Until Next Time

It had to happen - today Dad flew back outside. It was a blast to see Alaska through new eyes. Dad kept saying, "They call MT Big Sky country, but Alaska is Big Sky country," and "Alaska is beautiful."  We had a couple of rainy days, but mostly sunny. Not the 90 - 100* they are getting - but 70-75* is gorgeous up here. 

We were worried Dad would be sore this morning, but he assured us he was fine. 

It was hard for all of us not to have mom with us - but we talked about her a lot. It was good. Today, Josiah and Jared met us at the airport, Dad maneuvered a Cinabon break on the way to the TSA line, and before we were quite ready, it was time to say, "Until Next Time..."

Sherri let us know Dad had arrived home. He was limping badly - I'm sure sitting all day and all the extra walking, combined with the fall yesterday explains that problem. 

As often happens: a day of activity (fishing in Whittier) is followed by a down day. It's a rhythm we are used to and learning to account for in our planning. 

Yep - just a post with two of my favorite men.

Dad Fishes in Whittier

Dad's Alaskan Bucket list includes fishing. Dip-netting was fun to watch - but he had to be an observer.  Josiah scouted Whittier on Saturday. The guys fished their often last year, but this time he was looking with an eye to Gpa being able to get to the river. He thought it was ambitious, but doable. It would be the best chance to catch a fish. It's hard to find good fishing holes with easy access.

Michael and Dad went and bought a 24 hour license for Dad.  Michael had an appointment this morning, we left when he got home. We didn't hit the tide right, so we didn't catch any fish. WELLL......Michael would say we caught a few, but we didn't bring them home. If they don't make it into the freezer or a jar - they don't count in my book. LOL

We DID have a great day! Dad loved being out on the river. It was a beautiful day  - the cove, ringed by forest, mountains and a glacier, were Alaska Perfect. We made great memories. He did fall, but insists he's fine.

Dad an Michael 

Dad and Alex

 Stacia, Nolan and Alex helping Gpa over the rocks and through the creek

Glacier on the left of the photo

Just us most of the day - heavenly

My Favorite

Nolan and Gpa

This evening we stopped at Fred Meyers to buy a lunch cooler and a lb of dry ice. We'll pack it with reds for him to take home. It's been a great visit. Dad is our only grandparent still alive - we plan to get as much time with him as we can. Several times he mentioned coming for a month next summer....and that Josiah had told him he'd take him out on his snow machines if he comes in the winter. LOL

I think we've made enough memories to hold us until we see each other again.

Full Day

Dad said it best, "This was a full day."

The day began with a run to the Fred Meyer Deli on the way to church. Life has been far to busy for me to prepare for a potluck. Chicken it was. Michael, Stacia and I had nursery this week. Alex and Dad went to the outdoor service. Nolan was working, but joined us when he was through.

Arielle took the photo - I haven't bugged him at work 

Jamin had to work today, but the rest of the kids came over to spend the afternoon with Dad and to eat dinner together. Again- Freddie's Deli to the rescue.

We enjoyed being outside together. Bella discovered the sweet strawberries in the bed. It was fun to watch her pick and eat them.

JaRissa had Ladder ball in the back of their car. Another fun game to add to our collection. 

Michael took Dad to get a 24 hour fishing license.  We're taking him out tomorrow. Praying for safety and success. Cory got home about the time they did. Michael brought ice cream home too. JaRissa, CoRielle and Cy stayed for ice cream and then left for their homes.

Jared and Larissa

While Arielle was talking, with her back to Dad, he fed Benny ICE CREAM. My word. That child came alive.

All are settling in for the evening. Michael is getting fishing gear together.

Family Day

Between our catch and what Josiah brought us - our freezer is full. We knew we'd need a bigger one IF we got our full limit and a moose. 

Michael took care of some flounders

Dad, Stacia and I drove over to see Bre and the children. They've been busy settling in. The house is cute.

Jamin and Josiah came out. Josiah helped me reseal the fish he'd brought and some that weren't quite sealed from Seward. Cory worked at Valley Meat and said they always had some that didn't seal. Stacia made doughnuts - we ate them.  We ate dinner, visited, and then the older two went home.  Nolan came home from work and we all played Farkle.

At one point I looked up and noted the two empty seats around the table. I miss the games at Mom and Dads....and Lorri and Mom were missed.....Grandpa won two games and Michael won one.

but I chose joy.....having Dad, Michael,  and these kids around the table is enough. 

Uniquely Alaskan Experience - Dip Netting

*Note: I will be making a video which will let you "be there" for dip-netting and illustrate much of what I'm writing. That may not happen for a few days. We're enjoying our last days with Dad. 

Dip-Netting is an uniquely Alaskan experience. One must reside in Alaska for 12 consecutive months before they are allowed to participate. Without that box checked, one cannot even help clean fish on the beach.  We have been "residents" of Alaska since 2003, but we have not resided in Alaska since 2005,  due to our military career. We have not been able to have property tax relief, in-state tuition or in-state fishing privileges until THIS summer.  We were excited to do this. Our goal is to fill our freezer with Red salmon and  silvers, smoke and can pinks and possibly get a moose.....this will greatly help with our grocery expenses in the upcoming year. 

We've been talking with friends and gathering intel. We discovered "the week" to go fishing, and booked  a site. We discussed what gear we needed, and spent a small fortune on getting what we could. John and Jacque, friends from church and Life Group, LOANED us their dip nets and other gear. John also talked to Michael about using a hand truck to carry our coolers back and forth from the camp to the beach. THIS helped much - and made dip-netting much more doable. We had booked our dates according to what Ed and Jen, more friends from church and Life Group, told us would be good. They invited us to join their annual dip netting group, which allowed us to learn from the masters.  Cory took time off work  and they joined us. Dad ended up being here this week and we were happy he'd get to observe this ritual. 

The pictures will tell the story below. However, a bit of backstory.  One takes a net - 3 or 5 feet in diameter (we saw only 5 feet), with a long pole handle attached. Some attach two really long handles, some float down the river holding just the net. They catch fish, bonk them, hook them on their suit and keep floating. For most, the net is guided into a spot as far out as one can get in the river. We fished at the mouth of the Kenai river -  in salt water. You stand in water up to your chest and wait for a fish to swim into your net. The nets are heavy. We had beautiful weather, but it can be rainy and cold. The waves get fairly rough as the day goes on. They would be much rougher in rain. When a salmon hits, you drag your net out of the water as quickly as possible...dodging other fishermen, nets, kids....the salmon is bonked, untangled, bled and put in a cooler. In our group Jenny and I  did most of this so those with nets could get back out to the water as quickly as possible. 

This was our first trip in the RV since moving here. We discovered lots of little things to take care of on our way out of town, which made us a bit behind the rest of the group. CoRielle and Benny waited for us in the Fred Myer's parking lot in Soldotna. RVers - you can stay here for 3 days free. There are porta potties, water, a dump station, dumpsters... 

Benny, Cory, Arielle 

 We arrived Monday. The fleet had gone out Monday morning and the salmon weren't hitting. The group consensus was not to fish the evening tide. Cory and Alex headed down anyway. This allowed Cory to learn the technique and the beach wasn't busy.

Cory, Alex and gear

The rest of us hung out on the bluff and watched eagles and the scene below. 

Cory caught two - the first of our family catch. 

As we pulled in Monday night, we saw Ian. We knew Ian and Becky from San Angelo. We were in the same homeschool support group, Michael and Ian knew each other from the base, and they were part of the food co-op we ran from our home. It was fun to meet up 13 years later on the Kenai beach. We will plan something before next year.

Becky and I

 There were two tides on Tuesday. Here are some shots from the morning tide. 

Stacia and I untangle a fish

Our group lined coolers up, Jenny and I untangled, bonked, bled and stored fish in coolers. We also schlepped chairs and coolers down the beach as the tide went out. Arielle, Benny and Dad came down for a close up view.

Stacia didn't want anything to do with the bonking of fish and wasn't sure she wanted to try dip-netting. I told her she didn't have to, but to let me know if she changed her mind and wanted to try fishing. We had two nets in the water at a time. Cory had his own. 

The beach crew

Some of our group in the water - orange hats were a brilliant idea, Jen! 

Cory, Michael, Ed, ?, Alex 

 By the end of our first tide, Stacia wanted to try. Cory helps her guide her net into place. 

Cleaning the catch from the morning tide.  Michael and Alex ended up with 10 salmon. Cory caught 2. 

Cory's morning haul

 After the morning tide we headed up to the campground. The usual plan is to have your main meal and take a nap before fishing the evening tide. We had a meal. Some napped. Michael was concerned his energy level wouldn't allow him to fish late into the evening. The waves  get rougher and balance is a concern with PD. Cory  headed down after eating.  Michael woke up and wanted to go down in the afternoon.  We knew it wasn't the "best" time to fish, but he felt up to it THEN. We fished the 2 hours BEFORE the tide. The beach was empty. Alex opted not to come down.

Duct taping the connections so they don't catch in other's nets

 Good times

Cory, Michael, Stacia

 Family Memories

Michael, Stacia (Cory behind Michael)

 Stacia has a fish

CoRielle and Benny

Fireweed along the trail back to camp

Michael, Stacia and Alex caught another 9 salmon. That brought our first day's total to 19.  Cory caught  4 the second day. We were happy. We pushed the hand truck back up the bluff. We cleaned off fish. We took warm showers and got ready for Wednesday morning tide.

Compliments of Jennie

Wednesday morning Michael was sore. He'd fished 2 tides. He wanted to take a break. Cory went down with the group. Michael rested and we went down an hour or so later. We arrived when the fish were hitting. There was only one tide on this day that we were allowed to fish  (I think).

Alaskan Beach Wear

Mount Redoubt

I like fireweed

Our coolers to schlep - from the blue on the left to the white on the right and the red up front. 

Alex had a great day on Wednesday

Cory had a great tide! 

Our Wednesday totals were 8 for Alex, 6 for Stacia and 4 for Michael - a total of another 18 salmon. We caught 36 all together. Far from our limit - but a great start.  Cory caught 13 on Wednesday, 19 all together.

This is the day I learned how to clean fish. Michael was fishing and said, "De'Etta,  start cleaning the fish."  Hmmm...I've NEVER done this - EVER - not with trout, pike - never. I HAD watched a lot of cleaning in the last two days. I figured you slit them and pull everything out. I did it. Michael and Alex came out of the water and helped finish. Mikayla (Ian and Becky's daughter), gave me some tips.  I've never felt like such an Alaskan woman as I did standing on the beach, surrounded by salmon and covered in fish slime and guts. Odd, I know.

This gentleman smokes and cans his fish at the campsite. I like this idea. LOL 

This was a great system for drying waders and such between tides

 CoRielle left Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday night our group traditionally has a BBQ. Michael told me to go take a shower. It was at that point  I discovered I had blood and seagull poop all over my shirt and fish slime rolled off my face and arms in the shower. Ugh. But it was fun.

Thursday, we reserved for next year. We got a spot which will allow us to pitch our tent. Josiah and Izaak are saying they will put in for time off early next year.  Yay - we'll have a family fish camp. How Alaskan is THAT?????

It is this groups tradition to move on to Seward after fishing a couple of days. They go to the military resort and use the fish house and commercial vacuum sealers to package their fish. Then they enjoy a couple of nights in Seward after all the hard work.

The guys have stations...The fish were de-slimed, filleted, de-boned, and sent to the packaging table

These two filled their time with sharing pastor stories. 

Michael and David - compliment of Jennie

 Drying fillets and packaging them

Photo compliment of Jennie

 Dad and Lauri sealed the fish. I went between the table and the vacuum sealer - wherever it seemed the most help was needed. 

Dad seals some fish

We opted to come home rather than spending extra days in Seward. If we'd had the Jeep with us, we may have stayed and showed dad some sights. However, we wanted Dad to have time with the other kids, Michael was worn out....in fact Friday turned out to be  a very late and sore day for him.  It was a good call to come home.

Nolan had to stay home as he started his new job this week. He took care of Yuuki, chickens and bunnies.

Our first adventure with only two children in many years

Need I say - We love Alaska? If we can't be overseas - this is certainly the next best thing. We are thankful JaRissa moved up here and started the migration....or we may still be zipping around the lower 48, living in the RV. LOL