The Arctic Voice Team has reached the end of the 2007 leg of their journey by kayak through Canada’s Northwest Passage. We are currently in Kugluktuk in the Coronation Gulf, and are spending the weeks before our return to the UK strengthening links between the schools in Kugluktuk and their twin schools in the UK. This part of the Arctic Voice project has proved extremely successful, and the work has attracted media attention from Canadian News North and the BBC.
We arrived on August 14 and only one night was spent in a tent before comfortable accommodation was offered in a manner typical of the kind and welcoming approach that is the way of The North.
At this stage of the expedition it is not appropriate to draw conclusions from the work and findings, as the journey is not complete. Understandings and insight may well change as we move east in 2008. Nevertheless, some common threads seem to be emerging from the conversations and work we have undertaken through interviews with local people and via scientists encountered on the journey from Inuvik to Kugluktuk.
Weather patterns appear to be much more unpredictable and in some aspects more extreme. There appears no doubt that temperatures are increasing significantly. Reported winter temperatures in the 1950’s of –50 to –60 degrees centigrade have risen to current winter lows of –30 to –40 degrees. Migration patterns of terrestrial (and it would appear some marine) animals are changing, with the net effect being a northwards movement of habitats. An example of this is Victoria Island that now provides a habitat for Musk Ox, Caribou and Grizzly Bear. Grizzly bears were completely absent from this area in past years. We are hearing repeated claims that insects, birds and flowers hitherto unknown in these latitudes are now making an appearance.
We are beginning to conclude that whilst the effects of climate change are significantly manifesting themselves, it would be fair to say that other environmental and social issues such as mining, aviation, the economy generally and employment to a large extent eclipse issues relating directly to climate change in the minds of local people.
As far as the kayak journey itself is concerned, we have had some wonderful experiences, which include many encounters with wildlife. On one occasion a large bearded seal rose right next to our kayaks in a mirror calm sea and looked at us as if to say, “what are you doing here?’ On land we have seen almost all the arctic animals with the exception of polar bears, wolves and wolverines.
Our journey around Cape Young was a memorable experience, again, unusually, the seas were calm and we were paddling at midnight with sunset and sunrise lasting through the small hours. The entire sky was lit with lavenders, pinks and blues of indescribable beauty. All the colors were reflected in the sea making for a wonderful and quite spiritual experience.