Wk 09 Hurry up! ...and wait
Date Posted: 4.16.2007
Location: 64º5'N 165º4'W
Nome, Alaska, United States
Weather Conditions: Blue sky and sunshine, 10 °F (-12 °C)
Winds sweep the snow off towering cliffs rising into the grey skies. Black smoke lingers above a silent cluster of houses in the distance. The runway is sheer ice and snow is hard packed and tucked in every corner and direction. No blacks scars of open water can be seen in the sea ice. There are no signs of melt here. "Raw, cold and starkly beautiful - that's my first sense of Chukotka," says Paul. Met by two members of the Russian Federal Border Patrol dressed in green uniforms, fur hats and "the fanciest elegant European style black shiny shoes," Paul stepped off the plane after a safe landing on the long runway cutting into the bay in Provideniya, Chukotka. Finally, in Chukotka. But as it should turn out...not for long.
Monday morning was a frenzy. Paul was pointing, explaining and once more making sure that the correct pallets were coming with him on the first plane going to Chukotka. Paul was also making sure everything was going to be loaded correctly on the second plane to follow - on Tuesday with Mille, gear and sleds onboard. Mille rigged a tie-off system along the bottom edge of the pick-up truck so we could drive the Polar Huskies from the 'yard' where they have called home here in Nome for more than a month now, to the plane parked on the runway. We were anxiously awaiting Elena's arrival. Elena, a Native Russian from Provideniya now living in Nome, is in charge of all flights from the United States to Chukotka on Bering Air, the only flight operator with planes and permissions to go to Chukotka. We couldn't have been more ready to get on our way to Chukotka. However, there was still one little concern - that the weather would hold up and allow for landing in Provideniya. All of Sunday we watched the forecast as it went from "snow" to an all-out blizzard warning across the Bering Strait. Calm and cloudy with a slight drizzle of rain (!) in the morning, there were no signs of a snow storm in Nome. But with the meeting of the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean, the weather can still be most turbulent in the center of crossing the Bering Strait. Obviously tense, Elena studied the closing in large red markings lingering on the weather map. The winds were 30-40 miles per hour at the mouth of the fiord leading into Provideniya, but so far so good. After calling the tower in Russia to ask for a visual report, Elena gave us the green light. With a blue sky in Provideniya, Chukotka here we come!
Transported to the plane on the back of the truck six at a time, we loaded the eager Polar Huskies directed by our first pilot, Larry. The dog boxes were stacked two high and two wide filling the belly of the small Beechcraft 1900 plane. Bags of 40-lbs dog food were packed in any empty spaces. Almost done, Elena showed up at the side of the plane to urge that we had to going! The weather was closing in on Provideniya. We had to hurry. Now running to get every task completed, Paul pulled out his large folder that was more than an inch of paper work. These papers contained the permissions and letters allowing us, the Polar Huskies, cheese, butter, pasta, dog food, equipment, and electronics to enter Chukotka. With one last permission to locate, we smiled as we hugged and wished each other 'good luck' before Paul followed the pilots to the plane. The propellers were fired up, and off went Paul and Polar Huskies for the expedition starting point. Paul was on his way to Provideniya in the autonomeous region of Chukotka in the country of Russia on the Asian continent. The plane was back-tracing the route of human migration that came to North America some 12,000 years ago!
The flight was about an hour. Through the window behind him, Paul couldn't see much but that the ice seemed to become more and more solid with leads few and far between as he approached the coast line of Chukotka. Along with the two border guards approaching Paul was Vladimir Bychkov from Chukotka. Vladimir, a founder of the Chukotka Support Group, works with our logistics support group - the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium. Vladimir is experienced in getting scientists and travel groups in and out of Chukotka and was there to help Paul with any translation needs. Paul knew he was in the best of hands. Everything was unloaded from the plane. The Polar Huskies were thoroughly checked - from their ears to their paperwork. With the plane unloaded, the pilots moved into a nearby building, parking the plane to await Paul's official entry into Chukotka when the paperwork is stamped and finally cleared. It turned out to be a long wait.
The dog food was piled on the ground. The Polar Huskies were sitting back in their boxes. The wind was whipping. Border guards were huddling behind trucks while moving in and out of the building. "I really have no idea how many people there were" says Paul, "a lot! Lots of talking was taking place, of which I obviously did not understand a thing. Then I was told I needed to pay a tax fee of $6 per kg of dog food. I knew of this tax. Nikolai had made us aware of this process back in July, 2006. However, in October it was cleared by customs in Anadyr, the capitol of Chukotka, that even though we are bringing in an unusual amount of dog food, it is obviously needed for 'personal consumption' and not to be re-sold! So, no tax was to be paid. The reason we are flying the dog food over, which is no cheap feat, is simply because there is no commercial dog food kibble to buy in Provideniya or anywhere along the expedition route. The Natives feed their dogs what they hunt on the land and the sea. "Like the Natives, we hope to supplement with walrus meat as well, but we are not allowed to carry weapons ourselves, so we can not rely on that." Paul continues, "It is really the same anytime we cross an international border - the border guards have to believe that we are really going dog sledding and that all the food we bring is for the Polar Huskies." Well, with that in mind the federal custom agents agreed with Vladimir Bychkov that there was just a bit more paperwork to be taken care of over the next couple of days. As long as Paul did not leave Provideniya in that time, we should be set to go!
Not so fast! Still standing on the runway, Paul was then told it would all clear if we agreed to pay $900 in cash per plane, which would be the same as if we had 145 kg of dog food on each plane. That didn't make too much sense, considering we actually had a total of 1000 kg! After calling Mille in Nome, the decision was made that if this would get us into Chukotka and the expedition on the move, so be it! Paul let Vladimir know he agreed to this.
Unfortunately, that turned out not to be the end of it. Much more was said, people moving in and out of the building, phone calls were made, talking behind the trucks on the runway out of the wind, more negotiations and then a meeting of all guards and Vladimir. Paul would not agree to more than the $900 per load, not that he even was carrying that kind of cash on him, but hopefully Mille could figure this out before her takeoff the following day. Ok, everything ok. Border guards asked for Paul's passport so they could stamp his visa for entry. Handing over his passport, Paul stepped into the building for the first time and sat down. Then he was given the final ultimatum. Pay $6000 in cash or his one-entry visa would be stamped as nulled and he would have to depart Russia immediately. Stunned, Paul had to say "no."
His visa was stamped 'no entry,' and everyone left. The phone rang back in Nome where Mille was anxiously waiting. "Sorry, I am calling with bad news," said Elena. "The plane is on the way back with Paul and Polar Huskies." Elena made another phone call to the US border patrol in Nome to let him know he had to get to the airport to ok the entry of our team back into United States. Fortunately, that obviously cleared easily. We unloaded the plane again, got the Polar Huskies staked out in the 'home-to-be-for-a-while-longer' and then we just sat for a while. Now what?
Not a whole lot of sitting around though. At first we did not see any option for re-entry. We immediately alerted the authorities in Chukotka of the events that had taken place, but as expected, not much could be done at this point. As with every border crossing, the final decisions made are indeed those of the federal border agents. According to the records, it was simply too much dog food to enter with as 'personal consumption.' Even if we agreed to pay a tax, we still had no way to get another visa for Paul. Remember, that it was a five month process to get the visa in the first place and Andrea Vladimir at the Russian Embassy in Seattle said it would be at least another 4-5 week process. But wait! Paul could be issued a 'tourist visa' for just 30 days! A tourist visa? No one ever told us of that option!
Before we learned about this option we took out the maps and started considering where we could travel here in Alaska to at least get the Polar Huskies on the expedition trail, visit some communities for our fieldwork and get you some action and stories of actual dogsledding adventures. "My idea was that we should do an expedition something like 'the-expedition-that-could-see-Chukotka-in-the-distance-but-not-quite-get-there'" says Aaron with a grin. One idea was to start in Wales, a location on a landmass where it is closest to and where you can literally see across to Chukotka. We would have to fly that far North as Spring has really arrived here in Nome. Every day temperatures have been above freezing and with the sun beaming 16-17 hours a day. The snow is quickly disappearing. "I know in last week's report I nicknamed Nome 'Vent' (which means "wait" in Danish) - and I have to admit that it is still pretty fitting for my sense of this place" says Mille.
Mille continues, "But I also have to agree with Paul that this place is one of incredible abundance. Besides from the resources that are here naturally, which I have now had a chance to enjoy!, it is quite the buzzing hub. I think most places seem to buzz with the coming of spring. People are outside relishing sunny weather no matter if along the pier in Copenhagen, in a school yard in Australia, shopping on the strip in Chicago or driving the muddy streets on a four-wheeler having fun splashing snow-turned-to-water in Nome. But, compared to any other community I have visited in the Arctic, Nome is quite fancy." Mille continues, "One of my favorite things to do when in a community is to go to the local store and see the different things one can get in the store from at home, what you can't get and how the prices compare. Here in Nome there is not one, but two large stores and I pretty much can't think of a single item you could not get in the store - including the most amazing assortment of veggies and fruit! The veggies and fruit obviously don't grow anywhere nearby, but have to be flown here on a daily basis." Most mind bugling is that it is actually cheap! The prices are not much higher than what you might see in Minnesota or elsewhere in the lower 48 states of the US. As we enjoyed fresh green asparagus the other night, one couldn't help to think that eating these asparagus leaves no small foot print on earth, that's for sure...
On that note, make sure to join this week's chat to talk about World Resources on Wednesday April 18 at 12 PM CST. Check out the transcript from the last chat with Peter Sullivan from Ecomagination with GE ,which we heard was ravingly great. Are you doing anything to celebrate Earth Day? Share it with the rest of us in the Earth Zone!
By Monday morning when you read this report, Mille, Paul and the Polar Huskies should have landed in Chukotka. This time hopefully to stay and get those sleds loaded to head out on the trail! Agreeing to pull a minor miracle, Bering Air have made arrangements to that we can arrive with the two planes needed on the same day, putting us just hours apart. At least, that's the plan. But then, as never before, this expedition has certainly challenged every possible plan and the team members' ability to stay calm and on task.
This week's Polar Husky superstar is always on task, be it to scare off a polar bear, go flying, pull a sled, greet a crowd or just be Polar Husky happy... that is Timber for you. While some Polar Huskies, just like some people, are not all that sure about all this flying, Timber couldn't care less. As long as there is some action, something to do, somewhere to go - Timber is all tail, tales and grins. As wound-up-crazy as Timber can be, (and let us assure you that even at his old age he can easily match any youngster Polar Husky) he is a very calm and collected guy. Nothing really rattles Timber. Always alert and on the look-out for excitement, as well as dangers such as polar bears, you pretty much do not see Timber's head when he is in a harness and the sled is moving. Head down with awesome power and 4-wheel-low-technique, Timber is a hard-pulling machine, and the loudest member (only matched by his buddy Peto) of the pack when at a stand still. Timber always has a story to tell. Check out Timber Tales!
Not nearly as loud as Timber, this week's second Polar Husky superstar, Beacon, is just as wound up though. Filled to the brim with energy and a crazy good mood, Beacon is a brilliantly smart Polar Husky. A lone pup, Beacon has the smarts and intelligence of his mother Freja, but he is also unusually confident and does not seem to have any fears. Normally at about the age of 4 or 5 weeks old, Polar Husky puppies venture out on their own from the safe of the large house where they are born. Beacon was barely three weeks old, just gaining control of how to use those little stubby legs, when he tumbled out of the house barking at enormously furry 'Spook' - then the tallest Polar Husky in the Kennel. Beacon was soon strutting around with his chest out, ears perked and curious to anywhere, anything and anyone. Poor Freja would desperately try to range him in, and frequently would come to us whining for help as he was off on another adventure. Unknowing of his nature, our sponsor 'Connectria' very fittingly gave him the name 'Beacon.' As a beacon of light, leading the way! A beacon of hope! This week we will let hope lead the way as we set out to finally travel along the coast of Chukotka to meet what we are sure are wonderful people and sights of beauty that are out of this world.
This past week, incredible sadness has come to two people from Chukotka working with Team GoNorth! In the most tragic of events, Olga's son has passed away. Our most sincere condolences go out to Olga. Without Olga we would not be entering Chukotka. She diligently worked for weeks with authorities in Russia to clear our way. What seems implausible, Slava, our new team member to travel with us on the trail in Chukotka, just a few days ago also most tragically lost his young son. Our thoughts are with both you and your families.
