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NNSL Photo/Graphic

Kowesa Etitiq and his wife Laurie-Anne White check over their boat to see what repairs need to be made this year.. - Neils Christensen/NNSL photo

Preserving a lifeline

Neils Christensen
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 05/04) - With the weather warming, people are turning their thoughts to summer activities.

On June 27, the beachfront in Iqaluit was a hive of activity, with residents repairing boats in preparation for the summer.

Although there is ice still in the bay, it won't be around much longer. People don't have much time to finish the work before the open water returns.

"The ice is usually gone by the first week in July," said Kowesa Etitiq, who was checking over his boat.

Naulaq Inookie said when the ice melts, he will start making trips out on the land. He spent this afternoon helping friends with their boats.

"I finished my repairs last week," he said.

This year, Inookie was lucky his repairs only consisted of a new paint job and putting new fabric in the cabin.

"There were just little things here and there," he said. "You have to get to them now or the problems just start adding up, and then it's a lot of work."

For Etitiq, the repairs will be more intensive. He will have to replace all the wiring in his boat.

After a winter of resting in the snow and ice, the wires have corroded.

"It will probably be a couple of days before I'm finished," he said.

Etitiq said the rest of the boat is in good shape. It was brand new last year and the hull's paint is still good for the season.

He is looking forward to getting his boat on the water and spending the summer out on the land.

Inookie is also looking forward to heading out into the bay to start his summer hunting.

"I will go out and catch seals, caribou and fish. Without my boat, I wouldn't be able to get out there," he said.