Progress has been made transporting the needed drilling equipment from the US to Moscow and from Moscow to Siberia. As this important cargo travels around the planet, we continue to wait here in Pevek. All of the experienced members of the team understand that this is one of the many challenges of undertaking scientific research in remote Arctic regions. We fill our days by taking turns on the one computer that has dial-up internet access (9 people!), having great conversations and getting some other work done.
Today brought another surprise... day light-savings time! I did not realize until yesterday that Russia does not change time on the same schedule as the US...consequently all of the Americans on the team had to spring forward twice this year!
Since the weather was nice this afternoon, following our main meal (4 PM) we all decided to go for a hike on the hills south of Pevek.
Afternoon tundra hike on the hills south of Pevek
Along our hike, I observed that I was in a strangely familiar place... What do these two photos have in common?
Lichen growing on granite rock, Colorado
Lichen growing on granite rock, Pevek
Last summer just a week after finding out that I may be selected to join this expedition, I was exploring the tundra. I was in a windy area with low soft vegetation and granitic rocks covered by green and black lichens. This afternoon I was also in a windy place with low soft vegetation and granitic rocks covered by green and black lichen. The differences... one green with summer flowers, the other dormant and white with winter snow.
Tundra landscape in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Landscape from the hills south of Pevek. (Notice the diamond dust ice falling below the sun.)
Two other differences: Elevation and location... the pictures today in Pevek were taken at an elevation of about 500' above sea level. The summer pictures were taken at 12,500' in the mountains of Colorado. In the saddle between the two hills, there were many examples of how the wind drifts and carves the snow.
Julie standing in sustrugi- wind eroded snow formations.
The American members of the team pause for a picture near the top of Pevek hill.
Julie Brigham-Grette, Addie Holland, Kristina Brady, and Tim Martin. US team members of the Lake E drilling project
Since the temperature was around 0 F I was happy to try out my Pevek hat...although my breath froze on the outer fringes, I stayed quite warm.
Staying warm in Pevek with local ECW hat.
T-Mart... staying warm on the mountains south of Pevek