Let me start this post by saying that I can’t believe how lucky I am to be here in this remote part of Earth – especially being part of an effort to better understand it. But in the interest of giving everyone an idea of what it’s like to live on a ship in the Arctic, here is a big observation. Sleep is a luxury! First, I’m sure you know that the Sun is up for a longer time during the summer than the winter. But this is taken to extremes when you’re near the north or south pole. We’re in the middle of summer here in the Arctic, so it is daylight ALL the time – which can make it hard to sleep. Second, we are on a ship, crunching, cracking, and scraping our way through sea ice (which is SO COOL). But imagine trying to sleep and having your bedroom window/porthole and a ship’s hull be the only things between you and the noise of this piece of ice breaking apart. (In the photo you can see the railing on the ship’s deck for scale.) Another funny thing – imagine being in your bedroom and having a voice speaking in another language suddenly come on over a speaker. You can’t understand it (at least I can’t), but you just go about your own business as if it’s none of yours (you hope it’s none of your business anyway). Add all of that to the INCREDIBLE array of scientific operations and summer school activities onboard to watch, participate in, and learn about (not to mention all of the stories that I am so excited to write to all of you), and you have a recipe for lots of waking hours!
