Ainhoa, age 14, France

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Day 2 – July 7th 2008 – Iqaluit

INUKTITUT
Oolakut -- good morning
Qanawepee – how are you
Qanalingee – I’m fine
Igloo – house
Quannamit (silent “t”) – thank you
[written using Inuktitut characters] -- climate change
On the plane from Ottawa to Iqaluit, a man named Jack that lives on northern Baffin Island taught me a few words in Inuktitut. I’m not sure of the exact spelling, these are phonetics.

Day 3 – July 7th, 2008 – Iqaluit
This morning we woke up in a hurry and went to the science research center and got a tour of the lab and the greenhouse. Then we went to the visitor’s center and had a briefing about safety and stuff we could and couldn’t do while in the park and what to do about polar bear encounters. The we had lunch and went to check in at the airport to see if we could fly out. The dude said there was a possibility that we could so we packed all our bags and that took a while. We also walked near the ocean and Ashley and a few others got stuck in the mud: that was quite hilarious :+) We also ate lots of Dibs and played games. The finally we took the Twin Otter out of Iqaluit to the Soper River for 30 minutes. We set up camp and had some food. Then we walked over to see some waterfalls and now we’re in the tent about to go to sleep. We have to get up at 6 AM!

Day 4 – July 8th 2008 –Soper River
Today was an interesting day… We woke up at 7 and it took about 2 hours to pack up camp. We cooked eggs and bacon for breakfast. Then we blew up the rafts and packed up our equipment. Twelve people went on the rafts, and four people walked. We started off pretty well on a few rapids. We had lots of tail winds. But then the winds weren’t on our side anymore and they were bringing us to shore and we were getting stuck on rocks. Everyone was soaking wet and miserable. Everyone was getting frustrated with each other and we were all cold. We stopped for a good lunch and switched the walkers and the paddlers on the rafts. The wind got really bad. We had to go to shore and pull the rafts along the river until our campsite. By then we were all very happy. We got dried off and set up camp. Then we made macaroni and cheese for dinner with pieces of hot dogs. We cleaned up and got ready to sleep. I am VERY tired. The end. Goodnight!

Day 5 – July 9th 2008 – Soper River
Today’s day was better than yesterday. We got up and packed up camp. Then we got in the rafts. The wind wasn’t too strong so it was pushing us along and we didn’t have to paddle that much. We stopped for lunch and had tuna, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some fruit and peach juice. We then walked up to see Lapis Lazouli rocks and then Mica. We continued on the rafts and stopped near the huge water falls and had to carry all our equipment past them to camp. Then we had tacos for dinner, went up a rock and washed up in the river. It was freezing cold. Now we’re gonna sleep since we have to get up at 5 AM to go across the lake to Kimmirut.

Day 6 – July 10th 2008 Kimmirut

Left to right: Luc joins sisters Flaam and Ainhoa inside the tent playing cards.

Right now we’re in Kimmirut. This morning we rafted for a while but then we got towed across the lake. The mosquitoes are really bad! We hiked to the village and had lunch and hung out then we had dinner. Tomorrow we are flying to Iqaluit and then to Resolute Bay.

Day 7 – July 11th 2008 Iqaluit to Resolute
This morning we flew from Kimmirut to Iqaluit. My mom had to go back home to work. We packed all our stuff at Matty’s and took her dog Zepher. When we got to Resolute Bay it was 19C degrees which was a record temperature. We spent the night at the South Cam Inn which is Beth’s dad’s hotel. It’s really nice.

Day 8 – July 12th 2008 Resolute
Today we went to this press conference type thing for the Polar Shelf thing. Scientists gave presentations. Then I got the chance to take a helicopter to the huge ice breaker ship, the Louie St Laurent. We met the captain and got a tour of the ship. We met scientists who talked about the work they do onboard. Then we went back to the hotel.

Day 9 --July 13, 2008 Resolute
This morning we didn’t do that much. We laid out all the food and had to label and organize all of it for the rest of the expedition. After lunch we went to visit an archeological site. Then we continued some packing, had dinner, and at 6 we took a 25 minute Twin Otter ride to see Beluga whales. There were hundreds of them but we couldn’t see them that well. We just got back now and we have to leave early tomorrow to go to Ward Hunt island.

Day 10 -- July 14, 2008 Resolute
This morning we woke up early to finish packing our bags and load the truck. Then we went off to the airport. But unfortunately we got bad news that we had to return to the hotel and check back at the airport at noon because the weather at Ward Hunt Island was terrible. We went back to the hotel and hung around, played cards. At noon, my dad and Sebastian went to the airport and came back with more bad news that we wouldn’t be able to leave at all today. So that afternoon we played more cards and games. After dinner, we were able to go and meet a famous French photographer named Yann Arthus Bertrand. He is famous for taking pictures from the sky, from helicopters. He was staying in a hotel nearby. He showed us a preview for his movie coming out in June 2009. It’s called “Home” and the preview was really cool with lots of amazing images from 50 countries. The message of the movie is to warn people about global warming. Then we came back to the hotel and went to bed.

Day 11 – July 15th 2008 Resolute
This morning we woke up early again hoping we could leave to Ward Hunt Island. But the weather hadn’t cleared up so we were stuck here again today. We played more cards until lunchtime. After lunch we were able to go to Beechey Island. We tried to see polar bears but we only saw a dead cub. Then we visited the Franklin Camp which was where Sir John Franklin of the Royal Navy and his crew of 129 men entered the waters of the Lancaster sound in search of the Northwest passage in July 1845. They were never again seen by Europeans and the search for the team began two years later until 1880. Franklin died on June 11, 1847. Then we returned to the hotel and we hope we can leave tomorrow but it’s not sure yet. We have to call at 8:45 tomorrow morning. The end.

Day 12 – July 16th 2008 Resolute
We got to sleep in the morning and we found out that we wouldn’t get to leave probably until tomorrow. After lunch, we went to the Polar Shelf for a presentation of the Mars Project that is taking place on Devon Island. After that we went to the airport (about 4:30)and they gave us good news for once. They said that they could get one group up at 6:00pm and the other at 8:00pm. So we hurried back to the hotel to pack up all our gear. I was in the first group with my dad, sister, Sebastian, Kuria, Beth and Matty. We went to Eureka to re-fuel, then continued on to Ward Hunt Island. As we were flying over the island, the pilots told us they couldn’t find the airstrip since there was too much fog. We were all very upset because we thought we would have to go back all the way to Eureka, but lucky enough, we had enough fuel to go on to Otto Fjord which is where we are now. The plane dropped us off and we set up camp. Then they returned to Eureka to get the second group. It’s really nice here. There are many icebergs. And it’s almost 4AM, so we’re going to bed. Tomorrow is my sister’s birthday (actually today) and at 12AM we sang Happy Birthday to her. She is 17.

Day 13 – July 17th 2008 Otto Fjord
Today was an exhausting day even though we woke up at 11AM. After breakfast, we started our hike to the glacier. It looked really close but it wasn’t. It was 8 kilometers away. We stopped for lunch on the way and once we got to the glacier it was really cool! There were some waterfalls and we took lots of pictures for our sponsors. Then we walked another 8 kilometers to get back to camp. My boots and socks were soaking wet because we had to cross many streams. So in all we walked 16 kilometers and it took us the whole day! Now I am exhausted and my feet really hurt.

Icebergs at Otto Fjord

Day 14 – July 18th 2008 Otto Fjord
We didn’t do much today. We woke up at 1:00PM . Then some people went for a small hike up to the icebergs but I didn’t go because I couldn’t feel my legs since they were so sore from yesterday. So I played cards here with Beth, Ashley and others. Once everyone got back we had lunch and now we will just wait until dinner then go to bed and hopefully, we’re leaving tomorrow to go to Ward Hunt Island. We also went ice hoping—“putatuk”-ing—that was really fun

Day 15 – July 19th 2008 Otto Fjord
We woke up today again around 1:00PM. Matty brought us breakfast in bed because the weather was really bad and it was raining/snowing/hailing. I dind’t feel that good this morning so I basically stayed in the tent. We went putatuking too. This Canadian Air Force plane landed here. We had macaroni and cheese for lunch around 5:30 PM and now we’re just gonna sleep some more and tomorrow we are probably going to Ward Hunt Island if the weather stays good since it has cleared up since the morning. And my sister is sick and so were others.

Day 16 – July 20th 2008 Otto Fjord
We thought we were going to leave this morning but once again, the weather was bad. So we just sat around camp the whole day and played cards and ate until the plane showed up miraculously. They took us to Ward Hunt Island and it’s so cold here. The plane ride was 1h15. Now were are waiting for the second plane to arrive and tomorrow we will probably visit the ice shelf.

Day 17 – July 21st 2008 Ward Hunt Island
This morning, one group took the Twin Otter back to Resolute Bay. Now we are 9. After they left, we had breakfast, then went to talk to the Park rangers for an orientation. Next we climbed up the red mountain and got a good view of the whole island. Then we hiked up another hill that was right behind it. We went down to a part of the ice shelf and walked on it a little. We didn’t see the big crack but maybe we will tomorrow. Then we walked back to camp which is basically walking across the entire island, pass the lake. We had some lunch, then relaxed, took naps. Once I woke up from a nap, my sister and I went to the lake to get fresh water. Tomorrow we will go on a different area of the ice shelf to see the bigger cracks. Also, Zepher is being a bad dog and ate Matty’s tent up. The plane will probably come back Wednesday to take four of us to Mount Barbeau, then take the rest to Resolute.

Day 18 – July 22nd 2008 – Ward Hunt Island
After breakfast, this morning we went onto the ice shelf. We had to walk until the end of the island to get onto it. We walked for a long time in deep snow looking for cracks. Then we saw one from far away and we walked all the way to it. The crack was really big. We had lunch there, then started walking back and found more cracks on the way. Once we got back to camp, Brian and I cooked a wonderful dinner, then we played some cards. The plane is supposed to come tomorrow and while waiting for it we might walk up Walker Hill.

Day 19 – July 23rs 2008 Ward Hunt Island
Nothing happened today except for the plane not coming and all of us getting annoyed and bored. We woke up around 1PM and some people had breakfast but others just slept some more. The we sat around and we (Flaam, Beth, Matty and me) played lots of card games. Matty taught us how to play Hearts, 500, and Screw Thy Neighbor. We also picked up garbage that has been lying around for a long time on the island. We had really good dinner and found a jackpot of candy! Hopefully the plane will come save tomorrow if the weather clears up because right now there is fog everywhere. So maybe tomorrow night we will get to sleep in Resolute and shower and hopefully go home in the next couple of days.

Day 20 – July 24th 2008 Ward Hunt Island
Once again, we thought we would be able to leave this morning but were wrong since the whole island was fogged in with ice fog. My dad still told the pilots to come to Eureka which is only about 1h30 minutes from Ward Hunt Island. We played Hearts a lot with Matty, Flaam, and Beth. Then the weather looked like it was clearing a little so we called the pilots and told them to fly over to see if maybe they could. So we packed up our bags and tents. We also put markers on the air strip so pilots could see it easily. But obviously, the plane wouldn’t land because there was too much fog. So we had to un-pack everything and set up all our tents again. Luckily, the plane was able to land somewhere only 21 kilometers away. Then we just had some dinner and after that the park rangers invited us to watch a movie in their hut. We watched A Mighty Heart. Then we played more cards and went to bed.

Day 21 – July 25th 2008 Ward Hunt Island and Resolute
This morning we woke up to the sound of the Twin Otter landing. So FINALLY we could go back to Resolute. We packed everything up again and took off. About 5 hours later we landed in Resolute Bay and went off to the South Camp Inn again. My sister is leaving really early tomorrow morning.

Day 22 – June 26th 2008 Resolute
My sister left this morning at 5Am, then I slept until lunch. After lunch, I went to the airport with my dad to see if tomorrow we could go to Radstock Bay to try and see polar bears. The rest of the day I just sat around then I watched The Bourne Identity with Kuria. They are leaving in the morning to go back home. Lucky them!
This is the end of the Young Ambassadors portion of the trip!