Survivor Ellesmere

Yesterday afternoon Tobias and I went for the first of what I hope will be many walks around the lab. PEARL (Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Lab - if you want to impress your friends) is about 600 m above sea level, on a ridge left over from when the glaciers came through however long ago. There are a few ridges around, and a quick 15 minute walk will take you down the one we're on, across a valley, and up the next one over. Which provides my favourite view in all of Eureka. Which, like all things here, does not get fully captured by the lens. But this is by far the best picture I have ever taken. Ever. I don't throw that word around lightly. Far in the background you might be able to make out Cape Hare, which I have aspirations of skiing down some day, and in front of that is Slidre Fiord, home of the Eureka Weather Station. The Sun may be pretty, but it's covered by clouds - not so great for most of the measurements that happen up here. That's Tobias collapsed on the ridge - it's a fairly steep climb, and you'd be surprised how quickly you can overheat in full Arctic gear. If at any point in the year I wonder why exactly I want to go to the High Arctic in February, this view is the answer. Pink skies and white snow, with no signs of people for as far as the eye can see (provided you don't look at the weather station or the lab). Eureka is the prettiest place I've ever been to, and I'm reminded of that every time I look out the window.

Of course there IS other life around these parts, the most dangerous of which is the polar bear. They actually aren't seen all that often around here at this time of year, since they need open water to eat, but every now and then one does make it up here, and I've been told you don't want to run into a hungry polar bear. There are also wolves, who may be cute, but would eat you and your family without batting an eyelash. A somewhat wise man once taught me two survival skills for use in these parts. The first is to touch any exposed parts of your face with your bare hands every once in awhile to make sure you don't have frostbite. The second was to scan the horizon for predators when you're walking about. It occurred to me yesterday while practising this survival skill that if I did see a wolf or a polar bear on that horizon, I would have absolutely no plan of action. Do you run back to the station to avoid becoming dinner? What it the bear/wolf hasn't seen you yet, and this draws their attention? Do you stay still and wait for them to go away? This seems to be wasting precious getting-away time. I suppose I would quietly make my way back to other people, but I'm pretty sure that if the bear/wolf wanted to eat me it could. Maybe this is why I have to sign a waiver before the university lets me come up here. Maybe I shouldn't be walking outside. Maybe I should knock over Tobias on my dash back to the lab.

The most exciting thing that happened yesterday was by far the herd of musk ox we saw on our way back to the station last night. They were a bit too far from the road for good pictures, so I'll save you the dark blurs on the horizon, but they were close enough to see. This is my fifth trip to the Arctic and my very first musk ox sighting. (Aside from stuffed ones in airports/hotels and the steak I was treated to on my first trip up. SO tasty - picture the best steak you've ever had and then multiply it by a thousand.) (OK, this doesn't work if you're vegetarian. Picture really good tofu, but then make it taste like a really good steak.) They were still by the road this morning, so I'm hoping they stay around long enough to get a really good view. They are amazing animals. They seem almost prehistoric, and I wonder how they survive up here. And they're fast! They heard the truck and took off up the hill they were on. Now all I have left to see in terms of Eureka wildlife is a polar bear. And maybe it's a good thing I haven't seen one of those....