September 1, 2008
This is the end…
My wind chapped and sun cracked nose has finally healed. Family barbeques and fresh garden vegetables are helping me pack the 15 lost pounds back onto my frame. The heat of summer continues to remind me of cool nights at Summit Camp.
It took a while for me to ease back into life "in the real world”. The 90 degree difference between Summit Camp, and the heat wave that has engulfed Billings, MT this summer has proved to be the hardest adjustment. With time (and air conditioning) I am learning to cope with the scorching temperatures.
But…let me take a step back…
I arrived at the Billings airport late on the night of July 12th. My wife called me while I was waiting for my baggage at the carrousel to tell me she had to move the car...
July 14, 2008 – Monday – Finding my way home
There’s no place like home…
Packing up equipment and long travels have left me weak and worn, but I after 2 nights sleep in a MY BED, I am refreshed once again, and I wanted to take time to fill you in on the trip home!
So, settle in, this is fixin’ to be a short novel instead of a journal entry!!
July 10, 2008
We were scheduled to leave Summit Camp at 7am, we were all ready to go when we heard that the plane was having mechanical problems in Kanger and wasn’t able to leave on time. Finally, several hours later, the Herc arrived to drag us off the ice.
The flight was much more eventful that it should have been! First of all, we tried to take off one time with no success, the snow had already warmed too much. So, we taxied back to...
July 12, 2008 - Saturday - Homebound
Sorry there has been no communication from me in several days.
I have made it from Summit to Kangerlussuaq to Scotia, NY and now I am finally in the airport in Albany, NY...waiting for the next plane to take me to Minneapolis...then...finally to Billings!
I didn't have internet because I was stayng at the Hotel Umimmak in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland instead of the KISS building (Kangerlussuaq International Science Support operated by the US National Science Foundation) to post updates so I will make a short one now from the airport and tomorrow I will have a FULL update.
The Summit Campers pile into the Hercules for the flight off the ice.
The Musk Ox Inn, my rest stop in Kangerlussuaq.
Flying from Summit to Kangerlussuaq, we went directly over...
July 9, 2008 - Wednesday - Saying my Goodbyes
We have been breaking down and moving equipment for 17 hours!
In 4 hours, I will be up and readying my gear to leave the ice sheet. I would write more, but I am worn to the bone.
Tomorrow afternoon we should arrive in Kangerlussuaq, I will give a full report of our departure and adventures in Kanger at that time...
*I can't believe I am actually leaving after 37 days!!! And, I'll be home in 3 more!
*
Stay Warm!!
July 8, 2008 – Tuesday -Teachers at Summit
The next few journals might be a little shorter than usual. We are feverishly tearing down equipment in order to have everything packed and ready by Wednesday evening.
Katrine and Christine haul the first of MANY pieces of science equipment out of Sat Camp.
Today we were lucky enough to welcome several teachers and students from the US, Greenland, and Norway! They flew in early this morning and were immediately rushed out to Sat Camp so we could give them a tour of all the research projects. They will stay here for two nights and will leave with us and our equipment on Thursday.
The international teachers and students from the Greenland Education Tour listen intently as the scientists explain their experiments
As we were giving...
July 7, 2008 – Monday - Short-timer
As this day comes to a close, I am finding it hard to believe that I will be leaving Summit Camp in 3 days. With the Hercules leaving here early on Thursday, I actually only have 2 full days left! Then, off to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland for two days before hopping flights home on the 12th.
The short amount of time remaining is sure to fly by. Tomorrow morning we are expecting a dozen teachers from Denmark, Greenland and the US as well as a few students! We will spend the morning showing them around the camp and introducing them to our instruments at Sat Camp. At noon, when we have showed them all of our research, we will begin the long process of tearing all of the equipment down and packing it up for the trip home.
On Wednesday, a NASA plane...
July 6, 2008 – Sunday – Parade Update
Update from yesterday:
While preparing to work on my journal last night, Christine radioed in from Balloon Island to say that the tethersonde winch wasn’t working. The wind had picked up suddenly and the motor couldn’t handle the pull from Nemo on the line. Sadly, it is still not working today. Tomorrow the mechanic, Willow, is going to see if the motor burned up. So, ironically, our $100,000 instrument that is used to measure wind speed has been grounded by…of all things…THE WIND!
When was the last time you went to a Fourth of July Parade when it was 10 deg. F, blowing 10 mph, and snowing sideways? "Last night”, would be my answer!
The parade kicked off at 4:00pm with all the fanfare one would expect at a parade…
Will, the cook, leads the...
July 5, 2008 – Saturday - Celebrate Independence Day!
So, there I was, trying to write my journal entry and all the sudden…I hear over the radio, "THE WINCH IS BROKE!…THE WINCH IS BROKE!…NEMO ISN’T COMING BACK IN!”. And, so, I left this computer and tomorrow…
Sorry, flash is not available.
July 4, 2008 – Friday – 4th of July!
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
I am sure that most of you are out enjoying the sunshine and eating freshly cut vegetables with barbequed meat and watching fireworks light up the night sky. Here at Summit, we are working hard because the weather is finally cooperating (plus, we have no night sky to light up with fireworks). Don’t get too worried though, we have a full day of celebration planned for tomorrow (July 5th). Our parade will kick off around 4:00 in the afternoon, and it will be followed by a BIG barbeque with all the fixins. Myself, Christine (University of Houston) and Neil (British Antarctic Survey) have volunteered to run the barbeque to give the staff a little time to relax!
Although we worked through the day, this has still been a glorious...
July 3, 2008 – Thursday – Freshies
If you haven’t yet noticed, I am continually impressed with the food the cooks are able to deliver to us in camp. We have had shrimp curry, lobster tail, filet mignon, Greek gyros…you name it…we’ve had it!
One might wonder how the cooks are able to get such good food to the table in the middle of nowhere. It all starts when the flight schedule is finalized at the beginning of the season. The cooks look at each C-130 cargo flight coming in and have to order enough food to last until the next flight (sometimes it can be a month in between flights). The order goes out to SYSCO in New York; they deliver the food to Stratton Air Force Base in Scotia, NY. The Air National Guard palletizes the food and loads it onto a Herc. The load is taken off...
July 2, 2008 – Wednesday – Small World
How CRAZY is this…
If you have been following along on this little adventure of mine, you already know that the first ever overland traverse from Thule, Greenland (NW coast) to Summit Camp was completed by four men and two large pieces of machinery about a week ago. If you haven’t been following along you might be interested to know that they left the Greenland coast more than 30 days before they arrived here and they averaged 5 miles per hour! The goal of the traverse was to find a route up here to Summit Camp where supplies could be shuttled from the coast because the cost of flying materials here is proving to be astronomically expensive.
When Kathy, the Summit Camp manager, heard that I was from Billings, MT, she mentioned that there was...
July 1, 2008- Monday – Canada Day
HAPPY CANADA DAY….eh…(Sorry that was SO cliché).
We’ve been celebrating Canada Day all day long. We only have one Canadian (Tara from Univ. of Toronto) on the crew so I don’t quite understand how it turned into such a celebration, but I guess it gives us something to rally around.
From Wikipedia:
Canada Day, formerly Dominion Day, is Canada's national day, a federal statutory holiday, celebrated on July 1 annually by Canadians. Canada Day observances take place not only throughout the nation, but also internationally.
Walking on the path to Sat camp, all passersby waved and cheered, "Happy Canada Day!”. For lunch, Will the cook, made a Canadian staple: poutine. Poutine is a pile of French fries smothered with brown gravy and topped with cheese...
June 30, 2008 – Monday - Declination
We were able to get a few hours of work in yesterday and the night crew took over last night until the wind picked up and shut down camp…again. It is hard to explain the incessant wind. You get used to it, but only to a point. If you are walking with your back to the wind it can be a welcome walking aide, if you are walking to the wind…you grit your teeth and hope your clothing and your skin are still intact when you arrive at your destination. I decided to turn the camera onto movie mode and shoot a short clip to share what life is like with our friend (and foe)…the wind.
(Once again…it may take a while to load the video…but if you are patient, you will be transported to an alien world where ice and wind rule and humans beg for mercy at their...
June 29, 2008 – Sunday – Fore!
The final round of the Summit Open Golf Challenge was played last night under the nighttime sun. The course proved to be tough for the competitors, with soft snow "sand” traps, bumpy "greens” and a constant breeze that brought the temperature down to -1 F with steady snow dusting the course.
Golfers prepare for the game at the first tee. From left: Christine, Chris, Louisa, Neil, and Bonnie.
Adverse conditions couldn’t stop the determined Summit Campers who set out at night to build the only 6 hole "Championship” golf course on the Greenland Ice sheet (as far as we know). Each person got a soup can (or 55 gallon oil drum…their choice) to use as the pin for their individually designed "hole”.
Chris the Medic wisely chooses the 5 iron for this long shot...
July 28, 2008 – Saturday – Emergency at Summit Camp!
*The call crackled over the camp radio at two minutes past eight this morning. "We have an unconscious man at the Balloon Barn, it appears he has been struck in the head with a block of falling ice!” called Chris the Medic. *
The staff sprung from their breakfast meeting and immediately went into action. Upon arriving at the scene, Ben and Steve assessed the situation and jumped in to administer first aid.
When the need arrises, the Summit staff can respond to emergencies of all capacities.
"C-Collar for his neck…check his vitals” Ben barked.
"Careful with his back! Are you alright…can you hear me…do you know your name….” The questioning went on as they checked for signs of injury.
After bracing the victim’s neck and taping his...
June 27, 2008 – Friday – Water of Life
Wind, wind, go away…
We spent the day huddled inside Sat Camp, hiding from the wind. We have had sustained 15 – 20 mph winds from the north, so, no blimp flying and very few measurements.
I have had numerous emails about the water situation up here. Questions like, "Where does your drinking water come from”, or "How do you get water for shower”, etc. So, I would like to take this opportunity to explain how we get our water.
It just so happens we are in luck when it comes to fresh water. We are sitting on top of 2 ½ miles of fresh clean ice. In fact, the Greenland Ice sheet is the largest body of ice (solid water) in the Northern Hemisphere! So, all we have to do is turn all that ice and snow into liquid water…right?
Well, actually it takes...
June 26, 2008 – Thursday – Phase 1 Out
The last plane out for two weeks plucked 20 people from Summit Camp this morning. Most were very eager to get to Kangerlussuaq, where they will stay for two nights before heading back to New York, then off to "Home Sweet Home”!
Barry Lefer and Craig Clements of our small group took off, leaving Christine Haman and I to fend for ourselves.
As Barry Lefer (University of Houston) and Craig Clements (formerly of Univ. of Houston) prepare to leave Summit, they pass the flag and responsibilities off to Christine Haman (also of U of H) and me (not of University of Houston!).
After the plane roared off the Skiway, those of us who remained went to the Big House for a hot cup of coffee. Then, off to work again.
We are still fighting a 25 mile per hour...
June 25, 2008 – Wednesday – Danish Parliament
At 7:00am the Hercules buzzed Tent City; right on schedule to deliver its special cargo.
Summit was looking prim and proper. The Big House was vacuumed, the dishes were clean, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted through camp.
As the New York Air National Guard powered down the engines of the C-130, the ground crew opened the hatch to welcome 12 members of Denmark’s Parliament, the press corps, and a few Air Force officers and crew. They were quickly whisked off to camp on snowmobiles and broken up into tour groups.
An hour later each group had raced through the science projects of Sat Camp and the Flux facility, toured Tent City and had fresh rolls in the Big House. Then, as fast as they arrived, they were off, back on the...
June 24, 2008 – Tuesday – Traverse
The FIRST EVER traverse of the Greenland Ice sheet from Thule to Summit Camp was successful in their venture as they slowly plowed into camp. Their journey covered more than 800 miles and has taken over 33 days…and they still have to go back!
Ever so slowly they crept into view on the edge of the horizon. They have been making history for 33 days now… at 5 miles per hour…
…Queue dramatic music…
***Four men, a "Tucker” snow groomer and a CASE tractor, set out from Thule on the west coast of Greenland, to see if an overland traverse to Summit Camp was possible. Today, as they rumbled slowly into camp, they became the first ever to slink their way across the ice to this remote place. ***
***They carried everything they needed to survive for more...
June 23, 2008 – Monday – Summit Staff
It has been about 20 days since the last Air Force cargo plane flew out of Summit. In the next three days we are expecting three flights! You know what they say, when it rains…it pours! A few of the Summit Camp staffers are leaving us tomorrow on the first flight out and 7 members of the research team are leaving as well.
From left to right: Jeff (Electrician), Ben (Equipment Operator), Andy (ScienceTechnician), Chris (Medic), Kathy (Camp Manager), Steve (Science Technician), Willow (Mechanic), Jake (Equipment Operator), Rosemary (Cook), Cathy (General Assistant, Cook).
The Summit staff is a hard working bunch who loves to endure the extreme. Many of them spend the northern hemisphere’s summer working atop the ice sheet in Greenland and then...
In the middle of the night clouds and wind roll through Summit Camp on the Summer Solstice. At 3:00 am the SUN strains to pierce through the clouds.
June 22, 2008 – Sunday – Halfway Point
Today marks the midway point of my journey at Summit Camp. I left home on June 1st and will be home July 12th.
Today has been a quiet day around camp. The wind is blowing from the North which means that all of the pollution from the generators is blowing toward Sat Camp where are instruments are located. So, most of the data collected today would be unusable because of contamination. So, most of us are huddled inside working on laptops, crunching data or reading books.
Windy conditions are perfect for flying our flags proudly outside "Captain Jack's Shack" at Satellite Camp. Georgia...
June 21, 2008 – Summer Solstice
Happy First Day of SUMMER!
I know what you are thinking; you thought yesterday was the first day of summer. Well, I suppose you are technically right. Usually the summer solstice is on June 21st (today) but because it is a leap year, the actual day was yesterday June 20th at 9:40pm!
Things were busy around here so today is our day to celebrate!
For those of you who don’t want to admit that you don’t know what the summer solstice is, I will attempt to explain. You remember from 9th grade Earth Science that the Earth is tilted on its axis 23.5 degrees. The tilt never changes with respect to the sun, which means that the North Pole is always pointed off into one imaginary spot in space. You also (hopefully) remember that the Earth revolves around the...
June 21, 2008 – Finding Nemo
Let me apologize now. This is a long journal. I don’t know what happened, my fingers just kept typing…sorry. Anyway, for those of you who just look at the pictures (you know who you are), you won’t have to worry about all the words. For those of you who actually read these things, get comfortable. Pull up a cozy chair, start a fire, throw a blanket over your lap and get ready to spend the next few minutes of your life learning about research in the Arctic…
The atmospheric group (our team) has entered our IOP (Intense Operational Period). The wind has calmed down and the conditions are ripe for analyzing the properties of the atmosphere, and this team is well equipped to study the atmosphere.
Barry Lefer and I bring the Tethersonde "Nemo"...
June 19, 2008 – Game On
This fight had been brewing for weeks. Aggression had been fuelling the fire for way too long. Tonight it all came to a head…it was time for The Summit Camp Summer Soccer Match. The bull dozer leveled the snowy playing field two days ago in anticipation of the big game. The Olde Pirates (all Summit Campers 29 and older) were to take on the Snow Bunnies (19-28 year olds) in a head to head match of high altitude ice soccer.
Old and young began drinking Gatorade early this morning, trying to hydrate for the intense game. The elders barely conversed with young ones as the rift between the two teams grew even wider. After dinner the oil drums were rolled onto the field to act as goals and slowly Summit Campers began to flood the field. One could feel the...
The Big House is the defining structure of Summit Camp and houses the kitchen, dining room, office and bathroom. The building is raised up on stilts so as the snow pack gets taller the crew can "lift" it up to higher ground.
June 18, 2008 – Meet Big House
The Big House gets its name from its relative size compared to the other structures of Summit Camp. It is the hub of the hive, the nerve center, the coffee shop, the dining room, the washroom, the kitchen, the hangout, and refuge from the cold. Without the Big House, Summit camp would lose its identity. With its polar blue color, stilt legs, weather tower and satellite dome, it is the defining structure of camp.
The Big House is buzzing 24 hours a day. As I sit here at 10pm and write this there is a group at one table...
