Have any of you ever seen the Northern Lights?

[kilroy69 1,026]

I saw them once in south east Michigan in the 2003 area. Was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen to this day. Red Blue and Green. It looked like we were in Maximum overdrive.

ETA that is was 2003 not 2002. I mark it by the fact we were watching the second gulf war unfold live on cnn at the time. 

[Cloaca du jour 2,083]

On my bucket list

[Hardcore troubadour 12,956]

Yes. Above  the artic circle in Norway. Very cool. 

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

1 hour ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Yes. Above  the artic circle in Norway. Very cool. 

A Norway/Iceland trip is high on my bucket list. Cruise the fjords, see the lights, etc. 

[Kopy 496]

1 hour ago, Cloaca du jour said:

On my bucket list

Same here. The 1 thing I always wanted to see in person.

 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

Yep, grew up in Alaska. Saw em often. Also seen em in Canada, eh.

They can be truly breathtaking. Other times it’s just one color and not real strong, but still something to see.

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

I worked in the arctic circle in Alaska, but I never saw a good one.

[blick 14]

Saw them on fishing trips in Canada from the cabin windows because the damn mosquitoes were too bad to go outside. 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

1 hour ago, MTSkiBum said:

I worked in the arctic circle in Alaska, but I never saw a good one.

What?? How’d you pull that off? Too much light pollution from the rig or something?

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

9 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

What?? How’d you pull that off? Too much light pollution from the rig or something?

While I was technically working as an engineer, my job responsibilities more resembled those of an industrial plumber/laborer when I was working on the north slope.  We worked 12 hour days, every day for either 2 or 3 weeks at a time. I was too tired most nights to go look and also when you are not working you are stuck in an apartment complex. There is no where up there to drive too or go outside to look around in the middle of winter.

 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

7 minutes ago, MTSkiBum said:

While I was technically working as an engineer, my job responsibilities more resembled those of an industrial plumber/laborer when I was working on the north slope.  We worked 12 hour days, every day for either 2 or 3 weeks at a time. I was too tired most nights to go look and also when you are not working you are stuck in an apartment complex. There is no where up there to drive too or go outside to look around in the middle of winter.

 

Huh I would’ve thought you’d have to try not to see them up there. But I’ve only been further north than Fairbanks a couple of time. Saw them several times at the hot springs outside Fairbanks though

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

5 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

Huh I would’ve thought you’d have to try not to see them up there. But I’ve only been further north than Fairbanks a couple of time. Saw them several times at the hot springs outside Fairbanks though

There is alot of light pollution around the rigs and apartments up there. You need to drive offsite to be able to see the northern lights, you could not see it from the facilities.

 

It is not like skinner's kitchen.

 

 

 

[Kopy 496]

What type of vacation, trip, location would be the best way to see them? A cruise to Alaska maybe?

 

[mmmmm...beer 692]

Saw them all the time living in North Dakota and Northern Minnesota.

[Hawkeye21 1,918]

48 minutes ago, Kopy said:

What type of vacation, trip, location would be the best way to see them? A cruise to Alaska maybe?

 

I think an Alaskan cruise would be a good way to see them while being a nice vacation.  Staying at a cabin or resort in Canada could be a good option too.

[BiffTannen 651]

I have smoked Northern Lights before. 

[NorthernVike 2,080]

Yes. Out my back door.

[kilroy69 1,026]

16 hours ago, IGotWorms said:

Yep, grew up in Alaska. Saw em often. Also seen em in Canada, eh.

They can be truly breathtaking. Other times it’s just one color and not real strong, but still something to see.

Where are you now? Why did you leave? Would you go back to live? 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

Just now, kilroy69 said:

Where are you now? Why did you leave? Would you go back to live? 

Pacific Northwest. A bunch of reasons, e.g. family and career. Yes I would go back but it’s almost certainly not in the cards. Beautiful state that I still miss often.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,956]

1 minute ago, IGotWorms said:

Pacific Northwest. A bunch of reasons, e.g. family and career. Yes I would go back but it’s almost certainly not in the cards. Beautiful state that I still miss often.

Whitelandia. Probably very little violent crime. 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

1 hour ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

Whitelandia. Probably very little violent crime. 

You’re not very bright. Anchorage has a high crime rate, lots of murders. It’s the Wild West, end of the road.

[KayJay1971 238]

I've seen Southern Comfort a few times but I remember very little about it. 

[Hardcore troubadour 12,956]

56 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

You’re not very bright. Anchorage has a high crime rate, lots of murders. It’s the Wild West, end of the road.

You don’t live there , right? 

[IGotWorms 3,432]

4 hours ago, Hardcore troubadour said:

You don’t live there , right? 

Not anymore. Guess you think that makes some kind of cute point

[Masshole 642]

20 hours ago, MTSkiBum said:

While I was technically working as an engineer, my job responsibilities more resembled those of an industrial plumber/laborer when I was working on the north slope.  We worked 12 hour days, every day for either 2 or 3 weeks at a time. I was too tired most nights to go look and also when you are not working you are stuck in an apartment complex. There is no where up there to drive too or go outside to look around in the middle of winter.

 

North slope!  Cool.   I think I am adventorous because I have been to northern Maine. . .

 Am I off that I think it would be cool to work in that environment/area for 6-12 mo's a yr or was it just a grind for a paycheck?   

There's gotta be some good stories you've got from that experience?   

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

42 minutes ago, Masshole said:

North slope!  Cool.   I think I am adventorous because I have been to northern Maine. . .

 Am I off that I think it would be cool to work in that environment/area for 6-12 mo's a yr or was it just a grind for a paycheck?   

There's gotta be some good stories you've got from that experience?   

I worked there in the winter. It is flat, white, cold, and dark. It was not uncommon for the highs to be -30 for the entire 2 week hitch. It was pretty cool for a short term assignment, but i would not want to make a career out of it.

 

Not many stories.  You have to stay on the oil rig or the apartments when you are not working and there is not much scenery in the winter time. It is just a flat, snow covered plains.  The good scenery is a couple hundred miles to the south.

[JustinCharge 2,397]

On 7/22/2020 at 8:20 PM, MTSkiBum said:

While I was technically working as an engineer, my job responsibilities more resembled those of an industrial plumber/laborer when I was working on the north slope.  We worked 12 hour days, every day for either 2 or 3 weeks at a time. I was too tired most nights to go look and also when you are not working you are stuck in an apartment complex. There is no where up there to drive too or go outside to look around in the middle of winter.

 

What sort of breaks / lunch did you get on 12 hour shifts?

[kilroy69 1,026]

Probably 2  15s.  A 30 and and half  hour lunch. 

[Mookz 1,289]

On 7/22/2020 at 11:35 PM, MTSkiBum said:

There is alot of light pollution around the rigs and apartments up there. You need to drive offsite to be able to see the northern lights, you could not see it from the facilities.

 

It is not like skinner's kitchen.

 

 

 

Thank you for saving me the trouble.  

[Masshole 642]

20 hours ago, MTSkiBum said:

I worked there in the winter. It is flat, white, cold, and dark. It was not uncommon for the highs to be -30 for the entire 2 week hitch. It was pretty cool for a short term assignment, but i would not want to make a career out of it.

 

Not many stories.  You have to stay on the oil rig or the apartments when you are not working and there is not much scenery in the winter time. It is just a flat, snow covered plains.  The good scenery is a couple hundred miles to the south.

Did you make bank for that kind of work?     

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

42 minutes ago, Masshole said:

Did you make bank for that kind of work?     

People make good money up there, basic cook, janitor, etc starts at 20 dollars an hour, and everyone works 14 -12 hour shifts, with overtime after 40 hours in a week. Which is 50k+ a year for an entry level type job where you get half the year off. This compares pretty well to a fry cook or janitor elsewhere in the world. Pay is much higher of course for skilled labor, welders, electricians, plumbers, etc.

 

There are two problems, one is the oil industry is prone to booms and busts. My company just announced another major layoff today. The other problem is that shift work where you are away from your family for 2 weeks at a time is difficult on relationships.

[Masshole 642]

8 minutes ago, MTSkiBum said:

People make good money up there, basic cook, janitor, etc starts at 20 dollars an hour, and everyone works 14 -12 hour shifts, with overtime after 40 hours in a week. Which is 50k+ a year for an entry level type job where you get half the year off. This compares pretty well to a fry cook or janitor elsewhere in the world. Pay is much higher of course for skilled labor, welders, electricians, plumbers, etc.

 

There are two problems, one is the oil industry is prone to booms and busts. My company just announced another major layoff today. The other problem is that shift work where you are away from your family for 2 weeks at a time is difficult on relationships.

Did you do stints up there where it was the time of the year where the sun doesn't come out?    I think that part would be the hardest, going weeks without seeing the sun.     It gets "kind of light out" for a couple of hours a day, right?    It's not just pitch black all day for weeks?   

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

6 minutes ago, Masshole said:

Did you do stints up there where it was the time of the year where the sun doesn't come out?    I think that part would be the hardest, going weeks without seeing the sun.     It gets "kind of light out" for a couple of hours a day, right?    It's not just pitch black all day for weeks?   

 

It is true that the sun does not rise, however it is twilight for 2-3 hours or so every day. You would not need a flashlight during noontime.

 

I would go home to Houston during my 2 weeks off, so I would get some sunlight on my off time.

[cmh6476 777]

what time will those fockers be rollin through tonight?

[kilroy69 1,026]

7 minutes ago, cmh6476 said:

what time will those fockers be rollin through tonight?

There is no real way to tell. I am going to take my kid to a nice open spot on government land that has zero light pollution around 9-10 to see if we can run across them. 

[MTSkiBum 1,605]

2 hours ago, kilroy69 said:

There is no real way to tell. I am going to take my kid to a nice open spot on government land that has zero light pollution around 9-10 to see if we can run across them. 

Good luck.

 

[jonmx 1,764]

2 hours ago, cmh6476 said:

what time will those fockers be rollin through tonight?

3:42am

[cmh6476 777]

Pretty good view around this area.   You can actually kind of see it better using your phone than the naked eye. 

[jonmx 1,764]

Seems to be visible all over Indiana 

[Thornton Melon 549]

9 hours ago, cmh6476 said:

Pretty good view around this area.   You can actually kind of see it better using your phone than the naked eye. 

That's how it was last night when I was up in New Hampshire. It was pretty cloudy and you could see it much better looking through your phone.