oDropping down out of Yellowstone National Park through a canyon lined with red rock cliffs i entered the great state of Wyoming. Cody Wyoming is named after the iconic Western legend, Buffalo Bill Cody who called this town home and it shows.
Cody is a…
Tag Archives | Selene
WILD WILD WEST
SEA TO SHINING SEA, LEG 1
All the stars lined up and the sky opened to reveal a epic land trip. My goal in this US visit was to rid myself of all the junk in my storage unit and sell the two motorcycles that have sat idle for five years. I also intended in doing one last long bike trip. When the boys in Oregon started rehabilitating the Furthur bus the plot thickened.
After a screening process i have been given the honor of partaking in the 50 year anniversary ride of Ken Kesey’s famous bus and namesake to my boat, Furthur. As spots were coveted i took the one offered, from Madison Wisconsin to Bridgeport Conneticut. The week ride ends at the Gather of the Vibes Music Festival. Putting the cherry on the top, we will be invited to a “commitment ceremony” of a couple on the bus, with none other than hippy icon Wavy Gravy as the officiator.
I considered flying to the bus but went for the kill two birds approach and incorporated my desired long motorcycle ride. So off across this beautiful country i ride. I began at the Pacific Coast at Ocean Shores visiting my sister making this a true Sea to Shining Sea ride.
More things fell into place as i contacted my good friend and riding companion, Howie, who was heading across the North Cascade Highway to an Alchy Angels camp out. i rode with the AA’s a few years before i left the shores of the US so a great chance to see more old friends. We crossed the pass on a hot 85 degree day, and summated White Pass with little traffic and warm blue skies.
I bid my old biker friends farewell and headed across little used and windy Highway 20 east bound as the temp rose in the 90’s. I crossed the state line into Idaho and the first life i saw was a large bear sitting by the road. First stop is the home of my maternal grandmother, Sandpoint Idaho, on the shores of scenic Lake Pend Oreille. Hot and dusty i pulled into a nice hotel along with about 50 other bikes. Good meal and a long hot tub and good as new.
One of the benefits of solo travel is the chance to meet new people. I met an amazing woman in hot tub, she tours the world golfing. She had played in every state in the Union and many countries. Yet another person making her dream her story.
As we were packing up the bikes a group invited me to join them for part of the ride, ok i said glad for the company. There is something inherently cool about roaring down the road in a pack of motorcycles pipes a roaring. After a while i Split from the group as out paths differed thanking them for the ride. Back along i took full enjoyment in the hot sun and the famous Montana attitude about speed limits, made evident when doing 85 mph i glanced in my mirror to see a line of cars tailgating me! I stopped for breakfast at a local dinner in a small town. As i had not seen the state line, i asked the buxom, big haired waitress, “excuse me mam, what state are we in?” . “You are in Montana now” she said with a big country smile as she served a massive platter of food to me.
I managed to stay off the freeway most of the day, taking older state highways. I made it to Butte Montana that night and then up again and down the road. i hit some high mountain rain just after i had passed a small hot springs resort. Not being either brave nor stupid i spun the bike around the freshly wet pavement and back to the hot springs until the rain subsided.
The stop took some time off my plan and it got colder so i decided to hold up just outside the Yellowstone Park boundary. i was not the only one with this idea as the streets and most hotels were full. Found a room only to the harsh reality of the tourist pricing, over $200. My idea of finding cheap lodging in rural Montana has not played out well i am sad to say.
Rising to an unexpected clear blue sky, i packed up the bike and entered the famous Yellowstone National Park. After paying the twenty dollar entrance fee i fell in line with the cars and headed east across the center of th park. I wound around the park road gaping at the incredible terrain. Soon i saw many cars pulled off the road and an army of camera armed people heading off the road. I pulled up on the bike and asked a chap what there was to see. The Eastern European said there were “two adult male steers” in the woods, hum i thought, “steers”. i peeked around and saw a very large multi pointed set of elk antlers. The visitor was excited when i told him the “steer” was an elk. Later i saw a Grizzly Bear with the same sort of Paparazzi.
The spiritual highlight of the trip was to stand were the great Chief Joseph stood on his epic trek. i envisioned the 750 members of the Nez Perce tribe, embattled and weary as they passed by with the Calvary close behind. This bit of history has always captured my interest and my heart ached as the image of these brave people came forth.
I climbed a long windy mountain pass at 8,300 ft and crossed the Great Divide. It is all downhill from here!!
Brides, Fireworks, and Vampires
Tis been an action packed trip back to the good ol USA. So good to see all my friends and family and at the perfect time of year. Really the only time of year i can tolerate the Seattle weather now hahaha. First on the agenda was a family wedding, my c…
Alaska 2014 Sitka Interlude Two
June 25, 2014
This was a maintenance day in Sitka, changing the oil on the generator, cleaning the watermaker plankton and pre-filters, doing laundry and cleaning Spirit in anticipation of Weedman’s arrival. Somehow the entire day just slipped away until afternoon, when Alex Benson arrived back in Sitka with his college friends, and later Mike & Susie Miner on the Selene 50 “Seeker”.
We had an informal potluck dinner on Spirit, with halibut chowder made from the scraps from the 56 pound halibut the day before, supplemented by adding smoked salmon and bacon to the chowder, salad and fresh baked sourdough bread. Steve Oberto from “Maximo” joined us, so we had nine people crowded around the table in the salon, serving the chowder in abalone shell bowls made by one of Alex Benson’s college friends.
June 26, 2014
The Sitka harbormaster moved us to a different dock in Old Thomsen Harbor about noon, just behind “Josie”, a Selene 53 which moors on the same dock as “Spirit” in Anacortes when not cruising during the summer. Jill and Vaughn Weedman arrived right on schedule at 1800. After unpacking bags and delivering spare parts for Spirit we grilled some steaks on the barbeque and prepared for fishing the next morning.
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| The bald eagles provide constant entertainment |
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| Looking for food |
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| And finding it on the cleaning dock |
June 27, 2014
Spirit slipped the mooring lines at 0510, leaving the Grady White in the slip. We headed out to Viskari Rocks to try our luck fishing, but the southwest swell was running to 12 feet and we had no luck. Our guests were still developing their sea legs, so we headed over to Biorka Island, which is in the lee of the swells. The water was nearly flat calm, and we soon had 5 King salmon and 2 Coho salmon in the cooler.
Returning the 13 miles back to Sitka harbor, we cleaned the boat and met Alex and Pat Benson and Mike and Susie Miner for dinner at Agave Mexican restaurant before attending the grand finale concert of the Sitka Music Festival. After a great concert we re-connected with the members of the Cypress String Quartet, who had performed that evening. Making arrangements to take them fishing on in the morning, we decided that Miriam would join the string quartet and other performers on “Wild Blue”, taking over driving the boat while Alex helped the musician’s fish, while Patrick would take Vaughn and Jill Weedman fishing on “Spirit”, with Jill driving “Spirit” while Patrick & Vaughn fished. Complicated, but it worked!
June 28, 2014
Spirit left the dock at 0500 and headed directly for Biorka Island. Arriving at the fishing location at 0630, downriggers were deployed and fishing lines were put in the water. By 0730 we had 3 King salmon in the boat. By noon we had 6 King salmon and called it a day, since we had reached our daily King Salmon allotment.
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| Weedman’s with King Salmon |
Returning to the dock at 1440 we rinsed the salt from the boat and headed to The Channel Club for dinner. Although the food was good, the service was not due to the number of people in the restaurant at the time.
June 29, 2015
The weather was relatively calm so Patrick and Vaughn took the Grady White fishing. After a late start (0930) and getting nearly to Biorka Island they discovered they had left the bait in the freezer on Spirit, so they returned to Sitka. Finally getting to Biorka Island at 1130 they discovered fishing was very slow, so they headed three miles offshore to Biorka Reef to try for halibut. There was a moderate SW swell at 6 feet. Finding a likely halibut hill the jigs were deployed. Patrick thought they had a bite on one rig, but it turned out they had snagged the bottom and the Grady White was anchored. While unsuccessfully trying to get free they snapped the line and broke the rod in half. Meanwhile, a Yelloweye Rockfish, also known as a Red Snapper had hooked up on the other jig. Patrick reeled in a nice Yelloweye. Heading back inshore Patrick & Vaughn decided to try one last time for salmon and picked up a nice King salmon. Heading back the 13 miles to Sitka in increasingly rough seas, our friend the rain returned in a deluge. The seas were rough enough that the VHF antenna mount on the Grady White failed, breaking the welded bracket.
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| Returning to Sitka Harbor the scenery is superb even in the rain! |
Dinner turned out to be fresh Yelloweye and mushroom risotto, preceded by spot prawns. Everyone was tired from the day’s activities, so the attempt to watch a movie was unsuccessful, with everyone falling asleep.
June 30, 2014
This was the last chance for the Weedman’s to catch more fish, to we slipped the mooring lines once again at 0500 and Spirit headed for Biorka Island. When we arrived at Biorka Island we were concerned over the weather, with the wind steady at 21 knots, gusting to 30 knots, and a moderate chop, even though we were out of the main swell. The wind pressure on Spirit was enough to provide ideal trolling speeds just by drifting. By 0630 our lines were in the water and by 0705 we had 3 King salmon in the cooler. The fishing slowed down slightly and we released 2 small King salmon before landing 2 more legal King Salmon. The Weedman’s had caught their annual non-resident limit of King salmon. We finally released another small King before heading back to Sitka. Spirit arrived at 1105 in the morning in light rain, which had started on our return. The balance of the day was spent shopping, replacing fishing tackle, lunch at the Bayview Pub and then a gala dinner on Maximo with the Oberto’s.
July 1, 2014
Since we were not fishing today, everyone slept in and then Patrick cooked his traditional biscuits and sausage gravy for a hearty breakfast before Vaughn and Jill departed for the airport at 1130. Patrick and Miriam spent the balance of the day repairing the broken VHF antenna on the Grady White, installing the satellite phone external antenna and doing laundry.
By early evening some Sitka residents were already setting off fireworks in anticipation of a noisy 4th of July. It sounded like a war zone for a while with the blasts for the aerial fireworks. The movie we had tried to watch several days before was finally watched to completion.
2014-15 Fishing is Hot in Sitka Area This Summer
Over the month of June the Wild Blue crews have fished their way from Craig to Sitka, Alaska. For the month, 36 King salmon, many Coho salmon, and several halibut have been caught by the various groups of visiting fisherman crew. The fishin…
2014-20 The Midwestern Crew arrives in Sitka
Saturday, June 28 through Sunday, July 6:On Saturday our son Max Benson and his fiance Katie Patterson arrived from Chicago. Although they love their city life, the cooler, less humid Sitka environment suits them fine at this time of year. They e…
2014-18 More Fishing Sitka Sound and Surrounding Areas
More Fishing Sitka Sound and Surrounding AreasWednesday, June 18th:Alex’s college buddies arrived for their annual cruise on the Wild Blue. Willie, Joe and Mike have cruised all over Alaska and British Columbia with Alex, and in recent years enjo…
A Great Day
Today was one of those days that make it all make sense. To go back, the year before i left the US i got involved with a wonderful organization that helps homeless people find their way back to productive lives. Housing Hope, based in Everett, provide…
Alaska 2014 – East Side of Baranof
June 20, 2014, continued.
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| The shipwreck at the entrance to Olga Strait continues to rust away |
Departing Saook Inlet at 0850, in rain of course, we headed into Peril Strait towards Chatham Strait. Low clouds and rain limited visibility to only several miles. We followed Maximo, retracing our path through Thatcher Passage and past Warm Springs Bay. There were several Humpback whales feeding, but too far away for camera shots. There will be a purse seiner fishing opening soon, and the fishing boats were flocking to the harbors nearest Hidden Falls, where the opening is scheduled. Places like Takatz Bay, Cosmos Bay and Warm Springs Bay will all be full.
The wind picked up from the SE, along with the seas as we continued south past the tip of Admiralty Island’s Point Gardener, where the fetch from Frederick Sound increased the sea height and gave us pause as to continuing south. However, we knew the bays behind us were probably full, and the next closest anchorage was our destination, Red Bluff Bay, some 20 nautical miles further south. We just gritted our teeth, stowed loose gear and plowed through the sloppy, short seas until we were at the entrance to Red Bluff Bay, where both the wind and the seas disappeared and the skies briefly parted.
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| Red Bluff Bay Entrance – Large Magnetic Variations here |
Proceeding to the head of the bay we anchored at 1530 in a spot we had used before, since our favored spot was occupied by the charter vessel “Alaskan Song”. We had covered another 52 nautical miles, for a season total of 1119. Maximo had stopped at the entrance area to set their prawn pots on the way in, then came and anchored nearby.
Shortly after anchoring we went back and set prawn pots in our favorite location, which produced about 4 dozen nice spot prawns by 2000 that evening. The rain continued into the night.
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| One of nearly 100 waterfalls in Red bluff Bay when it rains hard |
June 21, 2014
After checking the prawn pots in the morning, getting a nice haul of another 10 dozen, we moved Spirit to our favorite spot, more sheltered from the SE gale that is predicted to occur this evening into Sunday morning. The rain continued without letup all day. Later in the afternoon two other pleasure craft, both from Orcas Island, joined Spirit and Maximo at the head of Red Bluff Bay. Aside from checking the prawn pots it was a good day to catch up on reading and relaxing onboard.
Late in the afternoon Patrick went halibut fishing in gruesome rain. After losing the bait three times, and with the seas coming in off of Chatham Strait Patrick returned and prepared the BBQ for the prawns that had been marinating all day. Steve Oberto came over for appetizers of grilled prawns on the BBQ and then both went to pick up the prawn pots. Numerous prawns were frozen for another day. While Patrick was gone, a megayacht came in, the Cielo Mare, and anchored in the middle of the bay.
After processing more prawns, and with the rain continuing as a tropical downpour, we called it a night and retired to bed with our books.
June 22, 2014
Hearing the wind pick up at 0400 Patrick checked on the anchor and it seemed to be OK. By 0600 however, the wind was gusting to 27 knots, bouncing off the hills and changing direction from SE to NW. The bay had changed color to muddy greenish brown from all the runoff. The steep hillsides were covered with new waterfalls bringing more silt down. Patrick put out more scope on the anchor and everything seemed fine. Checking the prawn pots in gusty winds and chop, along with heavy rain punctuated by periods of even heavier rain, we brought back our limit from the pots.
Turning on the Nobeltec navigation system, we discovered that the AmbientNav display had failed, so we jury-rigged the TV set from the forward stateroom, which can be used as a computer monitor, using Velcro to hold it in place until we can get a replacement in Sitka, and a permanent fix when we return in the fall.
June 23, 2014
We picked up the prawn pots on our way out of the bay at 0700 in driving rain. The seas were a little lumpy until we passed Point Gardener, where the wind calmed, the seas became glassy smooth and the fog set in.
Contacting SYS on the phone when in cell phone range, we found the display is repairable, so we will send it back to Seattle next week. Meanwhile the TV set is working fine as a navigational display monitor.
Continuing north in Chatham Strait we took an impromptu stop at a possible halibut hole, along with Maximo, who was already anchored in 200 feet of water. We pulled several hundred feet away and also anchored in 200 feet of water, the most we have ever done. Within 20 minutes we had hooked into a halibut, which when we finally got it to the surface, required harpooning due to the size. After slitting the gills, while still in the water we let the halibut tire out and then pulled it aboard with the harpoon rope. The halibut measured 49 inches, with a predicted weight from the tables of 56 pounds. We tried to weigh it, but it was more than our 50 pound scale could handle.
The halibut went onto ice and we continued to fish for another hour, but with no luck. Maximo also caught 2 halibut while there. We finally called it quits, since the tide was now running hard, and cruised into Rodman Bay where we anchored for the evening. The bay was carpet bombed with commercial crab pots making it an interesting anchoring exercise to avoid the floats.
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| Miriam’s Halibut – 56 pounds |
The halibut was filleted, portioned, vacuum sealed, and frozen until we transfer it to Big Blue Seafoods for storage and shipment to Bellevue.
June 24, 2014
Pulling the anchor at 0630 to hit slack current in Sergius Narrows, we headed across Peril Strait and investigated the public float at False Island. The float looks like a good alternative in stormy Peril Strait weather, tucked into a small sheltered cove on Chichagof Island. The skies partially cleared momentarily and we saw blue for the first time in days.
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| Another brown bear on the beach at False Island, Peril Strait |
Heading back west towards Sergius Narrows, our brief glimpse of the sun was replaced by fog and rain. The rest of the trip into Sitka was uneventful, just low visibility, often less than 500 yards. As we approached Sitka the skies lightened marginally as we docked at Eliason Basin, on the end tie of float 7.
We have now covered 1234 nautical miles on Spirit, and over 250 miles on the Grady White tender. The box score for fishing includes 5 halibut and 5 King salmon, countless Dungeness crabs and spot prawns, and even a few rockfish: not great, but a good start.
The next two days are maintenance days and housecleaning prior to the arrival of Jill and Vaughn Weedman, who will fish with us until July 1.
Alaska 2014 – Sitka Interlude
June 12, 2014
Today was a maintenance day, changing the oil and zincs on the main engine and fueling the Grady White.
June 13, 2014
Today Patrick fished with Alex Benson on “Wild Blue”, along with Dave and Roger. No joy, nothing but a few rockfish, and only one of them was a keeper. Patrick caught the only fish. Dinner was at Agave Mexican Restaurant and then all five of us attended a Sitka Music Festival concert. We walked back to Eliason Harbor in a torrential rainstorm.
June 14, 2014
Today we had a day of rest, with lots of rain. The rain is becoming a persistent theme this year, along with big swells coming in from the west. Wild Blue headed out for a few days of fishing.
June 15, 2014
Today we took the Grady White to Kalinin Bay and picked up one small King salmon and another halibut of about 15 pounds. Not large, but still a good size for eating. One way took a little over one hour, since it is 25 nautical miles each way. The rockfish from the day before became dinner.
June 16, 2014
We took the Grady White out to Viskari Rocks for the first time. It is about 8 miles, so takes only about 25 minutes, accounting for the idle speed until clear of the breakwater. We lost two fish in the morning, at the side of the boat while trying to get them in the net, and ran out of leaders and bait, so we headed back to Eliason Harbor, purchased more bait and lures and went back to Viskari Rocks, where we landed a 15 pound King salmon. We returned to Eliason Harbor about 1600 and turned the fish into Big Blue Seafoods for processing and storage. Surprisingly, the day turned out sunny and warm, with very little wind, just the big ocean swell.
June 17, 2014
Today was rainy and windy, with large seas and a SE gale outside in Sitka Sound, so we stayed in Sitka and shopped and mailed packages back to Bellevue. Dinner was a potluck on Maximo, which had just returned from a fishing trip to the Whale Bay area. Potluck was good, with crab cakes, grilled marinated spot prawns, salad, homemade sausages and fresh baked bread.
June 18, 2014
The seas and winds were still high, so we took Spirit to Viskari Rocks about 0830, leaving the Grady White tied to the dock. By 1030 we had landed 3 King salmon in really miserable weather conditions. There were winds to 27 knots, swells of 8-12 feet, with wind chop on top, and rain showers. There were times that Miriam was up to her knees in water sloshing over the transom while we netted the three fish, 20#, 13# and 10#. The salt water over the swim step shorted out the switch for the Glendenning Cablemaster reel for the shore power cord, so the switch had to be replaced when we returned to the dock. We invited Steve Oberto from Maximo for dinner and cooked up half of the smallest salmon, along with a risotto. The rain showers continued off and on all evening.
June 19, 2014
Spirit departed Sitka at 0800 bound for the east side of Baranof Island, along with Maximo. We stopped for the night in Saook Inlet and were also joined by “Yachette”, a yacht we have seen several times here in SE Alaska and in Northern BC. Crab pots were set out, but there are a lot of commercial pots at the head of the bay, so we may not have much luck. By the time we had anchored in 110 feet of water, there were 1067 nautical miles on the ships log.
Update, by 1900 we had two legal Dungeness crab, even with all the commercial pots, so there is hope for the morning. The rain has returned, but with little wind the anchorage is really peaceful. Patrick reset the single pot we set out in light rain, which finally settled in as a steady downpour. We seem to have attracted rain and squalls while at anchor and tonight is no exception. Also, the TV satellite dome is still receiving signals so we could watch the Food Channel while having left-over king salmon and crab cakes for dinner. At this time of year it never really gets fully dark, and the Coast Pilot indicates we will have 24 hours of combined daylight and “nautical” twilight.
June 20, 2014
The rain continued all night and when Patrick checked the single crab pot we left out overnight there were 4 more legal Dungeness crab, even with the pressure from the commercial crab season, which opened on June 15. There are two commercial boats fishing in Saook, with about 60 pots set out. We managed to find a spot to place our pot where it did not interfere with the commercial pots.
Departure is set for 0900 to take advantage of the ebb tide as we make our way to Red Bluff Bay, a trip of about 50 nautical miles.
This will be the last post for a few days as we move through the cell phone reception zone opposite Angoon, until we return to Sitka on June 25.
