South Fork Brown Creek

See Krista at the bottom middle?

and again Krista on the right blending in 

Kelly and Josh on bottom left.

Wow. Is all I can say about the 3rd week of work.  On Monday we went to S. Fk Brown Ck in Prairie Ck SP and on Tuesday and Wednesday to Mc Arthur Ck in Redwood NP.   Don't let the map fool you.  S.Fk. Brown is NOT easy to get to.  It WILL kick your ass.    Unassuming cute little creek.  I hurt for 2 days after that.  My body didn't unclench for two days.  It was sprinkling, but that's not quite correct.  It was more like heavy fog.  Like the air was dripping.  We hiked up on the trail just above the fork.  We dropped down toward the creek and that's where the ass whoopin began.  It was a steady rain now, there were huge fallen redwoods jackstrawed everywhere.  The diameters were often more than Josh's height of 6' +.  It took us an hr an a half to get there.  It was pretty awful yet so beautiful once we got there. Huge decaying redwoods across the creek, some we could crawl under some we had to go over.  It was scary being that high up on a redwood and wondering which way was the safest way down.  Everywhere you stepped there was a good chance your foot would break through and you'd be in a hole.  Because there was duff everywhere on everything making it look like solid ground. It was hell to work in.  It was beautiful and almost magical to observe and be in.  It was almost impossible to take pictures because of all the rain.  I'm surprised my camera is still working.  We were all soaked through and cold.  No way around it.  It was on off rain, but enough to drench us and keep us cold.  It took us an hr and 15 min to climb up and over the creek, then up hill to the trail.  I was clinging to trees with a nail death grip on the bark hoping I'd make it up over and down.  At the point where we left the creek a few redwoods had exploded upon touch down with earth and the creek was nowhere to be seen.  It was completely covered with wood shrapnel.  No surveying could've been done there.

That was day one.  Day two and three in a separate post.

The Office

June 22, 2012

Ok, so I finished my 2^nd week of work.  We were in Streelow Ck, Lost Man Ck and Godwood Ck.  We took about 12 hrs for the first two creeks from meet up at 7am until the last bit of data entry at 7pm and later. Today we finally finished the day in 10 hrs.  It rained on us all day.  We got to our site quickly.  The other two days were a little helacious when it came to getting to the site.  Awful bushwacking to Streelow ck and steep plunges from the road to the flood plain of Lost Man.  I almost thought my right knee cap was gonna crack in two when we were climbing out of that creek.  I made it knees intact. 

I must say it was SO incredibly beautiful.  Each creek had its own distinct personality.  Streelow…poor little Streelow.  Evidence of the Old Growth that once was abounded everywhere you looked.  Huge stumps with the platform notches still visible were bases for numerous plants.  Jackstraws everywhere Sword fern up to Josh’s head and decaying logs tricking you into feeling confident you were on solid ground.  Then “fwoop” down you went in between intertwining roots right through the solid looking duff. But since it was all decayed you didn’t get any bruises from it.  Bruises come from solid things.  The forest there was so thick. You could see through the needles and branches that the sun was out it was probably a damn fine day.  But down on Streelow it was cold and dark and decaying.  That may sound unpleasant, but it kept the creek cool.  Believe it or not there were juvenile Coho and Rainbow and Cuttys in that creek.  You know what that means…It’s possible it was all resident trout, BUT since we found Coho that means those suckers are spawning up to atleast where we found the juveniles.  I almost want to camp out there during spawning season to witness this first hand…almost.

If we could dig down through the silt and muck and decaying matter what would we find?  Would current day Streelow be different or similar to Streelow in the past?

Lost Man creek is so open and beautiful.  So close and yet so far.  Enormous maples and tons of Alders grace its banks.  Back from the banks stood huge redwoods and a few spruce. The flood plain towards the road was a good 30 meters. I didn’t explore or have to bushwack through the opposite bank. It has Rainbows, Cutty’s and Coho.  It has tons of Sculpin sp, Pacific Giant Salamanders, some sticklebacks and lamprey. We even got a tailed frog tadpole in the bucket.  But we also saw evidence of the New Zealand mud snail.  It’s a huge creek confined to such a small mouth into Prairie Creek.  Or is it a huge flood plain that has allowed it’s waters to spread out lazily as it flows toward Prairie creek?  And if there’s ever a huge snow up top that melts suddenly or sudden torrential rain I guess it’s got that covered. And then some.

Godwood creek is hidden among some amazing old growth.  We were in a section right by the trail yet we could not see the trail. It rained constantly all day.  The rain got heavier as the day progressed.  It was fitting that we were rained on on the third day of summer in Godwood creek.  A very twisty curvy pretty little creek.  There was flagging from a previous fish crew marking where there were redds in the creek.  We caught rainbows, cuttys and coho and lots of pacific giant salamanders.  Neotenic.  They all had gills.  Some were adult size.  Lots of solid sediment layers.  I really don’t know how the banks keep the creek within.  It just seems like the creek would erode away the layers of decayed duff .  But even though I can’t see it I think the layers are reinforced by huge down and decaying redwoods (and a few spruce maybe).  What would we see if we dug down? …..

I am tired. My writing is probably full of errors.  I’ll look it over later to get my facts straight.

Tired

I'm so tired. 12 hr day.  Transects, algae, clinometers, e-fishing, legacy trees, big leaf maples, port orford cedars, vanilla leaf, trillium sp, firs, 1 sierra nevada pale ale in a can.  Shower, blow dry bangs, tv sleeeeeeep...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Needless worry

I am at my new job and it’s AWESOME!!!  I was so worried I mean SO worried and I am now so at peace.  The boss man Eric, my co-workers Kelly, Christa and Joshua are great!  I was so worried…I made myself sick for nothing.  Even if they’d turned out to be assholes it still would’ve been stupid to make myself sick about it. 

The training was indoors the first part then outdoors the last part.  We placed some creek markers then watched Eric do some water quality tests and then some “outdoor chemistry”.  Fun. :D

On the way into town for groceries and dinner we hit a Raven.  It just sat in the road right where the right tire was headed.  I looked in the side view mirror expecting to see a raven flying away and instead I saw black feathers poofed into the air.  The boss man was sad.  I couldn’t stop laughing.  Giggling really.

I am really tired and just getting over a buzz from the beer at dinner.  Wild Rivers.  I would love another beer.  But then that would just lead to debauchery. 

Anxiety

I recently became sick again for the 3rd time this year. The first time in January, then again in April and now again in June.  This time I think it's because I'm very anxious about starting a new job.   Why?  Because I am afraid I can not physically do the job even though I said I could.  I mean...physically I can get to the work site and back from the work site, but I will get there slow and get back slow.  I hope the boss doesn't regret hiring me.  I hope I have a great summer.

I am going to do this because I really truly do want to be out there in the field.  I really do want to be one of those persons who's always outdoors.  Hiking, backpacking, road biking, mtn biking, floating/swimming, discing, etc I want to be that person.