We travelled from Vancouver to Edmonton, and then onwards to Yellowknife. There we changed to a smaller plane, and proceeded to Bathurst Inlet
– Google Earth
Arrival in Bathurst Inlet
– H. Harbord
Welcome to Bathurst Inlet!
(notice the mosquito at top center)
– H. Harbord
I’m wearing a net over my hat, a mosquito jacket and mosquito gloves, all of which I used in Nova Scotia. Glenn showed us how to pour just a small amount of Deet onto our palms and then rub our hair, clothing and anything else likely to be bitten. Just don’t put it on your forehead as your sweat will run it into your eyes!
– H. Harbord
This was formerly a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post established in the 1930. Former RCMP Contable Glenn Warner and his wife Trish bought it in the 1960s.
-H. Harbord
We travelled about in the “blue loo”, a landing barge with a handy ramp for easy disembarking. Yes, that’s an outhouse at the back!
– H. Harbord
The highest point of South Qadjuk Island, called Ayuk. It’s 1250 ft at the crest, and home to Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons.
– H. Harbord
The great sill of the Quadjuks, overlying sedimentary layers
– H. Harbord
Glenn let June and I paddle two of his plastic kayaks but sent an escort boat with us and called us back in before we went out of sight. The weather was subject to instant changes so he was wise to do this. The water was ice cold.
– H. Harbord
Wind-sculpted sandstone “heads” on South Quadjuk Island…these are about 30 feet high.
– H. Harbord
Thie all-white Glaucus Gull is the largest of the all the gulls. Immature birds visit Mitlenatch Island in the spring.
– P. Burt
Willow Ptarmigan. Only a few white patches remain of her all-white winter plumage. Her feathered feet enable her to walk over the snow as if wearing snowshoes.
– H. Harbord
Red-throated Loon on her nest. These birds are very vulnerable to changing water levels which can drown the eggs.
– P. Burt
Sudetan Lousewort Pedicularis sudetica…with a mosquito on it for scale. The freckled petals are landing platforms for pollinators.
– P. Burt
Peregrine Falcon approaching her nest. One chick was close to fledging.
– P. Burt
Masses of Arctic Avens Dryas integrifolia and Arctic oxytrope Oxytropis arctica
– P. Burt
Marsh Marygolds Caltha palustris Growing in a tiny pond.
– P. Burt
Purple Mountain Saxifrage Saxifrage oppositifolia. This is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring and is the official flower of Nunavut. The flowers are eaten by children across the Arctic.
– P. Burt
Dwarf Birch Betula glandulosa or Betula nana. This plant is environmentally dwarfed, not genetically. South of the barrenlands they grow into 20ft trees.
– P. Burt
Heather Harbord – “A visit to Bathurst Inlet”
by Andrew Bryant, 20 Jan 2022.
Long-time club member Heather Harbord stepped in at short notice to share details of her trip to Bathurst Inlet Lodge back in 2005.
Not only did she learn how to utilize Zoom effectively, she invited Page Burt, who’s served as staff naturalist at that very lodge for decades, to join in…from her home in Rankin Inlet! Page is author of Barrenland Beauties: showy plants of the arctic coast (1991) and an exceptional photographer.
So for members who tuned in, we had an unusual speaker’s event. We had Heather’s experience of visiting a very out-of-the-way place on Canada’s north coast combined with Page’s experience of living and working in that remote environment for several decades.
Wow. From caribou to kayaks, peregrines to painted cups, we got to see a lot!
