A few weeks ago (I've been busy) my sister, who has worked an entire summer fish tagging at Medijivie Hatchery for NSRAA, was invited to go out to Hidden Falls to tag a crop of cohos and because they needed a couple more people, she rounded our brother and me up to go along. (Yeah, this is the Life of Larsens, but this post is just me... and my sibs.) I found out late at night and scrambled to pack for an early morning flight. I didn't want to miss the rare opportunity! This is arriving back in Sitka, but I wanted to show our mode of transportation. Here we are with our pilot, and family friend-- The flight across the interior of Baranoff Island to the other side was incredible!! BUT, as Keith had taken the card out of the camera and not put it back (as I knew would happen when he asked me where it was) the flight, alas, must remain solely in memory.
Walking up the dock, our "boss" for the weekend told us there had been a few bears in the area lately. As soon as we got to our room, out our window we spied these two-- they were out all day munching here for the next three days, right across from where we were tagging. Gave us something to look at when we took two-second breaks to pause and look up from tagging the thousands of salmon fry.
Our operation was set up under that awning to the left; the bears were across the lagoon. Can't see the falls? That's because they're hidden.
The sibs -- Connor and Maggie -- hard at work
First, you net some fish from a big tote where bucket fulls have been dumped into this small tote with a few drops of clove oil mixed in...
When they're belly-up you grab them so they're upside down in your left hand and clip their adipose fin with your right. The clipped-off fin is the marker that lets fisherman know it's a tagged fish and to keep the head for the tag to be read. It goes very fast--you develope a rythm and begin (gently)throwing fish to the next bin, scooping another one and clipping the fin in almost one endless motion, rotating the tote of fish you're clipping from with the other where fish are going to sleep. And the water is VERY cold. Your hand goes through various stages of pain throughout the hours, causing nausea in some (including me). Maggie is "manning" the tagging machine. To tag you push the salmon fry's nose upside down into a little socket and push a button that injects a little pin into their head. I tried, but was too slow and Maggie got put back on tagging duty... Nearing the 10th hour of this activity each of these two days I started to wonder why I was using my weekend off from work for this fun activity...
After they are tagged they are put in the top of this shoot and the fish slide down and a metal detecting device confirms that each fish has a tag in it. If the tag didn't go in a flap rotates and the fish are sorted in the small net for re-tagging--pretty ingenious.
Here's our count at midday-- by the end of the two days we had tagged 18,001 salmon fry. Pheeeww!
Taking a break, watching the bears...
This is me covered in snipped off adipose fins. I was finding them dried in my hair too. Gross ;p
Lastly, scoopin' em out and back into buckets...
And taking them back over to the tanks...
For anyone who doesn't know... my hand does not usually look like this...
The carnage -- thousands of little fins... a small portion of the total...
Just one more episode of Alaskan life. I debated with myself so much whether it had been a good idea to go out... there was so much I had needed to get done that wouldn't get done. I even accidentally missed a mandatory work meeting ;[ But, I had to keep reminding myself--the best things in life usually come from of jumping on opportunities for spontaneous adventures. I am grateful for a husband who encourages me to jump, knowing it will bring me happiness and be a positive, memorable experience, when I need the extra push. Looking back, I am definately not bummed out about the laundry or dishes I didn't get to that weekend. I am so glad for the memory of such a Fun (with a capital F) time spent with my siblings, although it was hard work. Getting to know Roger, the boss-man, was a delight and he awed us with his fine culinary creations. Being taken out for a evening boat ride on a glorious day and beholding glassy seas, skies, and waterfalls rivaled by none. Pulling up Roger's shrimp pot to find enough beauties for a delicious meal. Tony, an endearing friend we (mostly Maggie) made out there helped time at the work station go by faster. Playing cards at night after an exhausting day's work with my siblings on the floor eating fresh shrimp sushi, practically wrestling over the last peice, and laughing till we cried... Also, over the long hours, I came to really appreciate the kind of work my little sister had done for an entire summer and was impressed and humbled by the skill she had developed as we worked together shoulder-to-shoulder for a weekend out at Hidden Falls.
