Pos: 67.8302,-115.1066
Loc: Kugluktuk
Acc: Hilleberg Keron 4
Dist: 54,9 km
Start: 6:00 End: 17:10

The nigt on this final dream island campsite is calm, and packing goes fast. Off to the last paddling day of this section! I susect, but do not know fully that Jimmy will stop in Kugluktuk. I do not ask, and he does not say anything final. I just let him know that I will likely continue, as the long-term forecast is acceptable. I am hoping our parcels have arrived, and the ‘pit stop’ will go smooth with shower, laundry, some wifi, trash deposit, packing new food, and likely splitting the gear. Jimmy wilö be in charge of forwarding the kayak to Cambridge Bay if he stops prematurely.
The crossing is long and boring, but no complaints. It is a little choppy at the beginningwith easterly headwinds, and speed is slow, but it improves soon. We both just like to arrive and rest. I listen a bit to my audio book, bu switch it off before we reach our island stop after thirty-five kilometers. We find an easy landing cove, pee, walk a bit up and down, but soon continue for the final leg. A motorboat just runs up tt he cabin we just passed, and waves at us.
We also hear a plane leaving Kugluktuk, so there are some flights going. Just before we enter the barrier islands, another motorboat stops for a chat, and points us out to the campsite. Thanks, we have guessed where we need to go around.
There is already a group of YMCA teenagers camping who just came from the Coppermine River. They are stuck here for a week already due to the cancelled flights with the bush fire around Yellowknife. But they hope to fly out tomorrow. About a hundred people run down that river every year, so the campsite here is a must. The ‘facilities’ are two mobile toilets, that’s it, but there is also no charge.
We set our tent a bit away from the groups and outhouses, and walk to town in search for a shower and laundry facilities in town. I also grab my electronics to maybe plug them in already somewhere. We cannot find the owners of the Coppermine River hotel where we should find all of our need satisfied, but I can at least plug in and leave overnight charing all my electronics at the RCMP where they should be very safe. Perfect!
Jimmy cooks our final dinner, a yummy rice dish while he is patiently entertaining a bunch of curious kids outside. I prefer my privacy inside the tent. Maybe we need to set the bearfence against curious freerunning youngster this night. I think I hear late at night a person stumbling over one of our guy lines, but nothing happens besides the usual endless up and down driving quad bikes. People do this as the most popular evening entertainment.