This is the frozen tundra, taken near Prudhoe Bay. Looks chilly.
And this is the view upon landing in Barrow.
See the fence? It’s a snow fence, and it’s 30ft high.
This is a typical building in the NARL compound. NARL stands for Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. It was founded in the 60’s I think, pretending to be a research station but actually looking for Russian submarines. When the Inupiat people bought the land they let researchers back on it and that is how BASC was formed. BASC does all the logistics for the researchers. Oh by the way, I am classed as an NSF researcher, how awesome is that?!? In case you don’t know the NSF is a big deal and it’s way prestigious. I even have my name and face on the wall with all the other researchers. Woot woot!! They treat researchers like royalty here, pretty much everything you want you get. They actually went out and bought all new beds, sheets, towels, cutlery, dishes, etc. to outfit our house. I love it here!!!
This was taken on Thursday. We went out to practice setting up squares, troweling and shovel test pits. It was cold, but not excessively so.
This is the Chukchi Sea. It is thawing now. Pretty soon the seasonal melt will open up the water. The LAURIER (I think) is due some time in June. It’s one of those ice breaker boats. I forget the name. Laura also mentioned that this weather will continue all summer. She said ‘this is it, this is summer in Barrow. Sometimes it warms up for a bit, but you can bet it will snow all through July and August’.
Oh, by the way, those bones are the tails of whales, the part that you can see on the sign.
Another view of the Sea.
These are just random researchers heading out on the tundra. I put in the picture because I wanted you to see the snow. NARL is pretty much snowless at this point, but as soon as you get towards the tundra it is still covered in snow, and freezing cold because there is nothing to break the wind.
This is the caribou fur I was talking about. It was found in the peat bog so there was really good preservation.
More caribou fur.
And this is the whale centrum.
Ok, so I had better go, this has been one long computer session. The researchers have been stockpiling wood for a week or so now and we are going to have a bonfire. Still don’t quite understand the point of a bonfire when it is daylight outside, but apparently it is a huge undertaking because there is no wood up here so people have to save for a long time.
P.S. look up snowy buntings in the bird book, I think the bunting is right, don’t know about the snowy, but they are all over here and are so cute!! They are white with black patches on them. I’ll take a picture the next time I see one.
Anyway, I love you all and I miss you!! Maybe I’ll talk to you tomorrow, it’s too late now to call. PPS – Laura told Andrew he is getting around 3000 for his stipend. They didn’t pay for his flight so I’m assuming he is getting more than us but he is also only staying until early July so maybe I’ll be getting around that much?
