After three weeks of training at Anchorage, I’ve finally arrived at the famed Dutch Harbor to begin my first 90-day contract as an Alaskan Groundfish Observer. So far, my first impressions are thus:
-It is beautiful here.
-It isn’t as smelly as I thought it would be.
-If you have a fetish for Bald Eagles, then this is the place for you. People call them the Dutch Harbor Pigeons (they’re everywhere).
If you aren’t avidly addicted to Discovery’s Deadliest Catch, Dutch Harbor is the largest fisheries port in the US, located in the city of Unalaska on the Aleutian Islands. Getting here requires a rather hair-raising ride on a tiny prop plane (well, tiny if you’re used to jumbo jets like me). In addition, the weather often makes it impossible to fly, and people are known to wait for days at the airport just to get to Dutch (there were about 300 people on standby at Anchorage airport yesterday). I was fortunate in that the only delays we had were two refueling stops in King Salmon and Cold Bay.
For those of you I haven’t seen in a while, I’m about to spend the next 3-4 months on a commercial fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. My job is to collect biological data that will be used by the National Marine Fisheries Service to manage the fishery.
I’m currently schedule to embark on the Ocean Rover, a C/P (short for Catcher Processor. We call em “See-Pees”) targeting Pollock. The season we’re going out for is called “A Season,” and it opens midnight, Tuesday. The boats will all be trying to leave tomorrow for the 30 odd hour steam towards the fishing grounds, so that they can drop nets once the clock strikes twelve.
Right now, Dutch Harbor is abuzz with a couple hundred observers, fishermen, and factory processors all waiting for the season to open. My company puts us observers up in one of the two hotels in town—Unisea or The Grand. And it just so happens, that there are only two bars in town too. Guess what they’re called? The Unisea and The Grand! Basically, everyone and their mothers can pretty much be found in these two places. Just at lunch today, the entire crew of the Time Bandit (of Deadliest Catch fame) sat down at the table next to me!
I’ll be updating this blog when I next come to town in few weeks. Until then!
Ro
-It is beautiful here.
-It isn’t as smelly as I thought it would be.
-If you have a fetish for Bald Eagles, then this is the place for you. People call them the Dutch Harbor Pigeons (they’re everywhere).
If you aren’t avidly addicted to Discovery’s Deadliest Catch, Dutch Harbor is the largest fisheries port in the US, located in the city of Unalaska on the Aleutian Islands. Getting here requires a rather hair-raising ride on a tiny prop plane (well, tiny if you’re used to jumbo jets like me). In addition, the weather often makes it impossible to fly, and people are known to wait for days at the airport just to get to Dutch (there were about 300 people on standby at Anchorage airport yesterday). I was fortunate in that the only delays we had were two refueling stops in King Salmon and Cold Bay.
For those of you I haven’t seen in a while, I’m about to spend the next 3-4 months on a commercial fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. My job is to collect biological data that will be used by the National Marine Fisheries Service to manage the fishery.
I’m currently schedule to embark on the Ocean Rover, a C/P (short for Catcher Processor. We call em “See-Pees”) targeting Pollock. The season we’re going out for is called “A Season,” and it opens midnight, Tuesday. The boats will all be trying to leave tomorrow for the 30 odd hour steam towards the fishing grounds, so that they can drop nets once the clock strikes twelve.
Right now, Dutch Harbor is abuzz with a couple hundred observers, fishermen, and factory processors all waiting for the season to open. My company puts us observers up in one of the two hotels in town—Unisea or The Grand. And it just so happens, that there are only two bars in town too. Guess what they’re called? The Unisea and The Grand! Basically, everyone and their mothers can pretty much be found in these two places. Just at lunch today, the entire crew of the Time Bandit (of Deadliest Catch fame) sat down at the table next to me!
I’ll be updating this blog when I next come to town in few weeks. Until then!
Ro
You are height challenged, remember. I am a bit envious because I never made it out that far and in the winter time.
ReplyDeleteI had always want to go back to Anchor Point, Alaska in the winter time. That was fifteen years ago but you just might get me to do that with your story.
Take Care,
Richard from La Jolla
Hey Ro,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a real adventure! Good luck & stay safe.
Uncle Russell
Wow! Sounds like a grand adventure, Ro! (I have to train myself not to call you Lauren.) Makes me recall my own days in Alaska way back when. I'm envious. Keep your hands out of your pockets on board!
ReplyDeleteTake care,
D.J. (Condon)
Hmph, just try and not fall in the water while you're on the Sea-Pee. They might mistake you for a blowfish, fish you up and send you off to Japan where you'll only be half-cooked in order to preserve the paralyzing poison in your veins. At least then you'll be able to choke some high-profile CEO dude and reprieve him of his miserable existence of rebellious children, backstabbing friends and cheating wives who don't love him.
ReplyDelete...I can feel my sanity atrophy. For a long time I though our insanity kind of bounced off each other and made it worse, but now I think you kept me in check. Keep safe, miss you, write back, and have a wonderful time.
- Mike