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> Leaving on a jet plane north to Alaska, July 14, 2005
Ute_Kaden
post Jul 17 2005, 07:34 AM
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July 14, 2005
Leaving on a jet plane north to Anchorage, Alaska


10:05 am- I am in the transit area of the Brownsville Airport, alone. I waived good bye to my husband and son Michael, paid $25.00 for my big bag which was 5 pounds overweight (I definitely did not feel like unpacking…) and have one hour time before the plane leaves, time to reflect.

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Ready for take off from the Brownsville, TX Airport

Since yesterday there is this strange feeling, I really don’t want to leave my family and home. Usually, I enjoy some days away, all by myself. This time it is different. I try to catch glimpses of my family, our garden and home, drawing snapshot pictures in my mind. Well, it is a long journey and not conducted by Princess Cruise lines (which is a good thing). After many adventures and with a lot of new science data we are scheduled to reach Tromso, Norway on September 30, 2005.
Getting things back into perspective- what is long?

In preparation for the USCGC Healy cruise I am reading the fascinating accounts of early polar explorers, Sir James Clark Ross Adolf E. Nordenskiöld, Sir John Franklin , Robert Edwin Peary , Matthew Henson ,Firdtjof Nansen, Ernest H. Shackleton ,Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen just to name a few.
How must they have felt knowing that they are setting sail into the unknown, exploring places where no human had been before? Will their ships be trapped in the ice for weeks, months, years? Those heroes, the sailors of the past, had no radio, no GPS navigation, not even the means of preserving food.
Our soldiers leaving for Afghanistan or Iraq came to my mind as well. Their families know they will be gone for at least a year and the danger that comes with the assignment is very real.
I like to take the opportunity to send greetings to all the members of the armed forces and especially to our Hanna High School students, that are currently employed and away from their families-Thank you.

How lucky am I knowing that many people watch out for us. TREC, ARCUS, VECO, NSF and of course the US coastguard are working together to make our expedition a safe and successful one. A big THANK YOU to all of you that make my trip on the USCGC Healy possible.

Ute


We are all explores...
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Barrow, Sir John, 1764–1848, British geographer, promoter of arctic exploration.
As second secretary of the admiralty (1804–6, 1807–48), he promoted voyages to further knowledge of geography and navigation. He instigated many arctic expeditions, notably those of John Ross and William Parry. He was a principal founder of the Royal Geographical Society in 1830. Point Barrow, Cape Barrow, and Barrow Strait were named in his honor.
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