~ Hi to all from Captain Dean ~
welcome to our Fall 2006 newsletter.

Captain Dean

Captain Dean Rand

The crew & I have spent most of the past month or so winding down from the intense hustle & bustle of our summer tours here at 60 degrees north latitude. I've been settling in to just being dad again and getting some maintenance completed on the Discovery before the weather turns cold.

In early November, Matt, Sam and myself, along with my youngest daughter Hannah and Happy Dog, spent two weeks out in the Sound with a group of scientist studying the long term impacts of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill on resident Harlequin Duck populations.  This study has been ongoing for over 10 years.  Indications are that the negative effects of the oil spill have diminished over the years.  However, the time required for full recovery has been much longer than originally anticipated. 

Harlequin Ducks, due to the fact that individuals reside in the same small geographic area for their entire life, are considered to be good indicators of local environmental health. 

Biologist Tim Bowman removes female Harlequin Duck from mist net

In this study the Harlequin Ducks (or Harleys, as we refer to them) are live captured using mist nets (barely visible small filament nets) which are hung between 10 foot tall upright poles.  This net capture system is positioned along the shore and perpendicular to it. 

When some Harleys are located, they’re slowly “herded” along the shore with our small skiffs.  Hopefully, some of the birds fly into the net where they will become slightly tangled and then immediately retrieved by the scientists. The captured birds are placed in small portable kennels similar to those used to transport pets, (like cats or small dogs), and brought to the Discovery.   

Each Harley is then carefully weighed, measured, banded and within a short time, anesthetized.  A temporary surgical lab is set up in the Discovery’s lounge where a small tissue sample is taken from each bird.  The samples are placed in sealed containers which are then frozen in liquid nitrogen for later lab analysis. 

Veterinarian Doctors Dan Mulcahy of US Fish &Wildlife service Anchorage and Gwen Myers of Columbus Ohio Zoo & Aquarium perform biopsy on male Harlequin Duck.

The results of the lab work will determine if the animal has or has not been exposed to sub lethal amounts of toxic hydrocarbons left over from the oil spill. After a short recovery period of about 1 hour, the birds are released back into the wild close to where each was captured. 

About 40 Harlequin Ducks total are captured in 6 geographic areas of the Sound.  Three of the sites were oiled in the 1989 oil spill while the other three were not. 

Hannah holds male Harley before release back into the wild.

Past years results of this study have shown that the birds residing in those previously oiled sites have indeed been exposed to harmful hydrocarbons as a result of the Exxon Valdez spill.  The populations of Harlequin Ducks in these same oiled areas have not recovered to pre oil spill levels, the notion being that the remaining oil is having a chronic ill effect on the birds’ life cycle.

Released and free once again.

The results of the birds’ tissue sample lab analysis will not be available until the summer of 2007.    Our hopes are that the data will show a continued decline in environmental stress caused by the 1989 oil spill. At this time, we plan to be back out in the Sound during March of 2007 again collecting samples and biological data on sea birds and marine mammals. 

This is what all those bog ponds are like after the cold weather sets in.

On another subject, of family importance, is an update on my oldest daughter, Heather’s, big adventure in Japan. Heather left for Sapporo, Japan in early Sept. to study in a Japanese high school for her junior year.  She’s not scheduled to return home to Alaska until June 27th.  Yikes….!! We’ve never been apart for that long!

Heather and her friends in Okinawa, Japan

Since her departure in September, I’ve only heard from her on a few occasions, mostly late night or early morning phone calls.  She sounds great and is doing well in spite of the language barrier, the cultural differences and her telling me that; “I’ve never been around so many girls before, dad.  There’s 800 girls in this school (an all girls school) and it’s a friggin estrogen factory!”   

I had to laugh out loud at her statement.   I remember that she always hung out with the boys at school here, playing basketball and working on math homework.

Other than her infrequent phone calls, the only other way that I’m able to keep track of Heather is via her monthly credit card charges.  It’s the only bill that I look forward to receiving.   Hahh!

I’ll write again in the winter, provided that I survive (only kidding) this, my ……  30th. winter here in the Great Land!

Good energy and much love to all

~ Captain Dean

Chef Matt Tocchini

Chef Matt Tocchini

After our long and bustling season, I took some time off and went down to California to see my family and catch the final weekend of the baseball season, the giants against the dodgers with my brother's season tickets. I returned to torrential rains, howling winds and the fact that my car was flooded—and is STILL in the shop. Thank god I bought a new bike and am using that before heavy snowfall. Winter has set in early this year, frigid weeks and the desertion of town has left me hunkered down in my house enjoying the solitude of peace and quiet. Toward the end of December I will be going to Hawaii for a month to get some sun, sand, surf and just a tad more rest and relaxation. I'm looking forward to the holidays, the food, the friendly get togethers that happen all over town and the coming of more snow that I can joyfully shovel off of my deck.

Samantha Guse

Sam with a Sitka black-tail deer..

Samantha (Sam) finished her cabin foundation before the ground began freezing in Talkeetna and then spent a week back in the Sound visiting friends and family in Cordova.  Of course, being the macho woman that she is, Sam also went deer hunting with her brother and uncle while in the Sound. She also enjoys correspondence with past guests and you may contact here at samanthaguse@yahoo.com.  

Sarah Heck

Sarah Heck, skiing in Hatcher Pass

We had another wonderful summer out in Prince William Sound!  I had a short week off of work where I spent my time hiking around Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, reconnecting with friends, and learning to play guitar.  Then, I dove into a long-term teaching position at a middle school.  I teach Physical Education and Health to 7th and 8th graders.  It’s a lot of fun, but tiring!  This job will last until Christmas break, where I can be found in many of the wonderful mountains of our great state skiing.  I can’t wait!  I have my name in the hat for a couple part-time jobs, so I’m not going to be a complete bum, but I am looking forward to the ski season, volunteering teaching adaptive skiing, and a visiting family in Wisconsin.

Steve doing some glaicer biking.

Thanks to those who have sent photos and letters, I love hearing from you all! Have a wonderful winter season!
smheck@hotmail.com

Brenda Roper

Brenda

From the Anchorage Office:  Tidbits from Brenda

Here in the star-filled skies of Alaska I am busy taking reservations for 2007 with some key dates already sold out!  Lots of exciting changes including the addition of pre/post accommodations and private van transfers between Anchorage and Whittier as part of all our all new Discovery itineraries.  For example:  our 6 Day Hike & Kayak Voyage is now an 8 Day Tour (6 days/5 nights @ sea + 2 nights Bed & Breakfast).  Please see our detailed trip itineraries for more information! 

On a personal level this fall has provided me with many great art opportunities including a solo exhibition of sculpture at Alaska Pacific University’s Grant Hall in October.  I currently have two paintings on display at the Carr Gottstein gallery at APU and in December will have three pieces featured in the Outside the (Jewelry) Box invitational at the Bunnell Street Gallery in Homer.   My best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  I am flying back to Michigan to visit my sister and her new dog, and enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

Give me a call if you have any questions 800.324.7602.

~Brenda

Hugh Rose - Discovery Guest Guide

Photographer and guide, Hugh Rose.

Please call or email if you have any questions about activities or gear for future trips.

~Hugh