Search and Rescue

Well, I got to participate in the first Search and Rescue of the season this past week.  It was awesome actually because nobody got hurt and we found the people we were looking for....definitely the best outcome.  I was given a radio and some bear spray and I was asked to do the dirtiest job, which I have to admit I was SO excited about.  I got to hike up the river, cross it several times at the low tide, go through nasty smelling sinking mud, sand, and bushwhack through heavy brush.  It was a gorgeous day I was in heaven!  Did I mention we found the people?....I was looking for them as well when I wasn't getting distracted by the scenery and taking self-timed pictures of myself :)

Things here are starting to green-up.  If you look closely you can even see the lupines.

The ocean is very respected by South-east Alaskans.  It is it's own entity, it's own force.  Here they don't try to control it or wish it behaved differently.  They just embrace the fact that it will do what it wants and that it is a force that cannot be tamed.  When you try to go against the natural way, you get into trouble (which is what happened to the people we were searching for).  The water and tides change for no man and I'm starting to learn and experience the real meaning of wilderness.  In a world where people strive to have control and dominion of all things, its nice to know that there are still things that we absolutely cannot restrict or contain, as hard as we may try.  We get to leave that to God.  It's a great feeling to be so small and to recognize that we are not all powerful like we think we are.  He is still completely in control and we just get to enjoy it!