Off season excitement, zombies, and lunacy

Just a short post of a couple of Youtube videos that took place at the old building up here. This time of year it is unlikely that a polar bear will happen by - although our two researchers Pete and Steve who snowmobiled south about 150 km did come across two the other day - but, hey, you never know. But the staff does let us roam by ourselves and even at night without protection. But it is spooky. Especially when I was out one night taking pictures and Lesya, another volunteer, said, "Hey, there's something moving out there." Turned out to be Andrew our other volunteer.

Lesya and Andrew

Anyways, these videos took place at the entrance to the old facility...

Stan's video 1

Stan's video 2

And, in what should have been a MST3K movie for sure, check out "Ice Man" if you can find it. It's a 1984 film about the discovery of a frozen Neanderthal that comes back to life and is filmed mostly at the CNSC using the rocket range buildings. I do have a copy of it I'll be bringing back but you probably have better things to do - although you MST3Kers would love it.

Tonight we will be invaded with 40 cub scouts for the night!

Also should mention that we went to the Polar Cinema in town last Saturday to see "Warm Bodies", a zombie love story that was pretty hilarious. Recommended.

Hoping for lights tonight as it has been a bit cloudy last couple of nights. Although we had an excellent orange (some say red) near-full moon rise last night... I think Linda has a better pic which I'll substitute below some time. Most of the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, too.

Moonrise and reflection off frozen pond

Moon a little higher and frozen reflection

Churchill Hilton.....NOT!

Somehow I have to play catchup with all that is going on. So, in no particular order, I will start to do that. I should mention, however, that Linda is doing a very nice job on her blog keeping it up to date and with much more pertinent information than in mine so check her's out at auroraoverchurchill.tumblr.com (We aren't quite sure how to subscribe to hers, though. It might be through the RSS link on the menu. Let us know if you are successful and how you did it! Thanks).

So, we spent the night at the Churchill Hilton Quinzhee. This brand new facility had it's grand opening just last week. I can honestly say I have never stayed in any place quite like it.

Note the warm glow of the fireplace emanating from the front door.

There is ample security from intruders once the doors are in place for the night but we were advised that in case we needed to vacate quickly a barred door would be open all night. Living space was quite ample as long as you didn't need to stand up or stretch too much. And the indoor toilet is a feature found in only the most posh Churchill establishments.

Bellhop service was available to bring your gear into the hotel.

Unfortunately, internet and TV service had not been implemented although the air-conditioning appeared to be working quite well.








All in all, the Hotel Quinzhee was an unforgettable stay. Oh, and here is a picture of the ultimate in bathroom amenities when the option is to put on boots, snowpants, jackets, and mittens...

A day at the beach, night in an igloo

I will finish this later as the lights are coming out - you probably won't get a second notice so you'll just have to check back in a day or so. - Brian

Seems like there is just no time to write - between washing dishes, gettng in and out of cold weather clothes, loosing sleep to the Northern Lights, napping, sleeping, and all those little things that are time sinks...so, sorry if I haven't been posting too much. This will try to be a catch up post although I'll probably forget a lot that maybe I'll post later.

Northern lights - yup, they've been out almost every night although we have had a few cloudy (ah, sweet sleep) nights. But enough nights that the groups coming up are happy with what they've seen. The last group, in fact, was basically camera-less (you can't count iPhones - they just won't do it). The lights are very ephemeral and often by the time I've got my cold weather gear on or at least most of it (hard to run a camera with mittens so I usually just have my glove liners on and pay the price) they have changed shape, intensity, subtle color, and motion. But then if you wait a bit, they're ready for an encore. If you haven't frozen by then.

Last night was basically windless although the slightest breeze is definitely felt. The Road Scholars stood in wonder just gazing while I snapped off about 65 fair pics. With the 6 to 8 second exposure I am using it is possible to get pics with identifiable people posing in front of the lights - if the hold still and are willing to put their backs to the lights: I'm still perfecting this technique.

Road Scholars watching

Stars are in focus so blurriness in NL due to its movement

That's me with the devil eyes

Next subject is EarthWatch. This particular group, with members (ranging in age from 21 to 65) from New Orleans, Holland, India, Belgium, Japan, Turkey, Russia, Canada, USA(two from New Orleans), Scotland, United Kingdom, and Germany, is investigating climate change effects on snow packs and tree recruitment. Much of this research has been going on, at established stations, for over 12 years by new EarthWatch teams each year under the guidance of Peter, Steve, and Luanne. The tree recruitment is especially interesting as Churchill is just above the tree line so changes can be documented. The snowpack data gathering can be quite labor intensive especially when the pits or cores get to be 1 meter or more - and then there is all the determination of layers, temperatures, water content, etc. Washing dishes in a warm building seems like a preferred alternative. They go out usually twice a day being hauled in komatiks (see pic below) by snowmobile. If the windchill isn't high enough, being pulled in a snowmobile makes up for it! I am hoping to survive my upcoming ride in one.

Komatik sleds used to transport gear and people, These are used

 by EarthWatch

EarthWatch getting ready to head out - twice a day in any weather which means darn cold

One of the old rocket launchers. CNSC wants this one preserved and I agree.

RustyBear geocache easily found attached to back of sign.

Entrance to quinzhee with snow block door

Paul cutting blocks of snow

Trimming the blocks to size with machete

Igloo bricklayers

Tim exiting quinzhee

The quinzhee stove was red hot

 

Irene showing off her bangcicles

Brian auditioning for Laugh In

Considering how much we have spent at the liquor store, I should be the poster child for Operation Red Nose - the program to not drive home drunk.

Green Valentine Day

Well, red is still the color of Valentine's day, of course, but it is the green (and hopefully reds) that are consuming us. It's about 9 PM, temp is -13 with windchill -33 with clear skies so we are hoping for a show although the space weather - yes, we follow it at SpaceWeather - doesn't show a big show so far but it does change quickly (check the top graph and what we are hoping for is a large separation between the red and white lines to put it simply). We were told tonight that what we saw last night was about a 5 out of 10 so I guess we have a few more weeks to see some really spectacular sights.

Guess what they have in the grocery store in Churchill and what Linda got me for VD day?

I don't know whether to eat them here or try to smuggle them through US Customs.

Linda is off to see if there are any lights although Starman can be depended to sound the alarm. She's also checking the lounge to see if the TV is free for us to watch Love Actually.

Tomorrow we work our shift together and it doesn't start until 1:30 - we can sleep in!

And I need to check with Tall Dave to make sure I am included on any trips to town or to at least get in my order for the package store or whatever quaint term they have for it here.

Here's a little known factoid: Churchill Northern Studies Centre is rated as one of the top places to fend off a zombie invasion. Mull that one over. Maybe it's because polar bears like zombie meat? Who knows?

Hoping for the lights but wouldn't mind a good night's sleep...

Damn cold but finally got some good pics

Firstly, the first group left on Tuesday, a great bunch of people but was quickly followed by the Earth Watch group that came in late Tuesday and Wednesday. A most eclectic group, Russian, Turk, Japanese, Indian, New Orleanians, British, Canadian and USA - I think I covered them all. Many are here through their company which in 4 cases is Shell Oil. I'll have to get more bios. I sat in on the first meeting where the leader went over the general areas of interest: for approximately 12 years Earth Watch has been monitoring established monitoring stations for snowpack information and also other areas to determine tree growth and recruitment (are the tree lines expanding northward). The snowpack methodology involves digging snow pits and measuring such variables as temperature gradients, crystal structure, water content, etc. They'll be going out every morning and afternoon for about 9 days in rather cold and windy weather: you should think twice before signing up for this one! But everyone seemed pretty positive when they got back today after their afternoon of training. There are 15 of them plus two leaders, btw.

Thursday another group of about 24 shows up for the northern lights and they'll be here until Tuesday. More names to learn, for sure, but they all have interesting stories.

So, tonight as we were almost finished cleaning up after dinner, Roger "Starman" came rushing in to say the show was on. Linda was on to it immediately bringing down the camera and tripod. Wearing only sneakers and a tee shirt, I threw on my jacket and bomber hat and glove liners to go outside into the approximate -9F with -33F windchill. No face protection. You do not want to be facing the wind for long! So I focused on the moon, took a few pics, then refocused on Jupiter which gave me sharper pics. You need to occasionally refocus your infinity point as your camera does the old shrinkage trick which all us guys hate. Most of the pics have a building or antenna in them for visualization although Linda prefers not to have them in it. So I'll be taking a variety of pics, of course. After a number of pics (f1.8, ISO 400, exposure time 8 seconds) I was freezing, especially my hands which only had liners and my face whenever I faced into the wind - quickly learned to press the shutter and turn away from the wind. But it appeared I was getting much better pics than the last two times. See for yourself. And I'm sure there will be more and better to come.

Next I have to go out into the tree line to get pics with trees in the foreground which should be quite lovely.

I'll have to start talking about life as a volunteer soon. Much easier being a volunteer at DEP, believe me!

And I'll leave you with a picture of Alex and Vince, two of the young guys from the first group who were quite helpful and fun.They went out three times to take pics! Crazy boys!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone (tomorrow).

Tired volunteer going to bed - after I check out more NLs as I just got a knock on the door from Starman.

Learning to film the Northern Lights

Thursday night there was a display early in the evening about 9 but it really didn't compare to what we saw the previous night, our epic fail night trying to take a picture. Thursday saw the arrival of the first group of Learning Adventurers, a total of 21. Lots of excitement as people streamed for the observatory, the outside deck, and the parking lot (yes, we can go outside but still prefer a supervisor although there are no guns) but the display just wasn't that great. So, I went to bed. About 1 AM the vocal alarm was shouted down the hallway as Linda passed the word to Starman that it was happening. She said for a short time, mostly before everyone got out, it was even better than the night before. But someone did get a good pic that evening - I'm still trying to find out at what time. So, here are the pics you've all been waiting for - and there should be more and better to come over the next few weeks - although not taken by us. Although this display was not particularly strong, the camera does enhance the color versus the eye. But the lights are still amazing by eye alone.

Picture by Alex - foreground is rocket launch and this is the view from our room window

Picture by Alex

Unfortunately, especially for the group who leaves Tuesday, we are having another cloudy night.

I'll have more to say as I get adjusted to the rigors of being a volunteer. Now I sleep. Or maybe not as Linda just came in (10:15 PM) to say that the clouds might be lifting and the show might be going on; people are beginning to suit up. It's -7F, feels like -27 according to the weather site.

Good luck to all of you who are shoveling out!

Snuggling by the Northern Lights

This is just a short post to see if folks who are subscribed are seeing the new posts. But, nevertheless, here are a few items. Early this morning, about 0030, I awoke as the train slowed down and looking out my open sleeping berth window (the shade was up, if the window had been open you would have been reading my obituary) there were the Northern Lights (from herein on referred to as NLs). Not too intense and only green (nitrogen excitation) but there they were. I woke Linda up in the across aisle berth and she snuck over to watch for awhile until her sleeping pill dragged (drugged?) her back to her berth. They only lasted about an hour and I watched the whole time. Hoping for bigger and better during our stay, of course. So, we are in Churchill, it is incredibly cold and I got scolded by the station master for not having my jacket zipped up! Much more later as am pretty tired after a day of traveling and cleaning the cafeteria, etc. And, if you are one of the subscribers currently, let me know if you get a notification. Once I figure out how notifications work, I would encourage any of you interested in following the blog to subscribe and I will provide details.

Greyhound dogsled to Thompson

Greyhounds!

Mush, you huskies! We've hitched up the sled and are on our way for a 9 hour trip to Thompson where we'll stay at the Frozen Balls B&B. And watch the Pats win or lose another one!

Off to see the lights

February 2, 2012 - Massachusetts to Winnipeg, Manitoba

Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather so we make our connecting flight in Chicago to Winnipeg. And that we continue to have good weather for the next day on the 9 hour bus ride to Thompson, Manitoba, where we will be staying at a B&B and, hopefully, watching the Patriots in the Superbowl. Sorry to anyone who I forgot to tell that the party at our house is off this year - or is it as way too many people said it could be held without us being there: just hope Bob and Barbara clean up before we get back LOL.

We're going to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Manitoba.

Here's a link to the Centre. Just zoom out to see the town about 23 Km to the west. And nothing else!

Forecast | Maps | Radar

Curtis Comfort Inn

We begin the most hazardous part of our journey as we drive Rt 84 near Hartford seeking a safe overnight haven, free parking, a jar of mayonnaise, and complimentary airport shuttle from the Curtis House and Parking Service.

With a good night's sleep and the fabled famous crepes breakfast served at the inn, we will be off to Winnipeg mid-morning on Saturday. Weather looks good, temperatures in Winnipeg are normal (if you consider -10F normal), and we look forward to a restful night near the airport with maybe a trip into downtown.

Our host dresses for dinner...a little out of the ordinary.

And stayed tuned for the Grand Experiment - can you put a plastic jar of Fluff in your checked luggage? They don't seem to have Fluff up there so despite so trepidation, I've got two jars in gallon ziplocs in my luggage. Might be spending my first day washing everything. Or talking to security.

Wonder if I can enter this is the Google nationwide Science Fair?