I have officially arrived in Sitka, Alaska, for my next adventure. I’ll be working with the Sitka Conservation Society and the USDA Forest Service to tell the story of the connection between the Tongass National Forest and the abundant salmon runs of SE Alaska. Apparently this who will start with two weeks of training on various topics from the Forest Service, from radio operation to ethics to sea shore survival. I’ve been opted out of rifle certification, and assured that in the field I will always be with someone who is rifle certified. Should be fun!

Since I’m classed as a FS volunteer, I get to stay in the FS bunkhouse, about a mile out of town. The house itself isn’t much to speak of — mostly it gives me strong college dorm flashbacks — but it’s across the street from the beach. When I left this afternoon to walk to town (and get a sense of when I need to leave tomorrow for 8 am training!) at first I was going to count the eagles. I walked out the door and crossed the street and saw maybe half a dozen eagles. A little further, and I could see down to the shoreline and by then I’d seen a dozen or so bald eagles. And after that I figured I wouldn’t bother counting. There’s just a lot of eagles here, and I say that having grown up in Homer, another Alaskan town known for its eagles.

Now, although I am tempted to stay at the library and compete in what is apparently Sitka’s Annual Adult Spelling Bee, I’m going to hoof it back to the bunkhouse. I saw a place on the waterfront with a sign about salmon or rockfish or crab, and I am hungry…