Baseball in Boston

This baseball trip planning started when David Ortiz announced that he would be retiring after one last season in 2016. Being the Sox fan that I am I insisted on seeing him play one last time! The problem being I live in Alaska. So I looked at the schedule and saw they would be in Seattle, so I had decided I would make a solo trip to Seattle in August to watch him play one last time. That's when a college friend announced she would be getting married in September in Connecticut. And that changed everything...I had to fly in and out of Boston anyways...and there was no better place to bid goodbye to Papi than at Fenway! 

So of course I called my dad and asked if he wanted to meet me in Boston and go to a game with me! So we got tickets for a game against Baltimore. I also saw that the Yankees were going to be in town  while we were there. So since this has always been a dream of mine, and I wasn't sure when the opportunity would come around again I bought dad and I tickets to the game! So now we would get to see Papi play 2 more times at Fenway and get to see a Sox/Yankees game. 

So back to the trip...on a beautiful Sunny day in Ketchikan I started my long overnight journey to Boston. I flew from Ketchikan to Seattle, then had a 9 hour layover, then flew from Seattle to Chicago where I literally ran across the airport to catch my flight to Boston! And I landed on a beautiful sunny and very humid 86 degree day in Boston, where I literally almost died! My body was so adjusted to living in Ketchikan, that even beach loving me had a hard time adjusting to the heat again! 

Game 1: 

Our first game was against Baltimore. We were set to see Rick Porcello, who hadn't lost at home, pitch against Kevin Gausman, who we had the pleasure to meet a few years ago in Boston. We had thunderstorms all day, but it was a beautiful night for baseball. Before the game we ate at a restaurant underneath the bleacher seats called the Bleacher Bar. You can access it from the street and they have garage doors that they close during the game but are open at other times so you can see onto the field! It was pretty cool! 

View from the Bleacher Bar restaurant 

Trying to decide on a new favorite for a shirt...I went with this years hopefully MVP Mookie Betts 

We got their early as usual and I hung out near the Boston dug out hoping for a few autographs. Batting Practice was canceled due to the rain showers so there wasn't really anybody out on the field. But I did get lucky and get some autographs from some of the Boston Bruins players. It was Bruins night at the ball park so there were a couple of them hanging around on the field before the game. 

View from Our Seats in Game one

The big man himself... number 34 Mr. David Ortiz

The game was a great game! We had great seats near the Boston dugout on the first-base side. The game was a pitchers duel. Both pitchers pitched into the 8th inning. There was only one run given up on a solo homer in the second. Unfortunately it was Porcello who gave it up. It was beautiful game to watch...both pitchers were dominant and in the zone. One mistake resulted in the outcome of the game. It was a great game...it was just a hard one to lose! 

Kevin Gausman when I met him a few years ago at Fenway

Porcello before the game

Game 2:

For game two we had some of my favorite seats. The bleacher seats in the outfield just behind the bullpen so you could see the whole stadium! We got their early and got to watch batting practice from the top of the Green Monster! This is the second time I've done this and its pretty cool!! We didn't catch any balls, but we did just miss a few. 

Batting Practice on top of the Monster

Yankees/Sox games are different, there is so much more energy involved. I'm sure it wasn't as charged as it was in the early 2000's or in the days of Ted Williams. But there is still something special about it! The Yankees were trying to make a playoff push and it was game 1 of a 4 game series. 

My MVP Mookie in Right Field

Jackie Bradley in Center...I watched him play for USC in college

The Yankees got up early. And here we were in the 8th inning and I was thinking I came all the way from Alaska and I am going to watch them lose 2 games at home without any offense. Except no game is over until its over. We sang Sweet Caroline in the middle of the 8th along with the rest of the stadium...its a Fenway tradition! 

But that night I got to see magic happen. 

First David Ortiz hit a home run to the deepest part of the ball park in center field. It was a beautiful swing and you knew it was gone from the moment it left the bat! I've seen him hit a few home runs before, even some at Fenway park. But this one was his 537th career homerun...this one put him past Mickey Mantle on the all time list! This one is the last one that I'll ever see Ortiz hit. And it was a shot! 

When they make a Lego statue out of you...you know you are a big deal! 

But the game got better after that...in the bottom of the 9th, down by two runs, the Red Sox made a comeback. I witnessed Hanley Ramirez hit a walk off 3 run-homer! It was hit almost exactly where Ortiz hit his, deep center field. Now any walk-off is special. But a walk off by the Red Sox against the Yankees in September...that is a once in a lifetime! 

Hanley's interview after the walk-off and Gatorade bath

It was an amazing game to be at. The energy that surges through Fenway park during a comeback is breathtaking even though its one of the smallest parks capacity wise in the league...you'd never know it by the noise you hear! When the team started to come from behind, not a single person was in their seat. And after that ball left the ballpark the mobbing was on at homeplate and Dirty Water was on the speakers...another Fenway tradition. 

I may have missed the Win-Dance-Repeat by our outfield trio, but I got something far more special. I know that some people aren't sports fans and I understand that. But there is magic in baseball. Watching the stadium come alive during a come back...and getting to be apart of the celebration that ensues. Hugging and High-fiving strangers from the employees, to the season ticket holders, to the girl beside me who just like me had traveled along way to watch her favorite team play, was one of the most amazing things I have ever been apart of! 

These two days of baseball were amazing...but of course the best part was getting to do all of it with the man who taught me to love and understand the game. The best part was getting to spend some time with my dad! 

The quote of this blog comes in the form of a picture and quote. This one is from a few years ago at Fenway the first time I made it on the Monster...

The end of the Season...

So I'd like to recap the end of the season...it was a good one! September included whales, amazing sunsets, finally seeing the Northern Lights, and another trip to Sitka! 

Just like on cue the whales returned on September 1! Just outside of Met everyday for about a week and a half we were surrounded by at least 20 humpbacks and more blows as far as you could see! We spent many days while our guest were on the island just hanging out near them listening to their breaths for air over and over again! There is something truly magical about it! 

Here is a post from my facebook describing what we were seeing on September 6th:

Today I stood on the top deck of my boat with 9 guests as we watched about 20 humpbacks all around us...tears streamed down my face as we watched what seemed like a choreographed ballet of spouts and flukes....sometimes I cannot believe I have been blessed with this incredible magical life

Along with all of the amazing humpbacks we were visited by another beautiful whale! For 2 days at the beginning of September a Fin whale graced us with its presence!  They are larger than humpbacks and don't have as large of a back arch when they dive so you rarely see the fluke! But it was a beautiful whale and a wonderful surprise! 

One September afternoon Tristan and I went on a skiff ride with his friend John in search of Tristan's dad's cabin. We were visited by a river otter, some seals, many eagles, and a whale in the distance! There were late blooming berries to snack on, and the cutest little cabin in the woods. It is just one room with a wood stove and a loft for sleeping! I look forward to returning for some adventures! 

The best part of this day was the most amazing sunset I have ever seen! There aren't even words to describe it...so I'll just leave these pictures here for you! 

One night in late September we were hanging out with a group of friends who were leaving in the next few days, when we heard the Northern Lights might be good that night. Now you see, I have heard that a lot since living in Ketchikan and have yet to have any luck with seeing them, so I was skeptical. But when Tristan and I got home we could see them from our house, so we headed out towards darker areas near Ward Lake and up Brown Mountain! It was the most beautiful, magical thing I have ever seen! The lights danced through the sky in shades of green and white! I have no pictures, but that is one that will replay in my head for a long time! 

Sitka...

It worked out this year that I was able to go to Sitka because it was a Saturday/Sunday trip! And I am so glad I did! The weather was beautiful! There were close to 100 humpbacks! In one area there were so many whales in every direction that we had to slow down because they were coming up all around us! There was breaching, fluke slaps, peduncle throws, and pectoral flippers were waving! There were cute sea lions and sea otters! I took my sleeping bag and sat on the upper deck of my boat for almost the whole time...it was awesome!! 

Once we got to Sitka we had dinner and then found a karaoke place. Molly and I sang and danced and sang and danced some more! Then, keeping with tradition we skipped all the way back to the hotel! 

Molly and Nick

Sea Lions on the bouys in Petersburg

Did someone call for a pizza delivery?

Pizza delivery boat to boat style

View of the Glacier leaving Petersburg

Selfie with the captain while he tries to block the sun out of his face! 

Another beautiful sunset

And just like that the season was over!

   

Deer Mountain on a beautiful day from the boat 

My job has revolved around the seasonal life for the last 5 summers, so the end of the season is something I am pretty used to! It comes very quickly and it likes to sneak up on you. You realize there are things you still want to do, people you want to be around, and places you still want to see. So you try and spend every minute with the people who are leaving and going out all over the world. This year I have friends going to New Zealand, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Hawaii. These are people that I have spent the better part of every day with for 2 seasons on the boat. So of course it is more of  a see you later, these people are too much like family to say goodbye! 

The difference in the end of this season is I am no longer a seasonal. I may still work in the seasonal world...but Ketchikan is now my home! I have always been the one saying goodbye, this year I am the one staying! It was strange being on the other side of the coin this year but in a good way! Last year this time I was dreading leaving this beautiful town...this year I don't have to! The realization that I am now an Alaskan local is a pretty wonderful thing! 

Here are a few more pictures of another wonderful September! 

Punchbowl cliffs in the Misty's

Ketchikan at Midnight from the water

Rainbows in the Misty's

A beautiful full moon rise over Refuge beach

Quote of the Post:

It was sunsets that taught me that beauty sometimes only lasts for a couple of moments, and it was sunrises that showed me all it takes is patience to experience it all over again...

August

I know that I am a little behind on my blog posts! It has been very very busy for the past few months around here! But I do want to share my stories and some pictures! 

The month of August was filled with beautiful sunshine days! Which meant lots of great days on the boat and lots of wonderful adventures on days off!! It started off with a beautiful 80 degree day that Tristan and I took advantage of a surprise day off and did one of our favorite hikes! We took the trail to Perseverance lake. This is one of the relatively flatter trails here in Ketchikan, hence why its one of my favorites! But it leads to a beautiful lake. We took advantage and spent the day sunbathing, and even soaking my feet in the lake.

Princess Siren posing for the picture

One morning at work we had to be in Metlakatla at 5AM to pick up a charter group. This unfortunately meant being at work at 3:30. But we were gifted with one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen! The sky was painted with so many shades of pink and orange it caused tears to come to my eyes.

A Panoramic shot of the sky in the Met harbor.

Sunrise over the cannery. 

In August Molly moved over to deckhand on another boat so we gained Jazmin as our new deckhand. Jazmin is a wonderful free-spirited woman from Arizona! We all taught her the secrets of Alaska, and she taught us the art of fire dancing! It was wonderful getting to spend the last 2 months of the season getting to know her! We even got to do a little zip-lining!  

Jazmin being all Alaskan on a beautiful beach scouting day at work

Ziplining fun! 

Our last August adventure was another overnight camping trip for Tristan and I. We decided to camp on Brown mountain. It was a beautiful afternoon and night! I got to dance in the wildflowers and feast on mountain blueberries! We were also visited by some mountain goats! At some point in the night Siren decided she no longer wanted to be in the tent and decided to put a Siren size hole in the side. She then spent the night roaming the mountain and collecting sticks. 

View at Sunset over camp

The mountain goats on the side of the cliff

The next morning over coffee was one of the most magical moments I have ever experienced. As we sat with our coffee watching the mist roll in around the mountain, we heard wolves in the distance! It was an amazing sound! 

Down the trail into the mist we go...I promise there is a mountain down there! 

August was filled with Adventures, sunshine, whales, friends, and love! It is hard to put into words the beauty of what I get to experience everyday...so I'll just leave you with a few more pictures of the month! 

View of sunset from the Arctic for Molly's Birthday! 

Bailey's falls in the Misty's

Selfie with the captain day

Full moon rise 

And of course I can't end my post without this month's quote. These are beautiful words that I fell in love with a while ago: 
At the end of the day your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling!