Alan Nelson's Daily Commentary for 4 September 1999

Kwajalein Island, Republic of Marshall Islands

I will be leaving in less than 10 days. George left yesterday to go back to our office. This is really the first time that I have thought about this experience coming to an end. A serendipitous day to notice this sign over by the air terminal. We really are along ways from EVERYWHERE! Almost perfectly splitting Honolulu and Sidney, Australia. And much closer to Wake Island.

I have not found the distances to be intimidating. And usually I don't feel cut off from the rest of the world. But alas, there are times that I feel very isolated, and that is when I am cut off from email! The couple nights on Meck when I was still working on my proposal, knowing I would need to get back to Kwajalein in order to send it back to Goddard I felt very isolated. Getting dropped off on islands like Legan or Illeginni as one of only 2 or 3 people didn't bother me. But not being able to get to email on Meck did. I'm not sure what that says about me, but it sure communicates how much I take email for granted!

I spent most of today hanging around the TRMM office or the Ops center figuring out how to best use my time while the Meck equipment remains down. I would enjoy spending a day with each science team here and really get to know in detail what they are doing and how they are getting it accomplished. That would help me and my long-term efforts at TRMM outreach, but there may be some more pressing, short-term needs for KWAJEX. Lots of teams are tired and an infusion of an extra person may give a much-needed lift. There is also some quality control that needs to be done on some of the radiosonde data. That might need to be done before we leave. I'll know tomorrow (I think!)

Alan Nelson