Home In Clyde River

Temp 7 C
Sunrise 4:20
Sunset 20:52

I arrived back in Clyde on August 14. I was supposed to arrive on the 13th, but my flight from Iqaluit to Clyde was cancelled because of fog. When traveling with 4 pets and loads of luggage, what is normally a minor inconvenience suddenly feels catastrophic. I was facing a night in Iqaluit with the possibility of no available hotel rooms. I was saved by a young man named Carlos who worked at the First Air Desk. Carlos, remarkably, is from Mexico and also works part time at the Nova Inn. He called and asked them to save me a room. I was helped into a taxi by people from Clyde River who were also waiting for that flight. The taxi driver was from North Africa. The arctic is a mix of people with the most fascinating stories. All turned out well. The pets and I enjoyed a night at the very nice Nova. Our second hotel night in a row (we stayed at the Southway Inn in Ottawa). The staff at the Nova was incredibly helpful, even found a makeshift litter box for me. I spent a lovely day and evening with my furry friends relaxing, reading, etc.

I hate it when they fight over the remote. Back in Clyde, it was right back in the swing of things, and what a warm welcome in the community! It felt so good to be back. I drove the school van to the airport over a couple of days to pick up returning and new teachers and their huge loads of luggage. It was wonderful to be reunited with returning teachers and to meet the (3) new teachers. The night before school started I cooked dinner for the new teachers and old friends. The new teachers come from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI and are a welcome addition to our social group of Atlantic Canadians. Adam from PEI is a musician and we are looking forward to some singing this year.

Crystal and Brooke on a weekend walk.

Even though we have just started back to school, we have a week off from September 7-11. When the school calendar was being set last spring, the community asked for a week for berry picking in September when the berries are ripe. There have been 3 ships in since I arrived back. The teacher's sealift orders arrived early this year. We are now waiting for the sealift order for the school. It will be welcomed as we have now run out of such things as paper towels and garbage bags. A ship came in today, but we are not sure yet if the school supplies are on it. I am also waiting for clasroom supplies and graduation decorations I ordered last year. When the order does come in the container will be delivered to the school and then we will take a day to unload it and put everything away.

Where Everybody Knows My Name

I'm back after five weeks spent without internet access (occasional e-mail checks at friends). Quite nice, actually. An amazing summer has come to an end (for me, at least). I am writing this at the airport in Halifax, on my way back up to Clyde River. I'm excited to go back - can't wait to see everybody. What a great time I had this summer! London was fabulous, but even better to be among friends and family in Nova Scotia. I love island life. There is such a feeling of kinship with those you share the island with. One of the great pleasures was hanging out with some old friends on their whale watch boats in the Bay of Fundy. On one trip a humpback whale got very friendly, kept approaching us, even rocked the boat a little.

The view out across the cove from my house at sunset.
Green Head on Brier island (across the passage from my house)Balancing Rock, on the St. Mary's Bay shore on my island. My property has the Bay of Fundy on one side and St. Mary's Bay on the other.

So, the (very drugged) pets and the luggage have been checked in and my flight leaves in about an hour. We will spend the night in the Southway Inn in Ottawa. A great hotel that really caters to people passing through to the arctic. Very accomodating about pets, loads of luggage, coolers, etc.I will arrive in Clyde around 3 tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait for that first sight of Arctic poppies and cotton grass when the plane lands.