April 11th

April 11th (Day 10)
We started the day 7 miles from the coast heading east. Becks was due to join us this morning but there is a blizzard in Resolute so we set off without her.

Visibility was good and the pulling was ‘easy’ as we were crossing ice lakes. For some reason I was hungry all day and was constantly thinking of cheese burgers as I pulled. It’s a bad idea to drool in the Arctic – it freezes fast.

Around mid day we passed some deserted Inuit fishing huts but we didn’t take a detour to investigate as the pulling was going well and we were keen to complete the island crossing before night.

Around 4 o'clock we climbed a final summit and suddenly saw the frozen sea stretched out before us for the first time in 10 days: we had crossed Cornwallis Island. This was a biug moment for us and we were elated. After hugs all round we set up camp on the Northwest Passage!

Despite a storm blowing up around us Becks arrived on the back of a skidoo – it had taken her hours of traveling to catch us up. With the words ‘be careful this is bear country’ the skidoo left and the team was reunited at last - and ready to head out for Devon Island tomorrow.