Day 12, Friday, August 16, 1996
Day 12, Friday, August 16, 1996
It was a dark and stormy night.... seriously.... I had commented on the clouds the night before. It looked like rain and it appears that they were going to stick around for a while.
Tent in the rain at the base of Fleming Hill
When we awoke there was a persistant rain falling. With any canoe trip
there is
a possibility that you will get stormbound. There is nothing that you can
do
about it, it just happens. You just sit and wait, read books, discuss
philosophy and the meaning of life, or you could do as we did, go back to
sleep. It's a time honoured strategy but it has one major flaw, the call
of the
nature. Sooner or later you have to get up and go outside. By one or two
even the strongest wills succumbed so we decided to get up.
An interesting pit at the base of Fleming Hill
A few hours late, but well rested, we finally climbed Fleming Hill. As we
climbed up the
hill the clouds marched down to greet us, giving us a wonderful view of
the inside of a raincloud. After marvelling at the view for what seemed
like
hours we descended and made our way back to camp.
At the top of Fleming Hill
The rainfall was lighter now so we decided to pack up and head for Soper Falls. When we arrived there was a group of rafters who were also enjoying all the Baffin liquid sunshine that was dripping down on us.
We set up camp near them and started preparations for supper. While supper was cooking, Paul Landry of Northwinds, the guide for the rafting group introduced us to Don Hogarth, the man who staked out the Lapis Lazuli way back in 1973. This was where we were yesterday and where Dan had discovered the claim in a small cylinder. Isn't that a neat coincidence! We showed him a few of the strange rocks we had found and he identified them as orange calcite and as graphite.
View of Soper River near Soper Falls
Then back to supper. Pesto, spaghetti, tabouleh bannock, and banana pudding makes a strange supper but we all ate until we were stuffed and then went off to bed.
As I lay in my warm sleeping bag I feel bad that tomorrow would be the end
of
the canoeing portion of the trip. No matter how bad the trip or what's
waiting
at the end of the trip it is always sad, but tomorrow starts a new
adventure
and we will discover what Kimmirut has to offer.
View of the canoes from Soper Falls
Today's installment of the travelogue is by Don Haines
We would like to acknowledge the wonderful work being done by the home team - Jeff, Jim and Alan. Also the great assistance with handling the media provided by Shirley-Anne of the Canadian Heritage Rivers Secretariat.
