Still In Port

Pillar Mountain Wind Turbines

As the title implies, I am still in port, and have been for several days now. There are a lot of logistics that go into making a fishing boat work, and part of it is ensuring it is properly manned. We are once again waiting on some replacement crew members, as well as an engineer. I have had a lot of down time, and there isn’t too much to do in Kodiak other than hike, which fortunately I get plenty of enjoyment out of; especially the photography aspect of it. As such, I did a local hike up Pillar Mountain to the wind turbines that supply the town with power. From a distance the blades appear to be moving somewhat slowly, but upon reaching them, it becomes apparent how huge and fast they are. It was pretty apparent why they put them up there when a fog bank rolled in and brought some what might be considered gale force wind with it. The wind howls up there! It was so powerful that you could lean over and it would hold you up. Kodiak is a place of unique beauty and I am glad to have the time to experience it. The estimated date of departure is on Tuesday. We may be fishing for Rock Sole instead of Rex Sole, which means trips may be longer; about 2 weeks. Some more pics and their locations can be found in the photo tab.

The Longest Trip (Thus Far)

There are two major components to my job– it is primarily science and data collection, but there is also a huge social component as well. Being a strong communicator is integral for several reasons. Maintaining a healthy working relationship with the captain of the vessel is of utmost importance. It is very difficult for me to complete my job without his cooperation and assistance. Additionally, having a respectful relationship with the crew is just as important– and easier on some boats than others. They have the ability to make the job and life much easier, or much more difficult. I am fortunate to work on a vessel with a very friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic crew. I help them, and they help me; all is as it should be.

However, when working on larger vessels with larger crews– especially in cramped conditions, crew members don’t always get along, which can have an obvious effect on workflow. I try to avoid these negative interactions. That in combination with the general difficulty of the shift and sometimes dangerous nature of the work resulted in a few guys quitting during the trip. This slowed down the pace– hence the extra length of the trip, about 9 days.

Luckily, as is typical of this time of year, the days are long, and the weather relatively calm. I haven’t experienced much more than 5 foot swells this trip, and the seasickness has not visited me. All is well

I did some more hiking while in port. I try to do at least one new trail each time, but there are so many trails, that I often time do a couple new ones. Here's a little slice of paradise and there are some more photos in the photos tab in the location where I took them.

South Western Point of Near Island