Flight 46: Hall Beach to Nanisivik

TBM850 at Nanisivik

I continue my northward trek with a flight from Hall Beach to Nanisivik in the TBM 850.

Nanisivik (translation for the place where people find things) was a company town which was built in 1975 to support the lead-zinc mining and mineral processing operations for the Nanisivik Mine, in production between 1976 and 2002. The townsite was located just inland from Strathcona Sound, about 20 km (12 mi) east of the community of Arctic Bay in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.
There is a port and dock about 3.7 km (2.3 mi) north of the former mine site which was used for shipping concentrate from the site, and receiving supplies.

 WikiMiniAtlas

 / 73.06889; -84.54917It is currently used by the Canadian Coast Guard for training.

Nanisivik Airport located 8 NM (15 km; 9.2 mi) south was used as the main airport for Arctic Bay until 2010 when the lengthened Arctic Bay Airport took over. The airport is about 19 km (12 mi) directly southeast of Arctic Bay but the road between them is 32 km (20 mi).

Nanisivik Airport (IATA: YSR, ICAO: CYSR) was located 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) south of Nanisivik, Nunavut, Canada, and was operated by the Government of Nunavut. Although Nanisivik Mine closed in September 2002 the airport was in operation until 2011 and served the community of Arctic Bay. This was due to the small size of Arctic Bay Airport.  However, on January 13, 2011, First Air transferred all scheduled air services to Arctic Bay's newly expanded airport.

The airport was about 19 km (12 mi) directly southeast of Arctic Bay but the road between them is 32 km (20 mi) and a one way taxi fare was $40.00.

This airport is alive and well in FSX because FSX predates these changes.  I am using some freeware addon scenery and will see how things look.

I left Hall Beach on a heading of 338 degrees.  Things at this latitude start getting wonky and will get worse as we get closer to the North Pole.

Flying Over the Fury and Hecla Strait
 

Fury and Hecla Strait is a narrow (from 2 to 20 km) channel of water located in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. Situated between Baffin Island to the north and the Melville Peninsula to the south, it connects Foxe Basin on the east with the Gulf of Boothia on the west.

Crossing the Strait takes us back over Baffin Island:

Baffin Island (Inuktitut:, Qikiqtaaluk IPA: [qikiqtaːluk], French: Île de Baffin or Terre de Baffin, Old Norse: Helluland), in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, is the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is 507,451 km² (195,928 sq mi) and its population is about 11,000 (2007 estimate).

In fact, most of the flight is over the desolate vastness that is Baffin Island.  There is not much here but miles and miles of snow and ice.  However, on the trip back south, I may head over to the dramatic mountains on the southeastern part of Baffin Island.

Toward the end of the flight, I do encounter some hills:

There is no radio navigation aids into the airport.  There are no charts.  I overfly the airport and then start the circuit in.  I land with no problems.