Welcome Home, Ferry :)

Trish and Jeff brought our new ferry home from Ft. Myers. Meanwhile, there were rainbows and conversations, this one between Alan Coulter and Dave Denny. What do you suppose they're talking about?

Many Mag Movers

Lots of going, lots of stopping, and several logs got the Mag from the back of the yard to the Barron River. It was all hands on deck, combining the help of the Service Bus folks with most everyone on base.  

This feat of physical fitness and clear communication was followed by lemonade and cookies.

P.S. Farlin seems a little wary of people... or is it cameras?

Shiny new sign

After retiring our worn and weathered sign, we installed the new DOUBLE reflective version.

Everglades Swamp Swap!

Please join us after dinner on the first night of precouse for William Jewell December 25 for the annual Everglades Swamp Swap.  Please bring a wrapped gift to swaped among the participants, hopefully many times.  There will be laughter and good cheer!  The gift is preferably recycled, something you would like to receive as a gift and if new with a value of less than $10.

See you there!

Teamwork makes the dream work...

The island buzzes with the hum of hard work: gear is put away following Pine School, sea kayaks are tinkered with, and the Puffer prepped for her seasonal launch.

Pine School kicks off the season!

Homeward Bound... An amazing sunset as the first Pine School crew returns to Sunset Island, with Instructors Dave Genova and Lee Collette tagging along. Check out Lee exemplifying physical fitness as he hauls that Action Packer! 

Turkey Day the Everglades way!

Chavo carved the bird, it was quite a feast - enough pumpkin pie to last for weeks!

Images from the Fall 2008 WorkWeekend

Anne posted images from the Fall 2008 WorkWeekend on flicker.

Here is a link to the images - http://www.flickr.com/photos/32586019@N02/

Thanks again to everyone that participated in the Fall WorkWeekend.

From too little water to too much water....

Tropical Storm Fay, which made its first US landfall near Evergaldes City in late August, dumped record breaking amounts of rain as it meandered up the entire state of Fl. Now FL Fish and Wildlife Officials are reporting that flooding between I75 (Alligator Alley) and Hwy 41 (Tamiami Trail) threatens the health of many species. Please check out the video and Miami Herald articalby following the link below.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/726434.html

The dawn of a new season in FL.

Like seaside morning glories hailing the start of a new day, FL work agreements announce the dawn of a new season in FL.

Work agreements have gone out to staff requesting winter work in Florida.

For those that received work agreements please review your schedule and return signed work agreements to John & Trish in the office. If you have questions or conflicts with the schedule offered in your work agreement please contact staffing at the TO or Jeff Lovett. Receiving your signed contracts or questions will allow us identify any shortcomings in our attempt to staff the season allowing us time to avoid staffing shortages or perhaps offer work to staff looking for opportunities to instruct in the Everglades.

Please continue to check into the Sunset Island Times for updates on the FL Programs. I will soon post the 2008-09 Travel Calendar and FL Ride Board.

I've already had a few requests for the mailing address in FL. If you wish to ship parcels to FL or have personal mail sent to FL here is the address...

NCOBS
attn: your name
PO Box 385
400 Riverside Drive
Everglades City, FL, 34139

Please use both the PO Box and the street address.

See you all soon!

Nearing the End of the Season...

  We're at the end of March here on Sunset Island, celebrating the accomplishments of the International Semester crew's Everglades phase, and getting ready for closing down base camp and a full work-week.  Megan G. and Dave G. are in pre-course for an OBP course that will be last course of the season.  Yesterday the Semester crew finished service for a bike ride benefiting The Friendship House, a shelter that houses the working homeless in Immokalee FL.  The crew took on a lot of dirty gear during de-issue and also helped with Jeff to move the Mag out of the water and onto the back of the yard.  Congratulations to the entire Semester crew and their phase instructor, Mark.  Ben, their proctor instructor, has already started preparing for them in the NC mountains!  The crew's Course Director, Julie, will accompany the students to NC to oversee their remaining month on course.  After a fabulous banquet by Anne on the island last night, the group is enjoying a town day for laundry and errands before departing for their next phase.  

  The first week of April brings work-week and a full list of work to be done on base camp!  We look forward to welcoming Pete H., Wanda, and Whitney M. to base camp for varying amounts of time, as well as returning work week contributers.  Check back for pictures and updates!

--Paige

Recent Pictures...

February Fun in the 'Glades!

As February Finishes...

The Florida community spent February having fun at a cookout with dancing (see the jump to the left), welcoming the Program Team to the island for the Program Team retreat, sea-kayaking with s

ome amazing adults, adventuring with crews, completing service for the local environment, and experiencing hot sun and cold wind/rain/and a tornado!

Between the Savannah course and the first course from Palmer Trinity, 2 crews for Berkeley Prep went into the field with the fine guidance of Meredith Rose and Lee C., as well as Chris S. and Jo H. Lots of folks had some time off: Josh H. went on a 10-day self-reliant personal trip down to Flamingo, Marya and Justinn ventured to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe (Haid says 'Hello!'), Jenny  "The General" also headed out West to ski in Montana, Bernie/Kevin S./Lee went to Key West for a night, Mark visited family in central Florida, and Ariana braved the big city of Washington D.C. to also visit family. Lots of adventures for staff!  

In his third season as Logistics Manager, Josh A. was recently checked off on sailing the Mag. We all are looking forward to watching his graduation from sailing the puffer--hoping for more sunset sails and successful resupplies for courses, wind and water willing. 

Around Valentines Day a very big thunderstorm came through Everglades City and according to everyone who hunkered down on base-camp (and in the Sinker!!) a tornado touched down in the Barron River and in E-City.  Thankfully, damage was minimal, considering what could have happened!  Some lawn furniture was both lost and recovered in the water, the town's school had it's roof damaged, and lots of foliage and debris was around town.  Chavo, Jeff, Trish, Scooter, and Josh A. took advantage of the new flooded water park in the yard and went surfing/skim-boarding on boards.  Come down to Florida to check out the pictures on the picture board in the lodge!

The day before Palmer Trinity I was Staff Service Day!  On a follow-up from last year's 

Panther Preserve service, staff split into two groups to do service with Rookery Bay/Ten Thousand Islands.  One group removed decomposing bags of already-gathered exotic plants on Dismal Key. The bags were in undisclosed locations all over the island--the search was not unlike a treasure hunt!  The second group helped maintain and cut trail in deep water near highway 41. Thanks to everyone who participated and thanks to Sam P. and Meredith L. for contributing while they were passing through from Central America.  It was a great day. 

 

These days Meredith Rose is finishing up her day of Course Directing, Anne made the most amazing Indian food last night, Julie is getting ready for Canterbury and the Semester, Kelly B. is headed back to the mountains after a break, Keith R. departed FL before a course in the Bahamas, Mark will be spending his days helping out as support staff before the Semester students arrive, Merle just flew back home to NY, and we're excited to see Farlin, Diana, Josh B., and Kelly M.  here in a few days!  

Check out the photos and don't be a stranger!

--Paige