Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 07/24/2009 - 18:54
Forums
High Arctic Change 09

Hi Mike-

What a great expedition. I am soaking up your journals-- especially the video of everyone swimming. Now that you are in one place for a while, how is the weather? How many people live on the island? Are they mostly involved with science?

Swatting mosquitoes in Maryland-

Deanna

Sat, 07/25/2009 - 07:20

Mike Rhinard

Hey Deanna!  Thanks for checking in.
1st, I want you to know there are NO MOSQUITOS here!  Sorry, had to rub it in.  I didn't even think about not soaking in bug spray this summer while up here. But if things keep going like they are, those pesky mosquitos will be here within the next 10-20 years, I would imagine.
It is hard to imagine. looking at how huge and thick these glaciers are here, how they could be melting as fast as they are.  I'm going to try to put together some aerial photos and photos from the airplane, etc. for future journals and the Live from IPY event that show how far the glaciers here have receded in just the last few years.  Then show some pics from the glacier front.  They are taller than the tallest buildings in Idaho, and stretch several  kilometers across the front.  I wouldn't even know how to compare how much ice  that is that is melting and breaking off.
Glad you liked the video.  That was our survival suit training.  Of course mine leaked and I looked like I wet myself after we took them off.  Oh well.  It was such a nice day here yesterday, about 50+*F, that after we quit for the day, we jumped in for a swim - in our survival suits.  Those things are so buoyant.  They roll you over on your back.  So we were just floating on our backs. It felt like laying on a water bed.  It was fun.
I like the videos too, but they are time consuming to make them.  I really hope we can capture the ice bergs calving off of the glacier front some day while we are out.  We've seen it happen, but the Flip cam doesn't do it justice.  I've got a Sony video cam.  We'll be very lucky to have it out and ready when calving occurs.  But it's incredible.  Chunks of ice the size of buildings crashing into the sea.  It sounds like thunder. Small ones sound like gun shots.  So a still picture just won't convey the experience.  Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe we'll get some footage.
We are working out of the small village of Ny Alesund. There are only about 30-35 people here year round.  In the summer there are scientists coming and going.  So the population varies but gets up to 100-125 or so I think.  Check out my journal about Ny Alesund and some of the links.  There are people here from all over the globe, doing all kinds of science research.  It's an impressive thing to be part of.
Thanks for following.  More pics and info coming soon.
 Mike