Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 07/22/2007 - 18:23
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Greenland Seabird Ecology

Hi Mary Anne and company

I was really delighted to see your photos, especially the day-old chick. It looks like the weather is at least good enough to allow you to get out and work with the auks. How many hours is it daylight? Also what is the average daytime temperature? Even though you are bundled up you look realitvely comfortable. Another question: who lives in the town/village of  Ittoqqortoormiit and what is the source of their living? As you can probably tell i'm as intersted in the cultural aspect of your expedition as the scientific. 

As for news from home: The world must not be falling apart any faster than usual as the big weekend news shows mostly focused on the release of the last Harry Potter book and whether or not Barry Bonds would hit the big homerun (I don't think he has yet). It's hot in the Napa Valley and flooding in central England and Texas. I just returned from five days backpacking in Granite Chief wilderness with a friend, her dog, beautiful wildflowers and an ample supply of chocolate. Life doesn't get much betteer except probably in Greenland! Love, Nancy Felling
Thu, 08/02/2007 - 11:21

Mary Anne Pell…

Hi there, So glad to know you are out in the wild, with friends and chocolate. Always the best.
Most of the chicks have now hatched, and chick measurements, every other day, are beginning. It will be delightful to see, to hold and watch their growth. There are 24 hours of daylight, it does not even appear to simulate dusk. If I crawl into my bag and doze, when my head peeks from the cocoon of warmth it could as easily be 2 pm as 2 am, or 5 pm as 5 am. One would have to know the position of the sun to be able to judge by solar conditions.
I have not seen the village yet, but we are beginning to plan for the 5 high school students and their Danish teacher to arrive. August second is the planned arrival, subject to ice melt in the bay on the edge of Ittoqqortoormiit and near here. A few experiments are being developed and revised so that we can capture and hold the students interest. When they exit Kap Hoegh, I will return with them by boat and spend two full days in the village. It is hoped that I will be able to interview one or two of the hunters, along with Nanu travel personnel as part of my work there.
Greenland has a home rule government with their own prime minister. They are also under Danish sovereignty. As such, all citizens receive some Danish subsidy for living expenses. There is a high unemployment rate in Ittoqqortoormiit, but there is some industry. Seal, narwhal, and polar bear skins are sold to Western Greenland; there is a store, bank, and school. Nanu travel specializes in ecotourism, and has been a big help to Ann’s field work out here. This cabin is rented from the hunters, Abe (our watchdog) is a rental and the travel agency coordinated the logistics for my travel and village accommodations.
Apparently at the school, once a week the library is opened up for the village to use the computers’ internet services. This is one link to the larger news network. There is also a museum in town with some information on the political history of this little village that was transplanted here in the 1920’s as part of a need for another country to establish a physical presence in eastern Greenland. It will be fascinating to find out more about this historical incidence. Glad to know the U.S. suffered no further upheaval with Cheney as commander-in-chief for a short time.
Lots of love, Mary Anne