Rock the Vote

Actually it was "Vote on a Rock." A couple weeks before I left for the island I realized that I would be out there during the election. Since this election is a very important one I wanted to do all that I could to get my chance to vote. Being that my work takes me various places during the year, I don't really have a "home" here in California, so I have kept my Michigan residency. So I had to figure out how to vote in Michigan from a rocky island off the coast of California. Luckily I have some great friends and family that all chipped in to give me a chance to vote. First off I obviously needed an absentee ballot, which requires a form to be filled out and sent to the election officials. My dear mother procured this form and then sent it to the PRBO headquarters, where my boss, Chrissy, made sure it got to the next set of people coming out to the island. At this point I had already been on the island for about three weeks. On the day the new crew, and the form, arrived I filled it out, sealed, and stamped it, and sent it off with the people leaving the island. The island biologist, Jim, then put it in the mail. He would be returning in two weeks on the last boat before the election, which meant that the form had to get back to Michigan, processed, and a ballot sent back to California in about 12 days. I was hopeful, but truly not expecting the ballot to make it in time. Amazingly enough, yesterday when Jim came back, the ballot was on board. We had to do a relatively quick exchange of people and gear, with me at the controls of the crane. So in between runs out to the supply boat I was frantically filling in ovals. With just minutes to spare I finished voting, sealed the envelope, signed it and put on some stamps. With my ballot in the hands of a trusted PRBO intern, Or, I had completed my civic duty to vote. What an operation. I'm probably the first person to actually cast my vote for president on the Farallones since the Coast Guard left in 1968. Thanks to everyone who participated!!!!! I couldn't have done it without you. Obama '08!


Below are some pictures from the last week or so.

Houses through Farallon Weed

Farallon Rides

Cassin's Auklet

Another sunset

Beard - Day 33