20 July 2004

Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 23

What a marvelous day on Prince Patrick Island! It is absolutely beautiful today...blue sky, light winds, and 12 celsius (high forties/low fifties fahrenheit).

Finally, we see blue skies!

For many people the morning came late. As I mentioned yesterday, several people were to fly to Isaacsen last night. Their plane didn't arrive until 1am. Then they couldn't even land so they flew right back and arrived around 5 this morning. Some of them slept on the plane but many slept a lot of the morning.

I was not a person to go on the flight and neither was Charles so he and I took of for a walk around of the hills today in search of a hummock site for him to sample tomorrow. It was nice to walk with Charles because he really stops to enjoy the beauty of the area and share his stories and knowledge. Along the way we found many fossils from when Prince Patrick Island was on the ocean bottom.

Marine fossils are abundant in Mould Bay

Many of the hummocks he looked at were along the ice drifts, many of which are permanent.

A hummock that Charles sampled yesterday. They are much smaller than in Inuvik.

We did find a site that he will sample tomorrow as long as he doesn't get stuck in the mud. I nearly lost my Xtra Tuff today!!! He will sample by cutting it in half and looking at the soil layers.

One of many ice shelves found in Mould Bay

We returned to camp to a welcome site of Rae cooking another marvelous dinner in her cook tent.

Rae cooks in the cook tent...it is so warm, she has opened a window!

Tonight many of the scientists will continue to work as they identify and dry plant samples and work on other samples collected from the day. Their work day never seems to end and neither does their excitement to continue working. I believe we also have a presentation on the agenda.
See you tomorrow!