Journal Entry

Sleeping in = GREAT!!

Today I had a day off from everything!! It was great being able to sleep in!!

Point BarrowPoint Barrow, the northern-most tip in the U.S.

Since I had the day off, I decided to go exploring. I took the ATV out to the very tip of Point Barrow, which is the northern-most point in the U.S. I had to use the ATV because the road does not go that far. One of the things I was really looking for was a polar bear. I still haven't seen one and I would really like to see one in the wild while I am up here. So I took the ATV out across an isthmus, a thin piece of land connecting to bodies of land which was at times only about 60 feet wide (enough for a one-lane road and about 20 feet on each side). I had heard that Point Barrow was where they dump the whale carcasses after they cut off all of the meat. They dump the whale carcasses there to keep the polar bears from coming into the town. I finally reached the actual Point and just watched the Arctic Ocean for a few minutes. Just taking in the tranquility and watching the icebergs float by the beach. I found where the whale were and there were 2 scientists there checking their trail cameras. Trail cameras can be placed at a site and left there and they have an infrared sensor that takes a picture if something moves in the area. So the scientists were taking pictures of the polar bears that were coming to feast on the whale remains. They were monitoring the pictures and recording the size, health, age, and sex of the polar bears that came to eat.

Whale DumpThe Inuit whalers dump the parts of the whale they do not use at Point Barrow. Polar Bears are attracted to the whale carcasses and dumping the whales at the Point tries to keep them from coming into town. Whale Dump @ Point BarrowThe arched bone is actually part of it's skull. Notice the muktuk (blubber) to the right of the bones, this would be a delicacy for the bears

I did not get to see a polar bear today….I still have hope! I will be going back out to Point Barrow soon in the hopes of seeing a polar bear!

Fact of the Day

Yesterday's Fact of the Day Answer: What is the coldest temperature ever recorded in Alaska? Hint: There was a blizzard over much of the US during this year…the last two digits of the year will help you with the coldest temperature ever recorded. -78 Degrees!!!!

Today's Trivia: At what temperature are the Fahrenheit and the Celsius thermometers the same?

FogWhere did the road go? Good thing the fog lifted or I could have been walking aimlessly in every direction for hours and still not have found the road

Inuit Word of the Day

Yesterday's Word: Quisuktunga = Where is the bathroom? - Hint: This phrase is good to know in any language!!!

Today's word: Qujannamiik - Hint: This 2-word phrase will get you far in life; being polite is the key!!! What is the word of the day?

Please take 2 seconds and reply with your guesses to the fact of the day or Inuit word of the day in the "Ask the Team" section link below:
http://www.polartrec.com/forum/microbial-activity-in-thawing-arctic-permafrost/fact-of-the-day-or-inuit-word-of-the-day-guess