Against the Odds

It struck me today how complicated it is to get stories from other communities in the Territory. This week two of our Slavey broadcasters went to Fort Good Hope to do live broadcasts. First of all, the phone company didn't install the necessay lines. They were also missing a cable to make it all work, so it had to be sent up by plane. They couldn't do a live show on the first day. On the second day, when the phone lines still weren't installed, they set up shop at their mother's house (these two broadcasters are sisters).

This morning, we got word that a producer based in Fort Smith, who had been in Fort Chipewyan (in Alberta) to do a story, had missed her charter plane Tuesday night. It left at 10 but she didn't have all the elements of her story so she stayed behind and got a boat ride to Moose Island, wherever that is, the next morning. (What's the water version of hitch-hiking???) Love the name of the guy running the boat--Joe Voyageur.

And last week Snookie Catholique, who was also in Chip for another story (about residential schools), took a boat back to Fort Smith, too, with three others. Snookie had all her camera gear with her, and it was pouring rain. The boat broke down (sound familiar?) and eventually another vessel came along with a satellite phone, so they could call search and rescue. They were in a bend in the river and the rescue boat went by without seeing them. They floated further down the river with the current, and finally they were spotted. But they were only taken to an unpaved road on land, where they were told to wait for rescue by truck. However, heavy rains prevented a vehicle from getting them, so they trudged through the muck and rain to find an empty cabin. Snookie had a couple of salmon with her, but that's about all the four of them had to eat. In addition to the boat guy, there was an older woman with diabetes and an ex-con. Sounds like the makings of a reality TV show -- or sitcom.

You can get there from here in the north; it's just not always a direct route.