Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Journey to the Northern Lights: Settled in at Churchill

We arrived by plane yesterday around lunchtime at the Churchill Northern Studies Center, quite close to the Hudson Bay.


We have warm and convenient four-person dormitories, great food, and interesting experts. I had expected somewhat spartan accommodations, but I was wrong. It is all good. 

This is the view from our dormitory window. 



Last night we experienced the aurora. It was a pretty low level, but since we are directly beneath the aurora dome, we could see it. To my eye it was a white-gray shape shifter - the rods in our eyes see only black and white at night in low light - but the cameras caught it. This photo was taken by our instructor, Ron Waldron, and I have permission to use it.


Tomorrow night is supposed to be the best time to see a glorious auroral display. Tonight, though, not so much. Right now it is snowing sideways outside and 10 degrees F. Tomorrow the high will be -2F.

I spent a lot of time gathering my wardrobe for this trip. Tomorrow night I will wear long underwear top and bottom. On top, a long-sleeved shirt, fleece vest, warm jacket, neck warmer, hat and gloves. On the bottom, snow pants, thermal socks and boots. I will stay outside as long as possible, then come inside to watch from the viewing dome down the hall.

What a great experience!


7 comments:

DJan said...

This is a wonderful experience, Linda. I look forward to a picture of tonight's aurora, but that one is pretty remarkable, especially for a low event. Thanks for sharing it. :-)

Saku said...

Enjoy your time in Churchill! It is one of the places that remains on my bucket list. Hope you get a chance to see a polar bear as well as the aurora.

Eileen

Linda Reeder said...

What an exciting adventure!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

To witness such a spectacle must be fantastic. It sounds like you packed the right clothes for that weather, but I would definitely watch it in comfort under the dome.

Arkansas Patti said...

How lucky to be so close to the aurora. Isn't Churchill where all the bears go to scavenge food? Hope you get to see them--from a distance.

Cynthia, Amsterdamned. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cynthia, Amsterdamned. said...

''long underwear top and bottom. On top, a long-sleeved shirt, fleece vest, warm jacket, neck warmer, hat and gloves.''
Welcome to my ride to the grocery store.

;-)