I'm at a book store in the quaint Fairhaven district of Bellingham, WA. From the window I can see the M/V Columbia that I'll be boarding in just a few hours. I'm hoping that my experience on this ship will be better than better than the one I had on the boat for my seabird tour last Saturday.
It was cold and windy that day and I was a little worried since I've had bouts with nausea on boats before. People told me that the waves were about as bad as any they had seen on one of these tours. The whole way out we had to go crashing into the waves and back down the other side of them only to crash into another one. I held out for an hour or so but I finally ended up feeding the fish. Yes, I leaned over the railing and "cast my breakfast upon the waters". I felt a bit better after that and a lot better after we stopped just past the continental shelf and then started back with the waves. The waves were smaller by then as well, and it had warmed up a bit.
I did add several lifers on the trip and I met a doctor from Spokane who helped set me up with a motion sickness patch for the ferry. Thanks Dr Roger! It will also help that the ferry is much bigger than the little birdwatching boat and I won't be going way out to sea like I did before. Your prayer will help too.
The waves also made it hard to do much photography on the way out. You had to hold on with one hand and shoot with the other. I didn't want get the camera wet in the spray either. I did get the camera out when we stopped, and I got a few shots. I wasn't much in the mood though, and I didn't get many.
Black-footed Albatross
Fork-tailed Storm-petrel
From there I went back to Mt. Rainier. This time I went to Sunrise on the northern side of the park. I got a few shots there but the light really wasn't that good a lot of the time. I did get a few shots though.
This is a lake in the North Cascades National Park. It's a nice park with some good hikes and some beautiful scenery but it just isn't "great". Not like Olympic NP or Rainier. To be fair, I didn't spend that much time there. You might need more time to appreciate the place.
Mt Baker is right next to North Cascades. I did spent a fair amount of time around there. A lot of that land is National Forest so I found some great free places to camp.
I found this Sapsucker at one of those campsites. Obviously this isn't a great shot but the bird is interesting. I think it's a hybrid between a Red-napped Sapsucker and a Red-breasted Sapsucker. You can get your fieldguides out and see what I mean.
I took this self portrait at one campsite in an effort to satisfy those of you who have been asking for a photo of myself.
This is the beautiful bathroom at that campsite.
This is what the sunset was like.
This is what the hike was like the next morning.
Here's another self portrait. There was snow there but the temperature was in the 90s.
It's about time for me to get going again. Check back in a week or so and I'll let you know how the ferry trip went. Take care.
Steve
3 comments:
Hello Steve.
Thank you for the picture of yourself so that we know that you're doing well.
The other night, I ran into Mitch and told me to say Hello to you.
Hope you're having fun and enjoying HIS creation still. GOD has a purpose in your life for this trip.
Still checking out your pics to find something for my living room. BTW, the porch overhang is coming down next Saturday and modfied sometime in August.
Have a fun, safe journey.
Jen
SP - WELCOME TO ALASKA! How was your ride? I can’t wait to hear all about it. All this time camping and you have less whiskers than when you left - what’s up with that? I like the new look. Loving your pictures as usually. LF
Hi Steve;
That's some real nice bathroom decor at the one camp site, but I hope you got a shot without the outhouse too. ;~)
It may be a pretty privy, but I wanted to see what the scene might look like without it so I took a shot at editing it out; you should find it in your "in-box". :~)
John B.
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