Aurora Over Churchill- Our Grand Finale at CNSC

Last night was our final night at the study centre. We were hoping for one last aurora, but the space weather forecast was not at all promising. However, the skies were crystal clear, and the stars were gorgeous. Out our bedroom window, Orion looked like a piece of art framed by our window. 

 There was a hint of aurora around 9:30, and by 11:00 it was looking quite nice, with 6 curtains spanning the sky from east to west as you looked north. We were delighted by our luck, but eventually headed to bed around 12:30. Before falling asleep, Brian noticed a very bright aurora out our south facing window. I dressed and went up to the dome, where the heavens were providing a spectacular show of racing lights overhead. Mostly it was bright white and pink light moving very fast above me. This went on for about 2 minutes, and I went back for Brian. By the time we returned to see the lights, it was still beautiful but in a different way. Now the curtains were all over the lower part of the sky, with waves of light running not too far above the horizon. Of course it only looks that way. The aurora is all happening in the same layer of our atmosphere.

Enjoy the photos. We took turns with the camera and lenses. I particularly like the one Brian took that shows the Big Dipper. It was also a good night for the fisheye lens, as the aurora was all over the sky by the end of the night. Again, remember that the photos offer us a different experience from standing underneath them. With the camera's eye, you can see more of the colors in the aurora, but with our own eyes we can see them dance and swirl around the heavens.

A Day at the Lakes: Quinzhees, snowmobiles, snowshoes, and a campfire

 It was time for Polar Picnic II. Last year on our last day, the staff took us out to Twin Lakes for a campfire lunch. We have always called it,"The Polar Picnic". This year, we were invited to repeat the experience with  the North of 58 group. We love the folks in this small group. Some of them were in our aurora group last year. In fact, one of them had been reading Brian's blog, and decided that she needed to come back. And she did!

This time, we headed out in 3 komatiks. It was about a 12 kilometer ride out to Twin Lakes, and we travel across several tundra ponds. There are tundra ponds everywhere, but they are not very deep. Basically, they are drainage for the wet lands of the tundra, and so shallow that most freeze to the bottom. In open areas, the wind blows much of the snow from the surface, so you see the lake surfaces glistening in the sunlight.

Our first stop was to build a quinzhee. This group built an igloo a few days ago, and a quinzhee was the second structure on their curriculum for the week. Brian and I slept in one last year, but we never did get to see how it was constructed. Mike, our director, first selected a location with the right kind of snow. He also checked for obstacles like rocks or fallen logs. Then he invited everyone to come into the circle and stomp on the snowpack. There was a bit of a miracle as the snow turned into this sugary, crystalline snow. Then everyone shoveled and swept the snow into a giant pile. Indeed, it was like shoveling sugar. Mike told us that we needed to leave it for a few hours to harden up before we excavated a cave. I was very skeptical that this would happen.

The group stomps on the snow before starting

Now it is swept up into a giant pile

Here you can see our komatik, quinzhee, and the ball of mistletoe.

Off we went for a lesson in snow ecology and snow sampling. They study the snowpack up here as well as many other places, to determine how much water is going to be released when it all melts. That is a huge oversimplification, but perhaps enough for this blog. Brian and I had seen this demo before, so I went off to photograph the landscape. One of the things that tickled me was this white spruce nursery! These baby trees were so cute, especially when you take a look at their impressively large shadows! Another interesting site that you can see in the photo is a giant ball near the top of a spruce tree. This is actually mistletoe, a parasitic plant, but I didn't get to hear the rest of the information. It was huge!

Mike does snow sampling with help from his class.

We hopped back onto the komatiks to head down to our campfire, where we roasted smokies (hotdogs), sausages, bannock (a quick bread), and marshmallows. All was yummy.

Then it was time for snowshoes and for snowmobile rides. Everyone got to take the snowmobile out for a ride. We had a 14 year old guest from Florida, and he was quite excited. Actually, everyone enjoyed their ride- even Brian.

Rachelle roasts her smokie and her boot soles.

The last task was to complete the quinzhee. Lo and behold, it had really hardened! Mike pointed out that you should choose the entrance on a side that is not in line with the prevailing winds. Of course, the wind would blow snow and cold air inside, and on the opposite side, snow would form a big drift. So choose a side to the right or the left of the side with the prevailing wind! When excavating, we went right to the ground, as you get some heat from the earth. Everyone (but me) took a turn crawling in to do some excavating. At the end, everyone including me, took a turn crawling in and looking around. It was so quiet inside!

I believe these are Brian's feet hanging out!

Time to head home over our snow road, through boreal forests and across tundra ponds. It is hard to believe that we could have had such a long, fun packed day, at such a chilly temperature. Fortunately the sun was out and there was very little wind. There certainly was a ton of joy. Thanks CNSC, for inviting us!

The Wreck of the Ithaca- A Trip to the Sea Ice

Brian and I were fortunate to be invited to travel out to the sea ice with our North of 58 learning vacation. First of all, it was decided that we needed warmer clothing. Sorry LLBean, but not quite the level we needed for this trip and another all day outing that we would be making. We both were outfitted with Canada Goose jackets and these boots that could take us to the North Pole, I think. The best thing about the jackets is that they have a wonderful hood with real fur that repels moisture, and it extends way out in front of your face. There is a wire in the hood which allows you to shape it. Before you know it, you have your own little micro climate right inside your hood. This photo is from the next day, but you get the idea.

Here we are in our Canada Goose jackets.

 We traveled in two komatiks (sleds) pulled behind snowmobiles. Six of us in one sled and 4 in the other. It was about a 30 minute trip over some bumpy terrain, but absolutely worth the ride. Actually, the ride was an exciting adventure too, with every inch of our bodies covered up. 

This is one of the komatiks we took on our trip to the ice.

This photo shows both snowmobiles and komatiks.

Out on the ice, we came to the Ithaca, a 280 foot shipping vessel that now sits 12 miles east of Churchill out on tidal flats. It was built in 1922 in Quebec and had at least 6 names during its colorful history, which included some time in Mussolini's fleet. Its rudder broke in an 80 mile an hour gale on September14th of 1960. This is Brian's birthday, and he would have been turning 13. At that time, the Ithaca was carrying iron ore from Rankin Inlet to Montreal. I believe that they must have been aiming for the port in Churchill because of the storm, but ran aground. The tidal flats stretch for miles, so it would be easy to misjudge this in a storm. Judging from the condition of the vessel, it doesn't have too many years left as a tourist attraction. Some of us have Disney World and some of us have old wrecks.

That's me, with Brian's shadow.

Not too many more seasons for this ship!

This was one of my favorite shots. It looks like it is still sailing the seas

The Ithaca was really a bonus. I mostly wanted to see the sea ice. I had done a post quite a while back on the sea ice at the town landing. This had a much different feel to it, and we were much farther out. I had barely walked out 30 feet on my last visit to the sea ice. It was a gorgeous day, but brutally cold. I was surprised my little camera did so well, as the back viewfinder was all frosted up. Every time I took a glove off to take a photo, my fingers felt like they were instantly freezing. Leanne, one of the staff with us, insisted that I find my glove liners as she didn't want to see anymore bare hands. At one point I saw her standing a distance away. I approached to see if she wanted us, but she said that she was just keeping an eye on us. It was just like recess duty, but this time I was the kid!

Mike, our director, assured us that the ice was safe, and I know he is correct in this. The tide would be coming in underneath the ice, but we need not worry as it was very shallow. Well, I did not experience any of this, but some of the folks in closer to the shore (or maybe with less padding on their ears) heard all kinds of moans, cracks, etc as the tide water came in under the ice. One woman had a crack develop right under her foot, and she sank down to her thigh. She was a trooper, so I guess it happened to the right person! The photo below shows a crack that I had found at the back of the Ithaca.

This is a crack in the ice, directly behind the Ithaca

Here sits Brian, having a frustrating moment with frosted eyeglasses and drained camera batteries.

Our visit to the sea ice is one of the memories I will treasure from this trip. Just as it is hard to explain the experience of the aurora, the sea ice holds a completely different magic as you stand alone in such a vast, harsh, and achingly beautiful landscape. Our astronomer friend Roger calls it the Lure of the North, and I believe it will be the title of our memory book.

Jamie, the woman who stepped through the ice, shared this poem with me about the Ithaka. It has always had special meaning for her, stressing the importance of the journey more than the destination. I hope you will click on the link and read the poem Ithaka

A Day at the Races!

A view of the races from the road

This morning we headed into the town of Churchill to see the start of the Hudson Bay Quest, a dogsled race from Churchill to Gillam. It is a 220 mile race over barrens and then through the boreal forest. The weather is cold, but picture perfect! In fact this might be the nicest weather this race has ever seen since its inception in 2004. The race is known to be extremely challenging, and it is one of the races that is a qualifier for the Iditarod. This year there were 17 teams, and each team was supposed to leave with a 3 minute time delay.

This is Dave Daley, founder of the Hudson Bay Quest

Dave's family cheers him on!

 The scene was set. As we drove into town, we saw that they had plowed huge amounts of snow into a long area by Hudson Bay. Then they plowed a trough for each dog team, reminding me of horses getting ready to race. It was a crazy sight.

A typical pack

On the other side of the main road was the race itself. The banner went up at 9:00, and the race began at 9:30. A Tundra Buggy was on sight to serve as a combination warming hut, bathroom, and viewing area for many of the elementary school children. There were 17 dog teams, and each classroom (K-12) had been assigned a musher to support. They had all made signs, and when their musher was ready to run, that class came out from the tundra buggy to cheer on their team.

This is a photo of one team being brought from the "snow lanes" across the road

The event happened by the "snow bowl", an area where you could be somewhat protected from the weather if it was severe. I wondered how I had never seen the snow bowl on any trip to town, but I understood once I laid eyes on it. It was a giant ring of snow, about 12 feet high. I'm just guessing. There was a wide opening, and I guess it could protect you from wind and blowing snow. Today we did not need it. I am wondering whether the snow bowl has been there all along, and I just never knew it had a purpose and a name.

The race began, and it was a spirited send-off for every team. I will have to check out the website, as you can follow their progress. They should arrive in Gillam some time over the weekend. They have only one mandatory stop, but these racers need to care for their dogs, and the ones I know personally are totally devoted to their animals.

This is the train that will take us back to Winnipeg next weekend.

On the way up, we encountered many drifts on the tracks.
Unfortunately, this machine was behind us.

The dogs and mushers from out of town travel up on the train. You can see how close the train tracks are to the race. I just had to turn around, and there was the train. Another interesting sight was the train plow. I haven't any idea what it is called, but I think that's what it does.

It was a full morning of fun, topped off by a hot drink and pastry at Gypsies, the local bakery and restaurant.

A Night on the Town, A Day in the Forest

Once again we are in a transition time here at CNSC. We just said goodbye to our third Arctic Skies group, this one led by Roger Woloshyn- Starman! The other group's focus was photography of the aurora and the Arctic, led by Jim Halfpenny and David Marx. Both groups warmly welcomed us to join their lectures, and we did just that whenever there was time away from the dishes. Our aurora photography skills have most certainly improved, and Brian is having fun with time lapse. I am looking at better editing programs that I didn't know existed!

So we are on a two day break of sorts. We had the local scouts for a sleepover two nights ago, and they were pretty darn cute. On that night, even with the scouts here, we did keep the aurora watch. I made it until 1 am, and was pleased to get a few nice shots!

On Tuesday afternoon, I went out on a walk with two of our guests and my fellow volunteer, Donna. We started to walk toward the boreal forest, as I wanted them to see the frosted trees with a blue sky as a backdrop. As we walked along, it was amazing to me that all of the snow on the roads and open surfaces had blown away, or at least most of it. The snow which remained was extremely hard, and we could walk across it easily. In the open areas, the wind had sculpted the snow into beautiful designs.

As the shrubs and smaller trees became more numerous, the snow became deeper and softer.  Suddenly, some fresh tracks became evident on the pristine surface of the snow. They were huge and canine. After checking field guides and going back for measurements, it was most definitely was a gray wolf. Just as the field guide said, the tracks were about 4.5 inches long and 3.5 inches wide. Perhaps just a bit larger- certainly no smaller.

Some of our group who were more adventurous than me,  started walking through the snow. Before they had taken more than a few steps, they were in snow up to their waists.  We headed back once Jill and Donna had figured  a way to crawl out!

When Brian and I went back on the second day, we followed the trail for a short way. We saw plenty of other tracks as well, including fox, red squirrel, and plenty of ptarmigans. We saw some small flocks of these beautiful white birds flying by, but we weren't fast enough with the cameras. The ptarmigan photo is from last year.

Brian and I hiked into the forest a bit, to enjoy the beauty of the frosted trees, where we found a sundog rainbow peeking through the trees. We came out of the woods, and  walked back over the tundra pond to CNSC. The reflection of the blue sky on the icy patches was so pretty. I'm not sure the camera does it justice.

Sundog framed by spruce trees

Just before arriving back, we stopped to take some photos of a bright orange lichen on the surface of the bare rocks. It is called Xanthoria elegans and means the elegant sunburst lichen, according to Wikipedia.

Yes, it truly looks this orange in the sunlight!

At the close of the trip, Brian took this photo of CNSC, which made me chuckle, as it looked like they had done some landscaping with all of the spruce trees.

The other part to the title of this blog is "A Night on the Town". Last Friday, Brian and I did have a night on the town. Actually, our assistant director, Heidi, needed a cat sitter and we needed a kitty fix. It was a perfect plan.

Heidi has two kitties, Stuey and Stella. Stuey is about 6 years old, and fairly sedentary.  Stella still has some kitten in her, and she is so light that you can't feel her in your lap. So after some quality kitty time, we walked into town for a meal at the only open restaurant, The Seaport Inn.

Then we had a brisk walk over to the town complex to watch a curling tournament. Fortunately there was a chatty gentleman beside us who was happy to give us pointers about what was going on. There were four matches going on, and we were watching from the comfort of the Curling Club Lounge. I loved the fact that all different ages seemed to be playing together.

When we left the complex, we were treated to another wildlife moment, with a gorgeous Arctic fox checking around the trash can for a free meal. Then it was back to Heidi's house, where we watched an episode of a series new to us called Murdoch Mysteries.

In the morning, we got picked up at 7 for an exciting ride to CNSC. Another little blizzard event was happening,  so the 13 mile drive had some areas with pretty low visibility. I finally just closed my eyes, and it seemed a much better ride. Mike, our director, assured me that he has driven this thousands of times and it wasn't all that bad. Good to know!