Puma 3

 
Our humble home Home, upon arrival
Our humble home, a.k.a. Puma 3: the 8' x 17' cabin that sheltered the five researchers, their food, gear, and fossils for the duration of the expedition. The truck delivered the team from the village of Ushakovsky (four hours away) on the 4th of August, and was not to be seen again until the 22nd. Above the hut is the antenna of radio Puma 3.

 
Alexei builds our refrigerator Alexei builds our refrigerator
Alexei Tikhonov adjusts the "refrigerator" he built: a pit dug into the permafrost, where he has stored the 20 raw salmon and reindeer meat that will sustain the field crew for the season.

 
Rangifer laundromat Rangifer laundromat
Reindeer skull and antlers provide the perfect rack for drying hand-laundered garments.

 
Homecoming Homecoming
Ross MacPhee at "home," with a hot cup of coffee. The sign on the wall reads, "Wrangel Island: Eastern Forestry Division," but of course there are no trees. The cords outside are linked to the gas-powered generator we brought from St. Petersburg to provide electricity. (Note lights inside.)

 
Stocks at Desolation Camp Stocks at Desolation Camp
In an effort to increase our searching areas, we relocated from the cabin to a campsite 12 km to the southeast. Sergey Vartanyan and Alexei transported such essentials as these to the site via a portable canoe. Luckily, Museum expedition boxes are built to take a beating.

 
Sunset and snow at Desolation Camp Sunset and snow at Desolation Camp
Midnight "sunset" and snowclouds mix over our remote campsite on the Shumanaya River.

 
Sergey and Ross at Desolation Camp Sergey and Ross at Desolation Camp
"Desolation Camp" with the Shumanaya River glistening to the south. These tents sheltered the team for four nights, during which the team tried not to think about the island's resident polar bears. Sergey drinks hot tea with lots of sugar; Ross begins to prepare dinner.

 
Sergey hauls water Sergey hauls water
All drinking, cooking, and cleaning water had to be hauled from the nearest river. Sergey returns from the Shumanaya with a full kettle and pot. Wrangel Island's central mountain provided a nice change of view from the bleakness of the tundra.

 

 

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