2 weeks at sea.

We are in port, after two weeks at sea. All said in done, it was a successful first run. We started in Marmot Bay, which is only a few hours from port. We fished there one morning, made only 2 or 3 sets, and heard word of a Fish and Game announcement saying that the Westside would open to fishing the next day at noon. We left immediately, and drove the 11 hours or so to Rocky Point. We fished there for about a week, to mixed results. We had a few very good sets, but it was very spurty with not too many consistent patterns to follow. It was a more consistent run that last year at this time, though. After some days, it was too windy to fish, so we did get to go into Larsen Bay and see Cambria and Caleb! They both are very much enjoying their time there. They both have been working 12-14 hours a day - every single day. I don't think either of them has had a day off the whole time. Also, Cambria's sister Cassi and cousin Josh are doing well.. Cassi is in charge of the gloves, and Josh was doing quality control when we visited. After our visit to LB, we went to the Mainland, to the Igvak District for a 48-hour opener. We fished basically the entire time, with a break after the first 24 hours to unload our fish to the tender. My dad slept only about an hour and a half for the 56-hour period and I slept 3 hours. That period was EXTREMELY successful for us, though. We caught almost half the amount of sockeye salmon that we did all last summer, in only 48 hours. From then on, there has been a dark cloud over the entire fishing community's head. The following is what happened:

The boundaries of the Kodiak salmon fishery include all of the Kodiak Archipelago, and the small area of mainland Alaska directly across the Shelikof Strait from the Island. The Shelikof Strait is the most dangerous area of water in the area for boats to cross. The seas can reach dangerous heights, and there isn't any land close by in case something goes wrong. After the 48-hour opening, when all the boats were back on the Island, it was discovered that one was missing - out of the probably 30 or so that were there. This boat is owned by friends of the family, and we were fishing next to it for the entire opener. It was run by a father-daughter-son-niece, some high-school aged. For the next two days and more, Coast Guard helicopters and planes were everywhere, and all everyone was talking about was the missing boat. They were feared dead, and everyone was starting to assume the worst. When a boat disappears for that long in the Shelikof Strait, that's what people assume. But, to everyone's amazement, the entire crew was found - 60 hours after the boat sunk - floating in a life raft MILES from where they went down. The were without food or water or any sort of communication - floating along. They were picked up by a NOAA vessel and brought into port. All are reported to be doing fine now and the entire community has breathed a sigh of relief. It is a reminder to us all though of the dangers...

We fished in the Karluk area for another 3 days or so, but we woke up yesterday morning, and caught only 1 fish - we knew it was time for a visit into port - to rejuvenate and relocate. Here are some pictures of our expedition.

On our way out, working on songs and drinking coffee, on the hatchcovers.


Sorting fish on the F/V Lucrative. There are 5 species of Pacific salmon, and we are given a different price for each. Every two days, we deliver our fish to bigger boats (known as tenders) who then bring the fish to port, so we can keep fishing. We have to sort the fish after the they are sucked over to the bigger boat with pumps.


Salmon after being weighed on the F/V Lucrative, about to go into their fish-hold. The captain of the Lucrative checks to make sure no Chum salmon (.10/lb) get into the Sockeye salmon (.90/lb) tubs.


Cambria and I in Larsen Bay, outside of the office.


Cambria and Caleb on the "Mug Bug," which is the vehicle that takes the goodies over to the "Mug up" area, where the workers get a snack and coffee break, at scheduled times, several times a day.


The Mug Bug, on the dock.


Outside the Larsen Bay Mercantile, the only place to buy anything for MILES.


A bald eagle on the cannery roof.


Left to right: Anthony, me, Cassi, David, and Shelby. Larsen Bay dock.


One of the many amazing benches at the cannery.


The fishermen's showers and laundry complex, Larsen Bay.

A front yard, Larsen Bay.


On the Mainland, the biggest fish we have caught so far this summer. After we removed the guts, it weighed 46 pounds, so it was about a 60 pound salmon! The species is King, the rarest, most valuable ($1.50/lb), and best tasting - according to most. They are truly amazing creatures.


The exhausted crew after working for over 48 hours, on a few hours of sleep at best, but after one of the most successful 48 hours in my dad's 38-year career.


A video of fishing on the Mainland, the day before the vessel mentioned earlier sank. Anthony and David are shown stacking the seine net, while I am in the skiff towing the Shawnee.


A video of celebration and insanity. On the way to the tender, after our last set on the Mainland. We were all so fucking stoked, but so damn exhausted. Nothing to bring out both, but Led Zeppelin's "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You." The winds were coming into the cabin through the window, gusts up to 60-70 MPH. 4 hours later, the boat mentioned earlier, was underwater.


We will most likely leave port tomorrow, no idea when we'll be back, but I'll update then.