Week 1: F 27 October 2017, 22:38. Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, Antarctica For months now I’ve been saying the phrase “It’ll feel more real when…” to talk about my then-pending Antarctic experience. The idea I’d really been given a position working with penguins and seals in Antarctica had always been a dream – not a reality. After briefly interviewing and then getting offered the position while working on Buldir this…
Sorry for the lack of posts, but having just under a month and a half of internet between remote gigs made other things the priority. After returning to Homer I spent about 10 days there wrapping up data and putting away field gear. I went up to Fairbanks to walk the lovely Equinox Marathon and have a week with my Dad at the tail end of his 3 weeks of…
Saturday 26 August 2017, week 15: Buldir Island, 22:44 … finished Monday 11 September 2017, week 18: Homer, AK – while watching MNF “If our mountain was erupting, the earth would be shaking, right?” asked McKenzie, voice full of nervous excitement. For a moment, Buldir’s cloud blanket assumed a dusky violet color before disappearing into the darkness again. One one thousand, two one – BA-BOOOM! Nerves of electric excitement moved…
Monday 21 August 2017, week 15: Buldir Island, 22:39 As the wind strengthens and the rain intensifies, I find myself alone in our main cabin, writing in the dim light of day that remains. The clock above me ticks away the seconds that make up minutes, but I can’t help but notice it’s also ticking down the minutes remaining in my second season on Buldir. Today was our final day…
Tuesday 15 August 2017, week 14: Buldir Island “Steph, the volcano’s erupting,” Kevin calmly stated as I walked toward him in the twilight. Over my left shoulder lay the comfort of camp, the dark mass of Buldir Eccentric – our volcano – beyond North Marsh visible behind it. As we watched, a glow rose around Eccentric’s back side, illuminating its crestline through the darkness. The moonlight crept its way up…
Saturday 5 August 2017, week 12: Buldir Island Dear Olympus TG-4, Normally I wouldn’t say anything about how discontent I am with you, but enough is enough. Your problems have driven me so far that I nearly cast you down to die on the rocks of Main Talus. It honestly would have made me very happy, but I have a few weeks left on Buldir, and sometimes your work is…
Saturday 29 July 2017, week 11: Buldir Island When I was traveling in Hawaii a few years ago, I spent some time in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Knowing that Mauna Loa is the largest mountain in the world – by combined landmass above and below the ocean – I wanted to climb it. In order to do so, I needed to obtain a backpacking permit from the backcountry office. The…
Tuesday 25 July 2017, week 11: Buldir Island “Boogity boogity!!” yells Kevin as he jumps up from behind a concealing boulder. Since the alarm is not directed at me, I can do nothing but laugh as I watch a grown man make a fool of himself. No, it’s not Halloween around here; it’s a session of parakeet auklet diet sampling. If my previous post seemed to romanticize whiskered auklet diet…
Saturday 15 July 2017, week 9: Buldir Island It’s 23:49 as the credits begin to roll on the laptop screen. Dramatic music plays as amazing images of Planet Earth II’s “Jungles” and “Deserts” episodes dance through our heads. Popcorn consumed and entertainment over, it’s time to change gears. “Hello, bed,” Kevin longingly says as he enters the bunk cabin. Bed will have to wait, though, as our own planet earth…
Saturday 1 July 2017, week 7: Buldir Island “Got one!” may be read as a phrase full of excitement. Oh boy, something’s been found! Hearing that phrase when Kevin, McKenzie, and I are all walking the boulder beach is not a welcome pronouncement here on Buldir. It indicates one of us has spotted part of a dead bird, which is not bad news in itself. After all, everything dies eventually….