A very full and busy week in addition to internet challenges made for the lack of continued journal entries. Look for posts by the end of the week to fill in the activities from the day our Education team made it to Kangerlussuaq from the Summit Station. We enjoyed our last day together with a hike to the edge of the ice, a picnic and a very meaningful debrief session to plan for next year!I'm in Kangerlussuaq very briefly, awaiting my flight back to the U.S. via Copenhagen. More stories to follow... with details about meetings, adventures, visits and establishing educational contacts in Nuuk, Aasiaat and Ilulissat!
Our 4am alarm was fifteen minutes too early...Trine and I packed our gear, rolled up our sleep kit and had everything nearly ready to go when we got word that the plane was delayed due to weather and visibility. We had to decide whether to pull out the gear and go back to sleep or go ahead and walk to the Big House. The idea of hot tea and a potential flight was too tempting!
Tent City on the day we were supposed to leave!
So despite a hopeful wind we still sit here at 9am Greenland time waiting for word of a plane. From the information we receive after each half hour weather report the flight crew still has possibilities for flying until around noon. After that they have to change crews and we're probably on a different schedule. Still, we wait and feel hopeful with games of Trivial...
We started our day with a check in about group education projects at an 8:30am meeting. The students are gathering information from scientists and staff here at Summit Station and feeling very positive about their work. I am excited for these teams - to have resources, scientists and examples right in their environment makes for a great experience. After breakfast the teams spent most of the morning gathered together working. It was a productive time and I'm really pleased with everyone's enthusiasm for a presentation. In addition to presenting to each other in Kangerlussuaq we're also hoping that the projects can be posted on the web so that others can learn from their experience.
U.S. Team works together on project
Danish Team gathers information about project
Greeland Team works...
We started our day with a general overview of the science done at Summit Station by Sandy Starkweather, station manager. She gave us a thorough background of the importance of the research done at this high elevation research facility. Under the Joint Committee Agreement, the U.S., Danes and Greenlanders work together to promote science, education, tourism and stewardship of Greenland. The Summit Station is a unique facility given the high elevation, clean air and environment as a resource for the entire polar science community.
Summit Station photo
Researcher Brie Van Dam from the University of Colorado and Louisa Kramer, Michigan Tech then gave us information about their projects with the FLUX station here at Summit; Flux and Mid-Latitude Ozone Flux and Chemistry. Brie described...
We started our day of July 9th by getting up at breakfast at 12:30 am! Once we got our gear stashed, it was time to get on the bus to the airport at 1:30. Our LC-130 took off with everyone for Greenland near 2 am with great views out the side windows right away. The windows in the rear were even bigger and everyone had an opportunity to move to the back to take photos and look at the ice. A little over two hours later and we were landing on the ice sheet at the Summit of Greenland! Smoother than Alaska Airlines landing in Juneau!
window view
cockpit view
lakes on the ice
Clothed in our cold weather gear; snowpants, boots, parka, gloves and hat and carrying our backpacks we moved slowly as we made our way to the Big House. Even with the excitement of arriving it was evident that the...
A full day in Kangerlussuaq started with a hearty breakfast at the cafeteria in the airport. Once we got back to the KISS building it was time to get our gear packed, thinking about what we needed of personal gear to take to the Summit. Loading up with personal items and curiosity for the day in front of us, we headed over to the warehouse to get fitted for cold weather gear. Robbie had already bagged everything up according to our predicted sizes but we needed to try it on, check zippers, and make sure we had everything.
The girls try on cold weather gear!
Once we got back it was time for our whole group ED Team Meeting. I felt it was important to hear from everyone - so we all had a chance to talk about our goals for this trip, ideas we'd like to be able to do at Summit and then...
Five of the Joint ED team gathered in Scotia, New York just as the sun was beginning to rise. The friendly and helpful crew of the 109th organized and stacked our gear along as we showed our passports and then waited in a room for flight information.
Sunrise in New York
We were a part of a group of more than twenty plus other scientists, logistics crew, students and contractors. Enthusiasm was evident as the five of us jumped aboard the bus for the plane. Soon to be strapped into our cargo net seat, ear protection employed and a brief safety information speech about emergency exit... we were ready to fly! It took us almost five hours to Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada and it was great to stretch our legs and look at a large world map even if it was short.
Once again underway, most of the...
Flying to Albany, New York to meet up with the rest of the U.S. Joint Science Education Tour participants is an exciting way to gear up for this trip! Did you know that Greenland is one and a half times the size of Alaska?! It's the world's largest island and we'll be spending this time together learning about the people, animals, data collection and scientific investigations being done at this time! The weather report for Kangerlussuaq today lists a high of 11° C and the Summit Station http://www.geosummit.org/ has a potential high of -9° C today! Hmmm, so that means I will go from celebrating the 4th of July in a t-shirt and shorts here in Washington, D.C. to packing my fleece, long johns, wool socks and rain gear in anticipation of summer in Greenland's Arctic regions. I'm very...
Bright mornings of cold clear skies are appreciated here in Fairbanks. Our Tuesday morning photo seminar went quickly since we were all anxious to catch the first mushers of the Yukon Quest. Walking down to the river it was easy to catch the excitement of joining the crowds across the bridge and gathering around the finish.
Feb 24, 2009
The dogs rounded the corner and soon ran under the bridge. Cheers, shouts and claps followed them all the way down the finish line corridor. I loved having the view up top and then joining the buzzing crowd down below. Huge enthusiasm greeted Sebastian Schnuelle and his sled dogs in first place and not soon after, for Hugh Neff and his dogs in second. Incredibly thrilling - I’ve followed the Yukon Quest for years but never had the opportunity to be a...
I felt slightly disappointed to be flying into Alaska at night. What about seeing the mountains? I've been living without mountains in sight for over five months! What about recognizing the glaciers and rivers from the air? I've been telling many people about where I come from this year... and now I get to return to the most beautiful place in the world! But it's night... so I sleep. Even though my most recent residence near Washington D.C. is far, far away I relax because my HOME is below me.
And yet when I wake about an hour from our destination I glance out the window and see the green ribbons dancing in the night sky! I AM in Alaska! I look across the aisle at my new friend and PolarTREC teacher, Simone and invite her over to see this incredible site! She has been reading for her...
