A night for the world to enjoy
On Friday morning, I noticed aurora conditions were the strongest I’ve ever seen. Despite forecasts of very intense geomagnetic storming, the data surprised me. I passed the day refreshing data and weather updates, waiting for the daylight hours to pass, of which there are many now.
Then, about halfway through the first period of game 2 of the Canucks & Oilers, the internet was dying a slow, painful death - which is really just another Friday for those trapped in Northwestel’s monopoly of the north. And then all phone service was gone too, and none of it was coming back. So what better circumstance to push us out the door into the countryside for a long night ahead than that?
I was curious though. Was it just me, or something more widespread. I wondered if it had to do with this geomagnetic storm knocking out some communication lines. So on the drive out of town, I tuned into local radio - something I had not done for… years, maybe.
“This is an emergency message from the Government of Yukon”
My dad worked in radio when I was young and I loved it. I still love it. He has that perfect, lost art radio voice, which of course most definitely did not find it’s way down to me. My earliest memories of radio were my dad and the voices of Canuck play-by-play announcers - Jim Robson, Jim Hughson and John Shorthouse, all among the best in the business.
Radio represents a more simple time. It’s nostalgic for me, and I love that.
When we finally programmed the tuner in my car to any local radio we could find, it’s when we heard between songs a message from the government that forest fires in the south had destroyed communication infrastructure which was causing all phone and internet to be down. It was a nice to know thing, and nothing you’re going to do anything about. So we continued on with our drive, slowly passing elk and dodging running bunnies.
Dressed for winter
It still makes us laugh walking out the door in insulated snow pants, down jackets, and balaclavas, while throwing our parkas in the back of the car these nights. But that’s our life in the middle of May and I wouldn’t choose anything else. The wind blows relentlessly, and it’s still that cold, cold winter wind walking across frozen sandy beaches down a small fjord finding our perfect little spot.
All of our night out there was magical, as we knew it would be. The weather, the aurora and the quiet of the environment was everything perfect, and we knew everyone far south around the world from Washington to Germany would be enjoying this one too - and they did.
