Back to Work

Well, for the first time since leaving the jetski company a year ago, I have started a real job.

First of all, the float plane trip out here was pretty incredible.  We got so close to the mountains and had amazing scenery despite rain and snow.  There were times where you couldn't see anything, but luckily our pilot has been flying Baranof Island for 30 years (and has a GPS, radar, etc).

Anyway, after landing, we got settled in the bunkhouse, which is pretty nice.  The rooms are basic, but the kitchen and living room areas are nice and very spacious and we each have our own bedroom for most of the season.  There are 4 seasonal staff, who live in the bunkhouse, and 6 permanent staff (4 of which are husband/wife couples) with their own living quarters.  That afternoon, we got right to work, basically with training.  The permanent staff "hosted" a potluck dinner so we could get to know them and enjoy some halibut and fresh-caught shrimp, along with salmon dip!

Right now we are primarily ponding and rearing chum, which essentially means we have to get them from their incubators (trays in a dark room) through some PVC tubes out to a raceway (a long rectangular tank).  After sitting there for 24 hours to adjust to light, we put them into net pens (giant nets floating in the ocean) where they are fed until they are the right size to be released.  Most are released at 2 grams, but some are going to be kept until 4 grams and they are released in 3 different stages.  While it probably sounds pretty simple, it is enough to keep us all busy for 8 hours/day.

The weather was unusually pleasant in the mid-40s and sunny for nearly 4 straight days and the area is beautiful.  We attempted to find a lake with trout in it, but as we learned, "trails" here aren't what we'd normally consider a "trail" to be.  Nearly an hour into our hike (which was supposed to be 10 minutes) we ended up on top of a ridge with great views!  We also bought a shrimp and crab pot, but have only caught 6 shrimp so far, and way more starfish than I ever wanted to have to pull up from a couple hundred feet.  It's trial and error at the beginning is what they keep telling us!

Anyways, other than my groceries getting mysteriously forgotten about (no one is sure where that went wrong), things have been good.  We have kept busy playing pool, fooseball, watching movies, working out, and even attempting to learn guitar.  One other guy and I spent the weekend at the satellite site in the next bay south, which was cool. The work was very easy and the house is floating, but unfortunately the weather was awful, so we didn't get to enjoy too much outside, although we did give fishing our first attempt (unsuccessfully).  On the way back we saw the spouts of whales, but couldn't see the actual animals, while seals, eagles, and various ducks are an everyday thing.

Otherwise, all is good here and I am really looking forward to the late spring when the fishing picks up, then hunting in the fall, and plenty more exploring!  I must admit, though, that I do occasionally miss having the ability to get ridiculously delicious and even more ridiculously cheap Asian street food at times.

Random info--I obviously get some internet, albeit typically awful.  I get cell service if I am next to a booster, so you'll probably have to leave me a message.  My days off are Thursday and Friday.  My address is :

Brian Merewitz
Hidden Falls Hatchery
1308 Sawmill Creek Rd
Sitka, AK 99835

Moving On

In about 2 hours, I will leave Homer and slowly make my way out to Baranof, but we will get to that later.

The rest of last week was relatively uneventful, but Friday we went up to Seward for Ry's basketball game--another blowout win.  On the way up, though, we decided to make a stop at Johnson Lake again to ice fish and it proved fruitful.  We ended up with 7 rainbow trout in under an hour!  And of course we were stalked by an eagle.  Apparently I got to see Seward on an unusually sunny day, and the drive up was beautiful.  Except all the trailhead signs got me thinking about all the trouble I could get into out there!  Resurrection Bay looked stunning as well in the sunshine, but everyone told me it is rare to see the sun in Seward.

Anyway, after getting back late Friday night, we headed out to the cabin on Saturday morning.  While they keep complaining that there isn't enough snow, it certainly is more than I'm used to and I had a great time riding again!  I am definitely getting more confident and comfortable driving the snowmachines.  Despite seeing lots of ptarmigan tracks, we only found one bird, which Ry hit and I ate!  After learning how to play cabin ping pong (in which Ry and I smashed Mickey's record...) and a great night's sleep, we woke and spent most of Sunday riding again.  There were still tracks everywhere, but we only came across three birds, and got them all, on the last day of ptarmigan season.

Monday wasn't particularly thrilling, but necessary.  Mick and I spent most of the day in the garage doing repairs to the sleds and then got dinner with some of their friends in town.  Tuesday consisted of grocery shopping, among a few other errands, then going to sight my rifle in.  Unfortunately, rather than sighting the scope, I broke it, but the company is sending me a newer and better one, so that's a plus I guess!  We figured that was enough work for one week, so we spent Wednesday and Thursday riding again and actually enjoyed the snowiest days I'd seen here yet, although it wasn't quite like what Maryland got. I did manage to stay upright and not stuck for the entire last four days of riding!

Now, I am all packed up and we are heading to Seward again shortly for a basketball tournament.  Depending on energy levels, we are discussing skiing Sunday, or somehow getting me to Anchorage on Saturday or Sunday, where I'll stay with Ian again for a couple nights.  On Monday I have a meeting with someone from the Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage, then on Tuesday at 8am I fly to Sitka.  I will spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Sitka, then fly to the hatchery on Thursday the 11th, but don't begin work until the 15th!

I'm not sure what my internet access will be like, but I'll do my best to stay in touch!