Grave site of"The Lost Patrol" in Fort McPherson |
I stopped into Fort McPherson to visit the graves of the Lost Patrol, the Mounted Policemen who died after missing a path on what was supposed to be a month long winter journey by dogsled from Fort McPherson to Dawson City in the winter of 1910-1911. Their routine undertaking sort of put my nervousness about a summer drive up the Dempster Highway into perspective. Seeing "The Northern Store" (what we used to know as "the Bay Store"), I was reminded of my earlier days in Oxford House. There was quite a contrast when I arrived in the bustling town of Inuvik. |
It was with great joy that I reached the ten kilometre strip of modern paved highway that runs from Inuvik airport into the town. At the visitor centre I was certified as a member of "The Order of Arctic Adventurers" having crossed the Arctic Circle. Then I was directed to the Government campsite overlooking the Mackenzie Delta only a couple of blocks from the main street. I tried to arrange a flight up to Tuktoyaktuk for the next day but, like Nigerian taxis, the tour planes did not follow a schedule, but travelled when there was a full load and I couldn't wait. I wandered around noting the Igloo-shaped church and above-ground utility-corridors that link all of the buildings. I passed up the opportunity for a musk-ox burger and, instead, had my regular canned spaghetti at the campsite. I guess the musk-ox burger would have made a better story but I was economizing.
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