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| "Sun Dogs" seen mid-afternoon in Iqaluit, Nunavut |
Iqaluit is the capital (and only) city in Nunavut, Canada's newest territory. It is above the tree-line, which means it is so cold that trees can't even grow there. It is on an island and is extremely isolated, accessible to the rest of the country only by plane most of the year. It has a "polar climate" officially: the summers are short and cold (averaging about 10 degrees celsius during the day).
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| Watch out for snowmobiles! |
During the summer the sun shines 20.5 hours a day, in mid-winter this falls to roughly 4.5 hours of sunlight. The majority of the population there is Inuit. There are polar bears living just outside town, and caribou. People speak Inuktitut and English (as well as some French). All-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles are commonly used methods of transportation. Dog sleds are also used (though not as much as they used to be). Despite there being no roads out of Iqaluit most of the year, there are still vehicles (cars and trucks) in the city.
How do I know this? I know it because my husband and I have made the crazy decision to move there with our two children, our dog, and our cat, for a year. A few years ago JJ (my husband) spent a month in Iqaluit working. He loved it--the isolation, the cold, the lack of resources, the feeling of being a bit of an "explorer".......What's not to love?
We both went up to Iqaluit last fall to scope out schools, housing, sports/activities for the kids, etc. It will be a very different way of life than what we are used to. We currently live in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which would be considered "remote" to many people in the world--but at least here there are 3 Walmarts in town.
I am going to attempt to blog our year in the Arctic (technically Iqaluit is not in the Arctic, as it is not above the Arctic Circle, it only has an Arctic climate). I have never written a blog before, so bear with me if it looks a little rinky-dink for awhile.
Wish us luck as we head even further north, and follow us on our journey.
All the best with your new adventure. Looking forward to following along with you!
ReplyDeleteLarry
Wish you all the best. Looking forward to following along your adventure.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear! And see the pictures!
ReplyDeleteLisa & Fin
Can't wait to read all about it! And see pictures !!!
ReplyDeleteSome people talk about doing things and then there are the people who I know that DO them. Love to you all and cheers to your adventures...I just found out what it costs to fly to Iqualuit. I plan to visit in the year. For serious.
ReplyDelete