Sadly I never took the time to write down my thoughts of Pangnirtung while it was fresh in my mind, so this may not do it justice. As you may know, I’m a very negative person. This and the fact that while I write this, I’m sitting back in Nunavut will likely make it seem worse.
The plane ride there was a tad amusing, as one of the wall panels came lose on the plane. One can imagine what the reaction in the south would have been. (aaaahhhhhh we’re all gunna die) but in the north and with the people who frequent these airlines the reaction was quite different. The man the panel fell on merely leaned it against the wall and we all smiled. The stewardess and I think the copilot both tried to reattach it with no success. Where’s some duct tape when you need it was the consensuses.
I came to town with a familiar face to work with named Surgey. Sadly he’s back in the north for another 2 year tour. Good for us as he’s a hard worker, but you have to feel sorry for anyone in the position.
After checking in to the Inns North, its manager (and chef) Louie, took us to our job site with a promise that the people who were to get us a vehicle would pick us up at noon with a car. Sure as heck, come noon there was a man presenting us with a 1985 Chevy suburban, that they had installed a manual choke on. After going through the procedure (pull choke, foot to floor…blah blah) Surgey got it started and off we went back to the hotel.
We were waiting on Parts (Surprise) and the plane wasn’t due until later in the afternoon so we decided to wait at the hotel. When we went to check on the cargo, the suburban’s battery was dead. Louie lent us the hotels second vehicle (the small town way) and said he would get them to fix or replace the dead suburban. So off to work we went.
Near the end of the day, they showed up with a replacement. A Panel truck they were previously using at the airport. This beast continued to be our transportation for the rest of the trip.
The “Inns North” was a “special” place. The room had 2 beds and a TV which was nice, and I didn’t have to share the room either. But something’s missing.?! Oh yah, there’s no washroom!!!. Each of the two floors had a men’s and a ladies room. That’s where you did all your business, including slower. Frankly it was the once reason I didn’t like Pangnirtung. One of my coworkers came in to this town last winter and found out he has pneumonia. Imagine staying in a hotel room with no washroom, while you had pneumonia. Wow that must have been brutal.
Pang (as it’s often called) is a very beautiful place, surrounded by mountains. Just out front of the hotel is a somewhat refurbished Hudsons bay “Old blubber station”. Very touristy. I have to wonder where on earth these tourists would stay when in town. Accommodations aren’t plentiful.
Just down toward the shore from the hotel are a canon and a plaque commemorating a man named Jim Kilabuk who worked for the HBC for 45 years. You don’t hear things like that anymore.
With further walking around this Hamlet (damn it was cold the day I did that walk) I see a site not uncommon but seemingly rampant here. Dogs running lose. One even scared poor Surgey when it jumped out of the garbage bin one morning after scrounging for food.
Surgey and I wondered what was actually happening to the RCMP officer in the tapestry in the airport.
True NunaArt. I call it "tempting the Caribou". Drawn from the heart.
Anyway, I can’t say I hated my time in Pang, but a few dozen washrooms would have made it a lot nicer. lol
