Cape Hinchinbrook, Prince William Sound

We arrived in Cordova, Alaska on Sunday after a busy and somewhat stressful week of last-minute planning, fuel placement, equipment testing, and packing. We had 14 pieces of luggage we had to bring through customs in both Victoria and Seattle with a detailed carnet. Our two teams said goodbye in Seattle, my group coming to Cordova, John's going to Chenega in the southern Sound. We landed in cold, wet Cordova but our bags went elsewhere. Didn't despair, though... this is Alaska... everything changes. Your best bet is to plan with care and detail, but be ready for anything. Thankfully these are things I love and actually am good at.

I celebrated my 36th birthday with a 0300 wake-up and 0509 sunrise liftoff in the helicopter. It was cold and rainy while we set up, while we were flying, while we were refueling, while we were breaking down, while we were processing data, while we were resting, and while we were out to dinner.

The weather has been bad (surprise!). Our pilot is one we haven't worked with before, and man does he have a lot to learn. He Magnum-PI'd us around in the helicopter for the entire first day before he finally got the idea what we want. Weather and equipment problems are part of the game. The pilot issue reminded me how spoiled we are by the pilots who normally cart us around.

On the first day we sunk our teeth in and flew beautiful and diverse Hinchinbrook Island at the entrance of the Sound. On the north side are wide mud flats so vast we couldn't see across them. The south side faces thousands of uninterrupted miles of the Northern Gulf of Alaska. My navigator puked x3 in the helicopter when we were doing the outer coast of Hinchinbrook. I didn't even notice because I was busy filming out the side of the helicopter with the door flung off. (And Kalen never misses a beat with work... he's a star.)



The sea caves were enormous and super cool! I didn't think I ever got scared doing this work, but the pilot pulled some rapid high-angle turns over the turbulent ocean while my door was off and I was hanging out filming... only a cheap seatbelt between me and death. I saw a miniature version of myself plummeting to the froth and high sea below. I have to admit my stomach lurched a few times. Joy/Pain... what a confusing/enlightening experience.

In addition to facing death on Cape Hinchinbrook and seeing tons of wildlife and beautiful terrain, I spent my 36th birthday enjoying famous Copper River Red (sockeye salmon) with a pale ale at a place called The Reluctant Fisherman. Kalen, Mary, and a good friend of mine who lives in Cordova enjoyed the dinner overlooking Cordova harbor.



More 0300 reverie and sunrise liftoffs planed in the coming days. Time and tide wait for no woman! My best birthday gifts were the emails, voicemails, and warm thoughts that came my way, even as far away as 60 degrees north latitude. Thank you!!