Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.06.2013, Side 11

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11 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • June 15 2013
in minutes. My Dad, who had
been an air transport pilot said,
“This is what a thunderstorm
looks like from the bottom.”
I never want to be that close
again.
As it moved off we could
see more in the area and
fortunately, while they came
close, none were as bad. We
were a mess and cold when we
got to our tent. We all climbed
into our sleeping bags to warm
up and regroup. We downloaded
photos, sent messages via our
Solara Tracker and generally
caught up on housekeeping
chores.
Some rum was consumed
by my Dad, Uncle and Cousin,
and some Stan Rogers sung to
ward off bears. A good sleep
was enjoyed by all.
The day dawned sunny
and warm, and we packed up
to catch the high tide and get
up stream again. The current,
even with the tide coming in,
was fast and the boat barely
made headway in some
stretches. The water rushed by
at probably seven knots but the
GPS read only .85 Knot. That’s
crawling speed. Johann said
the prop had been damaged by
small stones picked up when
we were in really shallow
water or aground.
A boat! The first sign of
anyone since leaving Gillam.
It was a jet boat driven by Clint
Sawchuk from Gillam. He was
on his way to Port Nelson. He
had heard of our trip and was
on the lookout for us. He had
been afraid we would have
attempted to round the point
and said almost certainly the
weather and wind were against
success. He said Hydro was
releasing water on the Nelson
and the current speed was
going to be high for a few
days. Likely we would have
difficulty at the final Conawapa
Rapid near the dam. He gave
us his contact info and offered
help if we needed it at the end.
He thought he might be by in
a couple of days again on his
way to York Factory.
The next two days were
quiet as we motored upstream
against a huge current. We
spent the time evaluating
the topographic changes and
slumping/erosion along the
river as well as learning the
intricacies of the side scan
sonar unit supplied by Johnson
Outdoors.
On the day we expected
Clint to come by on his way
to York Factory, my Dad and
Johann discussed the chances
of someone catching a lift there
and back, thus completing that
part of our objective. Johann
had been there before so it
was decided David should go
and get pictures. David packed
light and we waited.
The backup position was
for JJ to go if the weight was
the problem.
Clint arrived and we asked
him about a lift for one person.
Clint was quick to agree there
was room for only one because
he had three canoes and four
canoeists coming back with
him. My dad jumped into action
with his gear and Clint looked
at me and asked if I also wanted
to go. This was one time it was
useful to be small and light. It
took only a minute and we were
gone. When we pulled away
from the shore, it occurred to
me that it should have been JJ
since he was the expedition
photographer. It happened so
fast that we didn’t have time
to discuss adequately, but I am
grateful JJ gave up his potential
spot to me.
Clint was in a great hurry
as he had to round the point
and get to York Factory
before dark. This country is
unforgiving for poor planning
and timing. It was rough and
wet getting around but speed
is a wonderful thing. York
Factory loomed out of the
sunset and we got right to work
hiking to the Factory.
Even here my Dad had to
carry a gun as the polar bears
frequent this area. We found
the caretaker’s house and he
kindly took us on a tour of the
Factory in the failing light.
There are no lights in the
Factory so it was spooky but
very interesting. The people
that wintered here must have
been a hardy bunch to be able to
survive the -40C in a building
without insulation. The Factory
is filled with artifacts, many of
which are just picked up along
the shore as it erodes away.
The shoreline erosion is a huge
concern as, unless stopped, the
factory building itself will slide
into the river within 30 years.
We signed the guest book
just under Prime Minister
Harper’s signature. He had
made it via helicopter between
those great thunderstorms. He
only was there for few hours.
We got the Caretaker to
use the YF branding iron on
some small paddles my father
brought with him. This is the
ultimate prize and souvenir
from York Factory.
There is a fenced compound
where tents can be set up safe
from bears and there were some
people there that Clint was
going to take back to Gillam
in the morning. We didn’t have
any tent so we bunked in with
Clint in a house belonging
to his friend. There are no
permanent residents anymore
and the Caretaker was leaving
in a few days as well.
The trip back upstream
was really rough. There were
belugas and bears everywhere
as we made the journey around
the point again.
This is the area where
D’Iberville with his 50 cannon
ship, the “Pelican”, was
trapped by three British ships
in September 1697. He was
alone against three well-armed
British Men of War, one of
which was 200 feet long and
had 52 cannons. With superior
seamanship and great good
luck, he sank two before his
own ship went aground. Even
faced with a lost ship and a
blizzard, he captured York
Factory and the French held it
for 16 years.
We stopped to look at some
other shipwrecks along the
shore from the Port Nelson
construction days and we
stopped to see the cairn erected
to commemorate Thomas
Button and his ship wreck in
1613 at Gillam Island. Seals
and belugas abounded around
Seal Island and we fairly flew
upstream. Jet Boats trump
Nordic Rowers.
One of the polar bears spotted from Port Nelson to York Factory
PHoto: JJ sigurdson
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