That’s a wrap! Glassy seas allowed us to glide past smooth rocky hills of the tundra/ forest transition zone for our last 22km. Spruce trees dotted sheltered valleys, a blanket of low shrubs shrouded gentle slopes and bold rockfaces dominated the horizon. I admired jfs reflection in the clear water as we hugged the coast of the Channel that led us to Nain. The 4km wide fjord narrowed and funneled us towards a pinch point where a riverlike current flowed strongly against us through a narrow constriction called a rattle. We angled our kayaks across the flow and paddled hard to reach the other side before trying to stay out of the flow close to shore. A cosy looking cabin with a wooden walkway and a satellite dish was nestled into a small cove; our targeted accommodation the previous day before the wind picked up. Rounding a low rocky point we had our first hint of a town, 2 phone antenna protruded from a hill 10km away. After a quick pee stop at Rhodes island an hour later, we started our last 5km crossing to Nain. A few buildings appeared from behind the headland. A helicopter with a large section of pipe dangling from a long line flew from the town into another bay, the loud engine noise jarring my ears after so long without loud machinery sounds. A couple of small boats buzzed about in the harbour. "Incoming plane," JF warned and I looked up to see an 8seater heading right over our heads and landing on the airstrip on the edge of town. Two more planes followed. Around the headland, a few hundred colourful houses were visible along the shore and in the valley beyond. Frank was here 11 years ago and remarked that the town had grown from about 700 to 1100 people in that time. A family on a recreational motor boat moored up against the pier waved hello and asked JF if we had paddled from George River. It seems word was out about our trip. Frank asked them "Where’s Noah’s house?" and they replied "the yellow one" and pointed to a cluster of houses to the left of the bay. I love how small communities are often well connected. Noah is one of the few Inuit people who actively paddle, he’s a kayak guide and instructor, builder of traditional kayaks and passionate advocate of kayaking.

We pulled our kayaks up on a low grassy meadow by the basketball field after 922km and 27 days. We paddled every day except one. We saw 10 polar bears, 14 black bears, 1 walrus, many caribou and seals. As we started unloading, Noah appeared racing down a gravel pile to greet us. He said he regretted missing Nigel foster and Kristin arriving 20 years ago after a similar journey so he was very happy to meet us. We used his trolley to wheel the kayaks one by one up a dusty gravel road to his house. Larry went to stay in the hotel while JF, Frank and I spent the afternoon unpacking, chatting to Noah, eating, enjoying our first shower for 28 days and beginning to reconnect with the online world.

Dinner at the one restaurant in town was burger and chips, with a selection of aperitifs.

Tomorrow we start our journeys home after a memorable and exciting trip. I will continue to share stories, photos and videos through social media.