Chapter 9: Working in the North Country

“North Country Wells” Verse 1 Most well sites could be reached by road, But one location near Obed Couldn’t be reached in early spring. Flooding and travel bans Left the roads impassable. So we went in by helicopter And stayed there for weeks. Drilling moved slowly. A full day was needed Just to change a drilling bit At that depth. Only five feet a day was drilled For weeks on end, Through hard rock— Chert pebbles packed tight. Verse 2 Every morning at eight o’clock, The bit came out. The sample was ready For me to examine. I sent my drilling report By radio phone To the Edmonton office. After that, There was nothing scheduled Until the next morning. When the roads finally dried, We could travel— Jasper, And nearby places. I liked that location. The food was good. Verse 3 When we were isolated And the roads were closed, Garbage was dumped At the edge of the site. A black bear kept coming by, Rummaging through the trash. The roughnecks put a live wire Into the garbage, Trying to scare him off. One morning the bear was dead— Electrocuted. We found him stretched out, Partly covered By cans and kitchen waste. That was the end of him. Verse 4 Before I graduated, I worked summers in the field. One job was with the Geological Survey of Canada In the Yukon. Another was with Sun Oil In Jasper Park. We did surveys on horseback in July. We had an Indian or Métis cook Who could legally hunt— Porcupine, Deer, Moose. Verse 5 Once he killed a porcupine And boiled it for three days. That was our meat for a while. There were other animals too. It meant fresh food, Instead of Klik Or other canned meat We would have eaten otherwise. That was field work then. Remote. Slow. And very quiet at night. Outro Helicopters in. Radio calls out. Five feet a day through stone. That’s how the north country work went.