apples to oranges: April 2012

Once again, it's been a while, but I've started a new job since my last post! I'm training to be a naturalist with Island Adventures Whale Watching in Anacortes and it is one of the best jobs I've ever had. I spend a lot of time in the office taking reservations, but I have gotten a few good days in on the boat in Everett. We've even been featured on King 5 news a few times!

I'm on this page: http://www.island-adventures.com/whale-watching-tours/crew.php

I work with some great people and I have been currently learning the ins and outs of the galley. They finally let me run it myself (questionable decisions, it was my third time) and I didn't mess anything up! That same day I had to help with the lines as the boat was coming into the dock. While I tied all of the lines correctly, I did catch one on a door AND I fell down the stairs in front of everyone. Classic. My only excuse was that it was raining...

After being there for a month and a half, I've mastered the arts of the office - which leads me to one of my life mottos "people are stupid". I'd like to just leave it at that, but I have a few gems to share:

Phone: "You know when the whales jump and splash?"

Me: "Yeah?"

Phone: "Can we make a reservation for the day when they do that?"

Me: "Well, whales are wild animals..." blah blah animal behavior explanation.

Phone: "Ok, I've made a reservation for a hotel on San Juan Island"

Me: "Ok...do you want to take the tour before or after you take a ferry to the hotel?"

Phone: "Before"

Me: "We have one on that day at 11 am"

Phone: "Then you'll drop me off, right?"

Me: (so confused) "Uh, our tour is out of Everett, it lasts for 3 hours, and then you will have to catch a ferry to San Juan Island to get to your hotel"

Phone: "I work in Everett. You'll drop me off and then pick me up again?"

Me: "No. Our tour is out of the Everett marina. We just observe whales in the area and then we come back. No stopping"

Phone: "Then how am I going to get to my hotel?"

Me: "A ferry..."

In the office (In Anacortes): "I'm here to check in for the whale watching tour"

Me: "Did you make a reservation yourself online?"

Office: "Yes, yesterday"

Me: "Did you read the email with the directions to the boat? The boat leaves out of the Everett marina"

Office: "Oh, yeah I read the email and it said Everett but I didn't think anything of it. I made a reservation in Anacortes for a hotel so that we could be right here"

Me: "Where are you normally staying?"

Office: "Seattle"

THE IRONY!

Gray whale season so far (credit for photos to Bart Rulon, Michael Colahan, and Brooke McKinley):