Post by Sandy Archibald

I always keep a chocolate bar (Fruit & Nut, if you must know) in my pack when working in cold climates. It’s a vital emergency energy boost that, by strict rule, should only be eaten once the job is truly finished.  This week’s #AurumTaleTales takes place in northern Labrador, and shows the value of not celebrating too early.   𝗔𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 | #AnUnluckyBreak After three successful weeks of fieldwork in northern Labrador's Torngat Mountains, we had one stop left. Our transport, the MV Robert Bradford, put us ashore with two days' food and fuel before heading to Eclipse Harbour to collect another geological survey team. On our second evening, ahead of our scheduled pickup, I broke out the chocolate to share with my tentmate and boss, Derek. Since our work was essentially over, we happily ate it. Minutes later, the radio crackled: "Mayday, Mayday. This is the MV Robert Bradford." Frantic transmissions revealed the ship had lost power—the propeller had literally fallen off—and was drifting toward the massive cliffs of Nachvak Fjord. By sheer luck, a nearby vessel supplying a DEW Line radar station came to their aid and towed them to Nain. Meanwhile, we were stranded with almost no food or fuel left. Freezing drizzle set in, the local caribou and Arctic char vanished, and winter was fast approaching. With no driftwood this far north, we resorted to burning decades-old dwarf juniper shrubs just to stay dry and cook any fish we did catch (thanks to Roland's fishing skills). Every day we radioed a waiting floatplane company, only to hear the same report: low clouds and rain. Finally, on the fourth night, we were told a weather front was moving through. We woke to blue skies and snow-dusted peaks. We packed in record time, but our planned target practice was ruined when we found our .308 rifles completely rusted shut—leaving us with nothing but expensive clubs if a polar bear showed up. At noon, our de Havilland Beaver arrived. After wading through crotch-high, iceberg-chilled water to load our gear, we were flying over the Torngats. Two hours later, we deplaned in Nain. After a hot shower and a change of clothes, we celebrated the actual end of our fieldwork with a cold beer. What unlucky breaks have you experienced?