Whee!
A great week we've had, including sunny weather (lots of sunglasses), great wildlife (Brown bears and Humpbacks and Orcas, oh my!), and super friendly guests. I've told myself that I'm going to start writting more in these posts, as opposed to just uploading pictures, but this isn't going to be the debut. Unitl then,
Danny
Well, then is now. I've just recovered from a brutal caffine rush, which overcame me while skiffing 3 of our guest back to the boat from a float plane. One of the guests had what has now been identified as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a rather nasty critter that kills 3-5% of it's victims even today. Anywho, back to the rush. I'm blazingly writting this in crew quarters, while we have a blurb of internet service near Pt. Adolphus, where I've been making up creative words like....blazingly. The fault is mostly due to a combo of Pepsi (1 part) , Tropicana Pulp free (2 parts), Earl Gray (with an "a") Tea (1 part), and a smattering of potatos, bacon, and sausage. I stopped drinking coffee 3 years ago because of this very thing, but it's back, and I can't fight it, I can only roll with the punches (or shakes, in this case), and hammer out 50+ words per minute...
However, caffine issues are going to be something in my past, soon, and I'm sure you're all dying to know what I haven't been doing for the past few months. I haven't been wearing jeans or a casual t-shirts, drinking Icee's from 7-Eleven, taking evening walks, visiting thrift-stores, shopping for boats, or playing much with my cameras and flashes. But not all is lost. I've gained a tremendous appriciation for how lovely my life is at home, and abroad, and time away from each really hammers home the fact that I'm doing plenty, even though there are periods of pause between the exciting peaks in life. So, I've been inceasently scheming about Fall/Winter/Spring plans, grabbing bits of internet info when possible, and taking time to remember the activities that really stand out in my mind as wonderful (at home). Here on the boat, there are also things that I'm sure will pull at my heart strings when the short winter days tighten their grasp on the winter world. The crew, no doubt, that I work with will be at the forfront of those feelings, and at times I wish that we would all find ourselves interacting and enjoying life together in some other circumstances, because this boat life is a bit of a schewed reality. This past week I went a little internally crazy when I realized that I haven't really had much alone time, something that is precious to me. The down side to realizing this in the middle of a 14-week stretch is that there isn't any quick fix, and you simply have to come up with some way to cope. So while our guests were out enjoying the sun on the bow this past week, I spent time alternatly varnishing and shooting photos on the stern. If I can get bits of personaal time where I can be creative to some degree (which is difficult, as you can't paint a mural on your walls, or set up a good work space on a boat so small), then the flicker of a spirit that is left doesn't get extinguished. I have painting and pictures from Aimee that are tacked up in my bunk, a bumpin' stereo, and I even made a little removable desk that fits between my bunk and the Chef's for my computer - but it's all just a vain attempt at what I would call a fulfilling lifestyle. Being on this boat all summer, I've had to approach life with a different attitude than I have in the past. It is one thing work for 6 weeks and then spend 2 weeks relaxing on your own, but to jump into a tunnel and be unable to see the light at the end is harrowing, especially when you're in the middle. Funny, how a capturing some images of my life onboard, and posting them for the world to see, is my proverbal candle in the darkness. God, I hope the internet doesn't crash. : )
I know everyone does repedative actions, but after figuring out the running wheel and the water bottle, I'm aching to find a way out of this little world. A friend of mine once said that the only way to keep me in one place was to keep giving me new, real challenges, otherwise I'd grow bored and quickly move on, and he really hit the nail with that one. I want to be given ideas, problems, etc, and asked to pull whatever resources I can to make something happen. I'd like someone to say "Danny, we need a boat built for purpose X, while being able to perform operations Z and Y" or "Develop a device that can put THIS over THERE and not do THAT." Washing windows and counting down to the next oil change are SO two years ago. So this Winter I'm hoping to spend some time learning TIG welding, jumping into Biology, further honing my photography skill set, upgrade my captain's license to a 200/500 Ton Near-Coastal, purchase a sailboat to call home (hopefully an ass-kicking steel tank of a boat), travel (even if it's just a road trip for a couple weeks), and learn. I want to say "I know Kung-Fu" and have Lawerance Fishbourne say "Show me." Well, maybe that's a bit much, but I have developed a love for the internet and it's vast matrix of information, and I plan to use it. I also am interested, however, in gaining first-hand experience in fields where I have less understanding. Hydraulics is something I'm interested in, as well as commerical construction (large buildings, towers, etc), and I've always wanted to work in a boat production facility. I'm definitly going to be searching the job listings this winter for these things and more, because ultimately I'd like to be able to make the same $$ that I do in Alaska, but while sleeping in my own bed, and without freezing my personal life for half the year. I can only imaging how prision must be, but at least they have internet, library, and workshop access.
Right now, and for the last 5 minutes, whales have been apparently breaching outside, and I haven't really even considered grabbing my camera, or even sticking my head outside. See, when you weigh your life in moments of personal time, the idea of rushing up stairs to stand next to yet another crowd of elated guests is somewhat dismal. Wow, that was a dreary statement. But hey, it's how I'm feeling right now! : )
And on that note, I'm actually going to scramble to the back deck, set ISO for 200, aperature for f4.0, shutter 1/1600, Continuous servo, Continuous High, and try to pull myself out of my sometimes downer mood.... (sheepish grin).
Cheers,
Danny
Well, then is now. I've just recovered from a brutal caffine rush, which overcame me while skiffing 3 of our guest back to the boat from a float plane. One of the guests had what has now been identified as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a rather nasty critter that kills 3-5% of it's victims even today. Anywho, back to the rush. I'm blazingly writting this in crew quarters, while we have a blurb of internet service near Pt. Adolphus, where I've been making up creative words like....blazingly. The fault is mostly due to a combo of Pepsi (1 part) , Tropicana Pulp free (2 parts), Earl Gray (with an "a") Tea (1 part), and a smattering of potatos, bacon, and sausage. I stopped drinking coffee 3 years ago because of this very thing, but it's back, and I can't fight it, I can only roll with the punches (or shakes, in this case), and hammer out 50+ words per minute...
However, caffine issues are going to be something in my past, soon, and I'm sure you're all dying to know what I haven't been doing for the past few months. I haven't been wearing jeans or a casual t-shirts, drinking Icee's from 7-Eleven, taking evening walks, visiting thrift-stores, shopping for boats, or playing much with my cameras and flashes. But not all is lost. I've gained a tremendous appriciation for how lovely my life is at home, and abroad, and time away from each really hammers home the fact that I'm doing plenty, even though there are periods of pause between the exciting peaks in life. So, I've been inceasently scheming about Fall/Winter/Spring plans, grabbing bits of internet info when possible, and taking time to remember the activities that really stand out in my mind as wonderful (at home). Here on the boat, there are also things that I'm sure will pull at my heart strings when the short winter days tighten their grasp on the winter world. The crew, no doubt, that I work with will be at the forfront of those feelings, and at times I wish that we would all find ourselves interacting and enjoying life together in some other circumstances, because this boat life is a bit of a schewed reality. This past week I went a little internally crazy when I realized that I haven't really had much alone time, something that is precious to me. The down side to realizing this in the middle of a 14-week stretch is that there isn't any quick fix, and you simply have to come up with some way to cope. So while our guests were out enjoying the sun on the bow this past week, I spent time alternatly varnishing and shooting photos on the stern. If I can get bits of personaal time where I can be creative to some degree (which is difficult, as you can't paint a mural on your walls, or set up a good work space on a boat so small), then the flicker of a spirit that is left doesn't get extinguished. I have painting and pictures from Aimee that are tacked up in my bunk, a bumpin' stereo, and I even made a little removable desk that fits between my bunk and the Chef's for my computer - but it's all just a vain attempt at what I would call a fulfilling lifestyle. Being on this boat all summer, I've had to approach life with a different attitude than I have in the past. It is one thing work for 6 weeks and then spend 2 weeks relaxing on your own, but to jump into a tunnel and be unable to see the light at the end is harrowing, especially when you're in the middle. Funny, how a capturing some images of my life onboard, and posting them for the world to see, is my proverbal candle in the darkness. God, I hope the internet doesn't crash. : )
I know everyone does repedative actions, but after figuring out the running wheel and the water bottle, I'm aching to find a way out of this little world. A friend of mine once said that the only way to keep me in one place was to keep giving me new, real challenges, otherwise I'd grow bored and quickly move on, and he really hit the nail with that one. I want to be given ideas, problems, etc, and asked to pull whatever resources I can to make something happen. I'd like someone to say "Danny, we need a boat built for purpose X, while being able to perform operations Z and Y" or "Develop a device that can put THIS over THERE and not do THAT." Washing windows and counting down to the next oil change are SO two years ago. So this Winter I'm hoping to spend some time learning TIG welding, jumping into Biology, further honing my photography skill set, upgrade my captain's license to a 200/500 Ton Near-Coastal, purchase a sailboat to call home (hopefully an ass-kicking steel tank of a boat), travel (even if it's just a road trip for a couple weeks), and learn. I want to say "I know Kung-Fu" and have Lawerance Fishbourne say "Show me." Well, maybe that's a bit much, but I have developed a love for the internet and it's vast matrix of information, and I plan to use it. I also am interested, however, in gaining first-hand experience in fields where I have less understanding. Hydraulics is something I'm interested in, as well as commerical construction (large buildings, towers, etc), and I've always wanted to work in a boat production facility. I'm definitly going to be searching the job listings this winter for these things and more, because ultimately I'd like to be able to make the same $$ that I do in Alaska, but while sleeping in my own bed, and without freezing my personal life for half the year. I can only imaging how prision must be, but at least they have internet, library, and workshop access.
Right now, and for the last 5 minutes, whales have been apparently breaching outside, and I haven't really even considered grabbing my camera, or even sticking my head outside. See, when you weigh your life in moments of personal time, the idea of rushing up stairs to stand next to yet another crowd of elated guests is somewhat dismal. Wow, that was a dreary statement. But hey, it's how I'm feeling right now! : )
And on that note, I'm actually going to scramble to the back deck, set ISO for 200, aperature for f4.0, shutter 1/1600, Continuous servo, Continuous High, and try to pull myself out of my sometimes downer mood.... (sheepish grin).
Cheers,
Danny
