I drove - we stopped at the gas station for Dan and Amanda's fishing licenses. I went in to buy a snack and was flabbergasted when I saw all the Camel cigarettes at the register! I remember thinking how strange it was when we passed a big Camel sign as we drove down to Girdwood. Now, here were 2 shelves of different kinds of Camels - they took up as much space as all the other cigarettes together!! There were filtered and non filtered Camels, there were mild, light, and regular camels. The clerk told me that Camels are big sellers and that light Camels are the best seller of all cigarettes!! Talk about cancer sticks!!
Then we were off. We headed south down the Seward Highway - the opposite way from yesterday. There was no traffic - the road was smooth and pretty level. The speed limit alternated between 55 and 65 mph, but it was difficult to go that slow. The scenery was terrific - more mountains - some with little pockets of snow on them - more mud flats. I wonder when the tides come in - I have read that the tides can be 10 feet high - I would love to see that. We saw mist rising above a long creek - that looked surreal. We passed the National Wildlife Refuge - and hoped to stop in there on the way home. We followed the Seward Highway/Alaska route 1 to the turn for Sterling/Soldnata. We began seeing bait shops, places to ship fish, different little places to buy food or fishing equipment. There were loads of cars and RVs parked near accesses to the rivers. We were looking for Moosequitos bar just before Sterling. I drove right by Moosquitos and the entrance across the road to the Izaack Walton State Park landing where we were meeting our boat and guide Cody. I turned around, took a left, and headed a short distance into the park. Cody and the boat were waiting for us. I talked with a ranger who told me there was a $5 parking fee - he gave me an envelop to put $5 into and deposit it into a locked box attached to a Park sign when we returned from fishing.
With my right hip needing another replacement, I can't lift it more than a couple of inches. Cody and Dan helped me onto the boat. There were four seats with backs to them - comfortable enough. After reviewing safety measures, Cody said that we were going to fish off the bank. I figured that meant somewhere close by. Was I wrong! We started off and kept gaining speed. I was wishing that I hadn't left my gloves in the car - and I should have brought that winter jacket. I had my scarf looped around my neck. I was pretty darn cold despite a turtleneck and a fleece. It was about 49 degrees - the cold river water and the speed we were going made it seem a lot colder. But I knew that this was only temporary - we were going to stop somewhere. Then we hit "the rapids" - Cody speeded up, and we were practically flying off our seats! I felt like I was white water rafting as we zigged and zagged back and forth across the rough current. It was unexpected but exhilarating! The wind and some surf flying at me as we skimmed across the water - the beautiful sunny clear day. We finally ran out of white water, and the ride was just fast. We were passing houses on heights with long staircases down to their docks - some staircases were wooden but a lot were metal. Some had platforms where the owners could fish right off the dock! One even had a sink set up to fillet the fish right on the dock. Some places had boats tied up at the docks, many didn't.
Mairead and Amanda
We passed single fishermen fishing by themselves and groups of fisherman. Some were sitting on the shore, but most were standing in the river - all had waders on - that water is coming down from glaciers so I bet it was pretty darn cold.
Cody pulled over to the left bank and asked those fishing there if they minded us fishing below them. I guess they said okay because that is where we pulled in. He docked the boat on the bank then told us to pull some waders out of a rubbermaid box and find some that fit. I tried to lift my right leg into a wader, but couldn't do it. So I decided to play it safe and stayed in the boat. The others headed up the river, and Cody set them up with fishing rods and showed them the technique.
Amanda fishing
It was quiet and still - so peaceful - I could hear the river flow by - I could see my fishers bring their right arm back and swoosh overhead to drop the line out in front of them - let the line drift in toward you and then right arm back again and swoosh in a big arc to drop the line in again - let the line drift in toward you, bring your arm back and swoosh that big arc to drop the line in the river - let the line drift toward you then swoosh with that big arc to drop the line - over and over and over.
I was watching birds in the trees nearby. The quiet was only broken when another boat came hurtling through the river with more fishermen - there were a couple of women but it was mostly men. I was surprised by the wake that these small boats made. They would fly by us and then a minute or two later the boat I was in would start swaying back and forth so much so that I couldn't stand up during it, or I would lose my balance. I could hear the bottom of the metal boat scrapping on the rocks of the river bank.
Suddenly, Mairead got a hold of something - it was a pink salmon!! BUT it was not a good salmon for eating so Cody threw it back in. This happened a couple of times to the three of them - I was excited when they caught something and disappointed when it had to go back in - if the fish was hooked in the body and not the mouth, it is not considered hooked and had to go back in - Amanda caught a King salmon but that goes back in as well.
And so it went - swoosh in a big arc to drop the line, let it drift toward shore, right arm back and swoosh a big arc to drop the line, let it drift back to you, over and over and over. Dan figured that it took about 10 seconds for that whole motion so that they performed it hundreds and likely over a thousand times in 3+ hours!
Dan with Mairead and our boat in the background.
Back in the boat I was wondering if anyone had taken any pictures. Of all mornings, I had left my cell phone at the chalet. I decided to try again to get a wader on my right foot. With no one else on the boat, I threw the wader out it's whole length and then held my leg up with my right hand and squiggled my foot into the top of the wader. Pulling it up was a struggle - those waders seem damn long - they go up past your knees after all. I got the left one on with no problem. The left side of the boat was on the bank so I sat on the side of the boat and threw my left leg over onto the ground, then lifted my right leg out. No big deal.
I walked over to the others - Dan said that he had taken some pictures but gave me his phone to take more. I took a few and then Dan handed me his fishing rod. Cody came over to show me the drill - arm back and then make a large arc over my head to drop the line, let it drift into shore then everything all over again. It was very peaceful here as well - no one was talking much - just concentrating on casting out the line. I did manage to catch a small salmon, but it had to go back in. My right shoulder was beginning to ache - how were the others still doing this? After what about a half hour, I'd had enough. I put the rod up against a tree and headed to the boat. I sat on the side and threw my left leg in but my right knee buckled and next thing I knew I was on the ground!! I had fallen off the side of the boat!! After initial "Oh my God, did I hurt myself out here in the middle of nowhere," I thought "Oh my God, my kids will think I'm an idiot." I heard Mairead yelling - asking if I was okay. I needed to get up quickly. I had landed on my behind, but couldn't gain traction to push myself up. Cody was running over as I turned onto my knees and got up. He brushed sand off my wet behind - asked a hundred times if I was okay - then he lifted my right leg into the boat after I had got the left one in. I felt like an jerk - a big fat old jerk!! But Cody was very nice - he sat just talking to me about hunting in the winter - how much hunting with his father and grandfather means so much to him - how the short days in January and February when there are only 4 hours of light really affect him - he has to fight depression. Then someone caught a fish, and off he went with the net.
Between Dan, Amanda, and Mairead, they caught 3 sockeye salmon that we could take home. Time was up, and we had to head back to the landing after Cody cleaned the fish. I don't know what I expected - I have seen fish cleaned and filleted before - but I didn't expect to see Cody just throw the parts we wouldn't use back into the river!! That plus the tobacco juice he spit into the river.
Cody cleaning and filleting our salmon.
We thanked Cody, and I paid the $5 parking fee. We jumped into the car and headed to the nearby gas station for a foam box and ice to hold the salmon. Dan drove home - we stopped at the Wildlife Refuge - I can't believe I forgot my camera today!
We got there just after the bears were fed - 2 brown bears and a 15 month old black bear cub. It was amazing to watch that bear grab an orange and dig his claws into it - but only enough to peel it - I could hear the scraping - he left the pith and peel behind and gobbled down the orange.
We saw musk oxen including a new baby, elk, moose, a silver and brown fox - all I could think of was foxes killing our lambs in Gortdromagh, a live porcupine - we had seen 3 dead ones on the highway, 3 wolves, and I can't remember what else. The refuge has a dirt road that goes in one direction past all the animals - Dan would park and we would run over to see the animals. The dust storms were horrendous.
We made it back to the chalet - the kids went into the hot tub, then Amanda cooked the salmon with zuchinni in aluminum packets - it was delicious!! Mairead had bought different brands of cream soda and root beers because they were so good at the restaurant in Anchorage. We had a bit of a tasting. She found Sarsaparilla as well. That has a Lowell connection - C. J. Hood's company made Sarsaparilla - my Keohane grandfather had worked on C. J. Hood's farm when he came over from Ireland.
And that is what this trip is all about! Spending time outdoors and with each other.
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