YEAH!!!
When I applied for the job at the Pilot, my boss told me the last reporter, Tozzo, sold his car and bought a boat... I thought to myself... 'huh... maybe I'll need one too' well sure enough you need a boat when you live on an island! I am really excited about exploring and getting to the various forest service cabins around the Tongass National Forest. Crabbing and fishing will also be a positive...
It is a 16 foot Lund Aluminum "skiff"
It has an 88 HP Johnson with an 8 HP kicker, came with the trailer and all sorts of goodies...
After doing research and talking to EVERYBODY about their preference for boats, I came to the conclusion that a canvas top is essential in Southeast, seeing as how we do live in the largest temperate rainforest in the world, rain squalls are common...
The boat actually belonged to Ed Sarff, the Petersburg City Councilman who passed away that I wrote an obituary about.
Ed took good care of the boat, the body doesn't have a single ding, he was the original owner and kept good care of the engine. It has power tilt and trim and came with extra fishing gear and a downrigger. It also has a livewell, walkthrough windshield, open bow and separate controls for the main motor and kicker.
I am pretty excited about it to say the least.
Erin and I took it out for a spin last Thursday, packed along our barbecue and had a nice relaxing meal in the Wrangell Narrows.
The next day I did some preventative maintenance, oiled it, greased it, changed spark plugs, and it PURRRRSSS!
Unfortunately that thing called work got in the way this week, so Friday or Saturday will be the next chance to take it out for a spin.
On Friday afternoon we went out to a friends cabin halfway down Mitkof Island. He bought the property four years ago, bought a small saw mill and built his own cabin!!! I was awestruck, it was a beautiful cabin of red cedar, he cut all the lumber at true dimensions, including the cedar siding. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, next time.
Getting to his cabin is half the adventure, as he lives about a half mile off the road via a narrow path strewn with scrap lumber. Getting home was a little tricky, luckily we had a flashlight... for three of us to navigate the path... we made it back to the car unscathed after only a few wrong turns.
The fact that Alaskan residents can subsistence hunt and fish is pretty awesome. Add to that you can also cut down a certain amount of board feet of lumber each year.
Here is a picture of some of our new friends playing some tunes, Chris is an AMAZING mandolin player...
On Sunday, while Erin worked at Java Hus, I went with some friends up the Stikine River about 30 miles to some hot tubs fed by hot springs, it was an awesome day. We had some fun trying to navigate up there, hit the tubs for a few hours and headed back to a beach to grill up some brats...
Heading up the river
This is part of the slough to the hot tubs.
it got to 3 or 4 inches at times...
Dana, Rossi and I in the tubs
We had some Brats on the way out
On the way out we got a little stuck...
Made it home a little wet but safe and all in all had a great time, although in the morning rush I did forget to call mom to wish her a happy mothers day... whoops... Love you mom!
I have had a pretty hectic few days researching a story involving the city of Angoon and some hydropower projects, I pissed off their mayor and found some juicy morsels for the story, we'll see how it pans out.
Tonight Erin and I were invited to a crab boil at Sandy Beach Park, about a half mile from our apartment. Orin and I bought three dozen oysters, I had a few raw...
pretty good with some hot sauce and garlic oil!
Tomorrow we have practice for the softball team we are playing for in the Mayfest tournament. We have our first game Friday at 1:30. We have had a few practices so far, and MAN WAS I RUSTY!!!
I haven't been on a baseball diamond since 5th or 6th grade, but it is a pretty good time and after batting practice I am feeling pretty comfortable.
On Thursday Mayfest starts. Mayfest is the biggest festival in Petersburg and hundreds of visitors are streaming in every day. Festivities begin Thursday at the viking feast, complete with turkey legs and all the food you can eat with only your hands! should be fun.
Until next time...
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