In motion

Alright Alright.   Time for an update.  Summer 2011 is coming together.    I haven't been back to Alaska since I left in the fall of 2007.  However, this last year the AK has been calling my name bit by bit, and I am giving in.  I have taken a job for a small cruise company, a non-prof, that has a focus on eco-tourism and environmental education.  The crew muster call is May 9th. Shortly thereafter we will transit up the inside passage to either Sitka or Juneau, not certain yet, where we will take on our first boat load of "talking cargo" at the end of May.  Then it will be a summer of hot hot turnarounds, bouncing back and forth from Sitka to J-town each week, with Saturdays being the only off night each week.  Which, I am sure by the last trip in September I will be ready for some serious shore time.  However, the job itself should be pretty fun the whole time so I won't mind the heavy schedule.  Aside from ship's duties, most of my job will be as fishing/hiking/shore excursion guide.  I envision it being something like, "Hey guys, we drop anchor this afternoon and I am going fishing at 5, who wants to hop in the skiff and go with me?"  Ya, pretty excited about it!

The ship itself, Motor Vessel LISERON was built in 1952 in Seattle, sold to France as a minesweeper, and has been running trips for this operation since 1989.   She is pretty beefy, and I will be gaining a good amount of 500ton sea time. Upgrade! 

But there will be plenty of summer to talk about this adventure.  For now, I am just entering the tail end of the ski season and April will be a busy month.  Budgets for next year's season are due soon, and I am putting the finishing touches on the PNSAA spring operations conference and tradeshow, which will be just a week before I depart for AK. Ya, not much of a shoulder season for me this spring. I hope my mind doesn't explode as I switch from sticks to ships. It will be a weird feeling leaving the mountain (in very capable hands) three weeks before it officially closes.  Not to mention packing next season planning into this month as well.  TGFRB.  thankgodforredbull