I feel as though this will be my very last blog post from "the arctic" ... Yes, the time has come for me to finally leave Svalbard.
I have really left my flight til the very last possible minute, as shortly afterwards I'll be on the train back to Edinburgh for my final year of study.
When my semester was over in June, I went on a quick holiday and then returned up here. I had one small job lined up and that was it ... but I've been here ever since! My last job has been doing some lab work at UNIS as well as guiding tourists up the local mountains. It's all been really fun, and I was surprised at how easy it was to find a job up here.
As you can probably guess, I really really really do not want to go back. I really cannot believe this year is over.
If I could do it all over again. And so I will. Next summer I'll be back on Svalbard for sure - don't know what for yet, but I will.
If ever I update my blog in the future, I hope to add some more photos and maybe give a few more details as to how it's been living up here for a year ... but right now I must hurry as my plane will leave very soon!
posted by Yann Rashid on 12:14
I guess it's been very quiet on my blog, as officially it was the end of the term a month ago ... but I'm actually still on Svalbard right now so I feel I must live up to the title of this website!
Flying back to Svalbard ... slushy snow storm soon afterwards
So many things have happened lately, that I don't feel I have time to talk about them right now. Briefly, I went back home on the 14th June for a few days. It was really hard saying goodbye to everybody, but I'm pretty sure many of us will keep in touch :). A few days later I went trekking in the Jotunheimen region in Norway, all fun: we went up the two highest peaks, had amazing weather (so warm!) and got eaten by mosquitoes at one point.
On top of Norway - Galdhpiggen, Jotunheimen
I had managed to get myself a small job at the Norwegian Polar Institute, helping with a reindeer survey of Adventdalen. I must say, it was the most fun fieldwork I've ever done. We were so lucky with the weather, and the team was just great.
Trekking through Helvetiadalen
Counting reindeer. Cute yearling
Arriving at the Passhyta hut
After a long day crossing marshlands and streams
Here are a few pics from a BBQ I went to a few days after coming back. Everything was so perfect, and we had brilliant views.
posted by Yann Rashid on 15:24
Right well I guess these are my last few days on Svalbard (*although, I will be coming back!) ...
This is the part I hate the most: everybody is leaving and going back to their home which quite often is half way round the world. I kinda forgot this time would come again, and it's difficult thinking that one moment they are there and the next they are gone.
I had my last exam yesterday (let's not talk about it!), and so I've been so preoccupied studying, that I haven't even managed to say goodbye to half the people here. Right now I'm still ok, but I know it will be really tough on the last day. This year has really gone by in a flash, and I would do it all over again.
Summer is on it's way, and there is now lots of life. I can hear foxes, little auks, geese and snow buntings just outside my barrack. A real contrast to what it has been like for the past few months.
*But anyways, maybe I didn't mention this before, but as soon as I get back to the UK next Sunday, I am heading back to Norway (out of all places) to trek round the Jotunheimen region, and then I'm flying back to Svalbard in July to count reindeer with the Norwegian Polar Institute (for 2 weeks). So in a sense I know I will see Svalbard again very soon, but it won't be the same without all the people :(
posted by Yann Rashid on 11:59
This morning I completed the Svalbard half marathon. I've always wanted to do it, but somehow hadn't realised how soon it arrived, and so basically did no training at all.
Long story cut short, I arrived 7th overall (out of the 60 men/women running the half marathon), but 4th in my age class (18-39 Men). What's more, the top 4 people in my age class are all UNIS students. My time was ok, 1 hour 42 mins and 6 seconds - but compared to much larger marathons it's not amazing. However what I have learnt from this is that I can run it, and that perhaps with a little more training I could do much better - at least so that I am not in as much pain as I am in right now :S ... also, I need to train loads more this the forthcoming OMM ...
Results :)
The exam on Tuesday is going to kill me. I still don't know much, and I struggling to understand the genetics. Arg. I took some photos from the room I study in - this is why I get distracted.
View 1
View 2
posted by Yann Rashid on 23:46
I had my first exam the day before yesterday, and have my next one next Tuesday.
The only problem is I don't know ANYTHING for this next exam. It's so difficult revising. It's so sunny outside, and all I can see are snow capped mountains and glaciers flowing into the sea.
What's more is that I have just signed myself up for the Svalbard half marathon. I've been wanting to do it for ages, but somehow I haven't gotten round to do any training :S - and it's this coming Saturday! The way I see it is that if I struggle I will just give up and get back to studying. I tell myself I must go for some practice runs, but I'm so tired everyday - but tonight I will test myself. It's prob quite silly doing something like this, but I've already paid the non-refundable entrance fee. In any case I need some training for the OMM.
Also, right after exams I'm heading off to Norway for a few weeks trekking in the Jotunheimen region. I just shouldn't distract myself too much with this.
Hmm about photos I don't have many from the past few days/weeks. Last week we played volleyball against Barentsburg which was fun, but we lost lol.
Basketball match against Barentsburg
Volleyball match against Barentsburg
UNIS, just another season
avalanche outside Nybyen
Mist outside my window
posted by Yann Rashid on 11:44
The past two days have been quite special in Norway (hence Svalbard). You see, on the 16th May they won the Eurovision and then the next day was the "17th May" which is one of the biggest dates in the calendar, representing when Norway was declared an independent nation.
And so, on the 16th we organised this Eurovision party in my kitchen. I managed to get hold of a projector and a screen from UNIS (this would never happen back at home!), and we streamed the event live from the Internet. We had a really great time and loads of people turned up (some in silly dress, including myself) - mainly because we knew Norway had a good chance of wining. Everybody knew the song which was really nice. After the victory was announced, we all headed over to Husset to celebrate. It was empty when we got there, but we really did bring the party down there and as the night went by more and more people arrived. They must have played that Fairytale song around 5 times, but every time they did everybody went mad.
Waiting for the Eurovision results
Norway wins ^^
Student celebrating Norway's victory on the roof
Students singing along :)
We got out at 4AM, and it was absolutely freezing outside (none of us were dressed appropriately for the Arctic) and the sun was shining in our eyes. I quickly went to bed, knowing I had to wake up at 8AM for the morning celebrations (for the 17th of May) where we organised a massive breakfast :p
Waving the UNIS flag down the 17th May parade
posted by Yann Rashid on 22:17
Yesterday I went on the most amazing scooter trip ever. This one will prob be my last one since the snow is rapidly melting away. However for the past few days we have had a cold snap meaning the snow was a bit more stable and not disappearing as fast.
Six of us set off on five scooters, and our aim was to reach Vårsolbukta which is situated on the West coast. What's funny is that I actually went there a few months ago by boat during our Biology cruise (it's a barnacle goose pre-breeding site).
Even though we were on a scooter most of the day (and the weather got rubbish towards the end), we still had many breaks allowing us to appreciate the views. The mountains were just amazing, so jagged and different to those found around Longyearbyen. For a mini expedition it would be a bit far to reach, but for once it made me appreciate having a scooter.
Setting off in the morning
The long road ahead
We didn't see any polar bears :( but we did cross their tracks ^^
Oooh yeah :D
So cool
Driving up glaciers ...
Arriving at Vårsolbukta - the most incredible landscape. Very very windy though ...
So dramatic
On the way back we passed by Barentsburg, the most disgusting place on the planet.
posted by Yann Rashid on 12:02
A few days ago I went out by scooter to visit BSES at Tempelfjorden. As you prob know by now, I went to Svalbard with BSES back in 2006. I got an email from them asking if I could pass by with some spare ski bindings, so it was a good excuse to go out before the snow all melted away.
I can remember when I was a YE how some people came to visit us, and gave us some fruit, and how grateful I was. And so this was also the opportunity to keep the tradition, and surprise this year's YE's with a delivery of fresh fruit and chocolate :)
The weather was great, and I was surprised at how much snow there was still left in Sassendalen - nothing like Longyearbyen where everything is melting away like crazy. It was really nice seeing the team again and catching up with them. I think the YEs' were just glad to speak to some new people. Later that evening an Arctic fox came out.
When I was at Tempelfjorden back in 2006, the fjord hadn't even frozen over, and so I was slightly jealous that they had an amazing campsite this year :)
BSES Campsite, looking over to Templet
Mr Fox comes to visit
Looking over the fjord with Wimanfjellet in background
posted by Yann Rashid on 13:32
Urg once again so rubbish at this blog. My main problem is that too many things happen, and I just don't have the time to write about them. Also, I need to resize all my photos manually and then upload them on photobucket, make a small HTML code and paste the code for each photo incoorporated onto this blog (if that makes any sense). Reason being is that I don't like the default photo settings on blogspot.
Anyways, I just thought I would quickly upload a few photos from just a few mins ago. Long story cut short: the melt is on its way. Things have already started to melt, however for the past 2 days the temperature has gone down again and we have had crisp, sunny weather, and the snow has managed to be stable again. However the temperature is on the rise again and I know it will soon all disappear :(
08.05.09 Outside my window ... still lots of snow ...
08.05.09 Photo taken at 01.30AM by the way ;)
sigh ...
I promise I have more posts in the works at the moment, and will upload all of them in one go lol.
posted by Yann Rashid on 01:28
Last Monday I went to Billefjorden, my last fieldwork trip of the season. We went out to conduct the same experiment as at Templefjorden i.e. finding out what phyto and zooplankton are living below the ice, and how the ice and sunlight affect their "bloom".
The weather was set to be a bit rubbish, and as some of the sea ice had already disappeared, we took the long way round to Billefjorden. At first I wasn't really looking forward to such a long trip, especially since we had been warned it might take forever and that previous groups got back at 1AM and 5AM (a few weeks before).
However, in the end, it actually went really well. The scooter trip itself didn't last half as long as I expected, and it was quite enjoyable. The scenery (even with the clouds) was amazing but we didn't really get the chance to stop (mainly because we were in a hurry to get things down before the weather deteriorated).
On our way to Billefjorden
When we finally got there, I couldn't believe how much sea ice there was left ... over 1 metre (that's good compared to other places where it's already breaking up). I was responsible for drilling holes in the ice, and then collecting ice core samples (45 of them!). All I can say is that it left me with a very sore back for a few days. Hmmff.
What was silly is that we were right next to Pyramiden, an abandoned Russian settlement. I have yet to visit it, but we didn't have time to scooter across :( ... shame, but I guess I'll see it one day ;) .
Pyramid shaped mountain - giving the name to : ...
On the way back we saw loads of seals, and then later drove through a whiteout. Last time (at Templefjorden) I was falling asleep at the back of the scooter, so this time I ensured to have some headphones in my ears and drink a coffee before leaving lol :)
I was so exhausted that evening, and the following week we had labs ALL day. Very tiring stuff and now I must start working on my report :(
Nordenskioldbreen, Billefjorden, right next to our science base
Cool science
Melt water obstacle to tackle on the way back
What we found in the water
Later on in the lab ... Calanus!
... and Krill! They look evil with those beedy eyes :(
posted by Yann Rashid on 12:02
Last week I randomly decided to purchase some new skis. The reasoning being is that I really want to learn how to telemark, and this simply is not possible with the current mountains skis I have. I figured that because everything is tax free here, it would be cheaper to get them now than next year (and they were heavily discounted).
The skis are quite cool, quite wide and easy to turn with, either tele style or simple downhill. I'm quite rubbish at the moment, but I'm learning and these skis def help.
:D
posted by Yann Rashid on 23:06
On the 20th April, my group finally got the chance to do some fieldwork in our AB-204 course. Previous small groups in my class had already been to Templefjorden, but the experiement that we are conducting requires several trips there.
We are basically investigating how the ascent of phyto and zooplankton is affected by seasonal differences in light intensity, temperature etc. Esp since right now we are in spring, the fjords are still covered in ice, and the sun is now shining 24/7 (and the ice will soon all disappear).
We had to be down at UNIS for 8AM which was a bit rubbish, but overall we had a great day (and we got to travel on scooters!). The ice there was quite thick, about 70cm from what I can remember. What I liked about it was that we were doing work in the most spectacular area.
On the way home we got caught in a whiteout, but luckily we were close to town. On the other hand, some of our fellow classmates who went to Billefjorden (twice the distance away) seriously got stranded and had to wait in Pyramiden while the weather settled. They got back in Longyearbyen at 5AM the next morning ... I hope that won't happen to me when I go there in a few weeks time ... :S
I shouldn't say this, but because I was the passenger (on the way back), the snow was somehow making me sleepy, and my ears were kinda blocked (like when you go up a hill) ... and I was slowly falling asleep! I kept knocking my head against my friend's back and then waking up again :S
Packing our sledges at UNIS
On our way to Templefjorden, passing through Sassendalen
Drilling holes to find for Calanus!!!!
Collecting ice cores
Lab for the day
Drilling the ice at Templefjorden - backbreaking stuff ...
posted by Yann Rashid on 20:05
