Appreciating Palmer

In and among the work insanity of the first week on station, I got at least a few opportunities to pause for a moment and appreciate where I AM, which is incredible!

Sheathbills watch our every move, acting as the peanut gallery of Palmer.

The sunsets are so beautiful even on land, and the ship docked is so striking, its size dwarfing the station even further.

The winter-overs staged an open-mic night, and winter crew, summer crew, and even some of the ship's crew serenaded us for the evening in the cozy lounge.

And then--for me the highlight of the week (other than moving into my room on station)--the outgoing Cargo Senior got permission for us to sneak away for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon, her last day on station, and snowshoe up the glacier behind the station. It was a gorgeous day and it felt amazing to be outside and getting exercise that didn't involve moving boxes around.

We stopped to see a momma seal and her pup who have been hanging out on the still-solid sea ice at the foot of the glacier...

...and then we hiked up onto the glacier itself, toward the profile of Mt. Williams (almost entirely shrouded in clouds) in the distance.

Turning around and looking back out toward station and over the sea ice was just as jaw-droopingly gorgeous.

Huge icebergs remind us that what looks like endless ice is really the sea, which will soon be open water for most of the summer.

And getting to appreciate the gorgeous natural setting of this outpost was all the reminder I needed that even though I'm not sure I know what I'm doing in my job and it all feels a little overwhelming at the moment, I'm so thrilled and glad and lucky to be here and it is all 100% completely worth it.