Well, if you haven’t heard about my adventures on the LG-2 reservoir read on. It all started when Karyn Rogers decided to do soil samples. She needed a guide and I volunteered, as I always wanted to see for myself science in the making.
On October 10 we started by Cherokee jeep to the North. The trip started out great. We met some hunters from Nemaska on the way. We hope they enjoyed the partridge they got. We met numerous people who helped us out Wemindji was great. Tom Wadden gave us a much-needed cup of hot tea after our 14-hour drive and made the arrangements for Air Wemindji to fly us out to the north shore of LG-2. Joe Blackned gave us a place to sleep. Earl Danyluk got us a boat and introduced us to Angus Mayappo who would rent us a 9.9-hp motor. Abraham Matches lent us a rifle for protection and hunting. Thanks to Elmer and company at the CTA for their assistance. Then it was off to Radisson for a few more supplies. Our pilot, Michel, saved us some cash by explaining Air Wemindji flight charges. Thanks to Joseph Pepabano for the parking.
We flew out on Saturday to go about 30 miles east on the north shore of LG-2.
Moving from camp to camp every day we began to lose track of the days. Monday was the day the motor started acting up and the waves were pretty bad. That was also the day we nearly capsized after the motor died and suddenly started again. Tuesday was the day the motor died again and we had to put in on an island and radio for help. Despite signal fires going and constant communication on the bush radio, the plane still flew right over and right on by. Wednesday was too choppy for any planes to land. Not without event though, Wednesday was the day the axe broke and we went blueberry picking. Early Thursday morning the plane once again circled the island, but again, never saw us, despite our dancing on the shore. That afternoon the water was calm and an eagle flew overhead, we needed no more encouragement. We packed up camp and hand-pumped the motor and headed for home. Forty-five minutes out the motor died. In a boat in the middle of LG-2 there was nothing else to do but paddle. So we did for six and a half hours. We aimed for the spillway and arrived just about midnight. Thursday was the day we saved ourselves. Friday, we went back to get the boat and die rest of our equipment only to find that the waves had picked up and the equipment was lost as the boat was thrown ashore.
Sunday and Monday we did some more work and searched the shore again and again. But we finally had a warm bed and good food thanks to Joe and Lillian Blackned. Moose meat never tasted so good.
Looking back at everything we could only laugh. The land had tested us and hopefully we had passed. If we didn’t at least we had survived. We had come to realize that it would always seem like it was getting worse, but really it wasn’t.
We found out some wonderful things about Cree hospitality, ourselves and each other.
During the trip I knew one thing… If the plane had had the bush radio frequency it would have been no problem. Thank the Creator it wasn’t a medical emergency but if it was all we would have had to do is say, “Hey, we’re here!” Just in terms of practicality, the cost to Cree trappers and hunters would be less if the radios could help the pilots pinpoint their location easily. But in terms of lives we have to determine how much a Cree life is worth. To outfit a plane with one frequency costs $50. Bush radios use about eight or nine frequencies—$400-$450 per plane. Only a few dozen planes serve the Cree Territory on a regular basis. Therefore, it would cost a few thousand dollars to outfit all bush planes with the Cree bush radio frequencies. A small one-time cost to save a Cree life. I think that it would only be right and rational for either the communities or another funding source to provide the money for such a program. This would be a small price to pay for a way to ensure that a Cree life continues. If nothing else, this is the least we have learned from this trip.
Meegwetch and bless you all with the good life.
