Helicopter Survey

Site on top of a sea stack

Last Friday was one of those days that I really love my job.  On a sunny day I got to go on a quick helicopter survey of Afognak Island.  In six hours we did what would normally take me weeks in a kayak and on foot.  Keller Wattum of Deckload Aviation has always wanted to show me the archaeological sites that he knows about, and on Friday he did.  Thank You Keller!

And wow did we find a lot! We found a set of prehistoric fish traps at a place I already surveyed once before on foot - ooops; documented 2 sets of petroglyphs - already known about, but not drawn and photographed; and found a bunch of new sites.  This included a new type of site for me - shell  middens on top of tiny little unaccessible sea stacks.  Very cool.

Patrick

A badly damaged site from when a tree fell over in the wind

Mapping a 500 year old village

We did more in a day than I'd do in a week in a kayak!

Molly as we fly over Lily Pad Lake

Elk Herd

Pretty much the whole site is in the tree throw - the tree was growing in an old house depression

Almost home as a squall approaches - look closely and you can see the windmills above town