TOO MANY

July 25, 2011-Monday

Onie rose at 7:30. The writer was up at 8.

It was still drizzling rain. The temp was stuck on 51. Overhead clouds hid the sun.

Inside we had coffee and Chai tea before Onie headed off to the gym at 8:30, with Kay and Caroline.

Outside it rained.

Inside the writer checked his email, read some enews, drank Chai tea, fixed his tea pot, breakfasted, worked a crossword, did some agency business and finished week eight.

The ADFG website revealed another one hundred thirteen thousand fish came in yesterday for a total count to date of one million fifty thousand. According to ADFG, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, that is too many fish for the habitat. More than about nine hundred fifty thousand will be a detriment to habitat enhancement and renewal. Perhaps the thinking heads will do the unthinkable and increase the limit to nine or twelve however that is not something one should count on. For most bureaucrats if it doesn’t fit in a box, come in a box or look like a box it is never to be considered and considering the fact that the limit has never gone above six it is not likely it will this time.

The only solution is for sportsmen to catch their daily limit so even though the rain continued the writer, doing his part to save the environment, set off to the river, rod in one hand and bucket in the other.

On the way he stopped to start the smoker for canned smoked fish, a ninety minute smoke.

As the writer approached the grate Kurt and Ken came down in the truck. They were headed down river to fish and invited the writer to go along. The writer thanked them and joined them. The trio headed for the gravel bar.

Onie got home. She and the girls had lunch, after the gym, and shopped.

The trio returned from the gravel bar at four with three limits.

Becky and Kim were down and met their mates as they stepped out of the boat then went to visit with Onie.

While Kurt cleaned fish the writer took the smoked fish out and got out the canner, propane and cooker for Onie.

A campfire was started and Dennis, Sandy and Kyle came to join the circle.

Onie and Pawpaw loaded and started the canner.

With the canner heating Onie went in and thawed and warmed some brisket.

While she was doing that Kay and Caroline pulled up chairs to the campfire. Soon Dixie joined in.

The writer brought the Ipod out and began playing some Marty Robbins, a favorite of Sandy’s, Bette Midler and Peter, Paul and Mary. While most enjoyed the music from Peter, Paul and Mary they agreed that the politics espoused by the trio was not to their liking.

The canner was turned off at 11 and jars taken out. They had all sealed.

Chelsea and Dick joined the party for a while.

When the party began breaking up at midnight Onie went to bed. Dixie, Chelsea and Dick bid the remaining folks goodnight and went to their rig.

The writer threw another log on the fire and stayed to visit with Dennis, Sandy and Kyle until they went home at 12:30.

Then the campfire was spread, in the ring, and the chairs put back under the awning before the writer went in at one to make notes.

It was cloudy and 52.

The writer joined Onie in bed at 3.

TWELVE

July 2, 2011-Tuesday

Onie was up at 7, had her coffee, surfed the web and left for Zumba at 8:30.

The writer rose at 9, checked email, read enews, read the paper, drank Chai tea, talked to Bill and David M.

By then Onie was home.

We had breakfast and visited before the writer made a few notes while she was working on another case of fish for the canner.

Notes were stopped and the writer loaded and started the smoker before loading the canner and starting it.

Then he and Onie went to fish. The pair had twelve in two and a half hours.

They called Custom. Custom was accepting fish and guaranteed that we would get ours back if we bring them now. We hurried off to Custom with the fish we had caught yesterday. We told them we will help them by shipping each time we get a case or two as there is no longer any break in shipping costs for over one hundred pounds.

Back home the writer fileted the fish caught that afternoon, in the rain.

While the fish were being fileted Onie grilled chicken and made a salad.

After supper we started another canner before going to bed at 9:30 and setting the alarm for 11. We watched TV and dozed before going out and turning off the canner at 11.

The TV played a little longer before we went to sleep at 12.

1,000,000

July 27, 2011-Wednesday

We both got up at 9. We had our coffee and Chai tea while Onie cooked steel cut oats. The writer played FreeCell while breakfast cooked.

After breakfast we read the paper, checked email and did some online banking.

The writer made some notes while his bride worked a crossword.

Outside it was sunny and warm.

Eighty thousand fish came in yesterday placing the count to date to up over 1,000,000 and more are coming. To all you fishermen/women, we wish you were here. Seventy eight thousand reds came in today.

A great gentleman, comic and American died on this day in 2003. He was 100, English by birth and American by choice. His wit and charm were enjoyed by millions. His name was Bob Hope.

Today we fished the river from the grate and again harvested twelve in just two and a half hours.

Before going to fish we got the canner and smoker going.

Kurt and Becky stopped by and invited us up to the house tonight for Steak Oscar at seven. We will be there.

Becky took up three cases of jars to wash in her dishwasher for Onie. We will get them back tonight.

Another trip was made to Custom to take fish from yesterday and today. When the filets, 42 of them, were weighed they came to seventy five pounds. Three fish had been kept to finish out a canner or we would have had forty eight filets.

Back at the coach we showered and dressed for Kurt and Becky’s where we arrived at seven taking a load of wash with us.

Ken and Kim rounded out the dinner party. With supper over the visiting continued until eleven when we got ready to leave for the coach.

As we were headed out the door Kurt mentioned they were going halibut fishing in the morning, at six, and asked us to go along. We accepted the invite.

Down at the coach Onie readied herself for bed and was snuggled in at midnight.

The writer joined her at two.

THE BIG SPILL

July 28, 2011-Thursday

Morning fog hung over the river at five when we woke. A rosy glow from the sun shone through the trees and the thermometer showed a chilly thirty three.

Onie fixed us a breakfast and lunch, to go. We dressed and got our things ready to go halibut fishing.

Right on schedule the guys showed up at six.

Our gear was loaded in the back of the truck then we took our places in the back seat and it was on to Homer.

The writer dozed along the way.

We reached Homer at 7:30 when we stopped to get breakfast munchies and sandwiches for them for lunch. Then it was on to get bait.

Down at the boat at eight thirty we loaded our gear and got ready to leave.

Smooth water and a light wind greeted us as we headed out to the Barren Islands.

The run out to the Barrens usually means a nap for the writer as it is about thirty miles from port and takes close to two hours to get there. This morning was no exception.

At the Barrens we rode over wavelets that were barely there as a light breeze skipped over the surface barely dimpling it.

Plenty of halibut lay in wait for us and they were all small. Not easily discouraged our party kept fishing and catching, small ones. A few moves were made, in search of the mamas and papas but they were in a different bedroom or still asleep.

As the day wore on and the search for parent halibut continued the seas began to build and by early afternoon were in the two to three foot category.

A westerly wind began blowing adding its force to the already building seas and when three and four foot rollers began rocking the boat we decided it was time to head in.

We had our limits of halibut but they were all of the chicken variety. In addition to our halibut limit Onie had caught a nice sized flounder. It was kept and will be a good supper. We also kept a large Cod to filet and try deep frying.

Following seas pushed us along as we made our way in. Sometimes a four or five foot roller would lift us before it headed on into Homer. Thankfully the wind had not picked up appreciably so there was no chop added to the seas that continued to build.

Kurt decided to stop to pick up the crab pots.

In the rough seas they were hard to spot but once they were found we were able to get them in. Unfortunately they only held whelks and one small Tanner crab.

In the process of retrieving the pots the boat became the whimsy of the seas, riding bow first into the oncoming waves and then rolling from side to side. On one such roll, a really big one, Onie and Becky were launched from their places on the couch in the cabin and flew through the air. Becky was able to grab the wheel and saved herself from landing on the floor. Onie was further back in the cabin and with nothing at hand to grab on to was unable to stop her fall. Flying through the air her back hit the door to the head before she slid down and landed on the step that leads out the door to the afterdeck.

On the afterdeck, where a pot was being retrieved, the guys grabbed for handholds to keep from being flung into the cold bay.

When the rogue wave had passed those left standing sprung to Onie’s side to check on her. She was shaken and bruised but had no apparent broken bones. She would have a bit of a headache as her head had hit the door at the same time her back did.

When the pots were on board and secured we headed in the last four miles to the small boat harbor where we refueled before going to P-26, tying up and letting the ladies off.

Onie said she was a little stiff but okay as the ladies headed off to shop.

The guys loaded the catch into coolers and headed up to the cleaning tables to process the catch before they returned to the boat to clean it and close it up.

Ready to roll toward home at 9:30 Becky drove while Kurt and I dozed.

Onie and I were home at 11 and in bed at 11:30, exhausted.

FALL IS COMING

July 29. 2011-Friday

We had slept the sleep of the dead but rose alive and well, even though Onie was sporting big bruises from her spill, at 8:30.

We enjoyed coffee and Chai tea before we showered.

Onie breakfasted and left with Becky and Kim to go to yard sales and lunch at Veronica’s before they would hit more yard sales.

Kurt and Ken came by shortly thereafter. They were going downriver to fish and asked me to join them. After eating a bite of sausage, I joined them.

On the gravel bar it was cool and surprisingly uncrowded. We fished 4 ½ hours to get our limits and during that time it became very hot with the temp rising into the high 70s or low 80s. This far north temps like that seem like 100 back in Coldspring.

Back at the grate at 4:30 they cleaned my fish and went home to mow the yard and do other chores.

The writer had chores of his own and took fish out of brine and started it drying. Then he cleaned the smoker and canner.

Just as he was finishing up the girls got home.

The writer helped Onie get her things in. In addition to the yard sales they had gone grocery shopping.

Was it mentioned that it was warm, even hot?

Inside the coach it was 83. Windows were opened and the Smart fan was started.

Always ready to take care of the writer Onie made him a big salad which he ate while he read the paper.

Onie went off to see Inger.

With the salad dispatched and the paper read the writer sat down to make notes and write.

It had cooled off inside to 79 and outside it was a balmy 72.

By six the sun was setting over the hills to the west.

We are losing about 5 minutes of daylight each day and during the night time hours we are experiencing real darkness.

Fireweed that had no blooms two weeks ago is now almost bloomed out.

Fall is coming.

While the fireweed is busy putting on its own show of color Onie’s flowers are putting on a show of their own.

Kurt, Becky, Ken and Kim came down to visit for a while.

After they left we went to bed at midnight.

FOUR AND ONE

July 30, 2011-Saturday

Onie was up at 8:30 followed by the writer at nine.

The driver likes fish for breakfast and this morning the navigator obliged him serving halibut, egg, toast, coffee and Chai tea at nine. What a great start to another wonderful day.

After the morning feast the driver got fish out of the smoker then cleaned the racks.

By then Kim and Becky were down to help Onie with her canning. They stuffed jars while Onie put on the lids.

The driver went up to borrow a burner from Kurt then came back down and started both canners.

With the jars stuffed and in the canners Becky and Kim left.

Fish in the freezer in the small fridge in the shed were needed for canning so the driver went out to get them. They were frozen and wouldn’t budge from their place. The driver got a hair dryer and began defrosting the small fridge. When at last the fish had been removed the driver continued on the small fridge until he had it clean and fresh once again. Reloading it he turned it back on then headed into the coach.

There he and Onie vacuum packed some smoked fish before taking two loads of wash up and getting it started.

Back in the coach the driver made notes while Onie stayed with the wash. The writer worked on week nine.

Outside it was hot and sunny, again.

Notes and writing occupied the writer until four.

The fact that 33,000 fish came in yesterday and the numbers are dropping with the good run probably being over in a week he was having a hard time staying with the keyboard.

One canner was done and turned off at 3:30 and the other at 4. All of the jars sealed.

Onie was still working on the wash.

With the canners off there was nothing to hold the driver/writer at the coach so he headed off to fish.

Very soon Onie joined him and the two managed seven in two hours.

Tonight was steak night at Don and Julie’s, at 6:30.

When the hour arrived it was cloudy and 71.

We took chicken as we were still trying to watch our weight and our waists and we had no desire to waste our waist. We also took a big salad.

The writer went back to the coach at 8:15 when he picked up his rod and fished for ½ hour.

Onie headed off to Freddies taking Kris with her.

Flimsy fish were running strong and the writer had the misfortune to catch 4 of them. He only managed to catch one real fish, which he kept. He cleaned it and was back in the coach at 9:30 when he checked the enews and email, made a few notes and went to shower at 10:30. He was back at 11.

Onie had returned and they watched TV until 12.

Outside it was dark and warm.

A LITTLE PARTY

July 31, 2011-Sunday

Onie usually goes to sleep before the writer and she is usually awake before him. This morning was no different. She rose at 8, had coffee and surfed the web.

Outside it was sunny and hot, 65.

The writer made his appearance at 9 when Onie served breakfast; egg, halibut, mushrooms, English muffin and figs.

Over breakfast we planned our day.

At 9:45 the writer sat down to make notes and Onie headed off to the shower.

On the way to church we stopped at Becky’s to drop off their burner and some eggs.

We were seated in our pew at 10:50 and left it at 12:15.

On the way home we picked up fish and a tote at Kurt’s.

After dropping Onie at the coach the driver headed on to Custom with the fish and then he stopped at Safeway for eggs.

He was back home at 1:30 when he called his friend, Jim Johnson, then his brother-in-law E.C. and his daughter, Tracy. The subject most discussed was how much salmon they wanted for the coming year.

By three the writer and Jay started emptying the holding tanks in the coach and then moved on to drain Kris’. While the driver was finishing up with the honey wagon Jay filled the water tank in her rig.

Finished with that chore the driver was back home at 4:30 when he washed out a cooker and put fresh water in it.

A few sprinkles fell from the gathering clouds.

Inside the coach a few notes were made while he nibbled on Regina cherries, for a snack.

Taking a break from the laptop he helped Onie arrange stuff on the patio.

Kurt, Becky, Ken and Kim arrived at 5:30 and the ladies started putting out food. Onie started cooking beer batter halibut then coconut salmon. Inger and Frank put in an appearance at 6.

After snacking the group sat down to eat. A few more sprinkles fell and heavier clouds hung overhead.

Six thirty saw a heavy rain falling. Dinner was interrupted while the table was moved under the coach awning and then dinner continued.

After the table was moved and dinner continued, the rain quit.

With his meal at an end the driver started a campfire.

Kurt and Ken went to fish while the rest of the dinner party gathered round the campfire.

Lively conversation rose among the flames and smoke until the rain returned with a vengeance. It was a Texas type rain with sheets of drops driven by a strong wind. It was enough to move the party into the coach for half an hour before it broke up.

Onie and the driver brought stuff in from outside then watched GSN.

Onie was asleep by 10:30. The writer dozed until 12 when he turned off the tube.

It rained most of the night.