14 October 2009 October 14, 2009

Location: Lat: 72 06.961 N Long: 148 59.155 W

Sunrise: 9:34 am Sunset: 6:19 pm

****One of the main things I have been anticipating since I was selected for this program is viewing the northern lights (besides working with polar bears of course!). During the first week of the trip, the lights had been amazing and dancing across the sky. However, they usually are the most visible in the middle of the night, while I am asleep. So I missed the shows as I slept comfortably in my bunk.

I have asked the Coasties on the late night watches to come wake me if the lights are visible. So far, they have come to get me twice. The first time, I woke up my roommates and others to go see the lights with me. However, when we made it outside, the lights only looked like some faintly green fog. The second time the Coasties came to wake me for the lights was last night at 3 am. Rather than run around and wake people up for some less than spectacular lights, I decided to check them out first before waking up other people at 3 am. Indeed, they were visible so I ran back down and woke up the others.

The sky was clear and a green smear went across the middle of the sky taking up the middle third of the sky. I could see the streaks of green moving in a wave like pattern across the sky. The lights have often been described as dancing across the sky and I could see what is meant by that. They were dancing very quickly though - so quickly that by the time the others had put on warm clothes, grabbed cameras and headed out there was only a small streak left in the sky. Enough then it was still beautiful, but not quite what it had been just a few minutes prior.

I attempted to photograph the lights, but they are elusive. I'd share my pictures with you, but all there is to see is a black night sky.

I continue to remain on the "Northern Lights Wake-Up" list in hopes of seeing the lights in all their glory. I hear that the green lights are the most common, and the reds and purples are the most rare. In the remaining weeks, I hope to see an even more vivid display of the lights - I'm just going to be a bit more weary about waking others up to see them at 3 am :)

Just for fun: As I have reported before, the food here is delicious - but there is so much of it. One of the jokes on board is that the cooks put bacon into everything and that's why it's so tasty. This morning to retaliate the cooks decided to embrace that rumor for breakfast - check it out!