(Wind Update: It began to die down late in the afternoon today!)On any given day there is usually one or more people taking a day off from the field. Field work can be physically draining, especially when you're outside for 8 to 10 hours in all kinds of weather hiking over all types of terrain. It's better to take a day off here and there than to be a danger in the field because of mental and physical fatigue. Most people here take one day off for every 5 or so in the field, except for Al and Mike. They've only taken one day off each since getting here! Those heading up to the glacier tend to make more days off because of their grueling hike to gather data.
Mike, Al, and Jesse steal a few minutes to relax in the very comfortable living room of the main building
A day off from the field can be defined as a chance to get to a number of tasks. For instance, we have an extensive "library" here filled with literature on all the topics related to the research taking place. There are journal articles about lake sediments, Arctic climate, Arctic field work, etc, and there are books on Svalbard, geomorphology, and a number of other topics related to our studies. In developing a research paper students need to do a "literature review" to find out what other research has been done on the topic of their interest, and then they formulate their research objectives and field methods. A day off can afford them some time to dig deeper into their projects so they go back to their universities with a firm foundation for their senior projects. It can also be a time to reflect on the data they've collected, prep samples to go home, and prep instrumentation that needs to be redeployed before we leave next week.
The time off here is also a welcome respite to get to a number of personal tasks such as washing clothes and writing post cards or just take simply take a break. Some take the time to indulge in a nap to get a little extra rest for the upcoming days in the field. Others take a "brain break" and watch a movie if someone has one, or reads a book other than one related to their study topic. Our evenings are much like that after the days' events and data have been discussed and debated, and people have touched base with family and friends via email or Skype.
Our lab (or workspace) is a section of one of the buildings.
The time here has been slipping by quickly and every minute is a minute to savor, even if it's just a minute to catch one's breath!
Question of the day: What would you bring on a long trip to pass the time away?