Hi Peggy,


It sounds like you are getting a lot of windy weather so the small airplanes can't fly.  It also sounds like it is difficult to upload photos with the satellite phone.  What does the team do when you are grounded?  Mindy

Peggy Foletta

Hi Mindy. Really good to hear from you! How was your trip to Australia?? In regards to your question, when the weather is windy and we can't fly out, we will go hiking in the area or to a glacier. One of my upoming posts will mention this. As it turns out, we had a windy morning today. The 4 of us got out but much of our gear is still at the Lake, so we cannot move to our next destination, Valdez. So, guess what we are going to do? Hike around the Tolsona area. I have really enjoyed the hiking because we get to see some incredible country. Our campground has wireless internet, so for the first time in over a week I am able to see the PolarTREC website and the pictures that are missing. So I am sitting here at a campground office, on their porch, writing this and greeting the guests who arrive. This beats sitting in a rainy tent with my laptop running low on battery power and holding up my sat phone praying the next picture will go (I have to make the photos really small to send them one by one from the field). So, today, except for our gear at Hallet Lake, I have the internet, some time, my first shower in 9 days, and a place to wash clothes! Things are looking up.
Peggy 

Mindy Bell

So glad you get a shower, clean clothes and internet!  Australia was fantastic - from COLD in the south near Sydney to warm and wet in the tropics in the north.  I admit to preferring the tropics!
Hope you get some sun so the solar panels can power up your equipment better.  Thinking of you!  Mindy

Peggy Foletta

We have had quite a bit of sun.  I'm hearing that it is usually much wetter!  In fact we went swimming in Mica Lake on Monday.  80 F while doing a two hour plankton tow in the boat was just HOT!  The water was a cool 64 F, enough to wake you up when you jumped in!  My technology problems were more about satellite connections.  The phone kept saying "try again later", so I am finishing my journal entries today with photos.  I got home last night and had a bit of trouble adjusting to darkness outside.  I only saw stars one night while in the field!  School meetings are tomorrow and school starts Monday.  Needlesstosay I am not ready!I heard that the group that went to Mother Goose with Darrell had wind problems.  Did that ever let up?  Keep in touch! 
Peggy