Trip to floe edge to examine shoulder season sea ice travel conditions
Yesterday (May 8), Dr. Ford and I traveled to the floe edge with ILMP project hunters Josh Attagouk and Levi Pishuktie; four other Iqaluit area hunters joined us. Heavy snowfall in late winters has enabled the sea ice to persist later into the spring than has become typical, however, the overlaying snow is becoming waterlogged because melt water is retained on top of the ice. Josh noted that travel across this type of slushy snow requires much more fuel than compact snow or ice. Despite the persistence of sea ice, all hunters noted that the traditional route down Frobisher Bay was impassible all winter due to thin ice.
Because the traditional route to the floe edge was impassible, our trip followed a longer alternative route. En route, we stopped at an open lead (crack in the ice) where Josh spotted seals, but despite our patience, they did not return. From this location, we headed out across a “dangerous area” where many people have fallen through the ice. An hour later, without incident, we arrived at a fractured band of ice where we crossed onto a final sheet of detached ice leading to the floe edge. The floe edge was amazing, with cold black water offset by solemn icebergs and redoubtable mountains beyond. A couple of hours were spent hunting duck to no avail. Looking back onto the frozen bay, the hunters noticed many seals in an area of dangerously thin ice. After debating the safety of pursuing the animals, a decision was made to go. Levi led the way, examining the noticeably thinner ice. Once in range, two animals were taken. However, in attempting to recover one seal, Levi fell through the ice to his waist; fortunately, the warm temperatures limited the seriousness of the situation. This seal hunt emphasized the ways in which decreasing ice stability is affecting the confidence and ability of hunters to safely procure country food. Once the seals had been prepared, we headed out for the long ride back to Iqaluit.
Though the sea ice near town remains stable, traditional ice routes did not form over the winter and the floe edge continued its steady retreat. This trip highlighted the complex interactions of sea ice and precipitation dynamics and also the nonlinear relationship between ice coverage and land-use.
