Loose Cannons and Great Escapes

she says:

I could probably write a short novel about the happenings of the last week, but to catch everyone up and the keep it as brief as I can I will attempt to limit it to a blog entry.

The truth is that this blog has been slightly mis-representative (out of necessity...but we’re in the clear now). It would seem that our decision to step out of the comfort of the corporate world and into the contractual one meant that we would also have to accept a large amount of uncertainty (much larger than we could have imagined.) Uncertainty in if we would be paid, when we would be paid, uncertainty in the needs and wants of our manger’s [REDACTED COMMENTS**].  Uncertainty in if our manager’s wife [REDACTED COMMENT**].  And the uncertainty that in offering to help make dessert [REDACTED COMMENT**] a horrid afternoon full of [REDACTED COMMENT**]

In all honesty the manager’s wife [REDACTED COMMENT**].  Never before have I gotten so angry that my blood has boiled, my stomach turned and I have become so livid that I have trembled.  I hope to never reach such an aggravated state again.

Before the last fiasco in the lodge (which was the last horrid afternoon with said manager’s wife) Jeffrey and I had decided (via pro-con list) that since we were no longer being paid and since the free room and board of Icy Bay Lodge was no longer worth it... it was time to move on.  And so we decided that we would leave Icy Bay at the conclusion of Denise’s (Jeff’s mama’s) visit to pursue our dreams in the untamed west of the continental 48.

Denise’s visit was fantastic for Jeffrey and I (though I fear due to the lack of nice weather Denise may not harbor that warm and fuzzy feeling that many get after visiting Alaska.) For me it was absolutely wonderful to have some company at the lodge that I could talk with candidly about the situation at hand, chat about random happenings back east, as well as share is some much loved berry picking and paddling.

There were many adventures during Denise’s stay, though few of them were the thought out adventures that Jeffrey and I had planned. There was bird watching, bear spotting (a mama bear and her 3 cubs,) kayaking, berry picking and a skiff tour of Icy Bay to observe the rare Kittlitz’s Murrelet and get a closer look at the to three receding glaciers that feed Icy Bay.

However probably the most unplanned and adventurous was the impromptu escape from Icy Bay. Since the weather was stubbornly determined not to let Denise see even a hint of blue sky and even more crushing, the gray ceiling of clouds was not cordial enough to lift and expose the quite humbling views of the coastal mountains across the Bay, it was decided that we should make our get away via an Ex-Korean warship turned research vessel.  The boat was carrying the Bird Crew from Icy Bay to Juneau and was willing to drop us in Yakutat a few days earlier than anticipated, however it would ensure that we would not miss our flights out and more importantly ensure that we would be far away from the [REDACTED COMMENT**].

The Voyage to Yakutat was certainly an adventure, from concerns about Moby’s bladder after being on board for almost 20 hours without any relief, to that queasy quincal of potential seasickness as the rather round bottomed boat made the 8 hour cruise along the lost coast of Alaska. There were no whale spottings (which apparently is unusual) but the voyage allowed us to share stories about the bizarre happenings at Icy Bay Lodge and discuss future plans and adventures (as this was a turning point not only for Jeff and I but also for the Bird Crew.) It was a great way to decompress from the insanity that was such common place at the lodge.

So after spending a few days walking around Yakutat picking Salmon Berries, seeking out the anti-climatic tourist attraction and enjoying the occasional glass of vino, it was time to leave the summer-less Alaskan coast and make our way to the Pacific Northwest.  We hugged Denise good bye in Anchorage (glad that she came to share in some laughs, but embarrassed at Alaska’s poor hospitality in the form of unrelenting dreary weather) and we were off the Portland, OR.

** NOTES REGARDING REDACTED COMMENTS: We have redacted portions of this entry at the demand of the lodge's corporate attorneys - portions which further explained our negative experiences at the lodge and with its owners. The statements have been redacted solely on the advice of counsel, to avoid unnecessary legal issues, and not because they were not true.