Good to be back in AK!

Well, I received the wonderful opportunity to return to Alaska for another summer. This summer has the makings to be a truly epic summer filled many adventures, close calls, late nights counting salmon, and general shenanigans.

A quick rundown as to why I am here….I am, and will be counting Salmon all summer. First I’ll be located on the Kenai Peninsula in a town called Kenai where I will wake every morning to go count salmon smolt (think baby salmon) in our smolt trap. Basically I go down to a floating barge that catches salmon smolt all night and count and release them the following morning. While I’m in Kenai I’ll also have the opportunity to see a lot of different sights because I have driving privileges (which is very nice!), and the ability to actually go places because I am on the road system. In case you have never been to Alaska, there are very few roads in this very large state. Many of our remote field camps do not have roads that are near them, and everything must be flown in…anywho..moving on. Next I’ll head over to bear country and count large adult salmon as they return to their natal streams to gloriously spawn…from there I’m not sure.

As of late, I have had had the opportunity to go to Seward (200 mile drive round trip) 3 times in 4 days, and see all the sights in between…the weather has been amazing, as have the people and the times I have been having. I guess I’ll just post pictures with a bit of an explanation underneath them……………………

The First and Second Group of Interns Respectively:

My favorite dog up here!



The awesome drive to Seward, AK.













Here's some pictures in and around Seward:











These are called Halibut....taste very good!:





At Exit Glacier:


A sea Lion in Seward munching on Halibut:





Here's some shots of me at work, I get to drive really old awesome trucks and bronco's:



and bark orders at older people.....



and count smolt!



sometimes I make other people do my work...




......while I sit and look at birds that are eating all our fish!



such as these, and Artic Terns, and Gulls...




These are the smolt we are counting.





This is my co worker Max. He's a real cool guy from Wabash College in Indiana...in this picture we had to float this big barge down a river that was littered with rocks. The barge was like a pinball in a pinball machine bouncing off the rocks. It was a blast and we almost fell in a couple of times when we nailed some big rocks!




Now lets meet some of my coworkers!

First of all meet Amber. Amber is a 21 year old female from Monticello Kentucky. She has a glorious Southern Accent, and talks "country" too. Listening to her is a trip, as well as engaging in any conversation what so ever. She also packed a hair dryer and loads of hair spray for camping for 6 weeks. Her hobbies include smoking cigarettes (putting a cigarette out on a glacier is one of her many accomplishments) and sleeping all day. She's a hell of a person and very fun to be around. She is very missed now that she is in the field.




Heres the res to the crew...


Yes we go under the bridge do indulge in some adult beverages (cue Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

and look at this view...




Here's what we do in our gravel parking lot when there is nothing going on..also I want you to meet Kat (aka Kitty Kat). She's Amber's co worker in field camp.




we also gawk at Moose!





One of our camps required several boats...Almost looked like the Griswalds were going on vacation!






Here's my favorite group shots from Seward...






I did get to float the Kenai river with Todd in a Kayak built for 1. The water was Glacial fed..and very cold to say the least. We flipped it once and called it a day. It was a blast though!



Here's some highlights from my recent trip to Anchorage!
amazing shot of Turnagain Arm:




a little White Birch Salmon Food Porn!



A great band I saw in Homer called "Three Legged Mule"




and last but not least I cut my hair...here's the progression










well I hope you enjoyed! I have ton's more pictures, and many other stories.....Have a great summer!