Chapter 7,8, and 9

It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the semester already. Writing a blog each week has helped me be present with time and the overall experience, but time is still flying by. Being here can be overwhelming at times. Going away to college is one thing, but studying in Alaska is crazy. I can't go home for a weekend when I miss Forrest, my dog, or to catch a concert. Being here, you are forced to face any challenges and mental hardships head-on. Being all the way up here can be scary and isolating at times, but I've found solace through journaling and keeping up with friends and family over Facetime.

The past week has gone by in a blur, so I won't bore you with the details. I continue to work on internship tasks, class work, and projects. One new advancement, my team was finally able to collect field data on marine species in the harbor, pictured is Jack surveying the species while swimming among icebergs.

The weekend was definitely one of the highlights of the semester so far. Two other students and I drove to Anchorage to see the ceremonial start of the Iditarod. For those who might not know, the Iditarod is a 1000-mile race of dog sleds and mushers from Anchorage to Nome. It was a really cool thing to see! In the evening on Saturday, I went to see the Anchorage Orchestra; it was fantastic. They played Beethoven's 5th and William Tell's Overture. To top that off, the photography proved to be very fruitful. I had amazing encounters with Dall sheep, moose, and a red fox, check out the photos.

Insert here a crazy week of classes and an uneventful weekend.

I am writing this on March 18th. My spring break is officially over, and I have midterm exams this week. My spring break was full of R and R. I went to Seward for a few nights. It snowed 24 inches overnight, which made the hiking trails difficult to navigate! The weather was snowy and cloudy the entire time I was there, except for one night when the mountains were finally revealed to me. The trip, although uneventful, was successful. The cabin was heated by a wood stove and had an ocean view. Overall, it was a perfect place to reflect on the semester and realign myself with my goals moving forward.

This past Saturday was a fantastic end to my break! It marked the 4th annual sea duck survey. This is a community science initiative in which several groups of people travel across the bay and count all the species and number of birds they see on a designated route. The intention is to collect data that can be used to make informed decisions. The first goal with the data is to persuade the Fish and Game Department to set a bag limit on long-tailed ducks.

It was so much fun! We saw 710 barrows goldeye, 98 harlequin, 59 surf scoters, 25 white-winged scoters, 7 black scoters, 8 marbled murrelet, 16 pigeon guillemot, 14 bald eagles, 27 pelagic cormorants, 15 red-necked grebe, 6 horned grebe, 42 common mergansers, 34 red-breasted mergansers, 33 common loons, and 56 mallards. It was a very birdy day!

To top that all off, I saw my first humpback whale, killer whale, and sea lion. It was an awesome day exploring Tutka Bay!