Still in Arviat

Somehow the weather is actually worse than it was on Monday.  Everytime I look out the window its just white.  No lights, buildings, posts, just white.

I managed to make it into the office for a bit this morning, but they closed it down at 11 and I had to come back to the hotel.  When I got back the staff here was surprised to see me, as they had just seen a polar bear outside the hotel.  They told me they were worried about me and I wasn't allowed back outside haha. 

So I am stuck in the hotel again, hopefully flying out tomorrow.  Storm is supposed to pass in the morning and I may even get back to Iqaluit.


Here are a few pictures that Frank who is with me took.

Weather...

A bit of a storm has blown in here.  Last night it got up to about 70km/h winds and blew snow pretty well all night.  It calmed down this morning but since this afternoon it has been getting worse and worse to the point you can't see a few feet in front of you.  Arviat is extremely flat so even in town the winds are just as strong as anywhere.  Wind gusts are well over 80km/h right now and I can't even see the street lights out side my window.

The smart thing is to stay inside.  Something I didn't do today... :D

I had to pick up some keys about 200m outside of town.  About halfway there I couldn't see buildings anywhere, and saw nothing but a bit of the road and the sun.  I managed to walk right past the shop I was supposed to go to and ended up down the wrong road.  Someone offered to drive me back but it required that I help push/dig them out first. 

Later Frank and I went to the college to do some work, and stayed until it was nearly dark.  The college is next to the hotel with a small opening between, maybe 40 feet building to building.  In between them I couldn't see either building anymore.  Its like walking around with your eyes closed and ears plugged, you just walk in the direction you think you need to go.  Frank had it worse, he had a good block to walk back to his place.  Thankfully he knows the town well.  I wouldn't have made it.

Got back to the hotel and the power is out.  Oh, and we are low on water and the water truck has no plans to come today or tomorrow. 


Anyway, I don't want to worry anyone, Im alive and warm and won't be going anywhere until it calms down.  That said, I now understand those stories you hear of people getting lost 10 feet outside their door.

Polar bears in Arviat

No pictures, again since my camera wasn't with me, but last night I saw 5 polar bears!  After I landed one of the guys here took me over to the dump where the bears have been "dining".  Massive things, all full grown, and we were probably less than 20 feet away.  They didn't seem to care we were there, infact probably appreciated us lighting up the garbage for them.  I guess they come through every year at this time up from Churchill, and hang around until the water freezes before going out to hunt seal all winter. 

Pretty uneventful otherwise here.  The winds are too high for the new dish to go up, and there is a storm rolling in that will prevent it tomorrow too.  As much as I love sitting in a hotel watching TV, I may just go back to Iqaluit. 

Back to Arviat

Heading back to Arviat tonight for likely my last trip outside of Iqaluit.  Its a quick cutover but with flights I'll likely be there until wednesday.

The temperature is ungodly here.  Its sitting around -28 with a -41 windchill according to the airport, and its only November.  Sad part is, this would be warmer than average if this were February.  The average low for Feb is -32.  Thats just the average, it can very well get down to -40s with -60 windchills.  I understand its a "dry cold" and you just hide indoors but its still mental. 

Well I am back up north until Christmas.  This is a short stint of only 4 weeks, so in the time it takes for zombies to take over (28 days) I will be back again.  Will fly by I am sure.

I realized something disturbing as I walked into my place yesterday.  Even though I call Guelph ‘home’, I have only spent 3 weeks in my place in Guelph in the last 6 months, and 16 weeks in my place in Iqaluit.  It was more familiar walking into my place here than down south.

Cold here, much colder than it has ever been.  -25 winds and the sun sets around 2:30.  Lovely times.  

Flights

If there is one thing I can't stand about Canada, is how much our domestic flights cost.  I can fly round trip between Buffulo and Orlando three times for the price it costs to fly from Iqaluit to Kitchener one way.  Heck, I can fly round trip to Japan for nearly the price a round trip between Ottawa and Kitchener costs.