July 31th

I was so tired after work I passed out almost immediately after sitting my butt on my bed to kick off my shoes. Near 7:00 p.m. I woke up refreshed but I'm positive I could have slept the entire night through. I still haven't caught up on my sleep since Erik was here. I forced myself to get up and once again go picking berries behind the Raptor Center. Lindsay and I had done this two nights earlier so I knew were the best spots were located. We are going to make jam as soon as the sunny weather comes to an end. I made sure to bring my bear mace as there has been two bear attacks recently in the area. I said hi to Sunny and Katzeek as I picked behind there habitat. Sunny screamed at me but gave up when I continued on my way picking berries. I was rocking out to Tinted Windows when I saw two after hours visitors on the centers deck. I said hi to them and they quickly disappeared knowing that they were indeed trespassing.


-Wild blueberries.


-Wild huckleberries.


-Berry batch #2, includes stained hands.

When crossing the road I paused to peer over the bridge edge. The Indian rivers deepest pools are beginning to fill up with pink salmon. I have been told that soon it will look as if you can walk across there backs it will be so full.


-The pinks below the bridge.



The salmons journey is incredible. They return every year to there birthplace where they will spawn. The craziest thing about there story is that when they are born they work their way down the river to live in the ocean. They spend 4-5 years there until they are ready to spawn themselves , they once again return to the fresh water of the river were they were born. The switch from salt water to fresh water slowly breaks down their own flesh and they begin to literally rot away. By the time they reach their birth place they spawn and hours later are dead. Thousands of dead salmon carcases will then litter the rivers and streams creating a buffet for the eagles.

July 30th

Tonight I meet everyone down by the Coast Guard at John Brown beach, the only public sandy beach in Sika. We watched Tex play with rocks and Lacie's son splash near the waters edge. I stayed behind when the others had gone searching the tide pools and enjoying the suns mighty rays. Mount Edgecombe looked beautiful.


-Edgecombe from John Brown beach.


-Looking twards town.

July 29th

Tonight Reece and I watched the sun set near the hatchery. We were later joined by Steve, Miranda, Zach and Meg. The salmon are getting ready to spawn and are making there way to the mouth of the rivers. We watched as they jumped above the water with the sun setting over downtown. These are the moments that will forever be embedded into my thoughts.




-Salmon jumping near the hatchery.


-Sleepy Sitka.



I'm beginning to strongly feel the season shift. Nights are arriving faster making the days feel allot shorter. My visit here is far from over yet I feel the time wearing away. I want to live every last moment with eyes wide open.

July 28th

It's Morgans last day working at the Center before returning home to Ohio. He is still in school so he made sure to leave early enough to spend some time with family/girlfriend before leaving for West Virginia were he attends college for criminal justice. I insisted that all the Wildlife Interpreters lined up in front of the wingspans sign while all of use were still together for the last time. This idea was a tribute to the Raptor Centers website which displays a similar goofball image of the previous employees. Then to wrap up the day, Debbie's daughter had made raptor berry pies for all the employees. This Huckleberry and Blueberry pies gained there name from the area the berry's were picked from, the bushes in the center's woods.

July 26th

Erik's grandparents were headed into Sitka on the Ryndam today. I made sure to schedule my day off on this day so I could show them around the town and the Raptor Center. Dee was very excited to see me when she stepped off the boardwalk. After hugs she insisted Roy to take our photo together right then and there. We ventured forth to my surprise on foot past Sheldon Jackson, through the National Forest and finally up the hill the Alaska Raptor Center. I made sure to point out all the important historical landmarks, plant life and talk about random subjects regarding the town along the way. Dee was very flattering and told every lost looking tourist that we stumbled across that if they needed any help I could answer it because I work in the town.

Luck was on our side and we arrived just in time for a stage presentation. Afterwords I showed the grandparents around and talked a bit about the residence and my responsibility's at work. Roy and Dee even made the purchase of the “I am smiling” magnet and pin in the gift shop. I called a cab for the two of them after shortly after and sent Roy and Dee to the downtown area, I arrived on my bike seconds behind the cab. After walking the downtown strip we said our goodbyes and Roy slipped me some cash to by myself some clam chowder. Thanks Roy! I hope you two enjoyed the rest of your cruse.


-Dee, Me, Roy and Volta.


Dee showing off her wingspan.


-About to tender.


-Final farewell.

July 24th

It was very hard to see Erik go. Not only did the time fly by way to fast but this also marked my half way point of my stay in Sitka. I really wish you could have stayed longer Erik, there is so much we could do together here. I believe when the Disneyland plane decorated with Aladdin's Genie character pulled up to the air port, it helped to ease the sadness of Erik's departure just a little. It was torcher watching Erik file into line, slowly but surly leaving my sight and Sitka's never ending beauty.

Work was alright but I was a bit quite today, simply deep in my own thoughts. A two year old bear had been shoot that morning by Fish and Wildlife and the body was lying under a tarp in our back parking lot. I guess it ate someones dog in the owners own back yard. I was very curious looking and touching the bear from head to tail, the body was still very warm. Later two men came to cut up the bear for a donation to the Raptor Center. The combination of helping my Dad and family harvest white-tailed deer and preparing diets for the birds has toughened me up to the gutting, cutting and smell of blood that filled my senses.


-Bear and I.



That evening the centers staff and volunteers gathered at the Rec. for the annual Raptor Center B.B.Q. I'm proud to say that I created the poster for this event that hung all around the center advertising the evening of fun. I ate way to much again, talked with everyone and pick up worry stones on the beach with Ronda. As I suspected earlier, the day Erik headed home the weather was gorgeous with clear sky's and sunshine, unlike the previous cloudy, rainy week.


-The B.B.Q. poster I made.


-Everyone having a good time at the Rec.


-A perfect sky.

July 23rd

What a busy day! Erik and I attended the first bird releases of the summer. The day before two eagles were found injured in Totem Park. They had been fighting and engaged in the locking of talons and spiraling towards the earth maneuver that is also a part of their matting ritual. These birds failed to unlock talons before hitting the ground and were a bit shaken up. When the rescue team arrived they forced the birds to separate and discovered puncture wounds from the aerial battle. As it turns out both these birds had bruiting patches, which is a bare spot on the eagles stomach used for the purpose of incubating eggs. Vickie the centers vet, knew she had to get these birds back into the wild so they could return to their nests. If a chick is left two long without the aid of both parents it will die. Vickie fixed up the puncture wounds and gave both the birds antibiotics. By the next day the birds were banded and ready to be set free. Everyone kept their fingers crossed as we observed the release event. Vickie was taking a chance by releasing these birds early with unhealed injuries. But when those eagles hoods were removed they both took to the sky. Quite an amazing sight.


-At the eagle release.


-They don't look back....they don't write, they don't call.

That afternoon Jen took Reece, Erik and I to the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary. Allot of people have mixed feelings about this bear “rehabilitation” center. The bear sanctuary mission is to rehabilitate orphaned and problem bears to be placed into zoos. You can't rehabilitate a bear to be released back into the wild because once it is cared for by humans it will no longer have the natural fear of man. The bear could then become very dangerous and approach people for food or break into building to raid kitchens etc. Talking with Jen I discovered that it is also very tough to place a bear in a permanent facility simply because allot of zoos are currently stocked with them. Many people feel as if the center is unnecessary and has become just a tourist attraction. The Fortress currently owns two bear cubs who's mother was shot two years earlier because it had become a problem bear.


-At the Fortress of the Bear.

Talking with the owner, I could tell he had passion and love for the bears. I'm glad that the orphaned bears were spared but looking around at the facility gave me weird feelings. The bears are kept in what seems to be an uprooted extremely large open topped silo. As a requirement to posses bears the Fortress had to prove they could manage live animals and wast management. Those animals such as hogs, goats and ducks still are raised on the property and give the place a barnyard feel.


-The bear's enclosure.

Next stop Theobroma Chocolate Company! We received a tour of the factory and enjoyed many free bar samples. We all bought some chocolate and were on our way once again.

At the docks we waited to aboard the Allen Marine wildlife tour. We had a bit of a scare previous to boarding as the voyage was almost canceled, result of the lack of people. However, enough people arrived and we ventured off into the open water. I felt a bit motion sick out on the open sound because of some rough waters. When we headed into the calm bay area all sickness was gone and I could really enjoy myself. Just goes to show me that whenever I'm at sea I need to be drugged.


-Boarding the boat.


-Erik and I.

We saw harbor seals, a humpback whale, tons of jelly fish, dozens of sea otters, and best of all lots of amazing sea birds. The scenery was breathtaking, and sharing it with Erik made the trip the best it could be. I wish I could do it all again, over and over.


-My Boog.


-At sea.


-Active eagles nest.


-Humpback.


-Raft of sea otters.


-Fishing boat.


-Mount Edgecombe in the clouds.

This was indeed our busiest day yet. Tonight Skyler, Reece, Erik and I headed on over to Adams house/bunkhouse for a birthday party. We ate some very good food here, talked, sat around a fire and feasted upon boob cake for desert. Not until after the party did Erik realize that the birthday girl was a lesbian thus the cake decorated as boobs. It was nice to hang out with all of my friends and Erik at the same time. Up till that point Erik and I were busy flying solo and doing some essential catching up.