Kristina's here!

And I haven't been able to keep up with the blogging. Check out her blog for updates! One day, I will catch up.

Barrow

This is what Barrow looked like when Dave arrived at the beginning of June! Sorry - not a whole lot of text. busy busy. and trying to catch up on my posts. but lots of photos!

Tundra swans

Snow and white-fronted geese

Parasitic jaeger eating a lemming

These are traditional whaling boats made from a wooden frame covered with seal skin. Successful whaling crews leave their boats on the ice for a period of time after spring whaling ends.

American golden plover

the brown lemming that lived under the eider house!

photographer being watched

One of Dave's study species: Steller's eiders

heading out on the 4-wheelers to check out Pt. Barrow

someone forgot to tell these guys that it's still cold up there

polar bear foot print. yikes.

this was taken at almost midnight!

tourists watching a distant polar bear.
For a photo of the bear we saw:
http://shiwayanddave.blogspot.com/2010/06/happy-solstice.html

for the tourists

snowy owl

King eider! isn't he handsome!!!

I went out on foot surveys with Dave and his crew to look for birds and nests.

just another day at work. Arctophila pond.

Spectacled eider males flock up once the females begin incubation.

Have hip boots, will travel!

Local woman butchering a harvested ice seal. Ringed seal.

I left on the first day of the first nalukatuk (whaling festival).
Here I am trying some fermented muktuk (whale blubber). They called it 'mikeeuk' (I don't know how to spell it). I lack the microbes needed to process this stuff. One tiny bite and my stomach was churning.

whale flipper

more silliness in Barrow


I'd like to spend more time up there next summer - very interesting place.

Gold Nugget Triathlon

I'm way behind on my posts. Mandy, Heather & I did the Gold Nugget Triathlon in Anchorage in May. It was Mandy's first triathlon and she did a great job. Year 2 for Heather and me, hopefully we can make an annual event for us. As usual, Heather pulled through with the costumes. We did some last minute sewing in the car at Jo-Ann's Fabrics. This year, Coal was big enough to help!
Heather as some more photos on their blog
The swim felt good - I accidentally swam an extra lap.

Mandy at the transition area

We drove back to Fairbanks that afternoon. Gorgeous drive.

Pulled over for a little look-see at Denali

and we were treated to caribou on the side of the highway!

Mt. Marathon

I'm in Seward. Work + Fun. If you consider the Mt. Marathon race 'Fun'. I guess it must be since I'm doing it again this year. I went up with Beaté and Jessica yesterday so I could re-familiarize myself with the race course.

almost 1/2 way up and already sweating like pigs. hope it stays cloudy and cool on race day.

Beaté SO excited for the 2nd 1/2 of the race course!

wild flowers in full bloom

coming down the rabbit hole

There's still snow at the top! I won't be sliding down it on race day. Even though everyone says it's 'fun' - haven't had enough practice on the snow to feel comfortable with it. There's a snow-free trail a little further from the top that I will be taking down.