Sitka: May 22, 2013

Well after being up here for a few days, the shock of the absolute raw and wild beauty of this place is settling in. Sleeping in until 6:30 however is going to take some more time. After getting off the plane in Sitka, I was greeted by a frozen rain storm as well as a night of snow. The following days however have been fantastic. According to the locals, the past few days have been the nicest of the entire year to date. As I'm writing this I am in a McDonalds, tapping into the free WiFi, I can stare out the window over the water and watch bald eagles fight the local ravens over a fish. Not many places where you get a view like that out of the back of the McDonalds.

Unfortunately, over the past few days I have not been able to enjoy the outdoors as much as I'd like. I, along with many of the other interns have been doing all types of training from underwater plane crash exit training to beach/coast survival training where we are stuck inside for most of the time. I was lucky enough to go on a 9 mile hike with some forest service employees and other interns over the past weekend, and I have been able to do a bit of fly fishing after work but in a place like this, it could never be enough. On the hike, the old growth hemlock forests are none other than mystical. EVERYTHING is green and covered in moss, and the water in the ocean and all the rivers is crystal clear. On the hike we saw some brown bear tracks, walked by a muskeg (Alaskan bog) with great views of the mountains, and ended up at a nice waterfall where I took a few underwater photos of the little dollies swimming in the current. I have caught a few smaller dolly varden char, along with some assorted species of rockfish on the fly in my time after work, but the larger halibut, king salmon, and trout will come hopefully this weekend (weather permitting) when I have more time. Thanks to everyone for checking out the blog, much more to come soon.

 This is a view up the mountain behind the bunkhouse the morning after the snow dusting/ice storm.

 Looking out on the water from the bunkhouse where I live over Sitka Harbor at mount Edgecomb, a dormant volcano, which is shrouded in clouds here.

 View out McDonalds window with Mount Edgecomb to the right and boats in the docks.

 Underwater view of the small dolly varden below the waterfall on the hike.

 Baby rockfish caught on the fly

 Small sea-run dolly varden caught on the fly.

 Dolly varden caught in fresh water, notice the color difference and how they change in fresh and salt water.

 View of the muskeg while on the hike with mountains int he background.

 A "small" front paw print from a local brown bear with a penny for reference.

 Some greenery on fallen logs over a the local Indian River.

The group of us forest service interns at the waterfall at Indian River.