Day 8 - Auyuittuq National Park

What a physically exhausting day! As mentioned previously, today our Students On Ice team was split up into those who were going on a 25 km long hike to the Arctic Circle through Auyuittuq National Park while the other half were left to take a shorter hike from the entrance of the park.

I had originally felt very guilty about not asking to go on the longer hike – I had promised myself that I wouldn’t skip out on anything offered on this trip no matter the effort. But two things swayed my decision. One was knowing my limitations. I don’t even know if I can walk 25 km on flat prairie pavement, let alone the same distance on uneven, rapidly changing terrain. The second was remembering that this trip is for the students, not me. And a lot of students wanted to go. So off they went, with the minimum number of able-bodied adults to help them.

And that left me with the “short” hike. Which I was thinking would be a couple of kilometers along a beautifully groomed trail through gorgeous scenery. Well, the last part was right. First of all, it was 10k. And the “trail” was at best a 6-inch wide trampled path through rocks and boulders, spongy moss, sand and water. It was simply the most physically exhausting hike I’ve ever been on. It’s probably the only hike I’ve been on.

We walked all the way to a waterfall in the shadow of the glaciers just south of the Arctic Circle. It was absolutely breathtaking. And by the time I stumbled back into the zodiac, I was soaking wet, covered in dirt and every part of me ached. But I had done it. It wasn’t the Arctic Circle, but it was a success for me.

Of course, then all the long hikers came back and raved about how amazing their excursion was…

Describing my hike wouldn’t be complete without thanking one of the students – John “Jack” Krantz, one of our American students from upstate New York. Jack is one of the nicest guys you could meet and could easily have done the long hike, if he had chosen to do so. But Jack chose to not go, simply because he has already done something similar – he’s one of our bi-polar students, having already gone to Antarctica with Students On Ice. And I’m thankful he came along on the short hike.

As we were climbing up the boulders along the ravine by the waterfall, Jack took the time to make sure I made it without injury. He recommended safe paths, helped me out in rough spots and generally kept me motivated most of the time. Jack is one of the older students and one of the few to actually pay for the excursion on his own, rather than through scholarships or sponsors. Not to belittle the accomplishment of those who did achieve this experience through those methods, but Jack worked three jobs for a year and a half to pay for half the trip. Once he did, his parents chipped in the rest. And considering the costs, that’s an amazing accomplishment from an impressive young man.

Tomorrow, we’re cruising back through Cumberland Sound towards two spots where we are expected to see some whales up close for the first time – first some belugas and then some bowheads in Kingait Fjord. Both are new destinations for Students On Ice, the thick sea ice forcing us to improvise our plans. In fact, the second destination is so uncharted, we’ll need to be led by a zodiac with a depth finder to make sure we make it in safely. “It is not down in any map; true places never are,” said Herman Melville. We are truly going where there is no map…