Those of you watching the interactive map have by now noticed that Mark and Doug returned home to Lake Washington yesterday evening.
Today they have been busy unwinding and unpacking some really dirty airplanes. They just asked that I do a post letting you know they are home safely and working on a final blog.
Norma, forwarded this link to a great article in Vintage News. Thanks Norma!
Dave
Your GAAA webmaster
Just heard from Doug by email. There will not be a blog tonight, low ceilings and poor visibility prevented much forward progress today. The GAAA team is safe and warm at Thunder Bay.
Dave
Your Webmaster
Now that I am back from traveling with the GAAA on the legs from Resolute to Goose Bay…the website is getting some new attention. A big “Thank You” to my wife Carol for keeping the Blog going in my absence.
New pictures have been posted on the main page and a new slide show, Series 11, can be found in the Picture Library. The Interactive Map page has been updated; be sure to zoom in closely on the “campfires” and change to satellite mode, you will be able to see some fairly precise details of where the team stopped. Clicking on the “campfires” or “current position” markers will take you to the Blog from that location.
Enjoy,
Dave
The GAAA team phoned in tonight to report that they are safely camped on the shore of an unnamed lake approximately 30 miles west of their intended destination of Coral Harbor. Flying conditions today were again very challenging and exhausting. They are set up for the evening, looking forward to some rest, but too cold and tired to compose a blog. They promise to report more details tomorrow, and are hoping that the weather will cooperate and allow them to proceed on to Coral Harbor.
Today was a day of wildlife sightings – two white arctic wolves, a large polar bear in its natural habitat, and lots of caribou.
Dave working on the pan / tilt camera mount
Jim with a narwahl tusk
Winging along in the sun, a rare event
Ice flows in McClintock Channel
Mark is a happy pilot in the sun (and all the other times as well)
No, this isn’t the Caribbean, but this stretch of beach sure looked like it
This post is being written from the warmth of your backup webmaster’s home. The guys called from their satellite phone around 10PM tonight to let me know that they are safe and hunkered down on the SE corner of Victoria Island, where conditions are below freezing and spirits are only slightly warmer than that! They are tired, cold, and heading to bed (such as it is) and promise to give us a more detailed report tomorrow.
The time has come to start my journey to meet up with Doug and the GAAA! So tomorrow morning, my wife Carol and I will travel by ferry to the mainland. There we will meet up with Doug’s wife Robbi to pick up 100 pounds of provisions for the next legs. From there we will make our way to Vancouver, then I am off to Yellowknife and points, yet finalized, beyond.
The bags are packed, and to be honest, I did not make the 40 pounds (but close..), BUT I am carrying a replacement computer, data connection components, and another satellite phone…. so maybe I will still be allowed aboard.
Please understand that with my departure, updates to the website will have to wait until I return. EXCEPT for updates to this Blog, which Carol will maintain in my absence. She wants you to know that she is not an expert, and please bear with her.
In case you can’t tell by looking at your computer screen, I am EXCITED and can’t wait to join the group.
Till later,
Dave
This just in from Norma….
A local Eastern Washington Internet Newspaper caught up with Vince at Edmonton Alberta Airport for a live interview of his experience over the last 10 days and being part of the Great GAAA team. Click on http://www.golakechelan.com/?%20name=News&file=article&sid=7525 to hear the interview.
A very special thank you to the crew of the Eureka Weather Station for sending us pictures of the current ice conditions at the station. This view is of the station shoreline. A picture is definitely worth a thousand words. The remaining pictures will be posted on the “Picture Library” later today
Dave
The most recent ice report received from Eureka:
“Updated conditions. Winds have become light from the north. This has caused the fiord to fill with ice. There is no place to land off shore.”
Hopefully this will change for the better as Doug and Mark get closer…..
Dave