I once saw a map of the northern lands drawn from the perspective of the North Pole. It was at the airport shop in Iqaluit on Baffin Island. On that map, there were no borders, the North was shown as one land united by culture of the northern people and the harsh climate of the latitudes north of 60º.
The North is a very special place. It is remote and wild. There are very few places with this kind of energy. It is not easy to get to, or to travel around. The effort is rewarded though. The North shapes people’s characters and perspectives. It attracts a special kind of adventurer. The wild and untamed nature and the people who live there, leave a lasting memory and desire for more.
My first trip to the North was in 2003. After visiting the Ayuituk National Park on Baffin Island, I was in awe of what I saw and experienced. I was hooked. Someone once said: you do not visit the North twice. You either go once and hate it, or it steals your heart. That trip in 2003 was the beginning of my continuing adventures in the lands north of 60º.