After pilling, I received my first regular assignment. As the new volunteer, I got kitchen duty. After each mass feeding session, the kitchen is scrubbed from top to bottom with soap, then with bleach. It has to be done fast so the next batch of fish can be put in the sinks to thaw for the next feeding. Because SRRC uses so much fish, we had to start hand pulling them apart after they were only slightly thawed.
New volunteers are usually on kitchen duty one or two weeks before working with the seals.
Even with my experience I did not expect to work with the seals for several days. To my delight, I was asked to help tube-feed some gray seal pups. Because of dehydration, illness, or other factors, some of the seals must be fed a liquid fish diet that contains pureed herring and replacement milk. It is a two-person job. I was the pourer.