Blanket Toss, Dance & Arctic Dip

The Great Arctic Dip! We gathered up about 15 researchers to go jump into the arctic ocean and off we went. Some excited and some worried, at full speed toward the waters we went in and within a few minutes (seconds for others) we ran out! COLD! I used a marker and some help from Amorita to draw my fox on my back and side arm, along with UTEP across my chest and Polar Bear Club wonderfully placed across the only moon we saw in barrow! Ok... I wasn't the only naked person. It was a great release of pressure from all the serious work being done.

Getting psyched to go jump into the Polar Bear Club!

Global Warming.

San Diego State University doing a fly-by over the research area, using many different instruments.

Working in the field and in the lab with local students.

Back to Osaka! 食べ切れない - more than one can eat - very good!

We also ate at the Bowers Cafe, which is a 200+ year old building for the First International Polar Expedition Headquarters. It has some interesting antique weapons (guns, spears) on the wall along with the above plaque and murals (polar bear image below). The view from the seats is great, the ocean and coast line.

Bowers Cafe mural with super cheesy pose of Amorita yelling in fear.

Speaking of wild animals, picture below is the elusive and feared... lemming. Ha. I was able to get this picture after many failed attempts due to the quickness of this guys to run into the ground borrows. Up to this point all I had was a picture of a dead lemming, which I was not about to post... live is much better.

Worried little lemming (center - click to enlarge), finally caught one on film.

Hiroki and I playing around at the blanket toss.

Co-Captain Luis Bower dancing, which will send shivers down your spine.