Yakutian-Russian Festival, photo: Max Heikenfeld, Alfred Wegener InstituteMonday, 9 July 2012

After having completed the last part of our journey to Samoylov, I can now write again. But right this time: Tomorrow we´ll go! And this time really all the way to the Samoylov island, where we will spend the next two months of our research expedition.

We have been hoping for several days now of being on the island already and doing our work for this summer: setting up measuring devices, taking samples or performing other tests. But without expedition cargo or catering, there was little point getting there.

Instead, we had thought about a small alternative program for the small northern Siberian city of Tiksi. In addition to fighting against jet lag (we are currently eight hours ahead of Germany) and refreshing the knowledge of Russian, we used the time to advance the understanding between Russians, Yakuts, Germans and Americans a bit. We played a football match against local youth team and lost, despite some outstanding offensive play. On the following day in the Tundra's 375-year friendship between the Republic of Yakutia and Russia was celebrated. There were various competitions held; for the best traditional costume and the best local specialties. And we were promptly invited to sit together with local representatives and ministers from Yakutsk at a table together to enjoy the festival.

Yesterday morning we received the message: "The cargo plane from Irkutsk is on its way!" after having waited for days for the right weather conditions for the plane to transport our expedition cargo as well as some Tiksi goods (such as food).

The arrival of the aircraft meant mainly work for us: duffel bags, boxes and cartons from the truck to be carried to a warehouse and sacks of potatoes, onions, cabbage and other vegetables to be weighed. We will be about 20 people on the island for the next two months, and we all want to eat something.

Tonight or tomorrow morning, we will load the cargo out of the warehouse into two helicopters and, finally, we leave to Samoylov, in order to begin our work.

Greetings from Tiksi and see you soon on the island,

Max

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Main page of the English translation of the blog "Tundra Stories": http://page21.org/blogs/59-samoylov
Original blog in German: http://www.awi.de/de/go/Tundra-Stories