We Are New-Used Reporters

Hallo again. I am new reporter, Vladimir Verstratski, back for my own second time, making me, how you say? new-used reporter. The Dengate girl say I am last option, which she remind again is good thing.

Last season my government they are pleased with my learnings of American media, so they send me back for new trainings. This year, our government want us to have cultural learnings in American swing dancing.

Now for first headliner.

This week the boating ferry from Copper Harbor, she is cancelled, making for similar distress to last year in visitors. Days after though she is going making relief.

Labor Day is happy for all. Vlad, I am here till text time for news. Take easy.

Passing the Torch

Hello, Isle Royale!

You might have noticed a distinct lack of new SHR posts lately, which has probably left a sizable hole in your life. This is because I, sadly, left the island almost exactly a week ago, on August 27th. It was a sad day; it's so hard to leave the island. Also it is ridiculously hot and humid downstate. Gross.

BUT - you don't have to worry that the SHR days are done! I'm passing the reporter torch off to Vladimir Verstratski, who did a stint with us last summer as well. I know we're all looking forward to his...ahem...well-informed and entertaining posts.

Thanks to all for an amazing summer and live it up this fall for me.

With love from Ann Arbor,
Liz Dengate
Snug Harbor Reporter

Topsy-Turviness

There are always a few topsy-turvy events each week in the Snug to keep us on our toes.

Definition: Topsy-turvy (adj.)
top-sy tur-vy [tòpsee túrvee]
1. upside down: with the bottom at the top and the top at the bottom
2. in or into confusion: in or into a confused or chaotic state, especially one in which the natural order or arrangement of things is inverted
3. disorder or confusion: a state of complete disorder or confusion

Today, for example, the Isle Royale Queen IV, for as-yet unexplained reasons, did not leave Copper Harbor this morning until eleven am. Instead of having arrived two and a half hours ago, they'll be docking in about forty minutes - unloading everyone - loading up again - and promptly heading back to Copper Harbor just as quickly as they can. The V.C. is full of curious people wondering where the boat that's supposed to take them home is, and backpackers will be getting a late start on the trail today.

Just a couple of days ago, in an event that was literally topsy-turvy, a canoe containing an adult and his two teenage daughters flipped right in the middle of Snug Harbor, in the midst of large waves and strong winds. Luckily, interp rangers Justin, Casey, and Andrea were on the scene. Justin directed matters from shore, Andrea brought life rings, and Casey drove the Cisco around to assist from the water. The now-damp canoeists, probably more upset by the new turn the start of their backpacking trip had taken rather than the water seeping into their boots, blew right into shore along with most of their belongings (only one small bag was lost to the depths of the harbor.) A destination of Moskey Basin was amended to Rock Harbor Campground, and Casey and Justin, in a show of manly prowess, kindly carried their canoe back down the trail to the public rack.

On a more personal note, I will probably soon be in "a state of complete disorder or confusion" as I board the Ranger III this Saturday morning and leave the island for the summer. It's a hard place to sail away from. I daresay that after my departure, the Ben East will also find itself in "a confused or chaotic state." Right, guys?

Hope everyone is enjoying their week, topsy-turvy, right-side-up, or however it may be.
Yours,
the Snug Harbor Reporter

We Do Work.

My father, an avid reporter of the Snug Harbor Reporter (but then, who isn't?) made a comment after reading a couple posts that was something like this: "Do you guys ever do any work around there?" He was kidding (I think) but really, it's a justifiable conclusion to reach after reading the SHR, as probably 75% of what I write about involves potlucks, pinatas, or celery sticks with dip. So, I am resolved to write a post about what we actually do while we're working - which yes, does happen.

There are now just five of us interpreters (and yes, I'll use the phrase 'us interpreters' since this blog is a part of the interpretation division) left in the Snug, since Sam left the island nearly two weeks ago. (Which is still very sad.) Our everyday duties include (but are not limited to):

• daily harbor walk programs


• daily evening programs in the auditorium (except for Sundays)


• manning the visitor center from 8 am to 6 pm every day


• greeting and catching the lines for every ferry boat


• giving an orientation to all Queen IV passengers


• writing permits for all Queen, seaplane, and private boat passengers


• leading tours to Passage Island and Lookout Louise aboard the Lodge's M.V. Sandy


• completing customs on anyone coming from Canada


• roving the Snug Harbor area, assisting visitors with trip planning, identification and historical questions, assisting with medicals, etc.

Whew. I apologize for the long and probably boring list. But with full or nearly full Queens every day of the week now that we're well into August, and pretty full Rangers and Voyageurs as well, you can see we have our hands full. The five of us divide the tasks between us every day, according to a scarily complicated schedule that Andrea somehow concocts and makes work every single pay period, which is a feat worthy of being called a superhero, I think. If you hear us talking about "A" or "B" or "C-2" schedules, it has to do with this. Don't ask.

Our days are full of answering questions like, "What is a loon?," "Where do I go to see the moose?," and "Can I please rent a kayak?" (We cannot rent kayaks. The dock attendant rents kayaks. We told you at the orientation.) We kindly point out the difference between blue-bead lily fruits (poisonous) and blueberries (delicious.) We identify flowers and trees and tell stories of shipwrecks and geological time. We call EMTs for blisters, point out the Stoll Trail, and, if you're Leah and Justin, occasionally rescue people from small islands.

It's generally pretty awesome.

Of course, interpretation is not the only division found in the Snug. Robert, in his house on the hill, runs the extremely vital water and power plants and assists us on the many days when the internet suddenly stops working for no apparent reason. He is often seen buzzing around in the golf cart, doing very serious things (I confess to not even knowing what most of them are.) Pete and Marshall, our LE guys, are always bustin' bad guys and checking permits, and very speedily on hand whenever we need an EMT down at the Visitor Center. They're keeping it safe and keepin' it real. We're a good team, I think. We make it happen, here in the Snug.

And so, yes, dad: we do work once in awhile. But what is life without some potlucks and swing dancing thrown in there??

The Dennis Long Dedication

Last Friday, August 12th, was the official dedication ceremony for the Dennis Long Recreation Hall. Planning and prep for the event has been ongoing all summer, so the buildup was huge. As usual, the huge buildup resulted in a huge success, with a well-attended, lovely, and safe event. As we said in our post-event briefing, at least in terms of medicals and law enforcement, "the event was uneventful." (If we were talking appetizers, however, the event was very happenin' indeed. Brett Jenkins, the Lodge's head chef, is a genius.)

The Rec Hall is a welcoming, open building with hardwood floors, knotty furniture, and a pool table, where Lodge employees can spend their free time (playing games, using the computers, watching movies) and every Thursday night, Lodge and NPS employees alike gather to practice our swing dancing under the guiding eye of Ranger Pete. It's the perfect tribute to Ranger Dennis Long, who, in 1969, was a twenty-year-old trail crew member who drowned after saving the life of his friend, a young concessions employee. The building, and Dennis' sacrifice, are testament to the power of friendships that grow on this island.

Several speeches from park officials, a moment of silence, and the unveiling of a sign, a plaque, and a portrait marked the occasion well. Dennis' story was told, the history of relations between the Park Service and concessions was recounted, and both Dennis' brother and the woman he saved gave beautiful, heartrending speeches. There were about 65 guests, a dozen uniformed rangers, and six Lodge employees on duty in the audience, and I believe we were all brightened by the memory of this young man's brave sacrifice.

And naturally, we got to celebrate new friendships and bonds formed after the ceremony, over plates of fresh veggies, ahi tuna, chocolate covered strawberries, and other delectables. Whilst wearing flat hats. Which we all look pretty darn good in.

In other news...

Life is finally starting to slow down in Snug Harbor, after a massively busy rush of visitors, although it still seems to be a big summer for medicals (recently: almost-carryout near Malone Bay.) The visitors that are no longer filling the Queen to the gills are missing out: we've been treated to day after day of sunshine, blue sky, and heat lately.

America, Farewells, and Interpreters at the B.E.

Yesterday was a sad day for the Ben East carnival crew and Rock Harbor interpretation in general; we lost the first member of our family to the cruel chill of oncoming fall. Sam Case, our resident painter, photographer, coffee brewer, paddler, and SCA interpreter left on the Ranger III yesterday morning. It's a heartwrenching sight, watching someone vanish into the blue yonder with the stretch of water growing between you. Casey let out a few howls of grief. We did get this excellent group shot previous to his sad departure, totally proving our place as the park's most photogenic department.

At our end-of-the-season interp party (theme: America) we got another fabulous group shot: the entire Snug Harbor interp team (theme: Awesome) including our valiant leader Liz from Mott, and Steve, housemate to most of us. The photo also features Leah's and my cardboard guitars (we are so productive in our time off.)

In all seriousness, I would like to say a giant thank you to Andrea and Liz, definitely the best bosses I have ever had, and all of my housemates and coworkers, who have made and continue to make this a truly incredible place.

Some shots from the America Party up at the Ben East, attended by the above photographed people, Pete and Marshall, and Paul, Scotty, and Steve from the Ranger III, as well as my visiting friend (the menu featured watermelon, grilled cheese, cheesy taters, apple pie, smoked salmon, macaroni and cheese, brownies, chips and dip, and many other delicious goodies):

I forgot to mention the tiny cheesecakes.

There were tiny cheesecakes. And they were awesome.

The sole representative of the color green was the macaroni and broccoli salad from Paul; we went truly American-style, baby.

Stay tuned for a new post coming soon: Tomorrow is the big Dennis Long ceremony at the new rec hall, which Snug Harbor is revving up for.

Moose, Chris-like and Otherwise, etc.

Last Friday, July 29th, was the some-number (exact data has been lost to time) annual NPS Chrismoose Bash on Mott Island.

There was a relay race, a beautifully painted milk jug filled with champagne, an inflatable moose, live fiddle music and dancing, and some ridiculously delicious food - a huge, long table full of it. Nachos and corn and turkey, oh my! Dozens of NPS employees, family, and friends gathered outside on crowded picnic tables to talk, laugh, and eat their fill. The arrival of the thousands of mosquito troops, who are possibly trained to seek out Chrismoose celebrations, could not dampen the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, due to my work schedule that day (and the arrival, on the Ranger III, of my adorable grandparents) I missed much of the festivities and don't have many photos, so I encourage all readers to seek out Mottites (and possibly a CD of Chrismoose photos that I hear is in the NRM office) for more stories and photos of epicness. I am sure there are many.

Meanwhile, actual moose have been suffering through this preposterous heat wave along with the rest of us (and, yes, I know, here on Isle Royale we have no right to complain, as visitors from Texas or Oklahoma tell me.) Unlike us, however, when they get fed up with the heat, instead of continuing to walk around in long wool pants they just march into a lake. (You have no idea how tempted I am to follow their lead on some of these hot days; I might start leading an interpretive program waist-deep in Tobin Harbor.) The above moose (a female sans calf) is chilling out in Hidden Lake, munching on some aquatic veggies and totally ignoring the two ducks who followed her around like less-cool younger siblings.

While most of our days lately have been shiny-hot and sunny (check out the Rock Harbor Lighthouse piercing that bright blue sky) we did have a spell of rain yesterday, which brought some much-loved cool air and breeze into the Snug. Naturally, after about an hour, the rain and breeze disappeared and a stifling hot mugginess settled over the harbor again, bringing with it much rejuvenated mosquitos.

It's August, now, though, and this is what we've got: hot blue sky, rain that leaves as suddenly as it arrives, full boats and teary departures (most of the Plumer family and many concessions employees left us today) - and, of course, wicked cool mushrooms.

Here Comes Friday...

Just a quick hello to say, IS EVERYBODY EXCITED FOR CHRISMOOOOOOSE?

Countdown: 8.2 hours to go. (You know, "ish.")

After a busy week in Snug Harbor with plenty of full boats and a string of long, packed special programs by guest speakers (including Rolf Peterson, Tom Gale, Ann & John Mahan, and Ned, the AIR) we're ready to kick back, share some food, and watch what is anticipated to be an epic relay race with our nearest and dearest at Mott Island.

Full story and photos after this weekend!

The Lodge Chrismoose

It's that jolly time of year once again...Chrismoose season. I wish I knew the history of the tradition - all I know is that once a summer, the island celebrates cameraderie and friendship, with long tables of food and perhaps some friendly competition. (In searching around the internet about 'Chrismoose,' I discovered this "Moose Nativity" scene, which was too surreal not to share with everyone.)


Yesterday was Chrismoose for Rock Harbor Concessions, which any walk around their dorm or rec hall would have told you: red ribbons, lights, and twinkling golden stars everywhere. It was quite festive. We met up behind the Employee Dining Room, near the Guest House, at eight pm. There was quite a showing; besides Justin, who's off island, I believe every other NPS Snug Harbor resident was there, and almost all of the concessions employees. There was a long table of smoked, barbecued, and sausaged meats, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. There were Christmas sweaters. There was cake with tiny sugar Santa heads on top. There were coolers full of sparkling apple juice and tiny glass Coke bottles.

Before dessert, we all joined in a rousing chorus of Christmas carols, led by Donna and Sam. This was probably my favorite part of the evening. When else in my life do I get to belt out "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells" on a wooded island in the middle of July, surrounded by people who are from everywhere from Michigan to Alabama, Jamaica to Turkey, China to Russia? Our timing was a little off, our notes were a wee bit creative, but it was kind of something spectacular.

The night ended with a three-legged race using old potato sacks (or perhaps some other kind of sack; you know, I've never actually seen potatoes come in a sack like that) and the traditional canoe race, which had previously been postponed about four times, and finally happened last night. Whoever won the three-legged race was obscured by an epic two-team spill onto the dirt road, but the canoe race was clearly and proudly won by our very own Pete and Casey. They paddled in, an intimidating duo of speed, several canoe lengths ahead of the second place canoe (Jack and Phil from the Lodge.)

It was a chilly night, thick with swarms of mosquitos, but the laughter in our hearts kept us warm and...bug-free. Well, maybe that was the bug spray.

In just a few days, we'll all be gathering at Mott Island for the NPS Chrismoose. The celebration never ends!

Wild Weather, Serious Fitness, and the Adorable Cisco: Typical Snug Stuff

The weather this week in Snug Harbor has been an eclectic, exciting meteorological menagerie. We've had everything from storms, bringing thunder, dark clouds, big waves, and frenetic lightning:

(the Reporter on Raspberry Island)

To dense, interminable fog hanging over the harbor:

To dazzling, perfect rainbows, all the way down the channel from our very own Snug to Moskey Basin:

Whilst enjoying the daily ups and downs of the island weather gods, we here have been making plenty of time for personal fitness; anyway, a couple of us are. Namely Pete and Casey (joined by Erin L. and Paul N. from Davidson and Mott, respectively.) Pete led a personal fitness evaluation last Sunday, prior to the Lake Superior Day jump, which included everything a 1.5 mile run, flexibility and strength tests, and an agility sprint which which was extremely amusing to photograph.

I wouldn't want to leave you without a photo of the lovely Leah and Sam, two of our interp rangers, on a routine trip to Mott in the ever-faithful Cisco, the boat that keeps on trucking:

Enjoy your own storms and heat waves, and don't be afraid to come visit, now!

Lake Superior Day Photographed

Despite heavy fog, several NPS employees (representing interpretation, trail crew, natural resources, maintenance, and law enforcement) and an entire troop of boy scouts, along with their leaders, leaped off the Ranger III dock in Snug Harbor this Lake Superior Day, cheering "We love Lake Superior!" as we went. We jumped off several times over a twenty-minute period; the water temp has warmed up considerably.

With temperatures today in the eighties, everyone is longing to jump in the lake - summer has finally reached Isle Royale, complete with an epic summer thunderstorm and magnificent sunset over Tobin Harbor last night. I was very excited for this weather to come, but I must say, it's sort of depressing when you finish a thirty-minute harbor walk drenched in sweat. (Especially when a pair of Texans on my walk scoffed and laughed when I called it a hot day.)

Today is also the first day we haven't been swamped with a thick, almost tangible fog. It's the first day phones have worked in Snug Harbor for nearly two weeks. We were living in a cloud for awhile there; you could actually watch wisps of it blow about around you. Finally, we have been released!

I encourage my fellow Isle Royaleans to get out there and make some splashes in this heat - and stay tuned for photos of the Fitness Challenge, Tobin sunset, and Raspberry Island.

Yours sincerely,

the Snug Harbor Reporter

Lake Superior Day

This Sunday marks the official Lake Superior Day, which we will be celebrating here in true Snug Harbor fashion: lots of splashing, cheering, and competing. At three thirty pm, shortly after the Queen has departed, we'll have a massive jump off the Ranger III dock into the channel - public merrily welcome. The Cisco will be ready in the water in case of any mishaps.

Later that evening at nine pm, once all of the concessions employees are off work, we're hosting an NPS/Lodge Canoe Relay Race. The actual details of this relay remain to be seen, but some sprinting, jumping off docks, paddling, and getting into and out of canoes in the water will likely be involved. We need to represent the Park Service in full force, so Mott people, get your paddlin' selves over here! The public is invited to watch the event and cheer or boo as they see fit.

Local herring appear to be revving up in anticipation of this great event; two days ago, we saw a swarm of them circling slowly in the dock area where the Lorelei usually rests. Glen Wuori took these fantastic pictures of the interesting collection of fish.

Happy Independence Day, and Welcome to the Busy Season

Hello again, everybody, and a late but very Happy Fourth of July! I apologize for the rather long-ish pause between posts; I was off-island for a few days over the holiday and my whole schedule got rather out-of-whack. That's what going back to the mainland will do for you. It will also make you suddenly aware that elsewhere in the world people are enjoying temperatures that are actually over sixty five degrees most days, and that some places actually experience sunshine more than once or twice a week. Sigh.

While I was gone for the fourth, I hear through the grapevine that everyone still here had a fun, albeit wet, day. Many of the lodge-hosted activities, including the canoe race, unfortunately had to be cancelled due to way too much rain (what is WITH that lately?) but the feast (held indoors) was supposedly delicious. Of course, when is barbecue not?

We're revving up for "high season" here in the Snug - mid-July through the end of August, when visitors swarm the shore like vikings, only with way less cool headgear. So far, however, the daily routine remains much the same, although daily numbers in the Visitor Center are steadily rising (a typical number now is something like 150 people in there each day.) We have had a few more medicals lately, including a helicopter evac from Mott a couple days ago, our second of the season. Here's hoping it's also the last, no matter how cool it is to see a helicopter land up close.

We are currently missing Marshall Plumer, District Ranger, and his fun and friendly fam, but Pete's doing an excellent job in his stead and we know they'll be back soon. With Robert also gone for a few days, however, our Snug family has substantially decreased in size, leaving just eight of us here to hold down the fort - so feel free to, you know, come visit, bring brownies, etc.

In the meantime, many fond regards from
Your Snug Harbor Reporter

The Arrival of Summer

Summer is blooming in Snug Harbor. The weather has been happily warm and sunny, and the mosquitos and flies are out frolicking. In just a few days, we'll be celebrating Independence Day with the lodge folks, complete with canoe races, home cooked barbecue, and sweet tea (I am not permitted to say that out loud in my faux-southern-accent by the Alabama employees - apparently what sounds authentic to ME very much does NOT to them.)

Speaking of parties and delicious food and beverage, our 'Mexican Party' at the Ben East last Tuesday was a rollicking success. Some Ranger III guys came up, Pete attended from next door, and a few people boated over from Mott. We even had a few concessions employees turn out, which is as rare and delightful as an orchid sighting. If I knew Spanish, I would end this paragraph with an appropriate and witty Spanish saying, but I'll have to just go with something from my limited repertoire: Feliz Navidad! Donde esta mi gato?





With the warmer weather, leaps into Tobin Harbor and canoe trips are becoming more and more frequent. Steve, our friendly local maintenance man, can often be sighted on the harbor in a canoe, photographing loons and other wildlife. He's the one responsible for sighting this beautiful moth on the backside of a Rock Harbor outhouse.

The Hooker's Orchid and Rosy Twisted-Stalk seen here can be found next to Smithwick Mine, along the return of the Stoll Trail.


A word to all local NPS and concessions employees: Our full interpretive schedule is now up and running, including performances (it's the only word for it) on everything from mining to geologic history to woodpeckers to paddling to wolves to loons to orchids to insects. Get your butts over here and check us out. Harbor walks commence daily at one pm (except for Wednesdays) and evening programs begin at eight pm (except for Sundays.) We hope to see you here!

Ladyslippers Galore

Snug Harbor Reporter here from the Command Central in the Rock Harbor Auditorium, where we are churning out spiny water flea posters, medical flashcards, and knowledge like nobody's business. I'm just popping in here to let everybody know that the island is just CRAWLING with ladyslipper orchids right now; or, it would be, if ladyslippers were mobile. As far as I am aware, however, they tend to be pretty stationary.

Sam Case, our local photographer/interper has some great photos of clusters of yellow ladyslippers at Daisy Farm Campground, coming in a blog post soon - I propose a name change to Ladyslipper Campground.

The path to Lookout Louise is also rife with ladyslippers, including the pink ladyslipper (aka moccasin flower) and the very rare and beautiful ram's head ladyslipper.

Now is the time for an orchid hunt - so put on your waterproof hiking boots and get out there.

Rainy Days

It's been a rainy and windy week in Snug Harbor, once again necessitating some boat cancellations, including the delay of the RIII's return to Houghton and the postponement of the Voyageur II for two days (requiring them to then zoom from MN to RH to MN in one very long day.) Visitors, for the most part, have remained docile.

For all the horrible weather, it's still been relatively busy here in Snug Harbor - we don't mess around:

• Pete took Casey and I out for our first in-the-water scuba lesson with real scuba gear as opposed to snorkels; rain doesn't seem to matter when you're hanging out underwater anyway, eh? It was pretty exciting.


• EMT training is currently completing their third and final day in our auditorium. The island's whole slew of LE rangers and other trained rangers have been gathered here, refreshing their skills with instructor Chris from the mainland. Yesterday, Leah LaCasse, who's participating in the refresher as a Wilderness First Responder, had to jump in Tobin Harbor and pretend to be an unconscious, hypothermic patient (the hypothermia was probably not so much faked as very uncomfortable) while ten or twelve busy people went about 'rescuing' her and bemused visitors looked on. Everyone will be very happy to learn that Leah made it through the exercise with little to no limb loss.


• Just in time for the EMT refresher, Snug Harbor has been a veritable hive of injury activity the past few days - including bruised/broken ribs, chest pains, and seizures. Pete and Leah have been on the scene. I encourage everyone to be extra careful with themselves this week, because it is apparently a bad time.


• On a more cheery note, last night was the second weekly Swing Dance Night in the concession Rec Hall, where we all refreshed our swing dancing skills and added the Charleston to our repertoire. I encourage all Park Service and Concessions employees to come out for swing dancing on Thursday nights! 8:30-10 pm. Besides being an excellent medic and scuba diver, Pete is also a fabulous swing dancer and instructor. Maybe next week we'll get him to swing dance in full scuba gear while splinting someone's arm. You're gonna wanna come see that.

So rain aside, the Snug has still been bustling. But help me do a sunshine dance, or SOMEthing - I'm getting sick of this gray.

Yours,

the Snug Harbor Reporter

Bats and Snakes and Moose, Oh My!

As seen in the last post, and as usual, Snug Harbor is overflowing with spring wildflowers. Beautiful, but no surprise there. But what we ALSO have are a great deal of fun critters running about in our midst (and no, I am not referring to the interp rangers.)

A moose or two have been consistently sighted at Hidden Lake over the past week and a half, as well as wandering along the shore of Tobin Harbor and even swimming across it. For awhile, we felt like geniuses leading the lodge's Sandy tours to Hidden Lake, because we were always able to produce a moose for people to view. Check THAT out, we said. We are moose whisperers. Sam saw a pair of yearlings, but a mom and her calf have also been seen in the area. It's been a couple days without a sighting now, but I'm confident that the mucky 'lake' remains a moose hotspot. Possibly Hidden Lake features a great underwater aquatic veg buffet; all-you-can-eat; free toothpicks.

Rather smaller than the moose, but equally fuzzy, adorable, and brown, was the little brown bat we found in Snug Harbor last Thursday (and yes, I mean his species was 'little brown bat', not just that he was of a small size and a brown color.) I found him lying on his back on the very beginning of the Rock Harbor trail, just east of the Ben East before you come to the paved trail, in a tiny, defeated-looking, blob of fur. A visitor alerted me to his presence by exclaiming, "Look! A mouse!" (You see what we are dealing with in the V.C.?) Afraid he'd be stepped on and crushed (he was doing a great job of totally blending into the dirt) I scooped him up into a little bug box with air holes and radioed Paul Brown, Chief of Natural Resources.


Turns out I should've left him on the trail, due to risk of disease contraction for me and risk of sudden death by shock for him, but at least he wasn't turned into mush on the bottom of someone's boot. Sadly, little brown bat did not make the night anyway, although Paul (who has had his rabies shots) gently hung his tiny, feeble self (the bat, not Paul) onto the trunk of a spruce. He wiggled his wings about for awhile, but he never moved from his clinging spot on the tree, and by that evening he was dead.
He brought us joy before he did, however - staff and visitors alike were delighted by seeing the fuzzy, goofy guy up close and personal, a rare opportunity in the wild. With luck we'll be turning his rescued and preserved body (in the least creepy way possible) into a neat-o artifact to share with visitors in the V.C.

(Paul [in Star Wars apparel - awesome] presents Mr. Little Brown Bat post-mortem.)

While not technically a Snug Harbor resident, the friendly local otter at Mott Island is too cute not to feature - he deserves fame and fortune, this guy. Just LOOK at him:

(You'd be surprised how long I can spend staring at otter photos going, "Awwwwwww." Or maybe you wouldn't be.)

Finally - the Snug is crawling with snakes. Natural Resources are still working on catching them and collecting samples this year for the genetics study on the amazing variety of colors found on the island, which gave Leah an opportunity to get over her dread of snakes last week. She'd always found them vaguely terrifying, but after a brief lesson in snake handling from none other than above mentioned Paul Brown, she became a right proper snake charmer.

Along with the mosquitos, which have blanketed Snug Harbor and can apparently grow as big as the moose, these critters have been keeping us in the Snug properly entertained.

Stay tuned for more posts, and enjoy the rain, everybody!

** Many thanks to Paul Brown for all the photos in today's post, except for the one of the moose in Hidden Lake, for which I thank Sam Case! **

(If anyone has any great or interesting photos of Snug Harbor or its vicinity, please feel welcome to email them to snugharborreporter@gmail.com. I'd love to include them in a future post.)