9-2-08

9-2-08

Today I explored St. Paul Island. There was a chance that the boat was going to pick me up today, but they stayed out at fished instead. They don't need me quite yet, I only have to be on their boat 30% of the time they are out fishing, and the season just began. So today I decided to take a solo stroll around the island to see what I could see, and take some pictures. Lou and Greg both had some research to do in the morning, so they pointed me in the direction of the local government office where I could get a permit to go see the Fur Seals. When I got there, the lady behind the counter was the same lady who sat behind me on the plane only a day before with her brand new baby, no more than 6 months old. The child had been great on the plane, and the new mother beamed with joy across her face the entire time she held her new boy. She couldn't have been older than 30, maybe only 25. This was her first born, and was coming home from taking him to see the grand parents in Anchorage. It was great to see that she was the lady that was going to allow me access to view the Seals, she had told me on the plane that if I had time before the boat was to pick me up that I should go for a walk around the island. So when I showed up at her office door, she greeted me with a smile and a cookie, told me to sit down and got out some maps. She showed me where I was allowed to go by law, and then where I could go as long as I didn't try and bum rush a seal or two. Obviously my intentions where purely inquisitive and not malicious in any way. I'm officially a biologist for gosh sakes. She pointed me in a direction and I walked.

I probably went the wrong way, because the Island is large, about 13 miles in diameter, but not much is inhabited, so there are very few land marks. None of which she had mentioned, I saw. But I continued on my walk in a direction towards water. I got to a point with a view back towards the city. This is an old town no new growth. It's sad really. 70% unemployment. There is no where to work. There are two stores, one is owned and operated by white folks not locals. No land to farm, and not many natural resources to cultivate. There is a nice russian orthodox temple in the middle of the city which looks grand from where I was standing. As I continued to walk, I noticed a darting in and out of the 3 foot tall grass that grows on both sides of the clay road way. I stopped to see what it was. A small fox was following me, about 2 feet tall and skinny. Not too scared, and curious as to why I was walking out there. I continued down the path with my little curious friend 10 to 15 feet behind me on the side of the path, just outside of the grass. This path did end up leading me to a Roukere, or mating grounds for the Fur Seals. Most of the large males had found their mates, and had left for the winter. There were still plenty lingering around the area, soaking up the rest of what St. Paul summer's had to offer, windy 45 degrees with a complete overcast. I took some pictures and headed back to the bunk house. I couldn't get too close, and my camera isn't sooted for pictures of anything more than people smiling 5 feet away.

Greg took Lou and I out for a drive around the Island at about 6 when he was done with his work. He has been working on the island of St. Paul for the last three summers for a wildlife refuge as a bird watcher of sort. He has been working for the refuge in the Aleutian Islands for a long time now, I forgot to catch the correct amount of time, and was extremely knowledgeable as a guide and a historian of all the Islands. Lou and I were soaking up his knowledge of the plant life, and the 5 other animals that live on St. Paul. I had a feeling living with Greg for the last 2 months, she had heard most of this, but she was very gracious in allowing him to fill my wonderment and curiosity of the island with his explanations.

He took us right up to another roukere of the Seals, one that Lou and been to many of times. They sat patently as I took in my fill of the Seals. Lou and Greg are the kind of people I love to be around. You don't have to be a biologist, but it helps. They have seen these seals every day for the past 2 months in Lou's case, and 6 months every year in Greg's case, yet they still look upon them and their habitat with a smile and since of pride. Pride in that they are there in this extremely remote location of the world, a place if people have heard of it it's because of a time magazine article back in the 70's about the slaughtering of the seals by the natives, and they are here to help preserve and study an area of the global most people don't know exists. We got back in the truck and drove around some more as Greg told some more good stories about the island and his travels. Then went back from some dinner.

I am extremely blessed to have run into Lou at the airport, and have her take me in as a guest to the NMFS bunk house. If not for her and Greg, I would have spent two days in a run down hotel room right next to the airport in St. Paul. I may have had TV, but I doubt it. I couldn't have asked for better company and hospitality than what Greg and Lou provided for me.

- Casey