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president John Hammell.
Provincial Archives of Manitoba, Canadian Air Lines Collection #1339.
    The Manitoba Free Press , September 25, 1929, detailed the area of the proposed search:
Tentative plans for the aerial hunt for the McAlpine [ sic ] mining party missing in the sub-arctic revolves about one of the most forsaken areas in the Northwest Territories, namely, the region between Bathurst Inlet and Coronation … That country is declared to be about the most hazardous hop in the 2,000-mile journey from Baker to Aklavik … on account of the extreme dangers of using seaplanes in the far north so late in the season, most of the rescue planes will likely carry ski equipment so that the undercarriage may be changed to suit conditions beyond the 65th parallel … But even with winter equipment on board, the pilots who are joining the widespread rescue trek are fully aware of the fact thate [ sic ] they are daring death by venturing into the sub-Arctic with pontoon machines so late in the year….
    Further stories heralded that the “Mighty Air Fleet” would be based out of Stony Rapids. The report continued that this would be the greatest air hunt in history and the airmen would comb the sub-Arctic in search of the Dominion Explorers that had been lost for weeks.
September 18, 1929
    Richard Pearce’s Diary, Dease Point
    The boys are talking about the probability of a plane coming in here for it is pretty well agreed a search for us is now on. Everyone on the party feels keenly our helplessness and inability to move toward a post at this time. Joe told us again to-night by illustration a canoe would be swamped, and I guess he is right. At any rate, the Colonel is positive that no one take a chance on a move that the Eskimos will not take part in, though all of us have offered to do so, if he would give his consent.
    While Andy Cruickshank and Alf Walker had been fighting their way north, gas and supplies were already being freighted up the Dubawnt River to Wholdaia and Dubawnt Lakes under highly adverse weather conditions. It was important to cache supplies along the projected search routes as there were weight and capacity restrictions for the Fokkers and Fairchilds. These supplies enabled the search planes to refuel and extend their searches further afield without having to return to the home base each day.
    Roy Brown and Bill Spence had also run quick searches from Baker Lake on the 26th and 27th and discovered that the supply cache at Beverly Lake had been emptied. This was the first encouraging sign that the MacAlpine group had made it into the sub-Arctic. From Beverly Lake, Spence and Brown flew on to Baker Lake to await Cruickshank’s arrival and instructions. But Cruickshank and his team, operating from Stony Rapids, were in the process of making fuel and supply caches, and would not reach them for a number of days. During this time, a major concern had become apparent. Only Cruickshank and Walker in ’SQ, Hollick-Kenyon and Nadin in ’SL, and Vance and Blasdale in ’RK were carrying skis in preparation for freeze-up. [6]
    The other two planes needed to be equipped with these essentials as soon as possible, prompting Cruickshank to contact the RCMP and request that equipment be sent upriver by boat to Baker Lake. Despite apprehensions about the forthcoming unpredictable weather and the large area in which they needed to search, optimism remained high that the MacAlpine group was safe somewhere north of Beverly Lake and that the rescue teams would find them and bring them out quickly.
    Optimism for the Dominion Explorers was starting to wane. Without gas for the planes or safe conditions for boat travel, the Domex group’s only means of travel once freeze-up occurred would be on foot, and this would be tough going.
    A reporter from The Northern Miner had every confidence that the men were amply prepared to face the unpredictable weather conditions:
A certain amount of fur