Our recent field campaign went about as smoothly as the ATV trails in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut: bumpy! (Part 1)
Updated: Sep 3
After arriving in Cambridge Bay early August, the team took the time to visit local associations, partners, and friends, sharing FROST One-Pagers and beautiful FROST stickers designed by local artist Lance Akoluk. They also spent a wonderful time with Elders at the Heritage Cultural Center, listening to stories about fishing and life on the land while watching women sew mitts and traditional clothing called kalikok. The team agreed to return later to discuss a potential feltwork project to develop together with the Elders.
Before strong winds moved into the area for the next few days, the team headed out to sample the impressive Greiner Lake (surface area of 41.2 km²) using two small Zodiacs. Unfortunately, one of the motors died almost immediately, likely due to a lack of maintenance over the winter. The second Zodiac then towed the rest of the team and their equipment for nearly an hour to reach the deepest part of the lake.
By then, the wind had picked up and the waves were getting high, leaving some team members feeling seasick. Despite the conditions, they managed to sample the entire water column, while the other Zodiac successfully caught two beautiful lake trout.
The adventure wasn't over yet. On the way back, carrying more than 40 litres of water samples and a full load of equipment, the second motor suddenly broke down as the team approached the shore. With the waves making paddling nearly impossible, the team decided to get out of the boat and tow it through the shallow water along the shoreline. They eventually made one final crossing of the lake by paddling hard, before reaching shore on foot and towing the now very heavy Zodiac behind them.
Everyone made it back safely, and the samples were secured! The lab work was waiting, but the strong winds kept the team off the water for the next few days, giving everyone a much-needed break after an eventful first sampling day.
The following days, Sara joined Richard, an Elder from the community, to help repair the boat motors, while the rest of the team caught up on lab work and visited local partners. Finding a motor, and a functioning one, in the High Arctic is no easy task…
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the adventure!
