11 July 2013 Catching Grayling and Walking on Aufeis...what a day!

What Time do I Have to Get Up?

I knew something was up as I walked to the dining hall and saw Amanda Koltz running towards me with a huge smile on her face. “Do you want to go fishing tomorrow? It’s not quite real fishing, but it’s out in the field all day catching the grayling ‘young of the year’ for genetic analysis. We’ll be in the lab all day, so you should go!” As the words were coming out of her mouth and her excitement was bubbling up with a ferocious crescendo, I knew that there had to be a catch. “But…you have to meet at 6 am and you won’t be back until after dinner…”

Now, any opportunity to go in the field is great, and getting to work with a team other than my own is a unique experience as well, but let’s just say I was … apprehensive. The weather had been gloomy, foggy and downright cold. The thought of spending all day outside in that weather - in waders which may/may not protect me from the frigid arctic waters – well, do I need to paint a better picture to get you towards my state of mind? But, I’m here for ALL experiences, right? I thanked Amanda, met the team, made sure I had lots of layers ready and went to bed.

5:30 AM. Am I back in Chicago?

When my alarm went off at 5:30, all I could think about was that this was just like getting up every morning to go to school. It’s not fun to get up early, but you just do it knowing that something will happen that will make it worthwhile! It’s best to start with low expectations – that way everything is a pleasant surprise! And let me tell you…I was OVERWHELMED with amazing things on this fishing expedition – I’m so thankful Amanda could make this happen for me! Here are a few highlights:

1. Heidi Golden and Kate Michmerhuizen, met at Toolik nearly 20 years ago and were incredibly welcoming to a newbie like me! They shared great stories, insights and handmade caramels. Turns out Kate and her husband (whom she met at Toolik) own a candy company now. Check it out…they are amazing! McCrea’s Candies
2. ALWAYS stop for photos. See below for some of the amazing shots we got while out in the Arctic waters!
3. Arctic Grayling are REALLY small when they first emerge from their eggs. Since there was an extremely late snowmelt this year, we had to catch these TINY guys (think tadpole, but half the size) in the shores of the creeks and rivers. Thank goodness it was sunny!
4. Arctic weather can change dramatically from one day to the next – gloomy one day, gorgeous and sunny the next!
5. Women scientists ROCK. I already knew that one, but this was a nice confirmation. Toolik has a nice amount of extremely smart women here, so it’s something I want to make sure to share with my students (sorry boys, you miss out on this one).
6. As my 3 yr old nephew would say…”Try it, you might like it!” Just because something makes you uneasy or unsure, you should still give it a try – what’s the worst that could happen?