What a time we had in New York City!

I gave my keynote on Return to Rae Strait and surprised even Matthew Swan with some of my revelations.

I don’t think he realized that, with Louie Kamookak,  I visited Rae Strait in the High Arctic for the first time back in 1999. We erected a plaque to mark the spot where John Rae discovered the final link in the Northwest Passage.

Matthew, who runs Adventure Canada, goaded me into launching my talk by singing a couple of verses of Northwest Passage, the classic tune by Stan Rogers. He compounded his sin by hauling half a dozen rowdy types up front to join me for the chorus. This extravaganza was a first for the Explorers Club, one of the premier venues in New York, and I have paid good money to suppress the video tapes of that performance.

The Arctic Art of Sheena Fraser McGoogan proved a sensation. She brought three paintings, sold one, and left one to be auctioned at a looming Explorers Club event. We walked many streets, saw lots of art, spent a few bucks, and even hosted a soiree at our condo in the Upper East Side. We are plotting a return.