The Work of a Changing Season

It has been a while since I posted, but it has been busy and productive while. I am still trying to find that mustard plant that Stephens found, 53 days busy work has come to and end and the weather continues to turn towards winter. The best news of all is that I received orders and can now begin the process of transferring to Air Station San Francisco. Yes I got the bay area, close enough to the family until A-school.

As for the other things going on, the weather is getting cold, the winds have picked up and we had the first snow of the season. It is sleet blowing in the wind at the station, but is sticking to the mountains in the distance. The beautiful colors of summer are all but faded and the wildlife departed. I suppose they don’t appreciate the twenty-knot winds and twenty-degree temperatures. The fog and darkness are enveloping the area and the sun sets tonight at 2058, which is a big difference from 2300. It is all right. The crew is still finding way to have a good time. When the weather clears up it gives us a chance to get out and have nice bonfire, Burn some cardboard, or slyly sneak around when we are putting up the snow fence. The bonfire was beautiful, I could not have asked for a better backdrop. It is getting more difficult to go outside because of the weather and the constant loss of sunlight as the days go by. We are losing approximately five to seven minutes of sunlight per day. The sun is rising at around nine and going down at around nine. Still twelve hours of sunlight, but that will change fast. Winter with all it brings is right around the corner.

There has been a lot of work in preparation for this winter. We already filled the fuel tanks, but are in the process of filling the potable water tanks and prepared the pond for water collection next summer. This entailed putting up all the snow fence that the weather or muskox tore down. We did all we could, but ran out supplies to repair anymore. I begin my departure work tomorrow and that will take a while, but for the most part, we are doing winter projects like carpeting rooms and painting.

SN Fuller sneaks behind a snow fence.

The sun rises late over the snow fences and ponds.
FN Masters burns cardboard.

I have been writing a story about being stationed up here to submit to Coast Guard Magazine and that has been one of the reason I have not blogged recently. It is a lot work to write a story for a magazine versus blog writing. I am trying to keep that personal touch to it, but maintain professionalism at the same time. It is a good learning experience. I was able to get a picture of a log flight during summer; If you were wondering what we see every three weeks. There is one of winter in a much earlier blog.


Other than working, bon fires, writing, duty days, inspections, tank filling, and several loran and engineering repairs this place has been pretty slow. Now it gets a little slower due to winter, that desolate beauty creeping back in. I will keep you updated on the progress of my transfer and look forward to California, the family, the dogs, friends, and all the things I missed in isolated duty. Have a wonderful day and I will blog again soon.