Four Degrees Celsius by Kerry Karram Read Free Book Online Page B

and hunger did not help either. The following day Colonel MacAlpine wrote his own statement, to which all members of the group “subscribed and agreed.” [4]
    MacAlpine’s statement was a detailed report on the events that led up to the forced stay at Dease Point. He wrote that it was the late arrival of WCA’s ’SK that was at the root of the problem. He determined that eleven days had elapsed between the sinking of ’SP and the arrival of ’SK. Those days had been perfect for flying but instead were spent waiting. In fact, under ideal conditions they could have nearly completed their expedition and returned to Winnipeg. MacAlpine also detailed the flying and weather conditions once the flights continued, stressing that the weather was deteriorating and small lakes were beginning to freeze over. His report gave the reasons why the planes had flown off course and why they reached the decision to remain at Dease Point with the Inuit and wait for either rescue or good conditions to walk out. [5]
    By October 2 Pearce had no choice but to cook up the formerly rejected ground squirrels. The water used to cook the meat was quite greasy, and, as Pearce was about to throw it out, a “holler went up and it was saved. Grease a quarter inch thick came to the top of the water when it cooled. I suppose it is merely a matter of how hungry one is, to make any grub good.” [6]
    Keeping busy was crucial. The hunters went in search of food, and the fuel gatherers scrounged for anything that would burn. On one particular day, the weather changed, sending wind-whipped snow around the working men, giving them hope that a freeze was upon them, but then the snow changed to sleet, and they ran for cover in the sod house. The roof began to leak in earnest, and their hopes of a good snowfall and cold snap were dashed. Both Thompson and Pearce stayed up all night, emptying the pots and pans they used to catch the drips from the roof.
October 3, 1929
    Richard Pearce’s Diary, Dease Point
    It is another rotten day, with the wind switching from the south to northeast, and driving an icy rain … It is a double birthday in the party, Mac being 29 and Don 26. They had an extra portion of fish this morning to celebrate the occasion. When I wished Don many happy returns, he said, “Not here, I hope?” … If some of the Arctic explorers could hear the remarks passed about them here they would be far from pleased, for instance, we were told that we could expect the freeze-up in this section about the 19th or 20th of September. Ice-making on the sea is much slower than we expected.
    Back at Wholdaia Lake, the search team was also concerned about the uncertainty of the weather. They needed clear skies for flying, and the snow that kept them from going back to Baker Lake had also created problems for the tug Ocean Eagle that was bringing the skis for ’CZ and ’SO and more fuel to Baker Lake. To make matters worse, a radio check to confirm supplies determined that some of the vital equipment was not on board. [7] The tug then had to make its way back through the churning waves to Churchill to retrieve the missing equipment. The days passed with no sign of the tug’s arrival at Baker Lake, and, since the boat had no wireless, Blanchet flew with Spence to look for it. Finally they spotted her, encrusted with ice, barely managing to advance through strong northwest gales. [8] All they could do was watch helplessly from the air, then turn back to their base. It seemed no matter how well thought out the plan was, the forces of nature had something else in mind.
    The SS Ocean Eagle en route from Port Fort Churchill to Baker Lake. Storms that frequently “blew up” in the vast Hudson Bay made travel exceedingly dangerous.
Provincial Archives of Manitoba, Canadian Air Lines Collection #2142.
    Cruickshank managed to fly to Stony Rapids for messages and heard about the problem with the Ocean Eagle and