I'm sat on hard granite_like rock, nestled between crusts of lime green lichen and tufts of yellowish moss. There are no trees and only occasional low shrubs. Fron my vantage point 20 metres up a small rise, I'm watching JF set up our trip wire around the tents and kayaks. Last night, our first under the arctic sky, it proved itself already. At 4am the siren sounded, we heard footsteps in the pools of water that had gathered on the rock during the nights rainfall, JF grabbed the gun and leapt out of the tent with impressive acceleration. I Think it was the siren that scared the dog, or wolf, that was now sprinting away, but it could have been the sight of JF totally naked surrounded by a swarm of hungry mosquitos. Actually I'm using artistic license with the last statement (i.e lying !) At that particular moment, it was windy enough that there were no bugs... but it could have been very different!

Today we started the trip properly - after a d etour back to kuujjuaq to buy toothpaste after ours disappeared. We left at the start of the ebb, bouncing over wind waves with the current, or sometimes smashing down into them, our heavy kayaks loaded with 2 weeks of food losing their momentum. We made quick progress despite the wind and clicked 5 knots for our fastest hour. We just cruised through "the narrows" before the current changed against us and shortly afterwards found a pretty inlet to land in and Camp on a soft carpet of moss and low bushes. It wasn't a long carry with the kayaks although it felt hard enough in the soft mud. It's a beautiful spot in a landscape which are first looks uniform but is infinitely varied when you look closely. All the life is in miniature but its thriving and clings to every rock. We are having a great time.

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