I was the first one up this morning, so, very quietly, I put on my jacket and slipped outside to walk to Pepe's for breakfast. And it was raining! In Barrow, Alaska, on April 26! And then the temperature broke all heat records and topped off at 39!
In the years when I hung around up here regularly, you could pretty much count on temperatures being anywhere from about -10 or 15 to +15 or so right now.
The wind blew, hard. When I walked back from Pepi's, the rain had stopped. I could see open water out in the sea. Some whaling crews had already gone out, but with the rain, the warmth and the hard wind, they pulled back. The weather is improving now, though and at least a couple have gone back.
If conditions continue to improve, more will follow and a whale may well be landed soon.
There is thin, jumbled ice out there to make things dangerous and difficult.
Maybe some of it blew away with the hard wind.
;)
This is Dawson, napping on Savik's snowmachine. People keep asking me if I have come to photograph whaling, but that was not my purpose this trip. If I had more time and if I were not still battling injuries that make driving a snowmachine or hanging onto a sled impossible, it would be different.
We will see.
As I was going into the store, Melba and her little son were coming out. She told me his name and I was certain I would remember, but I don't. I just have to start writing these things down. The old days are gone, but everytime, I think I can get them back.
;)
And this is little Allen. He likes to hang out with me. His mom, Shareen, says she has never seen him take to anyone the way he takes to me - except for people his own age.