More Helicopters than Dragonflies

By on July 16th, 2008 in Archive

Today was turnover day and as I sat in my office doing paperwork, I happened to look out the window and just about fell over in astonishment. I’ve never seen so many helicopters flying at one time – not even at the height of a forest fire in my previous life as a water bomber pilot. It seemed like there were helicopters everywhere with one group of 7 flying in a line towards Mendenhall and at least 6 more flying back the other way. They looked just like dragonflies to my eye and it was a sight that I won’t soon forget.

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Nautilus Jeopardy (The Game)

By on July 15th, 2008 in Archive

It is always a pleasure and a good time having Captain Phil Sammet, his lovely wife, beautiful daughter and all his friends onboard the Nautilus Explorer. Through his many scuba diving charters on the Nautilus, Phil has steadfastly stuck to 2 traditions (a) he will paint the toenails of any anybody that he is able to sneak up on if they are having a nap on a couch in the main salon (b) every trip must conclude with a game of Nautilus Jeopardy with questions based on the many (interesting?) facts presented during my various dive and natural history briefings throughout the trip.

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Ghost Diving on the Wreck of the Princess Sophia

By on June 29th, 2008 in Archive

Some of the best wreck diving in southeast Alaska is on the old CPR steamships Princess Sophia and Princess Kathleen. The Kathleen is an exceptionally beautiful liner that is amazingly intact, lying on her side in 40 to 120 feet of water. The Princess Sophia is a much spookier wreck to scuba dive on – everything is either black or white or a monochromatic tone on the wreck. There is dense marine life but no colour whatsoever.

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