Memorial Plaque on the Diamond

I found this plaque on a rock a short distance north of the top of Marie Couloir, close to the top of the Diamond. The four died in a boating accident in Canada's Baffin Bay. Returning from an expedition to Baffin Island, the group, along with their Inuit guide, was checking out a pod of whales. The whales dived, and one breached directly beneath the boat. The group was unable to right the boat, and the four named on the plaque eventually succumbed to the freezing waters. Michael Moe was the last to perish, after holding on, even joking, for over eight hours. The guide survived after 18 hours at sea; he had been wearing a marine survival suit, but the others only had been wearing life jackets. The source of the above information is a moving article by adventurer and writer Mark Jenkins; Michael Moe was his best friend and a climbing/exploring partner for over 20 years. Jenkins and other friends of the deceased placed the memorial plaque. Why on the Diamond? Jenkins and Michael Moe had climbed there together for years, using its challenging rock routes and nearby couloirs for both training and fun. The article has more details about the accident. Those details are on the sixth and final page, but the entire article is very much worth reading to get a sense of who Michael Moe really was. Thanks go to Tracy for directing me to the information above. Snowy Range, WY-- July 2009