Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 07/18/2008 - 05:44
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Nuvuk Archaeology Studies

Hi Mr. Kelley

I've been looking at your journal and the pictures.  What vehicle do you use the most to get around?  Do other teams working on the tundra use snow machines?  

If it's still light at 11 pm?  When does the sun actually set?  Is it hard to go to sleep when it is so light?

Timmy Spaulding 

Fri, 07/18/2008 - 07:25

Frank Kelley

Hi Timmy, (and Cassie, and Mom, and Dad)
Thanks for keeping up with my journal. I hope you have enjoyed it. I've had fun writing it.
We get around usually in one of three ways. Walking and a big, old, black Ford(?) super cab pick-up are the two most common ways here in town. When we go out to the Point, we use the Honda four wheelers. The kids use their four wheelers quite a bit, in town, out on the beach, and on the tundra. Some of them go out hunting on the water, and they use motor boats for that.
One of the things about driving up here is that there is really not too far you can go on roads. Probably less than 6 miles of road in a straight line. Out on the tundra, people are mostly using four wheelers on established trails. I haven't been able to get out on the tundra yet, I am assuming you could go for many, many miles out there. One problem though is that you have to make sure you have everything you need to get out and back. The kids are pretty handy, if the four wheeler breaks, they need to fix it. I don't think there is a place like Benny's or Spaulding's right up the road.
Most of the science folks use a truck to get part of the way before switching over to their feet and hiking. Some of the teams have four wheelers assigned to them, it depends on what you are doing. I drove the four wheeler back from the Point yesterday over the gravelly sand, a bumpy ride, but it is definitely more fun driving than it is being a passenger.
Sleep is an easy thing these days. Lots of fresh air, hard work, and decent food makes falling to sleep happen quickly. Having the windows in the sleeping rooms covered with aluminum foil helps too, it's just as dark as back in VT.
The sun keeps dipping down closer to the horizon each day. In a few weeks the sun will actually drop below the horizon. The first time the entire sun sets (sets means to drop completely below the horizon) is August 10th, it will set for a pretty short amount of time before rising up again.
All in all, it's a pretty interesting place to be. Hope you keep reading the journal and asking questions. How are the turkeys and chickens doing?
Thanks for writing!! Have fun,
Frank (aka Mr. Kelley)
Nuvuk Archaeology Project