And so it begins. The boats are secured on the roof and the various bags and boxes have been packed. The journey to Cape Decision starts with a 3-hour drive to Bellingham, which is where the ferry takes over. I’ll be in Wrangell on Sunday evening… most of the other folks get in the next morning.

And then the real work begins.

One of the fringe benefits of hanging out at a lighthouse on some remote chunk of Alaskan stone for a month is that there’s no internet, no phone, no real contact with friends and family. It’s peaceful, in a way that practically no one gets the chance to experience any more. It is difficult to lose touch, and I am already looking forward to the stories I’ll get to tell when I return, but in the meantime, it will be good to disconnect.

Before I do that, however, I wanted to make sure to thank the people and organizations that have contributed to the success of the South Kuiu Cleanup. Thanks to Werner Paddles and Lush Cosmetics, to Klean Kanteen and the Cape Decision Lighthouse Society. And to all the folks who have made generous donations to the Ikkatsu Project throughout the year, it is your continued support that allows this and other Ikkatsu programs to happen. A heartfelt thank you to each and all of you.

And with that, I’m underway.