Flying to Alaska/ Volando a Alaska

NOAA Teacher at Sea:

Obed Fulcar
NOAA Ship: Oscar Dyson
Mission: Summer Pollock Survey III
Geographical Area: Bering Sea
SCIENTIFIC INFO
Date: Tuesday July, 20, 2010
Time: 1240 pm
Latitude: 53.51 North
Longitude: 166.51 West
Wind: 7 knots (aprox. 8.055 mph)
Direction: 202 (south west)
Sea Temperature: 9.22 C (aprox. 48.596 F)
Air Temperature: 9.82 C (aprox. 49.676 F)
Barometric Pressure (millibars): 1023.8
ANIMALS ONSERVED
Bald Eagles

PERSONAL LOG:
Whoever said that "getting there is half the fun"? On Saturday July 17,2010 I took a Jet Blue flight from JFK airport bound to Seattle, Washington. We landed at about 6pm Eastern time, and connected to Anchorage, Alaska on Alaska Air. I had to stay overnight to catch the next day a plane to Dutch Harbor, mi final destination. It was very estrange that night since the sun was out up until about 12 midnight, so I had to trick my body into going to sleep by closing all curtains and darkening the room. The next day I flew on Penair, a commuter airline that uses small Saab turboprop planes. After stopping over King Salmon island for refueling we flew to Dutch Harbor,in the Island of Unalashka. I was amazed at the beautiful bay surrounded by glacial carved mountains and a snow covered peak volcano. I was picked up at the airport by Story Miller, my fellow teacher at sea, who lives in Dutch Harbor. We drove around a kind of frontier town,surrounded by fishing boats, crab pods, and cannery factories. The smell of fish tells you that fishing is the biggest industry and is part of the general culture around here. Finally upon entering a cargo entrance leading to a comercial pier,there she was:the Oscar Dyson. This NOAA ship was named after a fioneer comercial fisherman who championed sustainable fisheries in Alaska for many years. After setting up my gear in my stateroom, I was invited to take a short hike up what was going to be a 1,200 feet mountain known as "Ballyhoo"with, with one of Dyson's junnior NOAA Corps Officer Ensign Dave Rodziewicz. Upon reaching the summit, in about hour and half, which left me with sored legs, I was met with a 360 degree view of Dutch Harbor. The mountain was covered with moss and flowers and I decided to call it a day and just below the clouds were passing by. All this surreal and wonderful view made me forget my aching legs. It was all worth it. Afterwards we came down the mountain and just when the sun was coming down around midnight I fell asleep in my bunk bed. Good night! El pasado sabado 17 de Julio viaje en Jet Blue de NY hacia Anchorage, Alaska con escala en Seattle, Washington para el siguiente dia tomar un vuelo en un avion turbo-helice de la linea Penair hacia Dutch Harbor. Tan pronto llegue al barco de la NOAA Oscar Dyson deje mis cosas en mi cuarto y me fui a una caminata de campo. Lo que no me imagine era que iba a subir por una loma de cas 1,200 pies, con una vista increible en la cima. Lo mas raro fue el acostumbrarme a la luz solar de casi 24 horas, pues he tenido que cerrar las cortinas de my camarote para poder conciliar el sueno. Bueno nos vemos luego, Ciao!