Glacier Bay at it's finest!

I've noticed that when I write in my journal, the most exciting times in my life never really get written about.  That is a shame, because those are the times that I want to remember the most.  I guess it's good to be out having adventures and creating memories though!  This week has been a wonderful week and I've been able to do a couple of things that I've never done before.  I love adding new skills to my list!

So, first off....as part of my training last week they took us on a sightseeing trip through Glacier Bay for a couple of days.  The weather was amazing (still cold, but blue skies) and we just got to cruise through virtually untouched wilderness.  I spent the night in a tent on Russell Island in the West Arm of Glacier Bay and saw two HUGE brown bears right by where I was camping.  We saw whales, porpoises, mountain goats, eagles, land otters, seal lions, seals, and moose.  I got to row to shore and stand right up next to a big blue tidewater glacier.

East Arm - McBride Glacier and icebergs

Blue glacier ice

Drinking (or trying to) the glacier run-off

West Arm of Glacier Bay

Next adventure.... last Friday I had my cold-water kayak training and it was INSANE.  For the whole day we got in our kayaks, rolled ourselves into the water, and practiced different ways to get back into our kayaks.  I was freezing (to say the least) but it was awesome.  Just so everybody knows, I would be happy to go kayaking with you and I would be able to save you if necessary.  It was so much fun!

And for my last adventure this week, I was very blessed to go halibut fishing for a day.  My friend Sarah and her dad are way into fishing and so we all went and it was an experience that I will remember forever.  I was a little nervous haha but found that I'm actually quite a natural :)  I have never seen such a big fish in my entire life!  We are allowed to keep two each and by the end of the day, I was looking at 140 lbs of halibut to fill up my freezer.  Sarah's dad said that he has never seen someone get so excited about a fish!  We caught the fish, gutted the fish, cut up the fillets, vacuum packed them, and froze them.  We left some out and had a big fish fry that night with a bunch of friends.  I got to see the complete process of enjoying halibut and it was incredible.  My arms were so sore from reeling in a fish that weighed half as much as me and that was fighting for his life.  The blood and guts didn't freak me out too much....

Too heavy for me to lift

All in a days work....

Here comes the sun :)

The weather this week has been AWESOME but I've been told that it's very uncharacteristic of Southeast Alaska.   I sat outside today on a rock on the beach, listening to the seabirds and watching a land otter jump and swim around.  The mountains off in the distance are completely snow covered and look almost translucent in the sunshine.  I went camping the other day!  Yay summer has officially started.  This week we are taking the motor boats up the bay for a couple of days as part of our training and I'm giddy like a little schoolgirl.

I went on a hike a few days ago to a glacial lake and I want to say that it was beautiful...I suppose in its own way it was...but the terrain was so strange.  No elevation gain!  Just lots of roots and mossy rocks to jump over and water to trudge through.  It was a pretty long hike and one of the guys that was with us didn't think to bring any water.  In my mind, I'm thinking "what an idiot.  Everyone knows they should bring water."  It seems like common sense to me, but for someone who has never spent much time in the outdoors I guess he can be excused.  But that gets me to thinking....I'm pretty sure there are people here in Gustavus that think that I'm an idiot because I don't know anything about boating or tides or sea creatures or...fishing.  So I will try not to judge others because I am totally out of my element up here.

Friday we had Survival Suit training in the cove.  I was the clown in the big red suit and was the brunt of many jokes because the suit was at least a foot and a half too long for me.  I thought I would include pictures because they are funny.  It was so much fun being in the icy water and staying completely dry and warm.  I didn't weigh enough to bring me down into the water, so for the most part my suit was just full of air and I floated above the water way higher than anyone else.

Next week, expect pictures of the glaciers (finally!!!).

Sunset from my home - Bartlett Cove

Same sunset, entire Fairweather Range

My HUGE survival suit

Part of the survival suit training

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea!!

I've been really busy this past month, but I am happy to announce that I am officially living in Alaska again!  Woohoo!!  And so begins another adventure.....

I am living and working up here in Glacier Bay National Park.  This is a marine-based park.  I am a mountain girl.  I have been completely overwhelmed with new information about tides, boats, whales, etc. so when I get back home I am going to be so smart :)  I have been introduced to a completely new ecosystem which I am thrilled to learn about.  I live right on the rocky shore and it is common to see little sea creatures and beautiful shells on my way to work.  I'm loving it!

I've got some fun excursions planned in these next few weeks, including a camping trip, a kayaking trip, and a boating trip further up in Glacier Bay.  I've already eaten large amounts of halibut and salmon (YES!!) and I know some people that are willing to take me out fishing with them on my days off.  It is cold, and I saw the sun for the first time yesterday since I got here.  It rains A LOT.  I've never seen so much rain in my life. 

My favorite thing about working for the Park Service is that I get to meet amazing people from all over the world, people that have had many more adventures than I have.  My supervisor is one such person.  He has done everything and has so many wonderful stories.  We were hiking the other day and I was asking him about where I should even start to learn all of these new things about the job and the area.  He gave me some great advice.  He said that the beauty of the park is in all of the small things, and as soon as I experience and learn about the things that are right at my feet, the big picture will start to make sense and I will begin to appreciate everything so much more.  That applies to my job, but it also applies to my life.  How easy it is to overlook the beauty of life that is right at our feet!

Here are some pictures.  If they don't load at first, try refreshing your browser, it sometimes is a little picky.

I got to see my Alaskan family....the Verhagens!

In front of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau

I was the only passenger on a tiny plane over to Gustavus

The view from my my house in Glacier Bay!