A new year, and a new-ish adventure. After a fifteen month hiatus, I returned to Nunavut for a 4 week work stint in Sanikiluaq. I haven’t been here since the summer of 2012, and despite the bitter cold and strong winds, I’m kind of glad to be back.

I was supposed to have arrived on Monday the 19th, but Calm Air decided to do some routine maintenance on the aircraft that day, so the flight was postponed until the 20th. It must not be a busy travel time for Sanikiluaq, because on Tuesday the 20th, I was the sole passenger on the plane! The ground crew didn’t even make an announcement at the gate when the flight was ready to board, and instead personally found me in the waiting area to escort me to the gate. I wasn’t sure whether I felt important, or criminal-esque.

As the accommodations are located above the health centre where I am working, the other nurses and I haven’t left the building often this week. Last evening, two of us walked to the Co-Op to get some fresh air and groceries. Though it was bitterly cold and incredibly windy, I was glad to note that there was still a bit of light at 5:00 pm, which was a significant change since my arrival three days prior.

This morning, another nurse and I intended to walk to the Co-Op, but detoured instead to the (much closer) Northern store as we were feeling defeated by the wind. While shopping, I suddenly felt relieved that I prefer water to soft drinks, and you can see why in the second picture above.