Well, I have been officially been home for 48 hours. There are some very nice things about being home, seeing my family and friends, wearing clean clothes, eating fresh vegetables and taking warm showers. None of these amenities should be taken for granted and I am enjoying each one thoroughly.
Now that my camouflage duffel has been delivered, I began sorting through my things and washing the contents of the bags. With each item that I remove I have a moment of reminiscing. Washing the mosquito remains from my tent might sound disgusting but I actually miss crawling into that tent at night after a good day’s work and settling into my sleeping bag. It was cozy and contained everything I needed during my time in the field. I am oddly attached to it and the other items, odor aside, that became a part of my everyday on Kamchatka.
Yesterday, Greg called on the satellite phone from the field. It was great to hear his voice. He updated me on the events that have come to pass since my departure. They found artifacts from a period of over 6,000 years ago which was the goal of the project from the get go. The fishermen who were zooming past in the evenings stopped by and shared their catch of king crab with everyone at camp. People who I had become very fond of were doing well and work was progressing favorably. They are planning on packing up and going to a new site in a few days. All of this made me happy to hear, but at the same time I was a bit sad that I was missing it. The daily rhythm of camp had quickly become a comfortable routine and everyone there was terrific to work with. The laughter and quiet moments are distinctly locked in my memory, as are the unique qualities of the people I shared them with. I truly feel fortunate even as I have to listen to the newest developments via ultra long distance and share my enthusiasm from my family room.
Greg assures me he will continue to keep in touch throughout the project. I am appreciative that I will at be kept up to date with their progress. And I will, in turn, keep you informed as well. Feel free to send questions for the team along in our ‘Ask The Team’ feature. I will do my best to get you answers as we all follow this extreme adventure.
Silhouetted against a sunset sky, Greg Korosec watches as Shiveluch erupts in the distance.
Views from the terraces were spectacular and were transformed by the changing light of each day.