Journal Entry

The weather had socked us into camp yesterday -- pouring rain and almost zero visibility for over 24 hours. Fortunately, the rain let up today, allowing us to take one more sediment core from Easy Lake. The lake was named such because of how easy it was to get to the shoreline, map the lake, and obtain the sediment core.

After we completed the sediment core, we spent the remainder of the day packing up Base Camp 1. I cannot believe that it has been almost a week in the field. So many experiences, so many memories.

Those who know me, know how I do not like my picture taken. However, this is one I will share. We were hiking across the glacier and there were several moulins that we needed to hop over. Avy told me that there was not a better place to get water; so I took an opportunity. I will never forget that hike. So very powerful.

Good night Base Camp 1....

Comments

IMSMarisaS

Hope your enjoying your trip! How come there are multiple base camps? Are they all the same?

Rayna Duffield

Do you think back in the older days Easy Lake was still that easy to get to? Some land forms change so maybe this one changed as time went by. IMSRaynaD

RolandIms

What type of sediment are you collecting from the lake?

RolandIms

What type of sediment are you collecting from the lake?

Gabriel VerBerkmoes

Now, in such a climate as Greenland's, what was the rain like?

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSMarisaS,the researchers selected areas that they felt would provide us the best places to collect samples to analyze. Each camp is simply our individual tents and a kitchen tent. We relocated twice during the field season.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSRaynaD,the changes that I have seen are incredible. Easy Lake did not exist at some point.
Mrs. C

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSRoland,we won't actually know what type of sediment we have until they do the analysis. Definitely there is silt and fossilized organisms within.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear Gabriel,the rain was very much like we have in Ipswich in the fall or spring - very dreary, cool and lasted for over a day.

IMSConnorS

Your trip sounds more fun and more interesting each time I read your most recent journal entry. That stinks that it rained all day so you could not go out into the field and do work. Your trip is almost halfway over. Do you think it has been a success so far and if so in what way? I am also wondering what your team has planned for the second half of your trip? Will you be collecting more sediment cores or will you be doing different observations and experiments?

IMSNickF

How far have you traveled during the trip? Also how cold was the water in the glaciers ?

IMSConnorS

Your trip sounds more fun and more interesting each time I read your most recent journal entry. That stinks that it rained all day so you could not go out into the field and do work. Your trip is almost halfway over. Do you think it has been a success so far and if so in what way? I am also wondering what your team has planned for the second half of your trip? Will you be collecting more sediment cores or will you be doing different observations and experiments?

IMSSophieH

Dear Mrs. Ciarametaro,Our Arctic Adventure sounds really fun! That's good that the rain finally stopped. If it so cold in the Arctic how is the water in Easy Lake not frozen? Does the sun keep it from freezing? Is that a result of global warming?

IMSAlyssaM

Hi Mrs. Ciarametaro! Where do you get your food and water? Is the glacier water drinkable? With the bad weather have you had any problems or obstacles with moving on, on your trip?

IMSNicoleS

As you are studying global warming, I was wondering how does taking sediment cores help you understand why or if global warming is happening? Thanks and hope you are having fun on your trip!

IMSMackenzieG

Hello Mrs. Ciarametaro! I was intrigued by all of the photos and stories you have been posting! Your descriptions of your day to day activities makes me feel as though I am there with you! Anyway, I am extremely curious as to what your food intake has been like? Are you living off the land or are you eating food that you have packed? If you are living off the land, what exactly are you eating? I hope you are warm and dry! Stay safe!

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSNickF,each day is different as far as hiking. I believe our longest hike so far has been 8 miles. However, today we hiked a difference of 1000 feet in 1 mile. Take 1 mile vertically and have the elevation change 1000 feet in the distance. That is an example of some of the hiking that we are doing. We actually carry GPS units with us and then plot our hikes on Google Earth maps at night. The water is the coldest, crispest water that I have ever tasted. Next time I will throw a thermometer in to take a reading.
Mrs. C

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSConnorS,keep following the blog! I will be posting images from Lil'Nug camp 2 in the following days. Wait to you see the scenery. There are not words in the dictionary to describe where I am camping. We have had a very successful trip thus far, with a few bumps along the way. One thing you will learn doing field work, is that no matter how much you plan ahead of time, you will eventually have to rely on a Plan B, C, D, etc. We are still collecting vegetation/rock samples and sediment cores - just from a different location. There have been times when my trip has flown by and other times, when the days have lingered. I am trying to take it all in so that I might be able to share with IMS.
Thanks for staying in touch…
Mrs. C
On

IMSLauraL

What does the average Base Camp look like? Are they all about the same?

IMSLexieS

Where do you get your food and water? Have you brought some along or do you have to find it as you go?

ImsSammiS

Why were you taking a sediment core from Easy Lake?

IMSAnnaD

Your trip seems to get better every time I read your journal. When you leave each Base Camp do you pack up your tents and bring them with you or do they supply tents at every Base Camp?? Enjoy the rest of your trip! Im excited to hear all about when you get back!

Tina Ciarametaro

We are trying to date the events that occurred around "Easy Lake." Different sediments and macro-organisms will get deposited in a lake similar to papers being tossed in a locker in school. The older layer is found on the bottom and the most recent is found on the top.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSAnnaD,Base camp is literally a flat area that we spot from the helicopter where we feel would be a good location to set up the tents. We also select base camps on how accessible are the glaciers so that we can hike up to them to collect samples of vegetation and rocks. Our base camp is made up of 4 personal tents and one larger kitchen tent.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSLexieS,we shipped all of our food except for a bit of fruit and bread that we bought in the community before we left for the field work. All of our water comes directly from the glaciers. There is no need to melt the water; the glaciers are melting so fast you can hold your water bottle at the base of one. We do not filter our water because it is so pure.

IMSJustinF

Did you feel safe when you were walking on the ice? Did you ever feel like the ice was going to collapse beneath you?

IMSAnnaD

The base camp seems way better than I thought! What kind of food do you eat? Do you every cook in the kitchen?

IMSMadelineW

Hi Mrs. Ciarametaro! Your trip sounds like so much fun! The pictures have been beautiful. I bet that actually being there is breathtaking. I was wondering if, because you are so far north, the days are longer or shorter than we are used to in Ipswich. I know at the North Pole the daylight times can be very different so I was wondering if it is like this in Greenland, too. I hope your researching and testing goes well at I hope you have fun!!

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSJustinF,there was definitely a sense of caution when walking on the ice. There are so many forms of different ice up here; I took my lead from the lead researcher. What was more nerve-wracking was walking on snow on top of the glacier - because the snow covers the cracks that might be in the ice. We would have to listen for running water. There were a few cracks that I hopped over that I was thankful that I had landed on the other side.

IMSAlyssaM

Hi Mrs. Ciarametaro!How has the weather been so far, on your trip? How far do you travel each day?

Tina Ciarametaro

IMSLauraL,base camp is made up of our personal tents and one shared, larger tent. We do not move into a pre-established base camp. We are dropped off at a location that the researcher feels is best suited and then we set up our tents.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSNicoleS,sediment cores allow us to compare past events to determine if the rate of melting and deposition from the glaciers is comparable with what has happened in earth's past history.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSAlyssaM,We brought our food with us and we get all of our water from the melting glaciers. We do not bother to filter the water - it is absolutely the best tasting water I have ever had. The bad weather caused us to be delayed in moving our camp and then we had very bad weather blow in while we were up on a glacier. Last night, we had gale force winds all night. Pretty impressive in a one person tent.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSSophieH,It actually is like our fall here. The lakes are very cold at the bottom - I did not going swimming to find out. When you bring up a sediment core from the bottom, the core captures a bit of the bottom of the water in the tube. When we release the tube, the lake bottom water comes gushing out. What has been so mind blowing to me is that the lake we are currently camping on is from a melting glacier. It is over 200 feet deep in the middle. I will be posting pictures of this lake in the next couple of days. What is so upsetting, is that this beautiful, fresh water is no longer in ice form - there is no way to return it back to its 'storage' form unless the Earth cooled significantly. Walking across the glaciers, I continually have to hop over little streams, rivers and moulins that are all fresh water leaving leaving the glacier. One would think that it would be so very quiet where I am camping, however, the sound of running water at times is deafening. Change is happening so quickly.

Tina Ciarametaro

We have oatmeal with dried fruit, nuts and brown sugar in the morning. If it is raining, we will make pancakes. We have lunch on the go which consists of cheese, crackers, snack bars, trail mix and a bit of chocolate. For dinner we have something w/cheese, rice, spices or grilled cheese and soup. We usually have a chocolate bar in the evening to share and a few nights we have had popcorn.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSMadelineW, you are correct about the longer daylight hours. I have been noting that the sun is setting around 9:45pm, however, most evenings it never gets dark. We set up base camp 2 the other night and at 11 pm I could see all of my surroundings.

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSAlyssaM,read journal entry from August 12 and 14th to learn about our weather. There is a detailed description. The blogs should be posted later today.

IMSJessicaH

Has there been any data you've collected so far that has shocked you or you've been surprised by? I can't wait to read more as you continue on your fantastic journey! Also, what has been your funniest moment?

Tina Ciarametaro

Dear IMSJessicaH,The analyzing of data will take place back at the universities involved in this research project. I most likely won't learn of the results for at least a year. We have had some very exciting locations where we have found many samples - that is awesome. There have been many funny moments - we are quite a team of misfits!

Dave Fabrizio

Tina,Were you able to view the Super Moon on August 10th?

Tina Ciarametaro

Dave,unfortunately, the weather that night was pretty foggy and we were not able to view the moon. However, we set up Base Camp 2 under the moon light the following night.