It all started Monday when we all got up early and headed out for a video conference with University of Georgia professor John Knox.

I can’t believe this week is over. It has gone so fast that I am still shocked it’s Friday.  I can’t believe that last Sunday I didn’t know any of the other Argos, had never been to Milwaukee and didn’t know what a "spazzberry" was.  This week has been such a fantastic mix of meeting people, making friends and learning.

 

I came into this experience not knowing very much about weather at all (of course I knew the basics…), but this week has expanded my knowledge exponentially.  It all started Monday when we all got up early and headed out for a video conference with University of Georgia professor John Knox. In the ensuring class we covered everything from cold fronts to cyclones to the jet stream - all through the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a cargo vessel that sank on the Great Lakes. Then we were given our assignment for the week: "support your hypothesis as to why the Fitz sank."

 

The week continued on with snorkeling on Tuesday.  A drive out to

The frigid water meant that we all had to wear wetsuits and probably some of my best memories of this week will be remembering all the trouble we had getting into the things.

Watertown, WI brought us to the quarry of Gaye-Lynn, an instructor who, in addition to guiding us throughout the week, taught us to snorkel.  The frigid water meant that we all had to wear wetsuits. Probably some of my best memories of this week will be remembering all the trouble we had getting into the things. I was so cold that I decided to wear a two part suit that ended up making me so buoyant that I couldn’t even dive. On the way back to Milwaukee, we stopped briefly in the town with the coolest name ever: Oconomowoc.  Try to say that three times fast.

 

Wednesday was filled with classes.  In the morning, we met with an underwater historian from Thunder Bay, a national site designated for the preservation of the sunken boats there.  A meeting with Professor John Kahl taught us all about the interpretation of weather data by meteorologists. That night we went to dinner at restaurant that served something you only find in Milwaukee: a butterburger or a burger with a pat of butter on top.  While some people tried it, I passed. Still I'll always remember the strange dish.

 

A meeting with Professor John Kahl taught us all about the interpretation of weather by meteorologists.

Perfect weather made Thursday a great day to go out on boat.  It was beautiful, sunny, warm and breezy.  It was the first time I had ever been on a boat on one of the Great Lakes and I couldn’t believe how big it was—it looked just like the ocean. We got to look at sonar and underwater camera images of a sunken ship and collect weather data from various sites. Because of safety concerns we were all forced to wear big bulky orange life jackets that made the team look like a group of oompa-loompas but it was worth it (especially when I got to control the underwater camera).  We each took a turn driving the boat which was cool, especially since I can’t get my permit to drive on land for another couple of months.

 

So now it’s Friday. The morning was filled with a video conference with the University of Georgia.  We then presented our conclusion on the two research questions we had been assigned to work on throughout the week “How accurate is the weather forecast?” and "what we thought sank the Edmund Fitzgerald."  Now it’s time for goodbye- to at least some of the group.  We were placed into our group for our Field Assignments, and it turns out I'm going to Miami. I'm really excited about all the possbilities, but I also really don't want this week to end.

 

We got to look at sonar and underwater camera images of a sunken ship and collect weather data from various sites.

Now it’s time for goodbye- to at least some of the group