Activities

Just to begin my post, my neighbour Jim Furlong asked some questions that I can answer here (as if I replied in the comments, most people likely wouldn't see them). All the electricity for the Station is from diesel generators. Obviously, there are failsafes, because a loss of power this far North in the cold would be life threatening. I believe that there are always two generators running, while there are backups as well for all the individual buildings that are tested regularly. The heat from the generators is also used to heat the water, so overall it's a pretty efficient system. There really isn't that much wildlife up here, as there is no vegetation, and it's damn cold, so while the foxes, hares and wolves are technically native, the SIZE of the wolf pack is inflated due to the availability of food here. It's likely that if they continue to grow in size that they'll have to be "relocated" (to be politically correct...if they ever bit someone, they'd be "relocated" pretty quickly). Days are getting longer up here too....there is a faint glow on the horizon now for a few hours around noon, and it's definitely getting stronger.

For this post I was thinking of talking about the activities that are done up here. Every night of the week has something scheduled going on, and there's lots of pick-up stuff that happens as well. The schedule is:

Monday: Euchre
Tuesday: Darts
Wednesday: Pool
Thursday: Bowling (picture below)
Friday: TGIF (i.e. Drinking)
Saturday: Trivia/Poker (i.e. Little less drinking)
Sunday: Bingo

So far I've done everything but Poker and Pool, but I've played enough pool now that I'm getting back into the swing of things and I'll likely give it a go this Wednesday. All these activities have prizes available, and so far I've won $25 at bowling (high game: 173), $21.50 at Bingo (haven't won the $50 grand prize yet), $10 at euchre (we were tied for the lead, and had to do a play-off, where we got some nasty cards) and a LOT of free drinks from trivia.

As well, lots of the time people will talk throughout the day about doing something, and a note will go up on the whiteboard that Badminton or Floor Hockey will happen at 1830, so that's always a fun time. Hadn't played floor hockey forever, and after about 5 minutes I was feeling my lack of fitness :) Had a great time though, and will be adding it to my rotation of things to do. (Picture of the main gym right)

Sundays are usually sports tournaments, where there is no real cash prize, but teams can be self-chosen and they're more competitive. Two weekends ago was doubles Badminton, which I WON!! with my partner Josh...who coincidentally is one of the best players on station :P Last weekend was blind volleyball (sheet over the net, not over your eyes as I originally thought....and wondered about) which was fun too.

In honour of the Super Bowl tomorrow, the activity is going to be flag football.....outside!! We'll likely only play for 15 minutes before we start to freeze, but should be a fun time. As well, Mike and I just discovered a mat, clubs and balls in the gym, so we're going to head over to test out our golf games later this week. I'm just starting to get that mid-winter itch again :)

If anyone has any questions about what goes on up here, please leave a comment, and I'd gladly answer it in my next post. Picture suggestions are welcome too.

Miss you all,
Graham

Wildlife and cuisine...thankfully not together

First off, sorry for the lapse in my semi-formal posting schedule. New boss came in to relieve my other boss (going for a month leave) and while I'm still doing the same things, adjustments always have to be made. I'll do my best to get the posts up sometime on the weekend from now on (to let Mom know I'm still alive..........I'm still alive Mom).

On that note, I also didn't have time to snap any real pics for this post, so I'll put in the one below. We took a few people on a jaunt down to the lab a few days ago (same day that I took the picture of the "sun"). Environment Canada (me) is exempted from many of the travel rules at the base, as we need to go so far to the lab several times a week. That means it's easier for people to come with us then schedule a rec trip for a short excursion. Anyways, on that trip we also swung by the dump, and I saw the wolves for the first time while in possession of my camera. It was cold, so my breath ruined a lot of pictures, and I promise to get more/better ones (wolves are all over, it's just a matter of time) before I come home. This guy typifies the pack though. Mangy, scrawny and, perhaps surprisingly, very laid back. If they're lounging on the route you need to walk, you just walk right through. Sometimes they'll back off, sometimes they'll just watch you go on by. I've been within 10 feet of about a dozen wolves, and really didn't feel threatened....exhilarated maybe :)

No picture for this guy, but coming out of the gym (detached from the main building) the other night I FINALLY saw some other winter wildlife. An Arctic hare bounded in front of me. Let me tell you, this was not your "Peter Rabbit"-esque bunny. If Mr. McGregor saw THIS thing in his vegetable patch, he would have slowly backed away, locked himself in his shed, and waited for it to move on of its own accord. This rabbit was 30lbs, pure white, and high-tailing it between buildings. With the dozen-plus strong wolf pack on Station, only the hardy bunnies survive.

Finally, I've been trying to glimpse pretty much the only other wildlife up here in the winter darkness: the fox. I KNOW that he's around the lab, because there are tracks everywhere. If I go out to do a met check (don't worry, I'll talk about the details of my job in later weeks), and then come out 15 minutes later to flask, there'll be little paw prints following my boot prints 10" away for my entire trip. Even when we drive back to the Station, there are tracks following our tire-tracks in, almost all the way back. I think that he knows where the wolves' territory starts though, because the tracks always die off well away from Station. I really want to meet him...I'm told that he's smaller then the hare :)

Wow....I was also going to talk about food in this post, but I guess I'll save that for another day. I'll quickly note that it was -18°C the other day. Felt balmy :)

Hope you're all doing well down South, miss you all,
Graham

It's coming back!

Trust me, this picture shows the sun. It's 'slowly' starting to come back. You can actually see the outlines of the hills in the distance. (Light to the right is our lab)