Coordinates: N 65. 16. 314, W 067. 06. 291
Distance Traveled: 25 mi/ 40 km
Temperature: -5 °F/ -21 °C
Wind: 5- 15 MPH
Cloud Cover: Partly to mostly cloudy, light snow in the evening

Hello from the Outpost Camp on Cumberland Sound. I am sitting in a warm home with some of the nine family members who live here, writing this dispatch on our first day off after eight days of constant moving. Yesterday morning we picked up where we left off on our travel down the blue frozen river. We passed through Iqaluit Lake soon after the start and tried to convince our dogs to stay away from the tasty smells of the three fishermen and their plentiful catch of arctic char (for the record, Nyla and Frankenstein had superb discipline in that regard). Producer and cameraman Jerry Stenger joined us here for the duration of our trip to Pangnirtung with his snowmobile escort to document our expedition for the Steger Foundation. We continued down the luge run of the beautiful river at a quick speed, sledding over huge snow mounds and rough ice patches, trying to stay upright on skis. After a few hours of travel, we had hit the sea ice of Cumberland Sound and saw the record of past tidal movements in the jumbled aquamarine blocks that stood 15 feet taller than the flat sea ice at low tide. The walls of the fiord tower above the sound at 1400 feet.

Coordinates: N 64.27.020, W 67.25.579
Distance Traveled: 17 mi/ 27 km
Temperature: -19 °F/ -28 °C
Wind: 30 MPH/ 50 KPH
Sunrise: 6:43 a.m.
Sunset: 4:44 p.m.

Abby and I have been setting our daily alarm for 6 a.m.. The first person up starts the stove while the other pulls breakfast and hot drinks from the food bag to start off the day. We then work on getting all our layers on and putting the liners into our mukluks. We sleep with the liners in between our two sleeping bags so that they will be dried out and warm for the next day. We keep a bag of ice that we have chipped out of the lake in the vestibule of the tent and then pull from that for our daily water supply. Once the water has boiled, we eat our delightful breakfast, consisting of granola or oatmeal and enjoy a hot drink. Today, Abby tossed the gear out of the tent door while I busied myself packing the sled. In order to save time and energy, we keep our sleeping bags and pads zipped inside a bivy sack and then those get packed on the sleds fully extended. The group has made a pact to be out of the tents by 8 a.m., ready to pack up sleds. It wouldn't be enjoyable for the group to have to wait out in the cold while someone was late packing up their gear. After the loads are latched down, we harness and hook up the dogs, pack up the chain tie outs and off we go in a mad dash out of camp.

Coordinates: N 66. 09.00, W 66. 19.00
Distance Traveled: 24 mi/ 37km
Temperature: -15 °F/ -26°C
Wind: 35 MPH/ 56KPH
Cloud Cover: Clear skies
Sunrise: 6:08 a.m.
Sunset: 5:04 a.m.

All night long we heard the wind on the tent and felt the sides pressing in on us. It was certainly cozy to be snuggled in our sleeping bags. 5:45 a.m. rolled around, however, and we had to wake up and face the day. The winds were intimidating and our bivy sacks blew horizontally as we carried them to the sled.

Visibility was limited due to blowing snow on the ground. Way up ahead of us, we could barely make out the shape of Lukie's sled through the snowy haze. He and Theo were alternating running and riding behind their dogs. Tonight I finally caught up with Lukie in the tent that he shares with Simon. I was able to talk with him a bit about what brought him to the expedition, while Simon so graciously translated.

Lukie, in his mid-sixties, is a model of athleticsm and endurance. He manages his sled and team with agility and determination. In a group, Lukie is quiet with a warm smile. We communicate with him mainly through Theo and Simon, as he does not speak much English. I enjoyed the chance to sit down with Lukie tonight and hear more of his personal story.

Coordinates: 70° 12' N, 68° 21' W
Distance Traveled: 21 mi/ km
Wind: 0-15 MPH/ 0-24 KPH
Cloud Cover: Clear in the morning, turning mostly cloudy by late afternoon
Sunrise: 3:44 a.m.
Sunset: 7:28 p.m.

As I sit here comfortably in the tent on Inugsuin Fiord, I am chewing on a piece of iceberg ice. We are camped next to a 30 foot tall iceberg that juts angularly out of the frozen sea. The fresh taste of the ice is quite a treat after a trip across sea ice where the snow that we collect for water often lends a slightly salty taste to the drinking experience.