Dear Class of 1986,
It was nice to hear from you! Yes, I have temporarily jumped ship on the real world and am living the life of a weekend antarctic explorer. During the week, I assist in the ongoings of station management which isn't all that bad either. Quite the adventure!
And no, I'm not freezing, but even me -- a true lover of winter -- is getting slightly tired of perpetual snow and ice. Spring is in the air some days, but it is much like a nasty March in Minnesota right now. At least we have lots of daylight these days. It's bright before 5:00 am and starts dimming around 7:00 pm. I'm looking forward to temps in the 40's and lots of wildlife in the area.
I had the pleasure of assisting with data collection last Fall and that is part of the reason I hope to stay until May. I'd be delighted to work with the petrels again; they are large birds which inhabit many of the islands in the area. My partner and I traveled to one of the islands to weigh and measure the culmen of the chicks a couple of times a week. Within a couple of months, the chicks weighed between 6 and 12 pounds and were ready to leave the nest. They were a handful and would “reward” the unwary with painful reminders to pay attention. I still have a wee scar on my cheek from a sneaky biter.
How was the reunion? I thought about coming, but the commute -- four days crossing the Drake Passage -- can be hellish!
I hope you are well!
Cheers,