Boiling down Dease strait towards the Coppermine river. The land to windward makes for smooth sailing. A reef in both main and mizzen keep us happy in the stronger gusts. Al though the forecast only gives us 15 kn the cold arctic air accelerates over the tundra country of Victoria Island. The puffs coming out of the river mouths easily touch 20 kn. We leave the Bathurst inlet to be explored for another time. We have to start making miles towards Alaska.
Coppermine is one place we cannot leave. In the old days it was the place where Inuit people gathered in the summer. Collecting copper and fishing for the Arctic Char It was here that Hearne first saw the Arctic ocean Traveling down its many rapids from the HBC trading post at Churchill. Accompanying him was an Indian tribe to lead the way there. However they had a different agenda.
They had planned to attack the resident Inuit at their summer camp. It became a great massacre and the falls that where seen to this sad story, have been known as Bloody Falls ever after. Our plan is to hike up to the rapids on the winding banks of the river. It is a 15 track up there and 15 back. Not for the faint hearted…
When we visited the place in 2019 there where fresh tracks of grizzlies and they are not to be messed around with. They fatten on the plenty full Arctic Char. If we are lucky we might bargain for a fish or two with the friendly locals. For now we are getting ready to easy the sheets as we make our approach to Kugluktuk.
A small look back at our hike in 2019
