David Idlout is back home in Resolute, in Nunavut's High Arctic, after he was rescued Monday from a large ice floe drifting 15 to 20 kilometres from the community. (CBC)

A Resolute, Nunavut, man is safe at home after he was rescued Monday from a large ice floe in the High Arctic, where he was stranded for more than three days.

David Idlout, 39, was plucked off the ice Monday afternoon by a Cormorant helicopter rescue crew that flew up from CFB Greenwood in Nova Scotia.

Idlout had embarked on a seal hunt last Friday and was snowmobiling at the edge of the sea ice, about 15 kilometres from the hamlet, when a large pan of ice broke off and forced him out to sea.

Now recovering at home, Idlout told CBC News he is not yet ready to talk publicly about his ordeal. But his sister, Martha Kalluk, said Idlout's family is overjoyed to know he is safe.

"When he was out there, we were all worried. But he's home now, so that's a great relief," Kalluk said. "We're very happy, very thankful."

When Idlout became stranded on the ice floe, the temperature was around –31 C and felt like –40 C with the wind chill.

But Idlout, an experienced hunter, had brought survival gear and a satellite phone, and was able to build a shelter. He used his phone to call his wife, whose father contacted the coast guard.

Rescue delayed

Kalluk said she is disappointed that Idlout had to spend all weekend on the ice before military rescuers could pick him up.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Forces Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton, Ont., said early rescue efforts were hampered by a snowstorm and poor visibility, as well as problems with the helicopter.

"There were some minor mechanical problems, but the main factor here in the rescue was definitely the weather," Capt. Annie Morin said late Monday.

Despite the searchers' early challenges in rescuing Idlout, they were able to drop some supplies to him while he was on the ice, Morin added.

Morin could not say exactly how much the ice-floe rescue will cost the military, although it is expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars.

"In the end, what's important is that we rescued ... a man that was stranded on an ice floe and we managed to bring him back home," she said. "So can you really put a price tag to that?"