The pace doesn’t seem to have slowed down for most dog teams participating in the 2006 edition of Ivakkak. In the middle of the afternoon, Peter Kiatainaq’s team, still in the lead, had already reached the edge of Payne Lake, bringing him no less than 160 kilometres (100 miles) away from where he started yesterday in Puvirnituq. A couple other dog teams are not too far behind, trying to catch up to him in hope of claiming his champion title. But before the remainder of the pack could get any closer to the 80-kilometre (50-mile) long lake, snow flurries came to mask the leaders’ trail and they had to call it the day, as what started out as a nice day, soon became a whiteout in which no one in their right mind, even the most experience Inuit hunters, would want to venture. Hopefully, by tomorrow, the weather will have cleared up so that the mushers and their dogs can get on their way again…
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As the sun started to rise this morning, Tamusi Sivuraapik, who was camped out along with Novalinga Novalinga, his partner and the Nassak brothers, whispered in his son Johnny’s ear to wake up and got ready to leave silently, leaving the sleepy others behind. At 7:45 AM, he was hence the first to pass the Aanninguarvik cabin, where part of the safety patrol had spent the night, and where the leading teams, Peter Kiatainaq’s and the John Jack Séguin’s had already passed the previous day. But to Tamusi’s disappointment, they had also taken off early in the morning and he could only follow in their footsteps.

In fact, both Peter Kiatainaq and the Séguin brothers were already more than a few miles ahead. In the middle of the afternoon, at approximately 3:15 PM, the race official reported that Peter had reached the western end of Payne Lake, onto which he later settled down for the night, a few miles in.

Meanwhile, John Jack and his brother Alain, were probably passing the rapids leading to the lake, where the safety patrol had put a trail marker to signal the mushers to be cautious. At the time of writing, the Séguin’s team hadn’t yet been heard of, but the race official seem convinced that they are still in second place, tailing Kiatainaq and his young teammate, Peter Qisiiq Jr.

As for 64-year-old Tamusi, he is not too far behind either, as he almost reached Payne Lake himself. As the wind started blowing, he decided to stop while it was still time, before he reached the open space of this almost inland sea. He pitched his tent just 7 kilometres (4 miles) away from the great lake, putting snow blocks all around it, as if building a half igloo to protect himself and his son Johnny from the fierce evening winds.

Almost 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from Tamusi, it was Novalinga Novalinga, Matthew Nassak and Harry Okpik’s turn to stop and rest for the night, while the wind continued blowing across the fairly flat land.

Behind them, at the end of Payne Lake’s much smaller neighbour, Parry Lake, the majority of the other dog teams were soon to be reunited. Peter “Boy” Ittukallak set the example, as he stopped around 4:30 PM. His younger fellow Puvirnitumiut, Poasi Kenuajuak and the Beaulne brothers, soon pulled in as well, having followed their elder’s tracks through what seemed to be a shortcut but turned out to have them climb a little more than expected. A little later, Adamie Inukpuk, Simeonie Elijasiapik and Jusipi Lucassie also showed up. According to Willie Cain Jr.’s satellite phone report to the race coordinator, he is apparently not far too far from the group either, perhaps a little ahead.

Trailing behind is Adamie Qumak, who had a late start this morning as he and his partner had to do some repairs to their heavily burdened sled. Having a hard time to see ahead, due to the blowing snow, Adamie had to stop a little before he could reach the rest of the group.

As for Johnny Arnatuk, whom we haven’t heard from, he could be just a little ahead or a little behind Qumak, who lost sight of him after Johnny had a little mishap earlier today. Johnny’s dogs must have been in a hurry to go, perhaps running after another team’s female in heat, since they left their master behind before he even had the time to finish tying their mainline to the sled. With no dogs to pull them, Johnny and his partner had to walk for a while, until one of the mushers ahead finally caught the dogs in their sprint and had the safety patrol go get their master.

Fortunately for them, as the snow started blowing at around 5:00 PM and the trail left by the safety patrol suddenly disappeared…

For the race official and safety patrol, it was quite a day too, as half of them had to make it to camp at the other end of Payne Lake, where the first dog teams could be pulling in late tomorrow, weather permits. The couple of cabins that make up the summer hunting outfitting camp was completely snowed in due to the 50 km/h east winds blowing across a land where no other obstacle seems to be stopping them. The race official and his crew of three hence decided to camp out in their tents. They will work at clearing up the camp tomorrow, as the owner, Russell Gagnon will be coming by plane to open it for the mandatory 36-hour rest that each team will hopefully sooner than later be spending there.

Along with the race coordinator, Isabelle Dubois, and a group of local volunteers, he helped gather the food and supplies that will be brought there tomorrow, in time for the expected arrival of the leading dog teams. That is if the wind stops blowing…

We’ll find out tomorrow…

Rank		Racer		Start		Arrival		Arrival date		Total Time
1.		Peter Kiatainaq (#2)		10:51:00
2.		John Jack Séguin (#8)		10:57:00
3.		Tamusi Sivuaraapik (#15)		11:03:00
4.		Novalinga Novalinga (#3)		10:52:00
5.		Matthew Nassak (#16)		11:04:00
6.		Harry Okpik (#5)		10:54:00
7.		Willie Cain Jr. (#6)		10:55:00
8.		Peter Ittukallak (#1)		10:50:00
9.		Poasi Kenuajuak (#10)		10:59:00
10.		Jani-Marik Beaulne (#12)		11:01:00
11.		Adamie Inukpuk (#4)		10:53:00
12.		Simeonie Elijasiapik (#9)		10:58:00
13.		Jusipi Lucassie (#11)		11:00:00
14.		Adamie Qumak (#7)		10:56:00
15.		Johnny Arnatuk (#14)		11:02:00