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Jay’s Lament – A Retrospective of my Antarctic Experience
Posted By: Jay_Davis, Dr. Kanatous on Monday, December 18, 2006
After a whirlwind, circumnavigation around the South Island of New Zealand following our long flight back from “the ice”, I find myself back at work staring out the window as the Seattle rains continually fall. Was it a dream, did I imagine it or did I in fact spend 2 month on a remote frozen paradise working with a fabulous group of folks on an important scientific endeavor to better understand the Weddell seal? Yes, I don’t have to quite pinch myself, but it was in fact REAL!! Now that I am back home, it is easy to fall back into the normal routine both personally and professionally; however, it is not that simple. For the past 2 months my Antarctic Experience has been both incredible as well as profound, and I have been changed by it. The coldness, the vastness, and the isolation of Antarctica are hard to express as is the beauty and the amazing and resilient wildlife I experienced there. It is like trying to describe the Grand Canyon to one using words, photos or even video. Until one steps to the edge and looks over for themselves, one cannot appreciate the beauty and wonder that nature holds. Antarctica is the same in that regard. Through our updates and photos we tried to give you a glimpse into what it was like to live and work in such a place. I hope you were able to learn much and live vicariously though the Ice Team because I know we all grew, learned and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with you throughout this experience. I am not only still in awe but now respect nature; including the habitats and critters of Antarctica, even more now then I did before I departed on this adventure.
The time in Antarctica passed much more quickly then even I would have guessed and during my time there I certainly tried not to take the experience for granted. While it seems like a world away (which in fact it is given I am sitting here in Washington State), Antarctica will always be a part of me now. Also, the camaraderie of the Ice Team will be something I hold dear from my Antarctic Experience. I have photos, videos and stories to tell others about Antarctica, but it was the other members of the Ice Team that experienced Antarctica with me and because of that we share a special bond. There were highs, lows, scary and silly times (i.e. see snowmobile crashes, Halloween costumes and Karaoke stories on previous updates), and much work was successfully accomplished (also described in our previous updates) during our time on the ice. I want to thank the Ice Team for being there through all of it for without your friendship and support the experience would not have been the same. I especially want to thank the Principle Investigator of the study, Dr. Shane, for giving me the opportunity to help on such an important project as well as the chance to experience a place few are able to view in the way we were. Words cannot express my gratitude – thanks my friend. And finally in closing, I would urge all of you to seize any opportunity that is presented to you and make the most of it as I hope I did with my Antarctic Experience. Some opportunities do only come around once, and I viewed this experience as a once in a life time opportunity. For even if I am fortunate enough to get back to Antarctica – the experience I just had these past couple of months will never be duplicated. There are too many people to thank individually, both those that helped make this happen as well as those who took interest in our work down in Antarctica, so I will say it once: thank you one and all for what was a truly life changing experience.
Take care and remember – anything is possible if you believe,
Jay
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