June 4th, Day 78

Distance traveled:
June 3rd: 73.6 km
June 4th: 7.9 km

Position: N71°55'38.9 W080°49.35.7

The blizzard outside died down, and the sun made an appearance. We were rested and ready to make some miles. The temperatures have been increasing, hovering between 0°C and -5°C, and, as a consequence, the snow is rapidly disappearing. Our strategy is to cross Baffin Island as quickly as possible, before the snow completely melts away and the rivers start to flow, slowing our progress. The last 150 km of our route into Pond Inlet will be on thick sea ice, which melts out much later in the year.

We stuck to the snow covered valleys, kite skiing when the terrain allowed. Overflow water on the rivers was abundant, forcing us to zigzag across the landscape in search of snow. We made one last steep climb before dropping into a narrow gully, with high rocky cliffs blocking the winds. Exhausted, we could hardly stay awake while we waited for our dinner to cook.

This morning, the smell of spring was in the air and migratory birds could be heard chirping outside our tent. We strapped on our ski's and started our decent, the snow conditions continuously deteriorating as we got closer to the ocean. We hopped from one snow patch to the next, hauling our sleds over the tundra and rocks in between. It was a relief when Milne Inlet came into view. Soon after, the weather socked in and rain pelted down on us. There is nothing more miserable than skiing through rain in the Arctic at 5 AM; it was time to take shelter in our tent and enjoy a hot bowl of soup while we waited for the weather to clear.

Sarah

[Via Pittarak: Northwest Passage Expedition]