Captain, Warden Chester Smith guides the Devon volunteers out to the island. Is there any doubt that this is one of his favorite things to do?



Captions: Written by Marcy Spears. If I goofed up, tell me: marcyspears@mac.com

Photos: Taken by Marcy Spears, Molly Eskelson, Jennifer White. My little camera floated around a bit so there may be some unnamed contributors!

Lynn Travis and Barbara Van Horn do a lot of behind the scenes organizing to make the Devon workday a big success.

Lynn arrived a day early to help take supplies out to the island. For once, it was a really smooth ride and Lynn was not soaking wet when she arrived. That's why she looks so happy!

Rony Zetik from Baytown, Texas and a long-time friend of the Smith family came out to help with the Devon workday, including driving the boat, the Egret II.

He also helped with sinking the new post, fixed the windmill and replaced a lot of boards on the dock.

My favorite sight, young Brown Pelicans circling in the air, either to check us out, or to move a bit further out of range.

This is a typical scene in the fall on Sundown Island. Most of the breeding adults have gone on someplace else. Generally juveniles and young adult Brown Pelicans are left to claim the island. I even spotted two White Pelicans among the group. More will be arriving later. Many of the White Pelicans winter on the island and in the area.

This is on the southeast edge of the island. The young birds had some kind of "king of the hill" thing going on here.

Rony Zetik and Chester Smith went to the tractor shed to pick get the tractor and bring supplies. For once I did not hear a gun shot. There is almost always a rattler who has taken up residence in the shed.

Here, Rony and Chester return to the dock area with the tables, supplies and chairs. These are set up on the beach for the volunteers.

Chester unloads the chairs brought from the tractor shed. The chairs, tables and general supplies are stored there to make it easier to set up for island workdays.

We might need new chairs soon. The rust is really taking over the chairs.

Chester sort of threw them on the sand next to the dock. He turned and grinned at me and said "I was just trying to knock off some of the rust!"

Tim Wilkinson, Chester's son-in-law brings the second group of Devon Volunteers: Gary and Molly Eckelson, Martha Rodriguez, Priscila Ochoa and Ethan Perry.

Tim hands Brenda her backpack while Priscla jumps ship. Notice that Brenda brought her own shovel!