We had the most amazing presentation this evening. I am so sorry that this man is dead and can no longer address the Cruise West groups as he did in the past. I can only imagine how fascinating he was in person. We watched a videotape, created in a Cruise West lounge similar to the one we were in (Spirit of 98) and it seemed he was there in the room. So much so that when the videotape image asked a question, people in our room answered!
We purchased a copy of the video that was shown, "Syd Wright's Alaska: A Tribute to His Memory". A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Syd Wright Memorial Fund, providing scholarship assistance to the youth of Petersburg. Cruise West is a principal supporter and I highly recommend this video.
Syd was so captivating to listen to! He told stories that had people chuckling out loud, and sitting on the edge of their seats as he related Tlingit history and facts of the Alaska fishing industry. His overwhelming admiration for those who shaped the state was evident. He said "We are here by virtue of the meeting of two dynamic individuals: Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir."
Well, we Wisconsinites can be proud to claim that John Muir grew up in Portage, Wisconsin. The founding of the Department of Natural Resources and the Conservation Congress was based on the philosophy of John Muir and Aldo Leopold, with the intention of protecting the natural resources from political influence. I believe we have strayed from that notion and need to move back toward the place where we understand " the value of wilderness beyond extractive resources."
Syd spoke of fishing for sustainability. The fishermen of Alaska seem to understand this. Management creates impediments to efficiency to maintain sustainability. If you allowed fishermen to be as efficient as they could, they would strip the resources. So you make rules and set limits. For example, there are a limited number of certificates for gill netting. It costs approximately $35,000 for a limited entry certificate and it is held in perpetuity until you sell your certificate.
Shrimp are managed by poundage because they are hermaphroditic! All of them start out as males but after 2-3 years, become females! who knew? Syd interspersed such information with a touch of humor. It was from him that I learned that the Norwegians were clever fellows who invented the toilet seat; but the Germans cut the hole in it!
He spoke fondly of the Tlingit culture. Tlingit art is anthropomorphic. Humans give feminine characteristics to the things we admire most. For the Tlingit, one of those things is Mother Cedar. The bentwood box is made from a cut of cedar, scored in four places, steamed so the corners bend up into the box shape, and secured. The box is waterproof. Yellow cedar is very important to the culture and Syd told the story of the Creation of the Cedar Tree. Three maidens were tricked by Raven and were turned into cedars; cedars are like women...graceful, they smell good and they are useful around the house!
The last battle of the Civil War was fought in Alaska because of whaling! The Confederates decided that if they could sink the whaling fleet, they would take down the oil industry. They sank over 30 ships. On his way down the coast to take San Francisco, the Captain saw a newspaper that said the Civil War had been over for 9 months at the time he sank the ships!
When the lights came up at the end of the evening, I was disappointed that Syd was not really in the room but I am quite certain I felt him there.
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