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| Ocean view! |
The first three days of February broke every record, being the coldest days in history. As the extreme cold spell broke, in rushed another huge storm. This blizzard was similar in intensity to the category 3 polar cyclone, without the danger from the ocean waves crashing onshore thanks to the protective sea ice. I was just finishing my 72-hour workweek as it rolled in, and was almost trapped at school due to the white-out conditions. Looking out the window from the house, I was unable to see the high school that is positioned about 50 feet away. There was no way I was driving home (I barely felt comfortable walking outside!), but the chance came up with another man driving into town. I threw caution to the wind (that was blowing 40mph), left my truck at school, and hopped in the van for the ride home with closed eyes, white knuckles, and held breath the whole way. I just couldn’t stand the thought of staying overnight during my one and only day off in weeks. It’s not a good feeling going to work, not knowing if I’ll be able to make it home after my shift is over. The drive was treacherous to say the least, but lordy on high I made it!
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| Good thing I didn't drive...this is my parking spot |
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| My arctic entryway door was closed - this snow blew in under a crack! |
The storm was caused by tumultuous tropical winds, giving me a sneak preview of typical spring weather in Nome. Temperatures jumped from -39 to 32 above overnight! That’s a 71 degree difference in a matter of a few hours; you can’t make this stuff up! The wind and snow stopped for a few short hours of absolute bliss, allowing me to play out in the snow with friends. The last time I felt such appreciation and excitement over playing in the snow was in elementary school. We tackled each other, had a snow fight on the huge plowed piles, and wandered out onto the sea ice to view the glorious sunset. Soaked up to our knees in salt water, we scampered off as we realized the ocean had turned to slush around the edges. For the first time in years I skipped watching the Super Bowl to play in the snow. Well worth it! Although I must say, it was funny having folks come back talking about the game, that was all over by 6:30pm. Earliest game ever!
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| My boots compared to a friend's "bunny boots" |
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| In the snow! |
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| Definitely a sun worshiper |
The hardest part of my week was Monday morning. I drove through the storm to arrive at the office entrance, which was completely drifted up with snow. Passage was futile. “Snow day” is no longer a part of my vocabulary, and maintenance was busy dealing with bigger priorities, so I grabbed a shovel and got to it. It’s hard enough going to work on a Monday, but having to fight my way into the door was just plain unpleasant. I’m learning quite a bit about drift zones, and am still amazed at the way snow accumulates here. A friend of mine is looking to buy a house in Nome, and the only thing I could think of is to make sure it’s not in an area that collects drifts. Many homes are drifted up past the rooftop! The bad, stormy winds always blow from the east so snow always drifts in the same spots. A word to the wise; don’t buy a house here if you’ve only seen it during the summer months.
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| Case of the Mondays |
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| Made it! |
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| That's a car under all that snow... |
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| That's a house and some heavy equipment! |
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| Another house, used as a modified sledding hill |
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| YIELD! |
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| Melting and refreezing snow makes funny shapes |
With a new week came a new session, and a new group of students. This session we welcomed 19 students from thirteen(!) different villages (our greatest diversity yet!) including our first Little Diomede students who were flown in by helicopter, as the sea ice is not yet frozen enough to make a runway. And if I’m speaking candidly, this is the best mix of students we’ve had all year. I am amazed by their maturity, resilience, and willingness to share their stories and culture with me. It’s amazing the difference a positive group makes. Also new this week was the responsibility to teach a brand new course; Arctic Survival. Approved as an adjunct, I have been rigorously preparing for this course for weeks, and although I’m just a white girl from NY I have been able to acquire skills and take them for a test drive before attempting to teach them to others. I am now proficient at making snares and processing small game animals, building three types of snow shelters, and starting a fire using primitive resources. Add it to the ol’ resume?
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| My arctic survival crew! |
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| Chip off the ol' snow block |
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| Testing the depth of my snow trench |
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| Worm's eye view |
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| My finished trench! |
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| View from inside - actually quite cozy |
It’s only our first week together, and already my Arctic Survival class has done an impressive amount. We practiced using a signaling mirror with a finger sight for accuracy, tested the insulation value and drying time of cotton vs. synthetic vs. wool apparel, ran cold water emergency drills in the pool, and built a group snow cave and individual snow trench shelters. All of this hard work will certainly pay off for my five brave students; those earning at least a B will receive two college credits from the University of Alaska as well as a parting gift of an aluminum collapsible shovel, magnesium fire starter, and first aid kit. As if my instruction wasn’t incentive enough! My schedule is back to full tilt boogy – non-stop instruction and work from 7am to 4pm with no breaks or prep time. But honestly, I’ve enjoyed working with this group so much that I’d venture to say that I don’t even mind it.
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| Weighing and testing clothing |
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| Making snow-blind glasses! |
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| To build a fire... |
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| DUNK! |
