Bears, and more rain

Kathy with her new rainboots, at the entrance to the Cemetery Island Trail

Today, it rained again.  :-)  These dense forests must get water from some place! 

I took Kathy to work, then back to get ready for the meeting of the Prince of Wales Watershed Council, across the island in Thorne Bay.  After the meeting would be the interviews for the part time Coordinator position. 

Just four miles out of town, I spot a black bear clambering down the bank on the right side of the road, and slow down.  S/he lopes across the road, about 40 yards in front of me, jumps up to the guard rail on the left side, and disappears into the forest.  He was good size, very cool.  I drive just a mile further and, from the left side of the road, I spot a black space, and see a young black bear cross the road and climb up the bank on the right side, and disappear into the bushes.  Now that's what I'm talking about! 

It's a 40 mile drive - I see several deer along the road.  This is a rainy paradise! 

Cemetery Island has an active cemetary, dating back to the late 1800's.

The meeting goes well.  There are four other candidates, three of them very strong.  I meet a Native while waiting my turn, a very nice guy who says he is a Raven.  My city mind jumps without thinking, is this like the Crips and the Bloods?  Dumb.  He tells me some good place to hike, and see wildlife.  He also lives in Klawock, so we will run into each other again.  Another of the candidates works for the Fish Hatchery, and so I learn much about it.  They released 5,000,000 coho salmon last year!  Their mission is to build up the fishery, for commercial fisherman.  It's a nonprofit.  I went to the annual fundraising dinner on Saturday.  Along with the fishing derby held last week, they raised nearly 50% more than their previous record!  I need to get down and take the tour.

I have a voice mail from the company holding our crates.  Virgil says he has talked with his supervisor, and they've decided to let them sit until we need them, instead of requiring us to take delivery around September 1st, great news!  The pieces are all falling into place!

After lunch, the rain begins to fall harder and continues all afternoon, keeping me from giving the dogs their daily walk.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.  People tell me this weather is normal, for October!  They all say there really wasn't a summer this year.