SNØ

Picture of the week: Full moon over Adventdalen after a coating of snow.

This week began with a normal Monday morning at UNIS.  I got a call at a bit after 1:30 though from Nicole that her flight to England left in 1 hour and not the following day like we had thought.  I borrowed a car and rushed her to the airport.  The flight was late from Tromsø, so it all worked out well.  It was good to give her a break after arriving in July.  The workday was cut short for the rest of the week as the boys come home around 2:30 every day.   I spent most of the week putting my talk together for Transatlantic Science Week, an event put on by the Foreign Ministry of Norway to promote cooperation between the US and Norway. I will be going next week to give a presentation on a US-Norway partnership program that I have been co-leading with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, UNIS and Rutgers University.  Specifically, I will be talking about the technical part of the program and the underwater instruments and platforms that the students used in the exchange program. I am also going as the Fulbright Arctic Chair representative.  As it is in the San Francisco Bay area this year, I will be flying in and out of San Luis Obispo to touch base with students and technicians at Cal Poly. I also found out mid-week that my colleague from UNIS will not be going to science week, so I have to give his talk as well. So, I finished the other talk and the two work well together. 

Across the fjord.

Noon sun on mountain range with moon.

Across the fjord II.

Although there was less time at UNIS this week, it was good to spend more time with the boys, hear about their days and get them ready each morning.  It was stormy this week with very high winds (60 mph gusts), creating two dusts storms.  The winds were strong enough to lift the freeze dried soil in Adventdalen and fill the sky with dust.  At one time, you could not see the fjord from our house.  We also had our first real snow storm that blanketed the area with 2-3 inches.  The boys and I went on a few walks after the wind died down to enjoy the new look. 

Jason in snow storm.

The boys addiction with Minecraft!

Skyping with mama in England.

On a walk with the boys through town after the storm.

An interesting note (mostly to the California crowd)… Over the past two days, the winds reversed in the fjord and created some big swells (8-12 ft off the point and 3-4 ft along the river sill).

Waves breaking at the sill.

Nicole returned today with some presents, having had a great time in Shrewsbury, England.   It is great to have her home!

Nicole's plane arriving in Longyear airport.