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Trapped under ice

No, this is not the Metallica song (which I used to like, God knows why), but some lovely footage rw langford sent me:

 

 

Posted by on June 30, 2011 at 08:28 in Fun stuff |

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Artful Dodger

Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay), Quebec is on the South shore of Hudson Strait, opposite Kimmurut, Nunavut.

The people of Kangiqsujuaq in Canada go to great lengths to add variety to their diet of seal meat, venturing under the sea ice during the extreme low tides of the spring equinox to gather mussels.

It's a race against time. They have less than half an hour to search these temporary caverns before the tide rushes back in. A look-out keeps watch for the returning tide, but warning shouts can't be too loud in case the echoes bring down the ice.

Uploaded by BBC on Jan 25, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/humanplanet

Posted by: Artful Dodger | June 30, 2011 at 10:21

Paul Van Egmond

Amazing. Just amazing. How people manage to eke out an existence in a climate that is so inhospitable.

Posted by: Paul Van Egmond | June 30, 2011 at 22:55

Bfraser

Yes, I thought "Oh, they're doing some amazing scientific research" or "Wow, it's some new daring sport, like hang-gliding, rock-climing, or crossing the North Pole in a wooden shoe." But, no, this is just fetching dinner! (Which makes me glad we have a farmer's market just down the road....)

Posted by: Bfraser | June 30, 2011 at 23:52

Anu

I thought they were going to get trapped under the ice...
Looks like they know what they're doing.

I wonder how long ago the first gatherer under the sea ice was - 20 years, or 20,000 years ago? All you need is a few spears to break the ice and some rope to climb back up. People have been pretty clever for a long, long time.

Posted by: Anu | July 01, 2011 at 00:30

Artful Dodger

The Inuit people arrived in this area from the Chukchi Sea, displacing the Dorset people. Inuit oral history says that the Dorset were very strong, and formidable warriors.

If this is how they're getting their snacks, I GET IT!!

Posted by: Artful Dodger | July 01, 2011 at 00:38

Neven

Those mussels are extremely healthy. I can imagine them risking their lives for those. Eat them raw, full of good fats, vitamins and minerals.

Bloody hell, now I'm hungry. I'm going to get under my kitchen roof and get those crackers with peanut butter out before the tide comes in.

Posted by: Neven | July 01, 2011 at 00:41

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