In the summer of 1986, I attempted to reach the mouth of Thunder River by river scow from Tsiigehtchic. Circumstances conspired to thwart our attempts. However, we did manage to reach Tree River where Mrs. Marca Bulloch and others were busy netting and smoking coni and whitefish. The following summer, the plane taking me north stopped at Norman Wells to exchange passengers. A new mother (Grace McAdam) and child (Christina) took the seat next to me. We soon became engaged in conversation, and at one point the lady asked about my occupation. Following discussion about this kind of work, it came out that the lady I had met at the mouth of Tree River the previous summer was her mother. I took her picture and thought no more, other than "It's a small world".
In 1991, I again found myself on the Mackenzie River and stopped over at the Tree River camp. Grace was there this time with her mother. She also had a new baby (Danielle) in her arms. I didn't get a photograph then, but did the following summer when I met her again in Inuvik, where she resided. In June of 1995, I attended the Ottawa Air Show. Parking is always difficult, so the Ottawa Transit Commission had arranged for bus shuttle service from a spralling government complex with plenty of week-end parking. As I descended the bus on the return trip after the Air Show, a lady commented on my t-shirt which sported the logo of the Gwich'in Nation. I looked at her and instantly recognized Grace McAdams. She had all her family with her as they were in the area visiting with her husband's (Scott McAdam) family. The world is indeed remarkably small!
