Page 93 - ARCTIC_Atr&Culture_eng_3
P. 93
ƥ
Aware of this I continue and the sights along the y River are continuing to amaze me.
real danger, having scanned the riverside have ever seen. Although a luxurious resembles a bad hair transplant. Each
bank for the best place to camp , I found sight from 30 yds on close inspection, it blade had secured itself an unreasonable
what was the only place to camp. A mud amount of real estate. Man there must
hill with hopefully a grass top. I had to I turn to face the be 5mm between each blade and worse
build up my resolve to vacate my warmish still underpinned with dry ….you guessed
kayak and commit my bare feet and legs to source of the intrusion it MUD. Arrghh. Ok I am here now let’s
the icy cold. First, take off my boots whilst to hear a shout “Hey get it done. I do manage to stand on this
remain seated then the socks. Left foot out, Sargasso camping pitch but it moves and
over the cockpit, and into the sucking face you ok ..have you heaves as if about to free itself from the
pack that awaits me. Next the right leg out ǫdz manicles attaching it to the embankment,
and now I am sitting side saddle with mud Tent half up I am blinded by a light, I am
half way up my shins. . Now the tricky part am fine I reply … concentrating so hard I only half hear the
dropping into the mire whilst rotating to I say the usual 37 days arrival of another craft from the North. I
face the kayak and above all not letting turn to face the source of the intrusion
go. The depth of the mud varies but so far, out of hay river … to hear a shout “Hey you ok ..have you
I have been in up to my waist in spots so ǡdz broken down?” No I am fine I reply …I say
slowly does it. It’s a cold shock but the mud the usual 37 days out of hay river …bla bla
stops engulfing me at the knees. Now to crazy comes the reply la,” are you crazy comes the reply ..where’s
push the kayak towards the banking whilst ..where’s your boat .. your boat ..I indicate with my head lamp…
using it for support as I drag each foot out another burst of expletives that’s a fecking
one at a time to make agonising progress. I indicate with my kayak..are you mad…. “No just Scottish “I
It is slow and I am starving, burning head lamp…another answered they laugh and wish me well and
calories I do not have. My muscles I know to watch out for bears and the weather is
are shrinking as the fat deposits dwindle burst of expletives starting to close in, I thank them for their
or remain in isolated pockets of denial. I that’s a fecking kayak.. concern dn assure them I will be ok. Well
reach my prime pitch at last to see it is in ok then as long as you don’t need anything,
fact the worst sown lawn I over inspection are you mad…. good luck bye and off they go...
90 Arctic Art & Culture • №1 (3) • 2018 Arctic Art & Culture • №1 (3) • 2018 91
