Tish, Morgan, Melina, and Elliott: Summer adventures: Alaska

After a few short days at home after Ryan and Jennie's beautiful wedding, we packed up (again!) for our third and final trip of the summer, to one of the most beautiful places in the world, Porcupine Island near the northeast shore of Lake Iliamna, where UW's Alaska Salmon Program has been conducting research for many years.

While we have traveled and backpacked to many a remote place in the pre-baby days, this was our first go at it with Melina and I have to say my mama protective instincts sort of went into overdrive. What this amounted to was trying to plan for Every. Possible. Thing. That might happen. And also bringing vast and somewhat ridiculous amounts of fleece, baby raingear and down. So, despite the fact that we could (and did!) ship up quite a bit of gear ahead of time on a barge, we somehow ended up with having this much stuff (see diagram below) to carry up with us on the plane.

Luckily we had wonderful travel companions who were willing to help (and entertain the baby) - thank you Sandie, Tom and Jon!

Taking a walk, camp in the background

Melina in the cabin, standing next to a BEAR SCRATCH on the wall (from the winter, when the lake is frozen and bears are hungry). Thankfully in the summertime, the bears have more interesting things to do than hang out on an island with no salmon streams.

Out in the field

Beach-spawning salmon

Pile of fish bones

Driving the boat with Jon

Beautiful views from the cabin deck

Alaska baby

Her booster chair

Helping Dad drive the boat

Science!

Bath with a view

Baby swing whipped up by Jon - who said field camps aren't for babies?

She loved it!!

Hiking around the island

One of her favorite games - made from a care package for Curry: the game consisted of helping her sit in the box. Then she would get out and say "more"