Friday, December 28, 2012

Welcome to Palin Country, you Socialist Liberal!

Oh Alaska. The final frontier, God's country and the home of Sarah Palin; these references and many more were the way my plane neighbors introduced me to Alaska. Enroute from Seattle to Alaska I was seated next to two older individuals, a husband and wife. They looked normal enough, and like most of the people on board they were headed home. At this point I had been traveling the last 8 hours and was feeling the cold that I had been trying to suppress with meds all day. I plugged headphones in my ears and settled in for another 4 hour flight. Around 2.5 hours into the flight I woke up to a screaming baby, two rows ahead. The man next to me took this opportunity to strike up some conversation.

"You aren't from Alaska, are you?" This was a statement more than a question. I claimed Californian after seeing half the plane decked out in Camoflage, i figured my pink Volcolm sweater was one of the many clues that tipped him off. He got to asking where I was from and what I did as a job. After finding out I was a marine biologist from SoCal his tone changed. I couldn't have anticipated the rant that was coming my way. His opening statement to the newly acquired information, "You're a socialist, liberal hippie, everyone in California is nuts! Don't think you are going to bring your liberal ideas up to our conservative state." I wasn't sure if he was kidding or not and let out a nervous laugh. He did not seem so amused. He then began to explain that all science was a lie. Everything I have ever been told is wrong. Climate change does not exist and the polar bears, yes the damn bears, are multiplying like crazy and we should start shooting them to control their populations.

At this point I realize this man isn't kidding and he is deathly serious. This is when his wife, wanting to add her opinion as well, chimed in. "Obama is an idiot, how in the world does he think we can run our country without gas and guns. You can't live without gas powered cars, there is no other way to make energy." It was at this statement I had to inform them, that yes indeed you can live green with clean energy and renewable resources. I explained that I lived in a place, The Cape Eleuthera Institute for a year and had clean, renewable energy. This information seemed to only set them off further. "You have ruined California by trying to make wind energy. Just look at those windmills their disgusting! We are going to fly over Fire Island and I'll show you. You can see that they are ruining the land with those disgusting windmills."

I can only take so much, and I am not willing to waste my breath any further with these two geriatrics. They have insulted my very being and I am done talking. I am so enraged, I can feel my pulse racing in my fingertips. As a closing I thanked them for their opinions and told them that I would take my chance as a scientist and use my observations to lead me to conclusions. This only furthered their need to convert my though, at every silence they interjected with some form of 'proof'' that everything I know is wrong. Perhaps my favorite example was their beloved Sarah Palin.

"Sarah Palin is a good woman and the media and liberals brought her down. She can see Russia from her backyard. Russia is Alaska!" He then pulls out the inflight magazine to show me a map of Alaska, which he edited by drawing in Russia. I sarcastically thanked him for such VALUABLE insight and I would be sure to reconsider my thoughts on Sarah Palin. His wife, in the meantime, was muttering to herself every few minutes that the damn youth was ruining this country. I can only imagine she was speaking of me :). In parting the last thing they told me was to find a man to take care of me and take me around town, and to make sure he is packing! Packing a 44 caliber at the very least, because this is Alaska and any other size gun is unacceptable!

At any rate. I made it to Anchorage. It's beautiful, dangerous and cold! I hear there are moose down the hill from my apartment, so I am off to investigate!

Found my big strong man, with his gun!

Icicles on the house!

Mountains everywhere

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Buy the Ticket and Take the Ride

It has been a year of discovery here in Southern California, coming home to my roots and adventuring in my back yard. While I had a blast, it's time to get on the road again! I have been searching the web the last few months in search of a new contract marine bio job. A few conditions I had, it had to be in a place I have never been and something I have never done. I also want to get my hands dirty, since my specialty is field work. Lucky for me an opportunity in Alaska came up and I jumped at it. For the next 4-5 months I will be working on the Crab boats in Alaska! Not as a fisher woman but as a concerned marine biologist, monitoring the crab populations and all that is associated! So, next adventure Alaska! As a wise man once told me, buy the ticket and take the ride. I am doing just that and am anxious for the adventure in the Bering Sea! Stay tuned for all the pictures, ice, snow and waves coming this way! Much love and light and happy holidays friends!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

There's a snake in my hut!

Leleuvia is a place filled with more beauty than one can imagine. However, beauty comes at a price. I suppose growing up in Southern California, and having just spent the last 3.5 years in Sydney really couldn't have prepared me for what lay ahead. The mosquitoes where the most noticeable within the first day. My sweet, unfamiliar blood was like the alluring nectar of an exotic flower for a bee. I had every mosquito within a 1 mile yearning for my untainted B negative cocktail. I had previously been to Fiji and knew this would be a problem, so I made sure to pack an extra stash of repulsive deet. Putting the cancer warnings aside, I generously lathered my body multiple times a day. The scars are still a reminder of the ineffectiveness! After about 6 weeks the mosquito reactions seemed to lesson and it is my firm belief that my blood is no longer as attracting as it was upon my arrival.

Somethings on this island can not be tamed with lotions and creams. One such creature is the Banded Sea Krait, also known as a sea snake. The docile snakes are around 5-6 feet at full length and just so happen to breed on this island. Needless to say it is my worst nightmare. To fully grasp my snake phobia you must understand that my first interaction, as a 3 year old was influenced heavily by a frantic and hysterical mother. The first time I saw a snake was in my garden at the age of three. The snake, trying to find a cool place to hide from the sun began to slither his way into the garage. It was at this point the family matriarch closed the garage decapitating the snake. She then continued carrying on until a neighbor came and retrieved the corpse. So, as you can see I have been wired to react with absolute terror.


Sea snakes can be found at every turn on the island. Under the brush, among the coral and sometimes in unexpected places. I had been living in my hut for around 2 weeks when I got my first of many visitors. I awoke to bright sunlight and the sweet island noises. As I sat up and began to crawl my way out of the layers of protective mosquito net and swung my legs over my bed I noticed the floor begin to move. Not one, but two sea snakes had managed to slither their way up into my hut. This is a great feat considering sea snakes aren't vertical climbers and must find a slight, gradual incline to go upwards.

My initial reaction was one of horror and my legs instantly snapped back up on to my bed! I began to frantically search for exits. There was only one door, however there was a perfectly good window right over my bed. I decided I would shimmy my way out the window to freedom. Luckily the lack of food on the island assisted in my narrow escape. Once I reached the sandy beaches I managed to find Buca or Jim as I called him, who managed to coax the little black and white striped squatters out of my bure!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Long awaited return to the blog!

After more than a year of no posts I have decided to recount my travels over the last year and a half. There have been multiple moves and a few jobs along the way. So, I will do my best to bring the most memorable and fun stories of adventure and excitement! Stay tuned!