Neither one of us is much of a birder although The Warden is getting better at identifying some of them and she keeps talking about getting a bird book. I think that bird watching is a sign that you are approaching death so I avoid it at all cost.
There’s a few birds that we do recognize though. Canada geese of course and the omnipresent shit hawks. We’ve seen a lot of bald eagles and the occasional golden eagle. And then there’s the Oh-Fuck ducks. I’m sure they have a more official name but that one works for us.
They’re usually swimming in pairs and when we approach they first start swimming rapidly away from us. All the while they are frantically looking alternately over each shoulder and you can almost hear them saying “Oh Fuck, Oh Fuck, Oh Fuck”. Then they abruptly dive.
This morning we’re out on glassy calm water with a forecast of rising winds. We’d like to get to Baranof Hot Springs before the wind gets up too much and then we’ll hole up there for a couple of nights until this system blows over.
Chuck introduced me to BuoyWeather and it is well worth the substantial annual subscription. The Coast Guards in Canada and the US broadcast continuous marine weather statements but today one of the local towers is down so we are having trouble hearing the Coast Guard broadcasts. For some reason though we have internet access – a feeble signal but enough to check the weather (and post this web posting – maybe) That big splotch in the Gulf of Alaska is what is about to cause us trouble but so far today we haven’t seen any of it.
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