CHRISTMAS MINE

Picture of the week: View of Longyearbyen from the Christmas Mine (photo by Tobias Johnsen)

The hikers at -30 degrees in the Christmas Mine (photo by Tobias Johnsen)

The feasting continued this week, but we did take a break for hike up to the Christmas mine in the afternoon on Monday.  This mine (mine 2B) operated in the 1960’s and is now lit up during the holiday season to let the kids (and adults) know that Santa is here.  It was a really cold night with wind chill down to -30 degrees.  The boys had some issues with the level of effort they were having to expend, but when we reached the top everything was better.  At the entrance to the mine, our headlamps lit a surge of clear ice “flowing” outward, making it slippery and more surreal.  The way down the mountain was fun for everyone as we took giant strides in the fluffy snow.  After the hike we spent the next three hours at Kroa eating and laughing.

Hikers after the hike in good spirts at Kroa.

Jason found this under all the seal skin mats in Kroa.

While Monday ended well, the start of the day could only be defined as stressful.  Last Friday we had run the vehicle in the fjord, and I had turned it off thinking I could retrieve the data on Monday.  First thing on Monday, I pulled the magnetic switch of the vehicle and nothing…  I had not experienced this problem before and it wasn’t until Tuesday that I was able to organize some engineers from the states to be on the phone with me to troubleshoot the problem.  While usually there wouldn’t be a time issue, this vehicle was going to be the one I needed for next week’s cruise in Trondheim.  I had planned to send it on Tuesday, not to have it apart in my office.  After 5 hours, I isolated the problem as a flash memory card (that has the vehicle operating system on it) went bad as well as the central processor unit (CPU) board.  If ordered the new parts to be shipped overnight to get to California, so Ian Robbins, a research associate in my lab, could hand carry them to Norway.  I then had to get the vehicle to Trondheim, so tried to do that on Wednesday, but the flight left early, so it went out Thursday.  The vehicle arrived Friday.  Just to finish up this suspenseful story… I arrived in Trondheim late Friday, the new parts made it to Ian and Ian made it to Trondheim as well.  Yesterday we put the new boards in and the vehicle now works! We put it in the water today off the biological station and everything checked out and is ready for the cruise leaving Monday at 08:00.

Broken REMUS apart on my desk at UNIS.

Fixed REMUS together in Trondheim.

Getting my drysuit on to test the REMUS and for leaks while diving during the cruise.

Bobbing like an apple and letting some air out of the suit.

Testing the REMUS

Wash off after my swim at the Trondheim Biological Station.

Beyond the stressful work week, life in Longyearbyen was great.  The skies have been clear and the moon was approaching full and lighting up the landscape.  Reindeer in town is an everyday sight, Christmas decorations are up, and the town seems to be settling into the holiday season.  We got all our gifts sent out this week, thanks to Nicole.  Jason stayed home from school towards the end of this week with a cough and fighting something.  Anders performed a song with the rest of his class for an opening of a documentary film called “Polar Euphori”.  It was attended by over 150 people at the Radisson and they did a great job.  His music teacher is a local singer/songwriter, Liv Mari Schei, who did the music for the film.  He seems to like her as he already bought one of her CDs.   Amazing to both Nicole and me is that even though this is a small community, there are still many new faces at events like this.

The moon lights up the sky over Longyearbyen on my walk back from UNIS.

Moonlight over the fjord with the mountains in the distance.

Anders performs for the opening of a new movie called "Polar Euphori" with his class and music teacher.

I am in Trondheim now ready to leave for the cruise tomorrow.  We will pack later tonight after getting something to eat.  It was strange seeing the sun, trees, and large buildings.  Nicole called last night and told me that she and our neighbor hiked up Sukkertoppen and watched the total eclipse. I would have loved to see that.  I added the timelaps movie from the camera on top of UNIS (above), which shows the moon disappearing.  Nicole said the entire process took 4 and a half hours.  Although I am looking forward to this adventure, I miss Nicole and the boys, and the simplicity and calmness of Longyearbyen.

Snow, trees and light looking over Trondheimfjord.

Monkholmen, an island in front of Trondheim was a site of executions and a warning to vistors.

Snow on twigs... it's been a while since seeing trees!