last post from Kimmirut

This is my last day in Kimmirut. I am so ready to leave, and yet there are people and things in this community that I will miss. I have loved getting out on the land and learning as much as I could about life in the north. I have been facinated with the changing seasons and the ways that people adapt. The tides of up to 12 metres from high to low have intrigued me to no end. For those familiar with the 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, imagine the same sort of features of islands and shoals, and small channels, but then superimpose the changing tides, and you can see how tricky it is to navigate up here. In the winter the whole ice pan moves up and down with the water level.
I've included a picture that I took yesterday showing the heel with the ice gone. A strong north wind took the ice out on Friday. The remains of the ice wall still stick to the rocks forming a white rim around the harbour. The other picture is of Robert, one of our two graduates this year, and me.
School certainly has been a challenge, but there are some students that I have really gotten to like, and I hope they will continue with their studies and take on the challenge that this society presents. Nunavut needs educated Inuit very badly in all sorts of positions.
I fly out tomorrow morning by Twin Otter at 10:15, with about a 2 hour layover in Iqaluit, then a 3 hour flight ot Ottawa, where I catch a plane to Toronto, arriving there about 6:00. I will be looking forward to seeing many of you. I will make another posting to the blog after I get home.