TGIF

Sailing into Tracy Arm Fjord. Probably one of the most beautiful places in the world....insert longing sigh here...

Friday never seems to come around soon enough. Boy it's been one of "those" weeks. Culminated today by arriving home, dripping wet (walked in today and it rained on the way home) and receiving my long awaited permission letter from my car loan people to ship my car to Maine (it has to be notorized and all that fun stuff). Yay! Only on careful reading the letter gave me explicit permission to transfer my car to Minnesota. The hours of the company are crappy (well, they are crappy if you're on Hawaii time) so it was hard to get hold of them in the first place, let alone again. Another large sigh. I really want to send my car soon before I have to deal with "winterizing" it (the car companies won't take it without it being winterized past November), so it's just one more thing that needs dealing with, again. If I knew someone in Minnesota I would consider sending it to them right now.......

So went over for a nice G&T with Jenny after work, they've had a crazy week too, today one of the pups decided to jump out of a window after the mailman during the day, breaking the window. It's the second time crazy pup has done that. So in reality a mess up between Maine and Minnesota is a mild thing...:0)

Tomorrow we've all agreed a few hours on the beach in the AM is in order, so I think that's an awesome way to start a weekend, especially one where I know I have to head into work a few times.

Happy weekend everyone!

First Week Back

Well, i've been back almost a week, and it's been a whirlwind. I have to say too, I miss Alaska. A really beautiful place, definitely on my list of favorites in this world, somewhere I feel like "me". The beauty of the mountains and fjords, the laid back atmosphere, the quiet stillness. The Tracy Arm cruise was a complete success too, I was very very sad not to be diving, but the two people I went with were a lot of fun and we got all the samples we need tagged and ready for this long term experiment. I'm really excited about this project!

Luckily Maine makes me feel like "me" too, and with my return is the return to reality and that in just under 3 months I am making a move across the widest part of the US. When I say this week has been a whirlwind too, I really mean it - in the last 5 days i've not only caught up with work and life, processed the first set of samples from Alaska, ran 20 miles (that marathon is looming!), booked the moving container (12th November), my car is being fixed before shipping, car paperwork to ship it applied for and even booked my flight (22nd December). All this and I still haven't unpacked my camping gear.......

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Off

Off on the boat tomorrow morning, so all will be silent for a while again. Today we loaded the boat and were done by midday, so I took myself off on a hike up Mount Roberts, as it was such a beautiful day! 

I didn't go all the way up Mount Roberts, as I wouldn't have had time to get up there and back (and I didn't want to pay for the tramway). This is from just about "Father Browns Cross", beautiful views of Juneau, Auke Bay, and even into the mountains by Glacier Bay if you look way in the background. 

The Gastineau Channel, we'll be headed out in this direction early tomorrow (7am) to the Tracy Arm fjord to work. 

Juneau, Auke Bay (far back) and beyond. 

Juneau

Arrived in Juneau yesterday after a 4 hr delay in Gustavus for weather and went straight to work. Stian has been super nice and leant me his camera for this Juneau portion, so I can still continue to blog and get photos of this awesome experience. The downside to Juneau for me is that it looks like I won't be diving, NOAA changed their rules on us, and to things I don't have, so i'll no longer be diving with the group. I'm pretty bummed about this. But at least I still get to go to Tracy Arm, several people have told it is one of the most beautiful spots in Alaska. After the beauty of Glacier Bay, i'm not really sure that is possible, but we'll see! 

Yesterday as soon as I got off the plane I went to work with Bob Stone in the lab, getting the chemicals ready, getting boxes packed, looking over lists. This morning we did some more packing and took the first of the crates down to the pier, ready to load on the boat on Monday evening. Bob and Michelle then took me on an awesome ~2hr hike at the Mendenhall Glacier, just outside of Juneau. The sun didn't quite shine, but it didn't rain either, and the trail was awesome, some great views. Back from the hike we then went and moved another load of boxes down to the pier, and now i'm officially pooped! 

Photos from the last two days - 

Officially the smallest plane i've ever been on! It was mostly great, was a little bumpy in places though as the weather was still so so. In a normal large plane turbulence doesn't bug me at all, in one with only 4 seats it was a little disconcerting! 

I even got to sit in the front seat! The view coming into Juneau. 

Downtown Juneau. It's been odd coming from a town of 300 to a city of over 40,000. Juneau is a nice city though, somewhat touristy, but there are a lot of different cultures here. 

Float plane landing in Juneau.

A "fresh" piece of the Mendenhall glacier.

Bob and I at the high point of the hike, overlooking the glacier. 

The Mendenhall Glacier

Bob and Michelle looking up at the waterfall. 

Me and the glacier - it was mostly warm today, though really cooled off by the evening. 

Looking back at bergs on the lake created by the glacier. 

Glacier Bay National Park

Back from the wilds of the backcountry in Glacier Bay National Park, a wonderful 7 days of kayaking where we saw, no one else for an entire week (unless you count two sets of kayaks seen from a distance), it was bliss. We saw humpbacks, (maybe) orcas, sealions, seals, otters and more birds than you can shake a stick at. No bears or moose, which is a little sad, I was hoping, but nothing but bear and moose poop to show for it.

Each campsite was amazing in it's own right, the first on an unnamed island in the Beardsleys left us with humpacks feeding at night and playing in the morning, alongside seals and otters playing in the kelp. The second and third night were out at Leland Island, beautiful views of the beartrack mountains and a crazy creature roaring into the night, the forth night was on Sturgess Island, stunning little bay with a perfect beach fire and campsite tucked into the trees. The fifth night was in Beartrack cove where we were met with bear and wolf tracks and scat, and the sixth and final night was on Kidney Island, where we saw the first signs of moose, but none of the elusive creatures up close.

Unfortunately upon returning to civilization, I had my camera stolen from the lodge. I should clarify, not my camera, the departments fancy SLR camera I had been loaned to run the work blogs with. Ug. I stupidly left it under the table at dinner, didn't realise until after the $15 cab back home, but assured it had been handed in decided we'd just go and pick it up in the AM when going down there anyway, by which time it had "disappeared". Many convoluted and changing stories from the lodge staff (the final one being that the guy behind the desk gave it to someone who said it was theirs), the nicest park service police, and yet no camera returned. I feel stupid for leaving it, but angry that it seems like someone from the lodge has pocketed it, even more so that it sounds like this isn't the first time things have disappeared from that lodge and that it happens rather regularly. I'm also responsible for it, so that's going to be a big chunk of change I don't have.

Most of all, i'm sad because I lost all my photos from that week. I had some great ones too, I took one of each campsite we had, some beautiful bird, otter and seal shots, and some of the great vistas of Glacier Bay National Park I was going to use here and on the work blog. Stian luckily had a camera too, but as I was snapping away, he didn't take so many. Humanity just makes me sad a lot of the time, maybe before I leave someone will do the right thing and the camera might reappear. Then again I could also grow another head between now and then too.

Here are some of Stian's photos - thanks Stian for letting me use them!

You couldn't go far without a little nose sticking up to watch you - this is a sealion, but seals and otters did this too. They were our little friends throughout the kayak trip.

Humpack fluking as we pack the kayak from our first nights campsite. 

The preferred mode of transport, certainly in my world.

Three little oystercatchers sitting on a wall...

We counted over a dozen bald eagles one day, it was fabulous! 

The perfect view in my opinion, looking up the bay towards the West Arm. I loved the views in the rain and the shine, and we saw both! We couldn't have asked for better weather in reality, we're in the wet month and only got rained out on one day, and got sun burned on two! 

Getting closer....

To a work visa that is. This was supposed to be renewed months ago. But a series of pain-in-the-ass people and a new regulation, and here I am today, still without a visa renew for January. I guess we will be paying rush service after all. But this arrived today. This piece of paper says my PhD is equivalent to a US PhD. It says that I am worthy. I try not to let my feelings get in the way of what this nice company has done for me for the small fee of $300, because of course how could anyone assume that a PhD from the UK would be worthy in this country. Everyone needs an independent moneymaking company for this service, especially now that the US requires this of every work visa.

I could continue. But lets just add "rant about the US immigration system" here.

Tomorrow this will go into my file, and hopefully it'll go off tomorrow. But of course, Thursday is Thanksgiving, so there is no way in hell this is getting there until at least midweek next week. Nothing like cutting it down to the wire. Good thing I hadn't planned to leave the country for the holidays, as chances are, I wouldn't have been allowed back in.....

Mt Olympus

Today was an awesome day, so much fun! I went for a 6 mile hike up Mt Olympus with my friend Russ, followed by a swim at Kaimana beach and a "Cheese Burger in Paradise" (yes, it's owned by Jimmy Buffet). I'm now back in my apartment nursing my dehydration, stiff legs (I did a ten mile run on saturday too!) and bruised butt (and by bruised, I mean BRUISED).

I wish I had taken a photo of me on this hike, but I forgot. By the end of the hike I was literally covered in mud, all up my legs, my butt and my arms. It's a typical Hawaiian muddy trail, but also steep and really slippy in places. I managed to take a good slip (one of many by both of us) onto a tree root, my right butt cheek is now black. At least the outcome is indicative of how much that hurt, I hate it when you take a good tumble and don't even have a bruise to show for the pain. I've also ascertained my Keens might be beyond their useful tread-life. I kind of knew this, but was hoping to eek them out a little longer....

The hike (topographic map here) -

The trail on the Wa'ahila Ridge trail. This is looking back into Waikiki.

Some beautiful views of Diamond Head volcano.

Looking down Manoa Valley (right - where my house is) all the way to Waikiki and downtown Honolulu. Palolo valley is on the left, we're right up on the ridge between them.

After two hours walking up the ridgeline we finally came to Mt Olympus - this photo is taken from the top looking down to Kailua, on the windward side of the island (the opposite side from where I live, and the opposite from the previous photo). It was gorgeous, but a little cloudy, so this photo looked better in sepia.

Kailua town. It was getting pretty cloudy up here, but otherwise we were lucky with the weather, no rain.

There was a short trail down from Mt Olympus towards Kailua that we investigated, it didn't go too far though. But there was a ton of Korean hikers sat on the Mt Olympus viewpoint, so we didn't feel like sticking around there too long.

American Red Cross

I did my final training tonight to be a "Hotline Operator" for the Oahu chapter of the American Red Cross. What does this mean? Well, the Red Cross primarily deal with local emergencies, such as house fires, flooding etc. They go to the scene and help anyone who needs help - providing food, shelter, monetary help and counseling services too. Basically helping people get back onto their feet after a disaster and being there when needed. I would eventually like to get onto one of these teams that go into the field, but there are quite a few courses you have to take to get on one and i'd really like to get some experience in what kinds of calls the Red Cross respond to. 

Here in Hawaii one of the most needed volunteers are Hotline Operators. This means you're the one who takes the call from the emergency services and passes on the message to the relevant team to respond. So you're basically the point person. Here in Hawaii, where numbers of calls are relatively low, this means you're on call either day or night (not both) for a week at a time. The nice thing about this and my crazy schedule is that it fits around really well - I can say when i'm here in Hawaii and when i'm not, and I can be "on call" in the evenings, so around my work schedule. Here in Hawaii the average is 3 calls a week, so really not a big time sink. 

The Red Cross are always looking for volunteers, are in every community and have a variety of things you can do that can fit every schedule (from once a year to once a week!). Take a look at your local chapter to see what's going on in your area, you'll be helping people in your community as well as doing something very worth while. 

Divorce on a TV show....

Really people? How about stopping the show while that goes on? The Jon and Kate plus 8 saga continues......

http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/jon-kate-plus-8-the-announcement.html

Bye Bye Bush.....

And hello Obama!

Obama

Celebrating in style with the Watling's and a good bottle of champagne in front of the TV. I've never felt so connected to an election, but this one really held this aliens future in it's hands. And although the near future is still a little bleak, the longer term is looking way up now. Thank you America. 

And a hibiscus from our garden for Obama's grandmother, who never got to see it actually happen.

Go America....

Election day here, state holiday in HI (and not sure how many other states), good idea to get everyone out to vote. Just hope it works....not that there is going to be too much of a problem in Hawaii.........

Feeling pretty nervous about it, one way will result in a better future for science funding here, the other side doesn't even believe fruit fly research is important, let alone those rarely seen deep-water species. 

So lets see if I need to be looking for yet another continental move, and no, I really don't want to be..........