I embark on the final trip of my first contract as a Fishery
Observer sometime this evening and will be back on the 25th, when my
contract expires. It has been an awesome adventure, full of new experiences and
breathtaking sights. I am the last Saltwater Observer in Kodiak, the rest have
moved further out the Aleutian chain for other fisheries for the remainder of
their contract. Looking back, I recall the name of my boat recurring repeatedly
during training as being the “odd boat” for a number of reasons. It is the
smallest factory vessel in Alaska and the only one with no flowscale to weigh
the fish as they enter the factory. It has other exceptions that set it apart
from other boats as well. I was told it was a challenging assignment,
especially for new observers. It was intimidating being the very first one in
my class to leave Seattle for Kodiak and be deployed immediately, with less
prep for my special assignment than I had anticipated and been led to believe.
But to be honest, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It has been a very
positive experience. I have been able to hone my relationship with the captain
and crew to a great balance of professionalism blended with friendly optimism
in which everyone helps each other get through the job and day. My next assignment
will likely be in Dutch Harbor for Pollock on either a catcher catcher vessel,
or a huge processor. It will be something new and different which is once again
exciting, yet intimidating. But I take comfort in knowing that all the
information I need to perform my job correctly in each scenario is outlined in
my manual, aided by NOAA advisors that I can often communicate with while I am
at sea.
On a different note, yesterday I saw Orcas for the first
time since I have been up here. It was a pair—a male and female, I believe. Unfortunately
I cannot share my pictures, as I was on the boat when I took them, and it did
not occur to me in the moment to get off the boat to take them, thereby
allowing me to publically share them. That was a good was to nearly conclude my
contract. One more trip, then a short vacation in Palmer with family friends
before my next contract begins. I will be flying up my love whom I miss very
much, and will share a little slice of Alaska with her. There will be lots of
hiking, fishing, and relaxing to be done which I am looking forward to very
much.
I have not been hiking quite as much, as we have been in
port for shorter periods of time, as our newer crew is getting quicker with the
offload process, thereby decreasing the amount of time we spend in port. But
rest assured, I will fill my, of late, photo-less blog with many more in coming
weeks until my next assignment, and a change of scenery, begins.
