Alice Anderson poses in front of Cook Inlet. She spent her summer monitoring beluga whales passing through the inlet.

Alice has been in Anchorage since June. When I learned I’d be moving to Fairbanks, I immediately imagined we’d meet in Alaska.

I visited her at College of the Atlantic in Maine two summers ago. I made the drive from Rhode Island and we spent a great three-day weekend together. At that time, she had a fab summer apartment and job she loved. Her living room window looked out on the harbor in Stonington and she spent her days on or near the water, working at the Zone C Lobster Hatchery.

This summer she worked on a research project, scanning the waters of the Cook Inlet for beluga whales. This fall, she took advantage of The Eco League Exchange and attended classes at Alaska Pacific University. As I write this post, she’s preparing for a presentation in her bioacoustics class tomorrow morning.

This weekend visit was as impromptu and fun as my visit to Maine.

I arrived in Fairbanks at the end of August and Alice thought she’d visit with some of her friends who are considering attending University of Alaska Fairbanks. Weeks then months passed and Alice didn’t make it to Fairbanks.

When we spoke last week, I realized this weekend would be her last in Alaska. Alice mentioned the Anchorage Film Festival. OK. I’ll make the trip to Anchorage. After a quick check for air fares, I discovered Alaska Air had a nice deal on flights and I booked my tickets.

Stay tuned for an update on the films we’ve seen, the restaurants we’ve frequented…and perhaps a photo or two.