What an amazing adventure!
I was awestruck as we entered a futuristic world of heavy industrialism combined with dust, mud and the open tundra!
First glimpse of Prudhoe Bay. August 22, 2012. Photo by Lisa Seff.
After several delays, and a flight change through Barrow, we had arrived in Prudhoe Bay! Dr. Okkonen immediately rented a pick-up truck ...and I'm going to guess that it's hard to rent any other type of vehicle, as everywhere we drove there were trucks, trucks and more trucks! We made several stops to pick up instruments and equipment and then we were off, traveling over dusty gravel roads that would wind their way to our final destination: The Research Vessel Ukpik! We meandered through a seemingly endless world of oil rigs, stainless steel pipelines and open tundra. It was like a scene from some futuristic movie. After passing through several security gates where our papers and licenses were thoroughly examined, we soon found ourselves at the dock with our traveling ocean research base, the R/V Ukpik. We unpacked the truck with the help of Captain Bill and Captain Mike and then threw off the lines that had tethered us to the dock. We headed out of the harbor and into the Beaufort Sea. When evening approached we maneuvered into the lee of Thetis Island. As we moved into position we noticed a distant white ball of fur racing away from us down the beach. It was a polar bear! By the time we dropped anchor closer to shore the bear was long gone but I was still excited to see my first bear in the wilds of Alaska!
We awoke the following morning to the gentle slapping of waves against the Ukpik's hull. After eating a stack of cranberry pancakes we pulled anchor and said goodbye to Thetis Island, adjusting our course to a location that Dr. Okkonen and our research team has used the past several years as a site for oceanographic data collection. In the hours leading up to our arrival we organized, set-up and secured the instruments to the mooring frame. Getting the instruments ready for their three week stay on the ocean floor included hard work, brainstorming, power tools, the latest in computer technology and cooperation! The instruments will collect data over the next few weeks that will help scientists understand oceanographic conditions such as temperature, conductivity, salinity, zooplankton populations and current velocity. If you're interested in learning more about the instruments we're using in our expedition check back as I'll have a journal that focuses on the tools of an oceanographer in an upcoming journal!
Enjoy a tour of Prudhoe Bay and join us aboard the R/V Ukpik as we deploy oceanographic instruments on our way to Barrow!
http://
Through the Porthole
What are average ocean temperatures near Barrow in the summertime?
Through the Porthole Whale Tail Drawing by Springs School Student. 07/2012. Original Porthole design by Gordon Carlisle.
Due to the confluence of several ocean currents along this area of the coastline, ocean temperatures can vary quite a bit! To help understand why temperatures can vary you'll need to do a little work! First locate the town of Barrow Alaska on Diagram 1.
Diagram 1. NOAA Office of Coast Survey Nautical Chart Online Viewer: Chart #16004 Pt. Barrow to Heerschel Island. Diagram downloaded by Lisa Seff 08/24/2012 from: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/AlaskaViewerTable.shtml
Now that you have an idea of where Barrow is located, find it again on the ocean temperature chart below.
Diagram 2. University of Alaska at Fairbanks Alaskan Coastal Waters and Western Arctic Ocean Color Satellite Imagery 1997-2011. Chukchi Sea region 07/2007. Diagram downloaded by Lisa Seff 08/24/2012 from: http://www.ims.uaf.edu/research/mschmidt/ims_chukchi_sea_summary.html
As you can see, warm coastal water known as the Alaska Coastal Current enters through the Bering Strait and then flows northeastward where it intrudes into cooler Beaufort Sea waters. This, combined with seasonal and annual variability as well as other factors can cause a wide range of sea temperatures in the Barrow area. In Diagram 2 you can see that areas around Barrow varied from 2 to 12 degrees Celsius (approximately 35-53 degrees Fahrenheit). Brrrrrrr! Pretty cold for Long Island but in Barrow the locals are enjoying a day at the beach!