We are waiting on parts which we expect Friday. In the mean time we have been cleaning up some of the list if issues with the boat – mainly electrical issues that were caused, I think, by the salt water bath taken when the watermaker blew again. The main engine still doesn’t run & we think it is a bad starter motor or a bad battery cell. We hope there is nothing else wrong.

The weather here is cold with rain AND ice. The locals say it is the worst in 10 years. So much for global warming – at least this week. We have been pushing off growlers and even some bergy bits, The winds are out of the SE so they blow right into the harbor. We have been bumped a few times; fortunately they move pretty slowly. I worry though about some of these underwater appendages reaching under the boat.

Things are expensive in Iqaluit. Without the watermaker, we will soon need water. We were told that many of the homes receive water service via truck; we thought great, but then learned that the minimum charge for water delivery is $200. This isn’t Perrier! We need about 130 gallons. So Pat went to the store and they had a 7 gallon container of water for sale for $27. Well, it’s our new friend Joe to the rescue. He loaned us a container and it was full; he has promised more for tomorrow.  Aren’t the people here really nice and friendly toward strangers. They seem to have the time and are willing to invest it with us. We should be more like that to others at home.

So far we haven’t been able to connect to the internet; we’ll keep trying. We know you are going to like the pictures.

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After running all night, we went through one last ice field and we are now at Iqaluit on a mooring. Joe let us have it, and is putting his boat in the mud. One more Peets coming up! The only dock dries at low water, so all needs to get done via Olive and we have a lot to do! Weather is cold and overcast/drizzly.

Editor’s Note: The updates regarding the decision to head to Iqaluit and the arrival there all came in at once, but we’ve put them in at the appropriate times when they were actually written.  Rebecca (Shane’s wife) says that she talked with Shane after they arrived, and that they will be trying to post some pictures soon.

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We are on the way to Iqaluit and we are running into bands of 90% ice. So far we have found leads through each band. The Coast Guard says that so far one small boat has left Iqaluit (3 days ago) and that no boat has come in without ice breaker support. They think we can make it if we are careful. We will be, though we won’t arrive until tomorrow.

We tried to anchor on the south shore of Frobisher Bay but the bottom was slick rock and was of no avail. The scenery was a 10! It was a combination of Yosemite, the Grand Tetons, and Glacier Bay all in one package. Picture a fiord with El Capitan at the entrance, a large glacier at the head with jagged peaks with snow patches in between.

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We are off to Iqaluit (63 deg 43.9 W, 068 deg 30.9 W) for repairs. The main engine wouldn’t start this morning and we are using our get home motor. We’re wondering if it is all part of dousing the engine room 3 times; twice with watermaker failure, and once with the wet exhaust leak. We will probably be in Iqaluit for a week to fly in parts, repair etc. In the meantime, more ice will melt. Please pray for all to come together this week, so that we again have a 100% operational vessel and will be able to resume our trek north next week.

The whole crew is in favor of this. We are all fine; warm and well.