Tuesday 15 August 2017, week 14: Buldir Island “Steph, the volcano’s erupting,” Kevin calmly stated as I walked toward him in the twilight. Over my left shoulder lay the comfort of camp, the dark mass of Buldir Eccentric – our volcano – beyond North Marsh visible behind it. As we watched, a glow rose around Eccentric’s back side, illuminating its crestline through the darkness. The moonlight crept its way up…
Saturday 29 July 2017, week 11: Buldir Island When I was traveling in Hawaii a few years ago, I spent some time in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Knowing that Mauna Loa is the largest mountain in the world – by combined landmass above and below the ocean – I wanted to climb it. In order to do so, I needed to obtain a backpacking permit from the backcountry office. The…
Tuesday 25 July 2017, week 11: Buldir Island “Boogity boogity!!” yells Kevin as he jumps up from behind a concealing boulder. Since the alarm is not directed at me, I can do nothing but laugh as I watch a grown man make a fool of himself. No, it’s not Halloween around here; it’s a session of parakeet auklet diet sampling. If my previous post seemed to romanticize whiskered auklet diet…
Saturday 15 July 2017, week 9: Buldir Island It’s 23:49 as the credits begin to roll on the laptop screen. Dramatic music plays as amazing images of Planet Earth II’s “Jungles” and “Deserts” episodes dance through our heads. Popcorn consumed and entertainment over, it’s time to change gears. “Hello, bed,” Kevin longingly says as he enters the bunk cabin. Bed will have to wait, though, as our own planet earth…
Saturday 1 July 2017, week 7: Buldir Island “Got one!” may be read as a phrase full of excitement. Oh boy, something’s been found! Hearing that phrase when Kevin, McKenzie, and I are all walking the boulder beach is not a welcome pronouncement here on Buldir. It indicates one of us has spotted part of a dead bird, which is not bad news in itself. After all, everything dies eventually….
Saturday 24 June 2017, week 6: Buldir Island I take such joy in naming crevices that I’ve decided to revisit this topic from last year. Once again I’ve chosen to follow the creative route, this time choosing themes for each of my work areas. Like I said last year, finding new nests is one of my favorite activities. Up until this point in the season – because eggs are hatching…
Tuesday 6 June 2017, week 4: Buldir Island When driving to Seattle from Fairbanks on a free ride from Craigslist a couple autumns ago, my driver Jim told me that I’m pretty much the definition of low maintenance. Given my nature of being content sleeping on any surface, living without running water, and eating basics rather than going out, I’d agree that it doesn’t take much to cover my needs….
Saturday 3 June 2017, week 3: Buldir Island, 22:52 The most geographically isolated island in the Aleutians. The most diverse seabird colony in the northern hemisphere. The westernmost home of bald eagles. The westernmost volcano in the Aleutians. All of these extremes are descriptors of Buldir, making it my most decorated summer home. From learning of its existence in 2010 until last year, working out here had been a dream…
Saturday 27 May 2017, week 2: Buldir Island If there’s one thing I learned from last summer, it’s that I love riding the Tiglax so far west that it becomes east. Unlike everyone else on board, I hope for headwinds and troughs to slow down our progress and rock the boat. Because my love of boat time is common knowledge, I surprised everyone – the ship’s crew, Kevin and McKenzie,…
Thursday 1September 2016, week 16: R/V Tiglax, AK time 14:40 Here I am on day 4 at sea, wondering when we’re going to meet some weather. The ship’s not rocking enough; I want to be stumbling around the boat! After spending a couple days between Gareloi and Tanaga watching for orcas with some whale biologists, the ship once again belongs to Buldirians. We stopped in Adak to drop off the…