Photos wanted!

I am thinking of creating these signs and mailing them to communities I can’t reach, such as Ulukhaktok/Holman, Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk.

It might encourage people to e-mail me photos, which I desperately need!

If only I had a helicopter to reach these places myself…

Roasted goose

It’s my 23rd birthday today and I’ve bought myself a Canada Goose parka.

As they say in Quebec, I am very “frilleux,” meaning I get cold easily. But not anymore!

The Kulluk rig

I didn’t take this photo myself, but it’s a striking portrait of the Kulluk rig off the coast of Tuktoyaktuk.

The rig was built in 1982 and pumped oil for a few years. But when oil prices dropped in the mid-1980s, it was abandoned. It simply wasn’t worth the trouble!

Now, with oil prices rising, Shell Oil has bought the rig and they’re going to tow it to Alaska for drilling.

Try to imagine that huge rig all quiet and abandoned for 20 years, sitting there in the middle of a frozen bay. Kind of a wierd place, eh?

The Youth Centre

Inuvik has a Youth Centre which is open almost every night. About 80 regulars go there to play pool, draw and listen to music. It’s often busy and usually loud!

Last month, the centre was awarded charitable status, which means it can accept tax-deductible donations and so forth.

I think it’s a good idea, because the place gives kids something safe and maybe even educational to do.

Let the sun shiiiine…

Here’s a sign in Fort McPherson, which tells visitors about 24 sunlight.

We currently have less than 6 hours of sun per day, and that window is closing by about an hour a week.

Today, on November 8, the sun rose at 10:39am and set at 4:36 pm…which means darkness before and after work!

Soon, it will be 24 darkness for about 30 days…which basically means you can watch movies without that annoying TV glare, am I right?

Dez in a fish-eye lens

Here’s Dez Loreen, 23, editor of the Inuvik Drum. He and I are the only two employees in the Inuvik News/North building.

He writes the Inuvik Drum every week, while I cover surrounding communities for News/North.

The mobile office

I bought a pelican case in Yellowknife earlier this year, and I now use it when traveling to communities. It’s usually left on the passenger seat, so I have easy access to everything I need packed in foam. This includes…

• Camera
• Fish-eye lens
• Lens cleaners/brushes, etc.
• Dry paper
• Pens + Pencils
• “Alphasmart,” aka my writing computer (for writing stories in the car)
• Business cards
• Camera flash
• Extra batteries
• Emergency money
• Minidisc recorder + microphone
• Cell phone

It’s heavy to carry around but it’s good protection against moisture and (earlier this year) fine dust.

Plus, when it takes 3 hours to get somewhere, you don’t want to forget anything!

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse

One of my favorite things to discover here was the greenhouse. It’s an old hockey arena, which was given a glass roof.

Now, anyone in town can book a space during the summer.

Aaaaw….

Here’s a leftover photo courtesy of Lindsay’s parents, who visited at the end of summer. These are young sled dog pups, at Inuvik’s “Arctic Chalet.”

The local tourist attraction brings people on dogsled rides in the winter. I’ll be first in line!

Hey Jean-Leon

Here’s Morgan Blake, 15, from Fort McPherson. He works at his father’s tire shop, and was working on the town’s water tankers when I took his picture.

He reminds me of my brother Jean-Leon!