, this trip has been so busy. So as a quick re-cap of yesterday we went to Kekerten to an historic whaling community. The morning was spent touring the site and looking at all of the artefacts left behind. There were also graves at the site that had been sprung open over time. The site was “dead calm”, there was no wind and the sun was shining. It was a great time to absorb and reflect on the site and what has been experienced thus far. In leaving Kerkerten we set sail to Pangirtung. We went on a tour of the town including talking with the elders in their sewing hut. We then went to the Hudson Bay Company whaling station and we looked at the art centre where multiple purchases were made. The community then had food and presentations for us, which was a good way to experience the Inuit culture.

So that was yesterday, today was the crazy day. Some of us went on a 25-kilometre hike today to the Arctic Circle. I was in group number four so we were the last to arrive and the last to leave. It was a hike in Auyuittuq National Park. It was an amazing hike. I have no idea how I am still awake but I am. I am currently hurting in the lower leg region but besides that I made it out of there blister free and injury free. It was an amazing feeling making it all the way to the Arctic Circle by foot. All the glaciers and amazing rivers (leaving us very wet but happy) cannot be described, too much for words. I really wished my friends and family could have experienced the feeling I did today.