Sandeel Research Cruise (April 18-24th, 2006)

Hello!!
Here's some pix from the sandeel fishing cruise on which I was the only researcher aboard, commissioned to take length and weight and bycatch samples of the lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus) aboard the fishing vessel Skudetrål (first picture).

Here's my cabin. Through the door I had my own private bathroom. Not easy to shower without anything to hang on to with rough seas!

The saddest thing that happened was this dolphin that got too greedy for more sandeel and drowned in the trawl net. It doesn't happened often, thank goodness. Meanwhile I got my closest look ever of a dolphin this way. It was super heavy and it took a long time for the crew to get it off the boat with the huge trawl winch. It was so heavy that the 2 strongest crew members could not make it budge on the deck. Of course, we all felt badly that the dolphin drowned, they are such graceful and beautiful animals, but maybe this was natural selction at work or must the fishermen redesign their nets?

Hope you enjoyed these pix! Tomorrow morning I leave for Mallorca, Spain for a week-long workshop on fish modelling. Our hotel is found at www.esmoli.com . I'll be back with an update!

Love, Dolly.

Easter holiday pix

Hello again! While I'm packing my bags for Mallorca, I had to post our pix from our trip to visit family in Haugesund over Easter. Many of you will recognize Ingrid, our flower girl in the first picture! We took a hike to the historic lighthouse a little north of Haugesund with Simon's parents and his aunt Elise and grandmother Ingrid, grandfather Erling and of course little Ingrid. Great sunny weather, but a little windy! Here's also a pic of Simon helping in the yard at Knatten (the house Simon's great-grandfather built in 1917)

What's going on

-starting to get pix up on the blog from Easter the sandeel research cruise
-planning our new kitchen and interior budget for the new apartment
-playing in the Hansa Cup basketball tournament this weekend (so far 1 and 1, we play tmorrow morning)
-packing for the fish evolution modelling workshop in Mallorca (Spanish island in the Mediterranean!) Will be gone from May1st-8th

Stay tuned!

Dolly

PS: Simon has a blog site now! Check it out! www.simondankel.blogspot.com

Lien 78, 5057 BERGEN

We bought an apartment! While I was on the sandeel research cruise in the middle of the North Sea last week, Simon took the liberty of buying us an apartment (Lien 78 in the 'Gyldenpris' section of town). Needless to say I was a little shocked when I called him from a satellite telephone at 57degrees N and 5 degrees E and he told me he had bought the apartement we looked at online after he attended a successful showing. I was so excited I couldn't sleep all night (or was it due to the 5ft. waves outside my porthole?! ;))

We move in from June 1st. We are really happy to have found such a nice place (72 square meters) and are debating whether to redo the entire kitchen before we move in (or waiting a couple of years...)

We will be having a moving in party after we get settled for local friends and collegues. Our home will be open for visiting friends and family from August 2006! Catherine, my sister, will be our first 'foreign' guest after our trip to Croatia together in July.

Click here for more photos. Click here for a link to a map (We're about a 12 min walk to downtown Bergen by walking over the bridge.)

PS: I'll post a review and pix of the successful sandeel cruise soon!

Easter almost here

Wow, it's time for an update!

Spring has pretty much sprung in Bergen, although we did get a dash of icy rain this morning. Collegues at the Institute and the rest of the Norwegian population are winding down and getting ready for the Easter holiday week (synonymous with our Spring Break week).

Simon and I will hitch a ride with my parents-in-law Carl and Else down to Haugesund on Wednesday for our Easter vacation. We look forward to visiting our Dankel relatives, living in the seaside cabin and fishing for mackerel. If I'm brave enough, I will take some morning swims in the fjord. At least I'm sure Else will! I'll keep you posted... :)

Simon and I attended a beautiful Easter concert by the Bergen Brass Band at the Korskirken (Cross Church) downtown last night. One of the 13 numbers was 'Pie Jesu' which was super good. Also the tenor soloist was fantastic! We were invited by Simon's friend who plays the baritone, but we forgot we had to pay to get in. Luckily, Simon was able to scrounge up the 100 kroner (about $13) from his pocket and we got in. As luck would have it, Simon found a 100 kroner bill in the middle of the road 2 minutes after the concert. Maybe that was God's way of providing since we only have $15 left for food until I get paid again on the 8th? haha, maybe! ;)

I'll be back with Easter pictures from Haugesund!
Have a blessed Easter! Ha en riktig fin påske!

Love, Dolly.

Here I am researching Norwegian fishing hertiage in Nusfjord in the Lofoton islands of Northern Norway last summer 2005. Check out more about beautiful Nusfjord: http://www.nusfjord.no/