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Kitesled expedition live 15/4/09:
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April 15th, 20092009 Expedition live., Its a windswept life!
The next day was warm and calm and we travelled with Solomon to the floe edge, where the sea ice meets open water. This is where much of the Arctic’s wildlife can be found and where the Inuit had harvested the bulk of their food for thousands of years. It was a beautiful place, cleanly divided between white and blue. The water smoked faintly as the warm water met cold air.As we pulled up, Solomon leapt off his machine and aimed his rifle at a ripple in the water. He fired, jumped in the air like an excited seven year old boy, then frantically untied the aluminium dinghy he’d towed behind his snowmobile. The seal he’d shot would soon sink or be carried away by the current.Seals are quite beautiful creatures, looking a lot like a Doberman in a streamlined bag. Laying dead before us, I expected to feel more pity for it, but Solomon’s enthusiasm and delight was undeniable. We sat by the waters edge drinking tea and watching for more seals.There Dave kicked around an idea he’d been thinking about since we flew over the floe edge on the flight up to Rankin.“Floe edge Kite Surfing!”, said Dave.“It’d be brilliant. All you’d need is a board that worked just as well on water as on snow. Then you’d need a dry-suit and you’d be away. You could kite out to the flow-edge, off the end of the ice onto the water,then back onto the ice. Imagine it. It’d be incredible!”I thought about hopping into the deep blue frigid water in 20 knots of wind and I imagined a quick and unpleasant death. Dave sat at the ice edge working out technical details and logistics for a future expedition. Arctic Kite Sledding was definitely the most out-there thing I’d ever done, and would probably ever do. Dave however was ready to push past and head out to further horizons.Back in Whale Cove, Solomon let the local radio station know he’d caught a seal. Within an hour it was all gone, divided up among the families of the village.That night, Dave and I mulled over our most pressing problem. Time. I had to be on a flight in four days. We wanted to continue south to Arviat, and thelocal forecast suggested the 240 kilometre trip was marginally possible. Winds were forecast to be light northerly followed by an easterly change the following afternoon, however the Arviat forecast was the most worrying, the words “becoming light” disrupting my hopes for a fast leg to finish the trip.The big fear was getting stuck half-way to Arviat, and having to call for a snowmobile pickup. It would be expensive, I might miss my flight, and forever more we’d be remembered up here as “the kite guys who got rescued”. Many of the hunters we’d met were also on the Search and Rescue team and I just knew they were itching to rescue us. Dave and I didn’t want to give them that pleasure….
One Response to “Kitesled expedition live 15/4/09:”
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Dave & Co
For some reason I did a search to see what you’ve been up to and found this site, I didn’t realise that it was up or I would have been following it all along.
I’ve just been through the whole blog about the 2008 experience and accident which I chatted briefly to you about a few months back. Then I went back caught up on the latest escapades.
May I say well done lads. I realise how hard it is to make the time to write content while your having an adventure (and I’ve only done tourist travel while blogging/podcasting) but what your managing to put out while dealing with all of the things that your doing is commendable.
It’s great to hear and share in the adventure and you both have a writing style that makes me feel like I’m reflecting on earlier explorers, dealing with raw caribou liver or exploring the topography and Inuit culture with you. Well Done
I imagine that you have many interesting stories photos and video that we have yet to see that you’re unable to post while travelling which in time I look forward to seeing and reading. Maybe next time I’m in Sydney we can get together for an update to the Dave Goldie Story and weave all the team into it.
It’s rare in this day and age to see adventures like what your on and the big one is yet to come.
Again thanks for the posts and well done on the Kitesleding adventure.
Fair Winds & Smooth Ice.
Ian
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