Lab bound!
We’ve been lab-bound now since last Friday’s trip out across Barrow Canyon. The wind came up on Saturday and didn’t relent. Most recently, we have been experiencing about 30-35 knot winds with gusts higher. The Chukchi Sea is boiling, huge sediment laden dark gray waves crashing on the shore. We can hear the roar of the waves from outside our lab/hotel.
The Chukchi Sea this afternoon. The weaves were even higher than last evening. Photo courtesy of Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 3, 2014.
The Chukchi sea churns and foam washes up the black beach sand near NARL in Barrow. Photo courtesy of Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
The wind is sustained from the west at 30 knots right now, screaming around the edges of the door at the far (very far) end of the hall. Yesterday set a record for snowfall in Barrow, the most (4.4”) on that date since 1926. And the road to Niksiuraq, on the way out to Point Barrow (Nuvuk), has washed out from the relentless pounding of the Chukchi Sea waves.
NARL with snow:NARL (Naval Arctic Research Lab) where we live/work partially covered in snow. The structure up in the air is the utilador, an insulated box through which pipes for water and sewer run. Photo courtesy Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
A view towards the huts of NARL from the building in which the cafeteria is located. Photo courtesy Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
Needless to say, we cannot go out and work in this. No one is out. There is a gale warning posted as well as a high surf warning and predictions of local erosion and washouts. A large barge has taken shelter in Elson Lagoon. The Annika Marie is safely tucked into Elson Lagoon as well. Luckily, we are cozy and warm in our lab, bolstered by the ready availability of meals in the cafeteria and an ample supply of local rations such as peaches, pastries, cookies, crackers, cheese, gummy bears, donut holes, bacon, Twinkies, and several types of coffee. This project started off as the “SNAC(k)S” project; that characteristic endures.
Occasionally we venture out, either by foot or in the truck. Late last evening, around sunset, there was a lull in the precipitation and lessening of the winds so we could go out and check on the beach and the surf. It was near sunset and the light was fantastically clear. The clouds were marvelously structured and dynamic. The lowering sun shed golden light on the beach and the waves and tinted the clouds rosy yellow. Walking was interesting, the crunch of snow on top of slightly hardening mud was a texture I had not yet experienced.
A panorama taken on the beach near NARL. Photo courtesy of Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
Today we ventured out to town in the truck, to get out and do some shopping.
Phil going into the supermarket during one of the snow squalls. Photo courtesy of Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
Don’t complain about the price of mayonnaise at your local market! Photo courtesy of Dr. Carin Ashjian. August 2014.
The roads have become very “washboard” and have occasional large puddles. The truck easily is flung to one side going over the washboard road. The wind was very strong, contributing to the feeling that the back end of the truck was somehow not going in the same direction as the front of the truck. At spots along the road to town, we could see where the water has almost, or has slightly, breached the berms between the road and the beach. On the way back to town, we went out towards the point past the football field. In the distance, near Duck Camp/Shooting Station (Pigniaq), we could see huge piles of dirt and large yellow heavy machinery not present previously. We later found out that the road has washed out. We hope that it can be repaired enough for us to reach Niksiuraq again in our truck.
Looking ahead, the weather forecast for Friday looks promising. After that, we will have to get our gear off of the boat so that she can leave on Sunday to return to Prudhoe. The season will be over. We are hoping to get back out on Friday to see if the water temperature offshore in the Canyon is warmer. We can see on satellite imagery and from weather stations at Red Dog Mine and Kotzebue that there is warmer water to the south, it just has not reached us yet. If only the winds would relent…