Katherine Does Tuktoyaktuk; Richard Does Inuvik

Travel Day

• Katherine flew up to Tuktoyaktuk. Richard drove around Inuvik

The first thing of our day was getting Katherine on to her charter flight to Tuktoyaktuk.

Yes, the airport in Tuk looks like a mobile home. It is very small.

Katherine made it to Tuk!

A look at Tuktoyaktuk with the Arctic Ocean, or more specifically, the Beaufort Sea, in the background. Notice the lovely grasses that grow all over at this time of year.

The intrepid explorer dips her fingers into the cold Arctic waters.

It's actually warm enough that she went wading!

Brave Katherine! Ready to tackle the north!

Yes, out there. That's the Arctic Ocean!

For her bravery in tackling the icy waters of the north, Katherine receives a membership in the Exclusive Arctic Ocean Toe Dipping Adventurers Club.

No, she did not get arrested for dipping on public property. She did, however, buy a touque for Richard.

There is a segment of the Trans Canada Trail designated up here with Tuktoyaktuk as the starting point. We are not sure where the ending point is. They are still building the trail.

Not an outhouse, an Ice House. This is the community freezer.

Looking 30 feet down, deep into the permafrost. It's always frozen down there.

Built in the 1950's, this permanent freezer has lockers for each family in the community.

Da plane, Boss. Da plane! Katherine heads for home, or at least I think that is her plane.

When Katherine left in the morning, she got out of the truck and marched into the Inuvik Airport, leaving me behind with nary a glance. She was a girl on a mission!

I managed to get a shot of them getting onto the plane. Katherine got the co-pilot's seat, but she did not get to fly the plane.

I could have gotten closer if I had wanted to. This is what passes for "airside security" in Inuvik.

After dropping Katherine off, I headed into town. First stop, the local golf course.

The club house is a bit rough.

On the other hand, the driving range and the fairways are in pretty good shape. The greens, however, are all artificial turf. You just can't maintain a decent green up here.

I drove out to the construction site for the new all-year highway to Tuktoyaktuk. Only about 16 km has been completed on this end. It is slow going when you build a highway up here, unless it is wartime and you throw the US Army at it.

The roadway is built in two parts. First, a road bed of heavy rock and dirt is laid down to protect the permafrost.

Then a smoother road surface is laid down on the bed. The upper surface is well packed fine gravel.

Back in town, I wanted to check this place out, but no ramp.

There was no ramp at this place either, but I didn't get mad.

The famous Igloo Church in Inuvik. It is a Roman Catholic Church.

Down by the river, you can get a barge to take you, and your truck, down the Mackenzie River all the way to Tuk.

These steel tubes are part of the Inuvik Utilador system, where the services to homes and businesses are provided through these tubes above ground, keeping them out of and away from the permafrost.

I saw this house and thought it was pretty cool. Then I saw the ramp, and the walker. Apparently there really are handicapped people in Inuvik.

The touque Katherine bought for me in Tuktoyaktuk. Just so you know, it's an RCMP touque with the "G" Division label. Just so you know, that is the local RCMP detachment building outside our window.