I had a job interview once, in which an employer for whom I’d previously worked said
“sorry, Andrew, there’s not much work around Montreal this year – but if you want, I can send you to Resolute Bay”.
With the supreme confidence that only a foolhardy 19 year-old can have, I said
“Great – when do I start?
And where the f___ is Resolute Bay?”
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Sea ice, Resolute Bay, 1979
I never tired of watching jet airliners using a gravel strip.
Here’s a Pacific Western Boeing 727 taking off en route to Yellowknife.
We really liked to see that aircraft land – because it brought booze…and new camera gear.
Here’s a Pacific Western Boeing 727 taking off en route to Yellowknife.
We really liked to see that aircraft land – because it brought booze…and new camera gear.
Resolute as seen on a nice, warm day.
Arctic poppies
My official “Arctic Circle Club” membership has expired.
Dammit.
Dammit.
This end up!
a resolute Andrew Bryant at Resolute
a resolute Andrew Bryant at Resolute
Sea ice, Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Man at Work. Yours truly at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Boeing 737 taking off from Resolute Bay Airport, 1979
Photographically speaking, two important things happened during this trip.
My ancient Praktica died, so I bought my first “good” camera by mail order from Yellowknife – a Canon AE-1.
This is whalebone and arctic poppies, Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
My ancient Praktica died, so I bought my first “good” camera by mail order from Yellowknife – a Canon AE-1.
This is whalebone and arctic poppies, Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Alas, I could only afford a 50 mm standard lens for it.
Oh well, here’s an Arctic tern – about the only usable wildlife photo I got.
Oh well, here’s an Arctic tern – about the only usable wildlife photo I got.
The 2nd photographic change was more important – I began to shoot slide rather than negative film.
Those good old Kodachromes have stood up pretty well over time.
Here’s the skyline at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Those good old Kodachromes have stood up pretty well over time.
Here’s the skyline at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Signal Hill, Resolute, NWT, 1979
Snow equipment at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
This was my favorite photographic vantage point.
Andrew at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Andrew at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
It was hardly tee-shirt weather, but I was young…
Yours truly at Resolute Bay, 1979
Yours truly at Resolute Bay, 1979
U.S. Air Force Fairchild C-82A wreckage at Resolute Bay, 1979.
It only took me 41 years to pin down the identity…this is 45-57798/CQ-798, which crashed on 11 April 1950 after an engine failed on take-off. No fatalities.
It only took me 41 years to pin down the identity…this is 45-57798/CQ-798, which crashed on 11 April 1950 after an engine failed on take-off. No fatalities.
Fog rolling in over the sewage lagoon, Resolute, NWT, 1979
Lockheed L-188C (Electra) C-GNDZ operated by Nordair/Environment Canada for ice patrol duties
Night life at Resolute
This is the DC-3 had I literally hitch-hiked to Mould Bay, NWT, on in 1979
Yours truly in the back of a DC-3, on the way to Mould Bay, NWT.
on the way to Mould Bay, NWT.
Nice flying conditions.
We had to shut down an engine en route, but the pilots (and the DC-3) took it in stride.
We had to shut down an engine en route, but the pilots (and the DC-3) took it in stride.
Mould Bay, NWT, 1979 76°14’28.69″N 119°21’24.82″W
Inuit grave, Mould Bay
Resolute, NWT, 1979
Sea ice, Resolute, NWT, 1979
Nice flying weather at Resolute Bay, 1979
Graves at Resolute, NWT, 1979.
The one in the foreground reads:
Martha
Born 16-08-55 Died 24-08-55
The one in the foreground reads:
Martha
Born 16-08-55 Died 24-08-55
Interesting rock formations at Resolute, with Griffith Island in the background.
Late summer meltwater on top of pack ice.
First glimpse of Ellesmere Island on my way to Grise Fiord
Airfield at Grise Fiord, 1979
My job was to repair the airstrip lighting.
Grise Fiord, NWT, 1979
Grise Fiord, NWT, 1979
RCMP detachment, Grise Fiord, NWT, 1979
Grise Fiord, NWT, 1979
Fishing trip out of Resolute, NWT, 1979
A long ways from nowhere.
We took a flying-fishing day-trip out of Resolute in a twin otter with big, oversized “tundra tires”, NWT, 1979 74°33’23.09″N 97°33’34.87″W
We took a flying-fishing day-trip out of Resolute in a twin otter with big, oversized “tundra tires”, NWT, 1979 74°33’23.09″N 97°33’34.87″W
We brought wine
An arctic toast 74°33’23.09″N 97°33’34.87″W
More see ice
The Solaris and Mermaid in Resolute Bay, 1979.
The Mermaid made the east-to-west crossing successfully, taking three years to do so.
The Mermaid made the east-to-west crossing successfully, taking three years to do so.
Tómas Tómasson abord the Solaris in Resolute, 1979.
This ship ran into problems with pack ice a few days later, and Tómas and his skipper Axel Czuday got back to Iceland by the skin of their teeth, having been rescued by the icebreaker Labrador
I remained oblivious to the story until I scanned this image and sought to identify the boat!
This ship ran into problems with pack ice a few days later, and Tómas and his skipper Axel Czuday got back to Iceland by the skin of their teeth, having been rescued by the icebreaker Labrador
I remained oblivious to the story until I scanned this image and sought to identify the boat!
Sea ice, Resolute, NWT, 1979
Sea ice, Resolute, NWT, 1979
Snow-tracks at Resolute, 1979
Grave at Resolute, 1979
Inuit boy at Resolute, 1979
Church at Resolute Bay, NWT, 1979
Supply ship at Resolute, 1979
The Thinker
On the way back to Montreal, 1979
Andrew A Bryant Services 