Seal! (My adventure hunting for seals)

What? Where?

Of course at this point in time I was taking photographs of myself.  I would like to reiterate that I am one of the worst hunters in the world.  And in this situation it wasn't a terrible thing.  I mean, I not legally allowed to hunt seals.  Of course nothing is illegal about being out on the ice in close proximity to seal hunters.  And so that's what Robby and I were doing.

Out along the point past the break up

Seal hunting is actually a lot more boring than it sounds.  Unless you already know that hunting is boring.  Then it's probably a little more exciting than other hunting.  It begins with a snowmachine ride to the end of the ice.  This is terrifying.  The Bering Sea in March is very cold.  And the ice shows signs of cracking off from the rest of the ice, and at times I was certain that I would be the sole inhabitant of the world's newest iceberg.  Fortunately that did not happen.

That jagged white edge is about a mile out from shore - it was along this we traveled.

Once you make it to the edge you look into the water.  I was supposed to be looking for the shiny head of a seal that has come up for air.  Cruel - sure.  Wait for the poor puppy-faced creature to come up for a breath of fresh, clean, Alaska air then BANG!  Dead seal.  So I wasn't the most observant watch for more than one reason.  It's okay though, George has more sea spotting eyes than both Robby and myself combined and he spotted the first seal.  This was the time that I was a few hundred feet up the hill taking photographs of myself.  Meh.

Nope...no seals.

We watched for a while longer but see nothing.  George leaves Robby and me and heads down along the break.  Minutes later we see him crouched, rifle leveled.  Does he see something?  BANG!  Then I see it - the back of a seal surface then dive.  "TOO HIGH" I hear George yell.  Oh.  Too bad I guess.  I can't really figure out if I want to see George get a seal or if I want the seal to get away.  Doesn't really matter though, escape the seal did.  Good for him (or her - I have no idea).

After getting bored of hunting I decided that a photoshoot was in order.  I still have a hard time taking hunting serious.  Oh well - my talents lie elsewhere.

Friday in Tununak.

What else do you think I would be doing?