This is the first in a four-part series on survival in one of the world's most remote climates. In this installment, Repulse Bay resident Hugh Haqpi, 52, tells the story of being lost on the land between Dec. 22 and 26 in the early 1990s. He travelled with a friend to a cache of caribou less than 20 kilometers outside of Baker Lake, the community he lived in until four years ago. Upon seeing fresh wolf tracks close to the cache, Haqpi told his friend he was going to pursue them and would return to town later that day. His friend turned towards home. This is Haqpi's story.
Stephanie McDonald
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 31, 2007
REPULSE BAY - "I went quite far and the daylight was short in December. I knew that the sled I pulled had everything: snow knife, Coleman stove, food for the day.
But, when I was pursuing the tracks, the crosspiece of the sled broke and the tarp was dragging, so I lost most of my equipment...
In the early 1990s, Hugh Haqpi had his feet amputated after losing his way outside of Baker Lake. He still ventures out on the land now, but in the company of his family. - photo courtesy of Hugh Haqpi |
"The weather at the same time started to blow snow and after about an hour it was just white out. I waited for about 45 minutes before it got dark. I had to wait because when it was sort of daylight and when it was getting dark you couldn't see the trail, so I waited until dark. I started to follow my trail home, but due to the whiteout I was making a big circle ...
"By that time I noticed that there wasn't going to be enough gas to get to the community... The storm got worse and I just couldn't see the trail anymore. I stopped in the lake and I made shelter in between the snowmobile and sled I had with the tarp because there wasn't enough snow where I was ...
"The Coleman stove wasn't working because the tank was broken and was leaking, so I didn't have any heat. I knew I had to have liquid, so during the time I waited out the storm I had ice in my mouth all the time for water.
"The next day, the wind started to die down and I could see the next hill so I knew pretty well where I was. I started up the snowmobile and started heading home. When I started heading home the weather got bad again. At the same time the gas was low in the tank and the engine started to stall and I couldn't keep going anymore.
"I should've stayed where I was but I attempted to walk home. It took me three-and-a-half days to walk (until) I had no more energy. My feet got frozen up to my knees and I just collapsed where I was from exhaustion. I could hear a couple times some people searching for me but they were either to the north or to the south, but I couldn't see them and they couldn't see me, but I could hear them. They couldn't find me ... The weather was bad, whiteout conditions the whole time.
"I left on the 22nd. The whole ordeal lasted to about the 26th, about 2:30, when a hunter, who is now deceased, found me before dark. When it was sort of dark, he found me. I barely had any energy to get up. When I heard a snowmobile I was waving my arms because I couldn't get up. I was cold, shivering, freezing. My feet were frozen. Tired, I knew if I went to sleep I would never get up again, I would die freezing. So I stayed up the whole time.
"When [the hunter] found me, he was so happy to find me alive, that he picked me up and he hugged me so hard I couldn't breath for a few seconds. He asked me if I was dying ... He said when he was going to search for me that day he really wanted to find me so he said a prayer and asked for guidance to find me. Then when he found me he was so happy.
"He gave me hot tea. I tried to consume the water and some food that he brought. I tried to eat, but I couldn't swallow anything because my throat was dry. About two minutes later I was vomiting everything. I just couldn't get them inside because I was cold. I was hungry, shivering.
"After he had given me his tea and some grub that he had brought, after I had vomited everything, I told him 'I am going to sleep.' I just went on the qamutiik and he tried to take me home, but I had no energy to hold onto the sled. He tried to tie me up, but due to the rough snow I kept falling. Sometimes I was dragging on the sled, so he asked for help from the community. While he waited for help I slept in the qamutiik. I was still shivering cold.
"When help arrived they stripped me and put me in the snowmobile. The wildlife officers took off their clothes and the body heat they had, they transferred to my cold body. That was how I was able to survive ...
"Maybe after about an hour, I don't know how long, they drove me to the community and took me to the health centre and I was given medical attention and medication. I went to sleep and woke up in the hospital in Winnipeg.
"My feet had to get amputated. They were frozen. I recuperated and went home after three months. It was supposed to be only a day trip and ended up tragically.
"I couldn't talk about it for awhile because in a lot of situations you know you're going to die and it's coming slowly. It's frightening ... Fear was the main factor and it was around all the time. I tried not to think of it, but it hovered around for quite awhile. Fear. That was the main thing that I learned. I was never really afraid of anything before, but when it comes to a bad situation, it's hard not to think something is wrong.
"But I'm happy with my family. We're happy. I myself had to get a better perspective in life. I became a Christian and until today I am still a Christian. We go to church regularly. We say grace everyday. I like my life now."
He'd be more cautious
After travelling the original 20 kilometres, Haqpi ended up wandering 80-100 kilometres outside of Baker Lake.
He said that at times he felt lost, but when he was able to see the moon or stars for a few minutes he could get his bearings.
If he could go back to that day, Haqpi said he would bring all the supplies he could and be more cautious.
"My mind was sort of in a rush-rush situation. It's better to be prepared and take things slowly and be aware of what you're doing," he said.
Haqpi now has prosthetic feet and can walk and run. He still travels on the land but instead of going alone as he used to, he now rides with his family.
