Still at work

It has been a over a month since I last updated our blog but I have not felt the urge to post anything. I did try to write a few things about my second arctic job in August, and I intended to write more, but that burst of energy fizzled and now it is almost October.

This last summer was very disrupted and disjointed, the death of my mother in July being the catalyst. I have still not fully processed what her death means to me and I have no idea if I ever will, but it is the season to start writing again despite my lack of enthusiasm. Although we are not back on the good ship Curare cruising in foreign locations I am sure I can manage to scribble something or other, but rather than re-hash what happened during my second arctic job, or what happened at the beginning of September I am going to start with where I am right now.

Right now I am sitting in a tiny room at the Eskay Creek Mine site, a place I last visited in 1997 when the mine was in production and the place was full of people. Since that time the ore has been mined out and the site is in care and maintenance, which means there are very few people rattling around in a great big space. Prior to its closure in 2008, the mine was Canada's highest-grade gold mine and the world's fifth largest silver producer, with production well in excess of 3 million ounces of gold and 160 million ounces of silver, but you'd never guess looking at the place now.

The reason I am here is WORK! Yes I am still working because I have no place to hang out in Vancouver and Geoff and I have no immediate plans to return to the boat. The WORK is a short term drill job close to the mine site, which is why we are staying at the mine rather than in tents. Living in a building is a good thing  because the weather here is dismal with rain almost every day and lots of fog. On the rare occasion when it clears a bit the scenery is spectacular with glaciers, rugged peaks and beautiful fall foliage. Another good thing about living here is the cook who makes delicious meals three times per day and is trying her hardest to fatten us up with her endless supply of cookies, cakes, muffins, butter tarts, cinamon buns and pies.

I will be leaving here on Friday, back to Vancouver and a few days of work in an office, meanwhile Geoff is working in Bolivia and Jessie is enjoying some time at her vacation retreat on the Island.