Although I have been home from PolarTREC Orientation in Fairbanks, Alaska, for several weeks, I want to share a few more great experiences I had while there. Thursday morning brought us lots more technology training. Communicating from remote regions requires some specilazed equipment, training and practice, patience, and sometimes even a little good luck. We learned how to use satellite phones and got to make phone calls to family and friends down in the "Lower 48." I was excited to learn that we would be issued "sat phones" to take on our expeditions. But then I learned I wouldn't be getting one because the Oden has its own phone system. Oh well, one less thing to pack!
Teacher Anne Marie Wotkyns learns to use a satellite phone at the PolarTREC Orientation.
We then learned about "Webinars" - live from the field (or the ship) events in which the public will be able to view a presentation online while speaking to me and scientists live from the Oden. There is much planning and logistics that goes into these PolarConnect events so we spent much of the day setting up our computers and practicing with the Wimba software. I hope you will all join me for my Webinars in December and January.
On our lunch break, most of the teachers headed over to a neighborhood souvenir and curio shop near the hotel. We had been told we "had to visit the basement." Why? you may ask. See the pictures below! The basement was stacked floor to ceiling with bones, fossils, antlers, skulls - as many or more than we had seen in the museum storage areas the day before! It was truly amazing! Everything was for sale, but I managed to get out of the shop with only a few fossilized walrus teeth and some whale baleen.
In the 'Bone Basement,' Anne Marie Wotkyns holds a whale vertebrae.
Moose and Caribou antlers stacked floor to ceiling in the 'bone basement.'
An important aspect of many of the PolarTREC expeditions is collaborating with indigenous communities. There are many Native Alaskan tribes living near the Arctic and it is important for visitors to understand and respect their cultures. Sean Topkok, of the Alaska Native Knowledge network, shared information with us on this topic, and even taught us a Native Alaskan dance. Imagine the teachers all chanting and doing the "Building the Igloo" Dance! I hope that video doesn't show up on YouTube! Did you know there are no native people living in Antarctica?The only people who "live": there are scientists, researchers, and support staff.
Next we headed over to LARS (Large Animal Research Facitlity) at the University of Fairbanks.There Lindsey Blaine introduced us to their herd of Caribou and Reindeer. Did you know they were different animals? I didn't! We marveled at the large racks of antlers they shed each year. Those antler were big and heavy! No wonder the animals shed them each year!
Caribou at the Large Animal Research Station
Then we met the Musk Ox. Musk Ox went extinct in Alaska in the late 1800's, but were successfully reintroduced in the 1930's and now herds of them can be found in the wild again.We got to pet Bernie, a musk ox who Lindsey was grooming. She was combing out his "quiviat", or soft undercoat, which he was shedding out for the summer. The quiviat is sold to crafters who spin it into a soft, warm yarn for knitting. It brings about $25 per ounce. That's about $2000 per musk ox each year! I wish the hair my dogs shed could make me money like that!
Musk Ox at the Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Anne Marie Wotkyns pets Bernie, a musk ox, at the Large Animal Research Station
Finally, our busy day ended with a "Alaska Style" potluck picnic in Pioneer Park. The Arcus staff generously prepared a wide variety of traditional Alaskan dishes. I tried caribou meat casserole, moose roast, reindeer sausage, elk sausage, yak meat, and had lingonberry pie for dessert! Most of it was delicious, although I don't think I'll be ordering elk or yak for dinner anytime soon! No one can say I was a picky eater at that meal!
Lesson Learned: Whether it be an "Igloo Dance', petting a musk ox, or eating yak, don't be afraid to try new things. You'll only regret the things you DON'T do!