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In 1610, Henry Hudson searched for the Northwest Passage. Although the passage eluded him, he would not give up. The crew mutinied and set Henry (and several others) adrift in the treacherous Arctic waters. When we wrote this song, we tried to imagine how Henry would explain the situation to his wife.

Dear Kathy, Where should I begin?

The ice is setting in; my luck is running thin

And I feeling so alone

Dear Kathy, The winter stole my dreams

There's danger in these waters; these men aren't what they seem

Snow is just like diamonds but it hides the ice below

A mask of dedication, deep down I knew it was a lie

The sum of everything I am has never been enough

Was it really worth the trip?

I couldn't find my way to the thing that was most true

I'd be a richer man if I'd stayed with you

Dear Kathy, I think I pushed too hard

I wouldn't stop the journey when my men were all half-starved

I couldn't find it in myself to ease my iron grip

It was time to cut their losses; they cast me off the ship

And I'm feeling so betrayed

Dear Kathy, You should be proud of John

While others were rebelling, he told them they were wrong

And he stayed strong

But he knew all along

They were right

I thought I was a wise man

The stars were clear to me

I promised you the spices from the Orient

But the bay wouldn't set me free

The sum of everything I am has never been enough

Was it really worth the trip?

I couldn't find my way to the thing that was most true

I'd be a richer man if I'd stayed with you

Dear Kathy, I cannot tell a lie I have no ship,

I have no wings, I know that soon we'll die

And I feeling so alone

If you enjoy this song, you may want to contribute to the Bulkley Valley Museum via Shawna Audet's Ultimate Canadian History Site.

Many thanks to Shawna Audet for permission to display these lyric excerpts.
© Shawna Audet. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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