It has been five
weeks now that I have been on this current tour in Eureka, my fourth
to date. The summer months have passed, and we are onto Fall now.
The vegetation is starting to show signs of colour change within
their leaves, and the temps are leveling off around 5C. The ocean
in the fiord has thawed completely, barring one or two small
multi-year sea ice blocks, which we colloquially refer to as our
icebergs. Seeing the ocean up here is quite breathtaking. It is a
serene environment that is normally barren, snow covered tundra.
However, the long fetch of the fiord allows the wind to dance along
the surface, adding an intense dramatic effect to the local raw environment. It reminds me of the inlets and bays along the West
Coast, ranging as far north as Secret Cove (minus the presence of the
trees). The rolling landscape of the fiord is truly majestic and a
wonder to be viewed daily; something I hope I never take for granted.
I find myself lately
deep in thought more often than usual. I have been reflecting more
about how fortunate this experience has been over the past year, and
how much of an impact I am able to truly have, within the realm of
contributing scientifically to the greater good of the earth. I am
deeply thankful for the support that has come from many friends and
family members as I chose to strike out along a different pathway in
life. The apple that is fruition, has been very tasty. Thank you
all for everything along the way, it has not been in vain. The
Arctic, and the north overall, has a way of penetrating your soul,
and really impacting the core fiber of your being, if you allow it.
It can be for the positive or negative; quite the duality once you
realize it has transpired. It also has a way of energizing ones soul
with patience and empathy, two qualities that I wish were more
significant globally.
Recently, I was
contacted by the CBC Nunavut for an interview to be aired on the
radio in Nunavut. The reporter was interested in knowing what type
of work I do up here, and how my down time is spent. Did the best I
could, given that the interview was conducted over the phone, and the
comms were not exactly clear. I was quite surprised to hear from the
CBC, let alone to find out that they wanted to hear from me about our
operations for PEARL here in Eureka. It was another humbling Arctic
experience.
As we settle into
Fall here on station, the population has decreased dramatically and
the pace has become a little slower. I am now flying solo, as my
assistant Peter has returned south to Toronto to finish his contract
with the University of Toronto. Hopefully he will survive the
humidity and adjustments back into society. As for me, it's business
as usual up here...pushing back the frontiers of science every day,
one optical measurement at a time!!
Happy Trails
everyone, enjoy the remainder of your Summer vacation (except for
those of you in the Southern Hemisphere who are no doubt enjoying the
end to the winter season).
Mike
