Well, we're here in Cambridge Bay, safe and well. We arrived here at about 8:00 pm local time, and had a hot meal. Next will be a very welcome hot shower! We've survived it all. We wanted to experience the conditions, but didn't expect we'd have to ride out a major storm. It was a bad one. (Webmaster's note: Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it!)

The cold weather was very hard on the battery for our satellite phone. A couple of days ago the red light came on, indicating that the power was low. That's why we couldn't call you yesterday. We had to save what little was left for our calls to Adlair to arrange for our pickup. We had no choice.

We certainly have discovered that it was no "cakewalk" for the Franklin crew - and they didn't have a Doug Stern along to show them how to build an igloo or hunt for food. Derek is still ill. I had brought along some antibiotics for this very reason, in case someone came down with a respiratory infection. He seems to be alright.

For the last couple of days we were more or less confined to the igloo. The snow buried us more and more each day.

Each day we shovelled ourselves out, which took a good part of the day. We made a second hole in the privy, and cleared the snow that had blow in. The wind had changed direction and was now coming towards the opening of the kitchen tent, so we had to build a wall of snow blocks to hold back the snow and wind. John MacDonald entertained us by playing his kalimba (a small thumb piano) - it had the potential to drive us crazy, but he was very good with it. We told lots of stories. We know more about one another now than ever!

I'll call you tomorrow, as soon as we know our revised schedule. We're looking forward to getting home and seeing everyone...

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