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Oceanographic Conditions of Bowhead Whale Habitat

HI Lisa,

I had sent you a personal email as such: Hi Lisa,

Just trying to put some pieces of things together.

I am really enjoying the course and so nice to connect with you.. again. I recall that we did meet in May of 2012 in Barrow and I understand from your webinar that you did go out in September of 2012, but I cannot find those journals... am I missing something?

But then I do see your journals posted from this past fall 2013? Did you go back out with Steve? I also heard you mention visiting Christina- I bet that was so very much fun!

Anyway- just trying to put the pieces of your expeditions together.

Thanks Lisa, Elizabeth

But now after browsing through your journals, I think I understand that you were adding journals written by one of your PI's while you were not on the ship. This is a great idea for many reasons.. I love it. It is great that Dr. Carin Ashjian is so willing to write and share.

I also wanted to let you know that I did in fact find the rest of your journals- it was just that they were not all showing on that first page. ALL CLEAR IN MY BRAIN- no need to respond.

I am wondering two things.

  1. Do you have your own personal YouTube site where I can find the majority of your personal videos? I do know that you posted them on the PolarTREC site, but rather than sift through them- I was wondering if you post them in two places.

  2. I see in one of Dr. Ashilian's journals that Dr. Okkenen was cooking salmon that he caught. Knowing what little I know about Salmon, I am assuming he caught it from someplace near his home and not on the expedition... which brings me to my real question: While on board did you hunt or fish for anything and have the opportunity to eat it? Has anyone ever taken a big bunch of Krill and cooked them up to just try them? (if you stated this in your journals and I missed it, my apologies- I did read many of them, but did not find this information)

Thanks Lisa-

Sun, 10/27/2013 - 13:47

Lisa Seff

Hi Elizabeth! So nice to connect again! Yes, I went up to Anchorage around the 18th of August 2012, then to Prudhoe Bay where I helped deliver the R/V to Barrow. We worked in Barrow until about the 12th, then flew to Point Hope and stayed with Cristina for 4 nights. Dr. Ashjian joined me the last 2 days and stayed with some other educators. Such a great experience all around. I remember responding to a few of your students "Ask the Team" questions which was terrific. As you mentioned, I did not go this past summer, but thought it would be pretty neat for my kids to follow the teams journals for another year. I was very fortunate that Dr. Ashjian was willing to share her journals. The food on our trip, we did not catch anything ourselves to eat. The weather was actually pretty bad when we were up there, which limited our trip out. As far as the krill go...interesting idea-I'm going to guess they would taste pretty fishy! We'd have to conduct a separate tow net to actually try and get some to eat, so it wouldn't interrupt the research tows....but the works so exhausting that I think the vote would be to eat a steak instead! The salmon the team was eating this past season was one that Steve caught closer to his home and brought with him to Barrow. Looked pretty good didn't it! The cook out picture during the webinar was from our 2012 Labor Day dinner. Some kids at the college had used the barbecue earlier in the day and were happy to lend us the rest of the coals.
On your video question, I don't have my videos posted on my own youtube site but we are actually in the middle of updating them for PolarTREC, so once that's completed I can send you a list of the links, no problem.
So good to hear from you and I hope your school year continues to go well. Always feel free to contact me here or at my e-mail anytime. And if you get to NY we have plenty of room so just let me know.-take care
Lisa

Sun, 10/27/2013 - 18:52

Elizabeth Eubanks

Thank you Lisa and ditto - if you are ever in South Florida :) Sounds like an amazing trip with lots of diversity!
EE