We're still here! We had teasing, fleeting glimpses of blue through the fog yesterday, even a thin blue line above the horizon, and our hopes were high for departure today. The fog is thick as ever. However,there is sun peeping through so maybe the fog will evaporate. We could be lucky today. Chris, the park's site manager and ever the optimist, thinks so. So I'm making sure I'm well packed.
We're not on the river as originally planned, but we've still been going out for local botanizing after the 2:00pm call to officially call off the day's flight. Yesterday, Chris and I joined the botanists to collect plants locally along the coast a few kms down the road.
The landscape is so immense, with no trees as reference for topography or distance. It's easier to focus on the ground. It opens up a whole new world. The flowers are incredible. Large flowers on low stems, mats, clumps and cushion plants hugging the ground seeking shelter from the wind. Gnarled willow shrubs only a few cms tall with twisted branches. Bird calls everywhere. The most common songbird here is the Lapland lonspur, a colourful sparrow. There are also shorebirds and waterfowl. I've seen yellow-billed and red-throated loons and can now distinguish between the semipalmated and white-rumped sandpiper. (OK, the large flash of white on the rump is a good clue!). I'm amazed that anything can survive the winters here or live out their breeding cycle in the very brief summer.
This 'enforced meditation' has been good for me. There's a niche for everything. I'm lucky to be reminded of that.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I'm in Yellowknife and we've had fog and rain for 4 days now. According to theweathernetwork.com, there is large cloud cover over Great Sleave and Great Bear lakes. I am concerned about the weather because it is unsual. Example: Yesterday, clouds were moving towards the north while the wind was blowing from the north. It was odd to see flags flying in the opposite direction of the clouds. It was like the sky and the groud were no longer connected.
No worries, you will eventually get to your destination. It is very common in the North to end up with different travel plans, especially when traveling somewhere so remote.
Greetings! The Best NWT Blogs contest is now underway. This year, the rules state that bloggers must nominate themselves in any categories they want to compete in. Please come over to the site, read the rules, and nominate yourself. This round ends on Tuesday; after that, we'll vote.
Remember, you MUST nominate yourself if you want to be considered for the contest.
Post a Comment