Iqaluit dogsledders lighten load, alter sleep patterns in final leg of journey

An Iqaluit couple on a four-month dogsledding journey around Baffin Island have made changes to increase their speed as they enter the last part of their journey.

Sarah McNair-Landry and Erik Boomer have just rounded the northern tip of Baffin Island.

They are on their way to Igloolik now, after leaving Arctic Bay earlier this week.

The pair flew in three extra dogs from Iqaluit to Arctic Bay. The dogs did not make the initial cut two months ago, says McNair-Landry, but they were needed now for extra power and fresh energy.

The team may have gained dogs, but McNair-Landry says they sent extra equipment back to Iqaluit.

"We went through our entire sled and tried to lighten our load as much as possible," she says. "Anything that was nice to have or spare, we ditched and flew back." Items cut included extra camera equipment, spare parts for the sled and cold-weather gear now that days are warmer.

New sleep schedule good for dogs, not so good for humans 

McNair-Landry says they have also altered their sleep schedule.

"At the beginning of the trip, we'd just travel during the day, partly because it was dark the rest of the time," she says. "And now, the day is hot and it's really hot for the dogs to travel. You can see their tongues are sticking out and they run a lot better at night."

To make things easier on the dogs, McNair-Landry says they have been travelling during the late evening and early morning when it is cooler. McNair-Landry says they run for six hours and then rest for six hours.

She says it is good for the dogs, but that she and Boomer could use more sleep. During their six-hour break, McNair-Landry says they have to set up camp, feed the dogs, melt snow for drinking water and eat. That means sleeping two to three hours at a time.

The pair are expecting to arrive in Iqaluit in another month and a half.