20060625 Hitting Stride

20060625 Hitting Stride

Non-anglers have been enjoying more satisfying stays in Brooks Camp of late. A few bears, generally sows with yearling or two-year-old cubs and sub-adult bears, have been visible in the area for several days, eating grass.

Egberta, a sow with a yearling cub, has taken a few leaps into the river usually in response to fish jumping. She will engage in snorkeling behavior, where she plunges her muzzle and eyes beneath the water’s surface to look for fish, carefully keeping her ears out of the water. These forays have been in vain thus far. I suspect these are not serious fishing efforts but rather scoping trips.

Egberta may have success soon as more and more salmon are seen each day. Travis Hall, my roommate, has seen a few salmon jumping at Brooks Falls.
Employees have staged an informal contest, the winner being the first to catch a sockeye. Imes Vaughn, one of our bear techs, emerged victorious two days ago.

I have had a small victory as well. Today marked the fourth time I have led the all-day tour of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. We interpreters present at two interpretive stops along the 23-mile road to the site of the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Upon reaching a cabin overlooking the valley we have another short talk from the deck before a lunch break. After lunch we lead visitors on a 3-mile out-and-back hike down to the valley and the ash. My interpretation for the entire day revolves around the powerful forces, some acting over many millennia and others instantly, that have shaped, are shaping, and will shape the Katmai landscape.

The group of twelve enjoyed the trip today, if I must say so myself and I have. During each of the three previous trips I have been moving painfully up the learning curve. I’ve made mental notes of needed changes, altering hike logistics as well as filling in the gaps in and generally improving the flow of information. While the program still needs work and will until it is perfect, today for the first time I felt that I was dialing in on where I want to be.

It would seem that Brooks Camp and I are finally hitting stride.