Friday, June 10, 2005

reaching the mouth of the river

This is it. Today, after more than 32 years working as a fisheries technician with the Department of Natural Resources, Al is retiring. I have known Al for over twelve years and worked with him for nearly eight. If that doesn't make sense, I left my job here in 1999 and came back in 2003. Long story. Anyway, Al was a dependable and hard worker who could be counted on to do whatever task the boss had for him.

Al's favorite assignment, and one in which his work skills put the rest of us to shame, was sturgeon sampling with hook and line. Yes, this was a legitimate, sanctioned duty that yielded valuable data concerning the lake sturgeon populations of the Kettle and St. Croix rivers. Al is pictured below with one of his prize specimens, which was tagged and released.

I can't imagine walking into work Monday morning and not seeing Al at his usual spot at the end of the table. Al, you could be set in your ways and stubborn as a mule sometimes, but I'm going to miss you. Best wishes!

1 comment:

Dan Trabue said...

No way! That's his job? Catching fish?

Man, I chose the wrong career path!