LAMB AIRWAYS TO YORK FACTORIES

There was a time I travelled with my Director, Bill McKim, on a Lamb Airways plane out of La Pas. We were travelling from Thompson, Manitoba to York Factory on Hudson’s Bay. We were ready to leave when the young Lamb boy who was to pilot the plane got an emergency call –  a seriously sick woman from a northerly point needed to be taken to a southern hospital for medical attention. We would have to wait who new how long.  Much to my surprise and quite out of character, my most mannerly and proper boss stretched out in the sun, on a stack of plywood that sat on the beach waiting for transport. He seemed to have a very good sleep while I just waited.  And it was a long wait before we finally made the trip.

Another time when I was piloted by one of those young Lamb men (There were five of them piloting in their father’s company) and again out of Thompson. I was the only passanger this time, so the small craft could carry a bit of cargo. The pontoon plane would take-off the river. As we got aboard, I got a good introduction to the character of the young man in whose hands I was placing my life when he said, “You can do up your seat belt if you like, but I never do. If this damn thing goes down in the water, I’m not going with it.” The way he said it made me sure that it was just a joke but following his lead I did not do up my seat belt.

We got to York Factory to land on the river and go gently to shore. My pilot asked me to step out onto the pontoon to the land and to take hold of the wing to hold the plane until he could come to shore to anchor it. To my surprise that worked quite successfully. A number of years later when a young female employee attempted that same method of landing at York Factory, she failed to hold the plane. It swung around and the prop seriously injured her arm. I felt very lucky to have had the strength it seems she lacked.

It was always interesting in one way or another to travel with one of those Lamb boys. One time I and a young archaeologist were flying out of Churchill, Manitoba when we spotted a large ship, prow down under the water and the vessel’s stern above water. When I asked what had happened, my pilot asked, “You want a better look?” and without waiting for an answer, we were at more than a 45 degree angle circling around that vessel. I really didn’t get much of a better look because it took too much of my time to determine which way was up. Some distance further along the coast, standing out white against the dark tundra, and from miles away, we saw many polar bear. Then our pilot pointed out a pack of wolves led by a big white one. “Let’s get a good look at that.” He said and droped into a sudden dive. Well! That was just too much for the young archaeologist who through-up all over the floor beside me. And that was the closest I ever came to becoming sick in plane riding.