Churchill - Day Ten

Started off morning as usual until it hits me. My team will be heading in one direction and I’ll be going in another. Got my coffee and found a quiet observation place to look outside and reflect upon this incredible opportunity and amazing journey. We all just picked up and left our hustle and bustle lives to come to a place that seems like an alternate reality. Our priorities are reorganized for a while and we managed just fine without phones, T.V., and texts. Of course, no one could live without wifi.

So even though the morning routine was in progress, I was a little out of sync with the group that I’ve come to know and work with these past days. Our morning briefing gave an outline of todays duties – sampling at Tree Island 14 (no lunch until finished!), back for lunch and then maintenance and clean up tasks, dinner, lecture on preliminary sampling results and then a farewell party complete with some local foods. The big must eats are caribou and char (fish). Had the fish at Gypspy’s and it tastes a lot like salmon.

We gave Pete our parting gift of Laphroaig single malt scotch hoping he would up the ante of a shot reward to those who might find new seedlings. Conversation about his Earthwatch responsibilities and his forthcoming retirement from university ensued. All too quickly, everyone dispersed to get ready for the day ahead. My final goodbyes were made at the van departure point, with hopes to keep in touch and even reunite with the L. A. crowd before summers end. A fond adieu to all my fellow educators and hope all your adventures are as terrific as this one. As one journey ends – another begins.
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