Anchorage to Cordova

snow falling on the helipad
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Travelled from Anchorage to Cordova on Saturday afternoon and after a bit of delayed start arrived at Orca Lodge to find so many familiar faces.  Would know quite a few of the lodgers here and am playing catch up.

The wine hauled from Sydney that involved cutting off the circulation of my fingers while transporting it for 30 hours will go down very well with old friends.

Familiar scenery and faces back at 'Man Camp'

Back at Man Camp
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Had our beacon training and avalanche safety run down in the evening before a lasagne dinner.  Went to bed after a few drinks and a very long conversation about Bush and international politics / economics, good to know the cognitive function of my brain is slowly starting to come back.

The sky was clear and a sliver of moon was out with some stars as i went to bed, did not sleep too good and woke up at 5am to still clear skies.  However when i woke up again at  7 am there was a disappointing dull grey sky.  As we went through our helicopter training this morning there was a light powder falling consistently which is great as they needed to hit their 'reset button' out there in the zone.  Guides were telling us although they have so much terrain, it was starting to look a little like a resort with quite a few tracks being laid down.  They have just finished a 12 day straight run of fly days, i am sure they must be setting some record this season.  But a bit of weather has come with our arrival.  Just need to slip into Alaska time and wait for the change.

the retarded fisherman
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Looking forward to trying to get a better view of the moose this time, i was trying to tell my guide that like "running with the bulls in Spain, there should be running with the moose in Alaska".  He looked at me as though i needed to have a good lie down or be in a white jacket within a padded cell.  I have 10 days to convince him to my tourist ways however, i just explain it like he would want to see and have a kangaroo experience in Australia.  i trust that i can be quite convincing when i want to.  he he he So Sunday looks like its a down day, took a few snaps to show the setting, hope to have many more stories to come over the next few days.

Cordova
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Well wouldn't you know it, as soon as we head off into town at around 2pm the sucker hole comes in.  We spent the afternoon walking around town and stopping by for a beer or two at the Reluctant Fisherman or better known as "the Retarded Fisherman".  It turned into a very sunny afternoon but there are still clouds in the zone so no flying today.