I hope to have some time soon to write in depth about my trip to Alaska. Until then, I'll leave you with this picture (one of the few I had a chance to snap before my camera bit the dust.) I took this on a boat tour as we neared Gull Island. When we got closer to the rocks, a bald eagle approached and hundreds of birds took to the air. The captain warned all of us to keep our mouths closed--bird droppings were showering everywhere--but it's hard to keep one's mouth closed in the face of total awe.