Larry is doing good; the jet and the fox; I dine with Melanie in Barrow

So far, I haven't taken many pictures. I am in information gathering mode, so mostly I just talk to people about this project I have undertaken - and what a huge project it is! And what a challenge it will be! The greatest challenge of my career so far, I think.

Speaking of challenges, I did bump into my friend, Larry Aiken, who has been in this and my original Wasillaby300 blog a number of times, due to all the trips he has made to Anchorage to fight off esophageal cancer caught at stage 4. The last time I posted Larry in the blog was right after he had come out of another surgery in Anchorage - right after he had harpooned a whale for the George Adams crew. The whale had come right up to the place where Larry was standing on the ice and Larry knew it had come to give itself.

This was a big, moving, success in his battle with cancer, which has been a big challenge all the way. Larry reports he is doing good. The latest tests he underwent found no more cancer in him.

Early yesterday evening, I saw an unmarked jet parked on the tarmac at the Barrow airport. I had no idea who the jet belonged to or what had brought it to Barrow, but it is indicative of the intense, world-wide interest focused on the Arctic right now.

An arctic fox came trotting by.

Yes, you are seeing correctly. This is my own daughter, Melanie, who had just arrived in Barrow on yesterday's evening flight. She did not come to see me. Every now and then, Golder, the engineering firm she works for, sends her up this way to do a job - this time related to a GCI cell tower. This is the first time a Slope job of hers has coincided with one of mine. So I dropped by the airport to meet her when she stepped off the plane.

See the 19th century guy looking out from the black and white portrait hanging on the wall? 

That is Sir John Barrow of the British Admiralty, a man who really had nothing to do with Barrow at all, but he had spent time in the Arctic and had helped support a number of Arctic expeditions.

This place, of course, already had a name before Barrow - Ukpeagvik (The Place Where Snowy Owls Are Hunted). All along the coast and throughout this region are many places that on most maps carry the names of people of European origin, but all have an Iñupiaq name.

The Iñupiat have been making their own maps, showing the places in their homeland by their Iñupiaq names.

I took Melanie to Sam and Lee's for dinner last night and to Pepe's for breakfast this morning. The fellow in the background is Gary, of Deering, who was bowhead hunting with the Rex Rock crew in Point Hope in May of 2011 when I dropped by.

I will not attempt to recount any of the conversations I had with Melanie. It was just nice to have my daughter here in Barrow with me. Now, she is out working on her project. And I must get back to work on mine.

Comments

[Shaela]

So good to see Larry Aiken is doing well and that you are busy working at the profession you love. That your daughter is near only adds to the good.

[nancy in ak]

I looked up the airplane by the # on the tail and it appears to be a very boring charter plane that is going back and forth from Anch to Barrow and then Deadhorse a lot. I also found something on it when it was a charter plane for an NBA team. I lived in Barrow from 92-94. I moved there 20 years ago this month! I loved it there. I hope your new project goes well.

[Suji]

Love such coincidences.... Good luck for the project Uncle. ;)

[Charlie Earnshaw]

The tail number shows that this plane is registered to a company called Miami Air. They have flown between Deadhorse and Barrow as well as Anchorage lately.

[Todd]

It's a charter plane owned by Miami Air. It gets around...
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?cx=partner-pub-8297169501225184%3Aa05n2n-tzky&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=n752ma&sa=Submit&search_active=1&search=&sheadline=&search_field=datedesc&submit=&siteurl=www.airliners.net%2F&ref=&ss=5068j3247504j11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Air

[Gina Peters]

What is this huge project you are working on?
You might of mentioned it elsewhere - but, I haven't read very much.
I know you will be successful - even if it takes numerous twists and turns and new paths to new insights.
All the Best.
Gina