A Glimpse of the Next Three Months
Well I must apologize for misleading all of you dear people but I am not as many of you may be thinking on my way to Alaska. No rather I am sitting in the Public Library in the bustling metropolis known as Port Angeles, WA. It turns out that Ron, the skipper of the boat I am working for, decided with the permission of the Washington Fish and Game folks to fish a few more days of the coast of Washington, and so I got my introductory experience in the ways of salmon trolling, and here is what transpired.
Following the short but spectacular ferry ride from Victoria to Port Angeles, Ron picked me up at the terminal and took me back to his home up and out of Port Angeles a ways. I was received with a warm hospitality and after doing my laundry, a much needed chore, picking up the articles Elaine was generous enough to forward to the house, and eating an excellent meal of baked salmon, we were driven out, picking up food supplies on the way, by Ron's wife to Neah Bay where Ron's boat the Ocean Dancer was moored.
I was given the rudimentary tour of the boat and made up my bunk in the cabin below the foredeck before Ron went to bed and I went out for a stroll along the rather remote streets of Neah Bay, an Indian reservation home to perhaps one the oldest tribes known to anthropologists. As typical the past glory of these once magnificent civilizations is scarcely reflected in the tired towns along our American highways. It was not a long walk and I was soon crawling into my bunk to dream of the unknown days looming before me.
The next day proved that much to my disappointment I was not immune to the ravages of sea sickness. I had not eaten Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese in many years and I think it will be many more before I do again. After several hours of running on rather turbulent seas we finally made the fishing grounds and it was not much later that I fell asleep exhausted from one of the most wretched days I can remember. The next day I was much better and by my third day at sea I felt once again that my internal balance had been restored and I was none the worse for the rolling of the boat.
The last few days at sea oscillated from long stretches of waiting for a fish to bite to more exciting personal battles between myself and the salmon that are now for the next several months my livelihood. Interspersed throughout were the various other operations of cleaning the decks, moving ice into and out of the hold, and cleaning packing and unloading eighty king salmon and about thirty halibut. By the time all was said and done, the boat moored in Port Angeles, I was more than a little exhausted despite eating and sleeping at least a time and half what I am used to, and Ron indicates that this is only the tip of the iceberg compared to the number of fish we will catch in Alaska. All in all I like the work and enjoy watching the fruits of my labor piling up in the hold and I look forward to the Alaskan fishing experience. Wish me luck.
On the literary front I have about concluded my pursuit of Melville, which comes highly recommended to anyone with the pretense for adventure, and I especially liked his short story The Piazza. I am now taking suggestions for my next pursuit so don't be shy in your recommendations as I have a few precious days with a handful of used bookstores at my fingertips.
Following the short but spectacular ferry ride from Victoria to Port Angeles, Ron picked me up at the terminal and took me back to his home up and out of Port Angeles a ways. I was received with a warm hospitality and after doing my laundry, a much needed chore, picking up the articles Elaine was generous enough to forward to the house, and eating an excellent meal of baked salmon, we were driven out, picking up food supplies on the way, by Ron's wife to Neah Bay where Ron's boat the Ocean Dancer was moored.
I was given the rudimentary tour of the boat and made up my bunk in the cabin below the foredeck before Ron went to bed and I went out for a stroll along the rather remote streets of Neah Bay, an Indian reservation home to perhaps one the oldest tribes known to anthropologists. As typical the past glory of these once magnificent civilizations is scarcely reflected in the tired towns along our American highways. It was not a long walk and I was soon crawling into my bunk to dream of the unknown days looming before me.
The next day proved that much to my disappointment I was not immune to the ravages of sea sickness. I had not eaten Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese in many years and I think it will be many more before I do again. After several hours of running on rather turbulent seas we finally made the fishing grounds and it was not much later that I fell asleep exhausted from one of the most wretched days I can remember. The next day I was much better and by my third day at sea I felt once again that my internal balance had been restored and I was none the worse for the rolling of the boat.
The last few days at sea oscillated from long stretches of waiting for a fish to bite to more exciting personal battles between myself and the salmon that are now for the next several months my livelihood. Interspersed throughout were the various other operations of cleaning the decks, moving ice into and out of the hold, and cleaning packing and unloading eighty king salmon and about thirty halibut. By the time all was said and done, the boat moored in Port Angeles, I was more than a little exhausted despite eating and sleeping at least a time and half what I am used to, and Ron indicates that this is only the tip of the iceberg compared to the number of fish we will catch in Alaska. All in all I like the work and enjoy watching the fruits of my labor piling up in the hold and I look forward to the Alaskan fishing experience. Wish me luck.
On the literary front I have about concluded my pursuit of Melville, which comes highly recommended to anyone with the pretense for adventure, and I especially liked his short story The Piazza. I am now taking suggestions for my next pursuit so don't be shy in your recommendations as I have a few precious days with a handful of used bookstores at my fingertips.
I have the boat to myself the next few days as Ron is of course staying at his house, but offered to let me stay at the docks as it is closer to the heart of the town. No big plans for the next few days besides catching up on communications. Perhaps the next one will come with photos of the journey to Alaska.
posted by Robin Marks @ Friday, June 16, 2006
2 Comments:
By the time you see this you will be in alaska, i wonder what your relationship to fish guts will be then... godspeed
Ointment.
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