Dog teams go missing in complete whiteout


198IDWhen the dog teams gathered on the Leaf Bay sea ice around 11 o’clock this morning, the barometer still indicated fair weather. Other than a partly covered sky, there was no sign of a blizzard, at least not in sight. With only a little over 25 miles to go, or no more than a couple of hours to carry on before the halfway point between Tasiujaq and Aupaluk, the dog teams’ final destination, the start was still on. But when the first teams reached the campsite set by the support crew, on the lake near Qaummarik, the predicted storm was already on its way, erasing the few last teams from the map. A search party was organized, but the increasingly blowing snow kept them from going any further, at the risk of losing more people. By the end of the day, five mushers and their dogs were still missing.

When the dog teams gathered on the Leaf Bay sea ice around 11 o’clock this morning, the barometer still indicated fair weather. Other than a partly covered sky, there was no sign of a blizzard, at least not in sight. With only a little over 25 miles to go, or no more than a couple of hours to carry on before the halfway point between Tasiujaq and Aupaluk, the dog teams’ final destination, the start was still on. But when the first teams reached the campsite set by the support crew, on the lake near Qaummarik, the predicted storm was already on its way, erasing the few last teams from the map. A search party was organized, but the increasingly blowing snow kept them from going any further, at the risk of losing more people. By the end of the day, five mushers and their dogs were still missing.

 

George Annanack was the last musher to come in, around 4 o’clock. But he didn’t make it on his own. He was recovered by trail leader Bobby Snowball, who went back to look for the missing dog teams and found him pulling his sled on the trail to camp. George’s mainline had broken, leaving him stranded without his dogs, which then went missing in the storm.

At the time of writing, five other dog teams still haven’t made it to camp: Masiu Nassak, of Kangirsuk; Nutaraaluk Iyaituk, Adamie Qumaq and Lucassie Alayco, all of Akulivik; and Johnny Arnatuk, of Quaqtaq.

It is hoped that the mushers, compelled to carry the necessary survival equipment on their sleds by the Ivakkak rules and regulations, found shelter from the wind and are just waiting out for the weather to calm down.

Some people from Tasiujaq on their way to Aupaluk to go wait for the arrival of the dog teams are also stranded out in the storm.

The very poor visibility prevented any search party from being sent for them. It was so bad out there that when the official timekeeper, Daniel Annanack, went out of his tent to have a look at whatever horizon was left, he had a hard time finding his way back and ended up going back in the wrong tent.

Even the wives and family of some of the Ungava Bay mushers, who were trying to fly to Aupaluk today, didn’t make it. The plane overshot and had to land in the next community, in Kangirsuk, where the storm hit only a little later, forcing them to spend the night.

Sending out anyone to look for the missing dog teams could very well make things even worse right now. But as soon as the weather clears up, a search party will be organized, both from the campsite where most of the dog teams and crew are safely waiting out the storm, as well as from Tasiujaq.

Of course, due to this situation, results for today are not in yet, the race officials’ first priority being to bring everybody safe and sound to camp. The blizzard is expected to end overnight, the 50 to 70 km/h north winds becoming east and slowing down to a more reasonable 30. In the meantime, those stranded out in the storm will be in everybody’s mind and prayers.

Rank Racer Today’s Time Total Time
1. Peter Kiatainaq 5h 42m 38s 25h 48m 04s
2. Willie Kulula Sr. 5h 52m 39s 26h 30m 49s
3. Aisara Kenuajuak 5h 48m 41s 27h 23m 50s
4. Novalinga Novalinga 6h 37m 36s 27h 56m 31s
5. Tamusi Sivuaraapik 5h 54m 15s 29h 08m 37s
6. Willie Cain Jr. 6h 24m 56s 29h 13m 30s
7. Adamie Inukpuk 6h 12m 33s 29h 56m 00s
8. John Jack Séguin 6h 20m 02s 30h 31m 21s
9. Juusipi Qisiiq 6h 30m 11s 31h 06m 32s
10. George Annanack 6h 27m 22s 31h 07m 21s
11. Masiu Nassak 6h 30m 01s 31h 41m 05s
12. Simeonie Elijassiapik 6h 47m 28s 32h 26m 28s
13. Harry Okpik 7h 11m 08s 32h 56m 36s
14. Nutaraaluk Iyaituk 7h 12m 52s 33h 11m 51s
15. Lucassie Alayco Sr. 8h 11m 26s 36h 53m 38s
16. Johnny Arnatuk 9h 09m 58s 38h 26m 59s

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