The drilling is about to stop at Wolf Lake and we need to get the Tent Seal drill sites ready. Some quick Google Earth imagery (good clarity in this area) and a crash course in the use of Brendo’s GPS and I was set. We flew over the area for a quick scope out, some existing lines had been cut through the forest and we were near two lakes. Wes didn’t want to land in the clearing as the bushes were just a bit too high and would clip the tail rotor (read – this is not good!). So the scoping left Wes to land on the rock edge of the lake. On closer inspection the area was clear enough but to rough to land on. My first hover landing. Wes goes “Take it easy while I hover 1 – 2 feet off the ground and get out!”. I was that nervous I nearly jumped out the machine with my head set on. Imagine the wind the chopper needs to displace while it is hovering 1 – 2 foot off the ground. Yep…. That is a lot! We grabbed the trusty axe and off Matt and I went. After the chopper left, I asked Matt what he thought of the chopper landing. That was his first hover landing too!
The area here was burnt out about five years ago, common in this part of northern Saskatchewan, so the undergrowth was small and all the pines were burnt out and semi-rotten. The best thing about this was the blueberries. Thousands, no hundreds of thousands, plump ripe sweet to semi-sweet to tart blueberries littering the area. Matt and I gorged ourselves. From what I can gather if you need to eat one food that has the most nutrients / balance then blueberries are the key.
We pegged the holes and then the line cutters come in for a hover landing. As soon as they got out we walked up the hill 150m and got into re-making the chopper pad in the previously cleared area. We got stuck into it for about ten minutes. No pressure as the chopper was circling over head as he had no place to land. After some fast foot work Wes was down and all was quiet again. We pegged some holes and cut down some trees. It is much easier to traverse the country when it is burnt out though the blueberries were a major distraction. 
Matt and I went to the next site and we landed on the edge of a small lake. We found the collar locations and then Wes flew the line cutters across to make the next heli pad. Next stop was a quick inventory of the core sitting on the side of Collins Bay. With map produced, core photos taken and five holes pegged to bid au revior to Tent Seal for the day. Thomas saw a bear in the burnt out country. I don’t blame the bears for being there as those blueberries were nice.
We flew past McClean Lake mine site and to see all of the mill and plant enclosed was a subtle reminder that winter will be very cold. We come in early as I had to check end of hole at Wolf Lake. As we took off I snapped a shot which always makes me laugh is the “Watch for Arriving or Departing Aircraft”. It’s true as the airport is quite busy with float planes, commercial planes, cargo planes and helicopters forming a constant stream of aerial adventure. 
Leo, the driller, is a great old bloke, and he has some stories to tell. The hole had some weak anomalism. Looks like we may stay a little longer. Tent Seal will have to wait. On the way home I spotted two moose, probably the same cow and calf. Wes knew the story as soon as I spotted them and slowly turned around. It was funny as they didn’t move, just stared at us while we stared at them. They were in a small creek eating lily pads. These moose are difficult to spot.
Saskatchewan, the land of endless skies, and when they reflect in the glassy lakes it is even better!
The area here was burnt out about five years ago, common in this part of northern Saskatchewan, so the undergrowth was small and all the pines were burnt out and semi-rotten. The best thing about this was the blueberries. Thousands, no hundreds of thousands, plump ripe sweet to semi-sweet to tart blueberries littering the area. Matt and I gorged ourselves. From what I can gather if you need to eat one food that has the most nutrients / balance then blueberries are the key.We pegged the holes and then the line cutters come in for a hover landing. As soon as they got out we walked up the hill 150m and got into re-making the chopper pad in the previously cleared area. We got stuck into it for about ten minutes. No pressure as the chopper was circling over head as he had no place to land. After some fast foot work Wes was down and all was quiet again. We pegged some holes and cut down some trees. It is much easier to traverse the country when it is burnt out though the blueberries were a major distraction. Matt and I went to the next site and we landed on the edge of a small lake. We found the collar locations and then Wes flew the line cutters across to make the next heli pad. Next stop was a quick inventory of the core sitting on the side of Collins Bay. With map produced, core photos taken and five holes pegged to bid au revior to Tent Seal for the day. Thomas saw a bear in the burnt out country. I don’t blame the bears for being there as those blueberries were nice. We flew past McClean Lake mine site and to see all of the mill and plant enclosed was a subtle reminder that winter will be very cold. We come in early as I had to check end of hole at Wolf Lake. As we took off I snapped a shot which always makes me laugh is the “Watch for Arriving or Departing Aircraft”. It’s true as the airport is quite busy with float planes, commercial planes, cargo planes and helicopters forming a constant stream of aerial adventure. Leo, the driller, is a great old bloke, and he has some stories to tell. The hole had some weak anomalism. Looks like we may stay a little longer. Tent Seal will have to wait. On the way home I spotted two moose, probably the same cow and calf. Wes knew the story as soon as I spotted them and slowly turned around. It was funny as they didn’t move, just stared at us while we stared at them. They were in a small creek eating lily pads. These moose are difficult to spot. Saskatchewan, the land of endless skies, and when they reflect in the glassy lakes it is even better!
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