High alert

Name: Derrick Trudel
Age: 26
Hometown: Williams Lake, B.C.
Location: Alert, Nunavut
Job: Electrical generating systems technician and corporal, Canadian Forces

I moved here because EGS technicians are in high demand in Alert. This is my second six-month posting.

The first thing I did was check my watch. It was 11:30 a.m., but the stars were out and the moon was full. I didn’t see daylight for another four months.

The biggest shock was the -45 C—without wind chill. That’s cold. And also the first time I was approached by a pack of Arctic wolves. They followed me right back up to the station, much like friendly dogs would. The wolves are fantastic animals. It’s amazing they can survive in these extreme conditions.

The best thing about being here is the people. We develop close friendships because we see the same people all the time. We live, eat and socialize in one small area. We’re like a family.

The food is excellent and always all you can eat. I honestly can’t complain about anything here.

The biggest challenge has been – apart from the cold and, at times, no daylight – probably walking back up after snowboarding down these great, unscathed hills. I made my own snowboard out of diamond-plate aluminum.

What I miss most is being at home with my fiancée and our dog. That’s the hardest part, being so far away from my family.

The biggest misconception I had was I had no idea how tranquil Alert would be. I wasn’t expecting it at all – the Arctic silence.

What B.C. could learn from Alert is not to take trees for granted. The scenery here is absolutely breathtaking, but as beautiful as this place is, there are no trees. Zero. I really do miss being able to walk through a forest.