Ahoy!

It seems like a lot of people here have boats, which is amazing since the water is frozen for 3/4 of the year. Fish are a huge part of the local diet though, so I guess it's not too surprising. There are dozens of boats like this one lining the bay, and sitting in people's yards. Arctic char is one of the more common fish here - it's similar to salmon. So far I've had it baked, smoked, and in raw frozen chunks. I've enjoyed them all, but definitely prefer it cooked -especially since ovens, stoves and barbecues are readily available and I don't have to scrounge for tinder on the tundra. At least I know that I could survive if I was lost and only had frozen char to eat!!

Have you ever wondered how the Inuit avoided scurvy during the long winters with no fruits or vegetables? No? Well, I did...and apparently raw meat is a good source of vitamin C. The animal with the highest vitamin C content is narwhal - just as good as orange juice! And even if you never pondered scurvy in the arctic before....now you know.