Bloody Falls and Fair Winds

25-08-2025, 68°40’N 108°55’W

Kugluktuk, also known as Coppermine, was our home for two evenings. Why go this far off route, and what is down there anyway? Well, it turned out to be one of our best stops of the trip. The locals are super friendly, and the surrounding hills create a perfect microclimate. But for us it was more than that. The Coppermine River played a major role in the discovery of the Northwest Passage.

At first, it was an important trading area. Large deposits of copper were exchanged between Inuit and Indians. These relations were often tense, and more than one quarrel was settled at knifepoint. Later the Europeans came — first Hearne, later Franklin, Richardson, and Rae. They all descended the shallow river to reach the Arctic Ocean.

In 1771, Hearne, sent by the Hudson’s Bay Company, set out to seek the copper deposits at the river’s mouth. At that time, the map north of Hudson Bay was still blank. Mantonabbee and his Chipewyan tribe guided the expedition and provided food. Shortly before reaching the river mouth, however, Mantonabbee’s intentions proved more sinister than expected. A plan had been made to attack the unsuspecting Copper Inuit. By then Hearne was too late to intervene, and a massacre took place at the rapids of what is now called Bloody Falls. Fifty years later, when Franklin descended the river, he found evidence in the broken skulls and bones of that same slaughter.

We hiked up to the Falls not only for what happened there long ago, but also for its present beauty. The Inuit had long known of this excellent and bountiful site, using it for fishing and hunting. The first thing we were told by one of the locals was the sighting of 16 grizzlies not far from where we were headed… Sixteen is a lot — twice as many bears as people in our hiking party! We found no trace of them along the route, but as we entered the last few kilometres, I anxiously scanned the horizon for a glimpse. Later on board, I learned that everyone else had done the same…

The weather was perfect, and progress was good. When we reached the Falls, we discovered that Team Czech had beaten us there. They had taken a small boat up the river and walked the last bit. They were on the opposite bank, so our group photo was somewhat improvised, but no less lovely. The tundra along the way did not disappoint: sandhill cranes, loons, Canada geese, two snowy owls, and plenty of ground squirrels. Back on the boat, I looked towards the Falls and saw the same cumulus clouds that Back had painted in 1820. I smiled.

We left early the next morning with a good wind forecast. No time was wasted: the mizzen was reefed and the staysail set, followed later by the jib. We passed the junction at Dolphin and Union, and the wind freshened into a gale. We celebrated Bob’s birthday with lamb and far too much cake. Under the lee of Victoria Island, we crossed Coronation Gulf, and by the time we reached Dease Strait, the mainsail was set and the reef shaken out of the mizzen. Good sailing and good timing!

All is well,

Gijs