Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Eureka! I have found it! (I told you it never gets old.)
At about 3:30 Monday afternoon we got a call from the pilots, saying the fog seemed to be clearing up and that we should get to the airport. We quickly gathered our things and headed off. All roads in the North have reflective posts by the side of the road to follow if visibility is so low you can't see the road. As we were driving to the airport, we followed these posts. The fog seemed to be getting worse and worse. It was a tiny bit more clear at the airport, but with visibility half of what it has to be, we were sent home. Later our flight was officially cancelled, and we agreed to reconvene for wheels up at 7. My alarm went off at 6, and I excitedly ran to the window and threw up the sash to see...fog. I have never been so sad in all my life. After two extra nights in Resolute I started to wonder if I would ever make it to Eureka. I decided to get up and ready anyways, because it did seem a bit better than the day before. We talked to the pilots and they told us we wouldn't go until the afternoon. I resigned myself to another day in Resolute. But at about 8 they called us to say the fog had lifted a bit and to get our asses out there. I have never moved so quickly in all my life. Half an hour later we were in the air and surrounded by fog. I have no idea how the pilots could see to get us to Eureka, but they did, and now I am here. The flight in was all clouds and fog until we started to land and I got a glimpse of some glaciers, lots of permafrost melting, and a herd of musk oxen.
After hugs and handshakes to all the staff I know, I unpacked and settled into the Eureka Weather Station. It's the same impression I had in Resolute, it's all familiar, but all different. I feel like I've never been here because everything is so odd. But there is also much that is just like the winter. Marg, the departing cook, made my all time favourite coconut chocolate squares in my honour. They're sitting on a plate marked Annemarie. My very own dessert!
After lunch, I persuaded Keith to brave the muddy road (which we were warned of getting stuck in) to get up to the lab. After four days in Resolute, I was itching to get things unpacked and start getting to work. The road was actually fine, despite the crazy amounts of rain they've had the past few days, and we made it up to the lab with no incidents. Except for the musk ox we saw like five minutes out of the station. My very own welcome wagon. We got out of the truck to get closer pictures, and maybe got a bit too close. Keith assured me that he'd walk away before getting aggressive, but when we got as close as we dared, our new friend turned to us and snorted. Remember cartoons where someone would snort in anger and smoke would come out of their nose? That's what the musk ox looked liked. We hightailed it out of there and back to the safety of the truck. He didn't charge at us, but he snorted again.
One of the things Keith has been busy doing for the lab this summer is adding a sign to the road that details exactly where 80 degrees North is. A better photo opportunity spot there has never been. I made Keith stop a thousand times on the way for many many pictures, which I will spare you from for now! Once at the lab I got to work unpacking. I am happy to report that everything made it up in one piece. Despite the deep gashes in the top of my shipping container, and the wet marks at the bottom of one of the boxes. A lot of you remarked I never spoke about the work I was doing when I was here in the spring, so for you guys I will tell you that I assembled everything in the lab and got to work focussing the detector. Something that I finished this morning before starting on resolution tests. Now I hope I've convinced you that the things I do away from the lab are a bit more blog-worthy than those I do in the lab.
After supper, Keith and I went rose rock hunting along the aptly named Rose Rock Creek. Rose rocks are these super cool rocks that kind of look like those sugar crystals you made as a child, except they're made of rock. We gathered tons, though I'll most likely leave all but three here. It was super-muddy work, with the creek being a glorified mud puddle. Mud in the north is like mud in the west. It sticks. My boots are still muddy. I suspect they will never be clean again. And there's no way to get that stuff off when it's wet. On our way to the creek we ran into this very dirty wolf, who calmly walked away from us paparazzi to resume his nap away from our prying eyes.
Today was a full day at the lab, with me being very annoyed at the location and heat output of an instrument that was installed a few weeks ago. Tonight I will blow off all of that steam by getting roped into a game of frisbee golf. I still lack the ability to throw a frisbee, but I've been promised by Heather the met tech that this is not an important skill. Tune in tomorrow to find out how badly I lost.
After hugs and handshakes to all the staff I know, I unpacked and settled into the Eureka Weather Station. It's the same impression I had in Resolute, it's all familiar, but all different. I feel like I've never been here because everything is so odd. But there is also much that is just like the winter. Marg, the departing cook, made my all time favourite coconut chocolate squares in my honour. They're sitting on a plate marked Annemarie. My very own dessert!
After lunch, I persuaded Keith to brave the muddy road (which we were warned of getting stuck in) to get up to the lab. After four days in Resolute, I was itching to get things unpacked and start getting to work. The road was actually fine, despite the crazy amounts of rain they've had the past few days, and we made it up to the lab with no incidents. Except for the musk ox we saw like five minutes out of the station. My very own welcome wagon. We got out of the truck to get closer pictures, and maybe got a bit too close. Keith assured me that he'd walk away before getting aggressive, but when we got as close as we dared, our new friend turned to us and snorted. Remember cartoons where someone would snort in anger and smoke would come out of their nose? That's what the musk ox looked liked. We hightailed it out of there and back to the safety of the truck. He didn't charge at us, but he snorted again.
One of the things Keith has been busy doing for the lab this summer is adding a sign to the road that details exactly where 80 degrees North is. A better photo opportunity spot there has never been. I made Keith stop a thousand times on the way for many many pictures, which I will spare you from for now! Once at the lab I got to work unpacking. I am happy to report that everything made it up in one piece. Despite the deep gashes in the top of my shipping container, and the wet marks at the bottom of one of the boxes. A lot of you remarked I never spoke about the work I was doing when I was here in the spring, so for you guys I will tell you that I assembled everything in the lab and got to work focussing the detector. Something that I finished this morning before starting on resolution tests. Now I hope I've convinced you that the things I do away from the lab are a bit more blog-worthy than those I do in the lab.
After supper, Keith and I went rose rock hunting along the aptly named Rose Rock Creek. Rose rocks are these super cool rocks that kind of look like those sugar crystals you made as a child, except they're made of rock. We gathered tons, though I'll most likely leave all but three here. It was super-muddy work, with the creek being a glorified mud puddle. Mud in the north is like mud in the west. It sticks. My boots are still muddy. I suspect they will never be clean again. And there's no way to get that stuff off when it's wet. On our way to the creek we ran into this very dirty wolf, who calmly walked away from us paparazzi to resume his nap away from our prying eyes.Today was a full day at the lab, with me being very annoyed at the location and heat output of an instrument that was installed a few weeks ago. Tonight I will blow off all of that steam by getting roped into a game of frisbee golf. I still lack the ability to throw a frisbee, but I've been promised by Heather the met tech that this is not an important skill. Tune in tomorrow to find out how badly I lost.
// posted by Annemarie @ 7:27 PM 
