Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Our 4th of July has been busy and we arrived in Port Valdez late afternoon.

Here is a selection from some of our latest adventures. My favorite is the USCG the Healy.

USCG the Healy in Seward

We are finished transporting salmon and equipment to and from Larsen Bay and Homer. This is another photo of the 100+ year old cannery. 

Now the fishing has begun. And we are hauling fish from Prince William Sound to Seward for the time being.

There are sea otters in Resurrection Bay of course, but one was in the harbor, very busy.

This time of year is always difficult because we lost Nick 14 years ago on July 3, 2002. Some of my readers may not know about this tragedy, or may not think of it every Independence Day. Losing my big brother hurts all the time. 14 years seems like a long time, but it isn't - the pain doesn't go away. I miss the sound of his voice, especially his laugh. I miss knowing I could count on him if I needed help with anything, especially anything having to do with math or engineering. I know that just like my other 2 brothers, he would be there for me and support me. Most of the story can still be found on the internet:

http://abqjournal.com/news/metro/461753metro05-20-06.htm
http://www.abqjournal.com/news/metro/484335metro08-16-06.htm

Another sunset. There is something infinite about sunrises and sunsets over the open ocean. I find it comforting.

May Nick's memory be eternal.

Happy Independence Day

Joanna

60 days and counting...

We have been on the boat for 60 days so far. Everyone is doing well here. Some mechanical issues and lots of long drives have made this an interesting season so far. We crossed the Gulf again and we are up in Valdez. It's a beautiful place and one of our favorite p[laces to tender. The folks up here are nice and the views breathtaking. The pictures I have taken do not capture the feeling but perhaps your imagination can help:

We are enjoying nice weather. The rain let up to blue skies. I have been cooking. Tonight was cheeseburger pie, a favorite with the guys. Made chicken soup, French toast, another quiche and some pretty good sandwiches over the past week. When we are driving long distances, we sleep in shifts and subsequently eat in shifts. So it's a challenge to cook items that we can all snack on as our shifts change. With only 3 on board this year, there is not as much need for lots of large meals. I have adapted my cooking for what we have going on in those next few days.

About to start another all-nighter, taking fish and then driving to a cannery. 

Entering the port of Valdez today. The seiners are setting their nets or lining up for a good spot.

Sending my best wishes to family and friends. A special shout out to Maren, hang in there. I'm behind you 100%. Whatever you need, just let me know. I'll be there.

Joanna

Going through the locks

We are almost out of here... I'm on the bow watching the line as the boat descends...

Here it is from my point of view:

And then we are out:

No problem!

We are now in Puget Sound heading north. 

Food, fuel and a lot of cargo!

It's been a crazy few days, but then getting the boat out of shipyard usually is. This is my fourth season but only second time in shipyard. People who know tell me it's always busy and challenging to finish up the work, clean up, load up and tie down in order to get out of shipyard. 

Speaking of loads, the boat is loaded up with all manner of supplies that we are delivering along the way - lumber, tar paper, an inflatable skiff, various pallets of stuff, crab pots and our own tendering equipment. We had many requests to haul even more - a trailer, a seine net and so on. Jeff finally had to say no... We don't mind helping out, but it was getting a bit ridiculous. When I look at the deck, I hear the intro to the Beverly Hillbillies, anyone else?

See Ty on the top left? He's been working hard, covered in shipyard grime for over 2 weeks, so he blends in. He cleans up pretty good though. 

Next steps: chain and tie everything down. Clean up some more and organize! Then through the locks.  

Luckily, I have all the groceries I need for the next several weeks. Many thanks to Staale, Nic and Siri for their help with supplies. It was only part of what they do to help us get underway. Too much to list here, but much appreciation for everything! 

My personal favorite new thing on the boat: a mini fridge for veggies. Fresh vegetables are precious and we try and bring as much as possible. It used to get squashed and crammed in with all the items in the fridge, but no more! Thanks to Nic, we have this awesome fridge. It's the little things that make a big difference, as the saying goes. 

The mini fridge of 2015. Yum... Stir fry tonight!

I have to go. Lots to do. More later. Aloha 

Sun shines, season ends and so it goes

Before I left the sun came out for a few days! It was glorious! We ended up in View Cove walking through some mining and logging ruins. It was amazing to be on land without rain, but then to find the area covered with my favorite flowers - shasta daisies - it was a special treat.

Jeff and the crew are headed out west, to tender pollack near Dutch Harbor. Here he is exploring the ruins on Dall Island:

We take the skiff to shore, the water was crystal clear and it was a beautiful day. The Silver Dolphin is in the background.

Aloha! I am back in Hawaii, visiting with my parents here for a few days before they head back to the mainland. Then it's back to work and school for me.

Of course, here is Bootsie, purring and happy while simultaneously pushing away, ears back. It's her way of saying - I hate it but don't stop. She is not much of a snuggler, but I think she is happy I am home.

As I come across cool photos, I will post them. It was a long season and it is bittersweet to be home - good to be here, but sad to be home without Jeff.
Thanks for all the best wishes, and I know we are wishing Jeff a safe journey across the Gulf of Alaska.
Joanna

Off we go again

Back in July, when things were sunny and fun, Jeff took this photo before we started scrubbing the starboard side of the boat:

Joanna on the Silver Dolphin, July 2014

That seems like forever ago. The season has been long and the rain just adds to the dreariness on the boat. I have a whole new understanding of the words "cabin fever."

However, the season is not over yet, so I have done the grocery shopping, the laundry, cleaned the galley and started to secure things for another long trip. We are headed south, to a place called Cordova Bay near Dall Island and Prince of Wales Island. Never been there before, but it will take about 10 or more hours to get there. More beautiful places to see in SE Alaska, hopefully with less rain.

We had a few breaks in the clouds and put the skiff in the water. This was our trip up a river on Prince of Wales Island. Turns out it's one of the largest islands in the US, coming in at #4 in terms of area. More little details here on Hot Greasy Mess. We were looking for bears, but only found a few deer and saw lots of salmon jumping.

As far as creativity in the galley, I have cooked a rib roast, several quiches, cheeseburger pie, breakfasts of varying types, fish tacos, thrown together salads, sandwiches and snacks. Whenever I run out of ideas, I cook up some ground beef for taco meat and that is always a hit. The guys make their own burritos and everybody is happy. I can always count on Jeff to cook up some good things on the BBQ. We had some juicy steaks last night and then steak and eggs with hash browns today. Of course, there was a lot going on since it is our only day in town, so I end up cooking in shifts. Not the easiest or most efficient way to do things, but every one gets fed and that is part of my job. Just doing my job. So, back to it. We are leaving in a little while. They are almost finished offloading our fish. Time to go.

Aloha,

Joanna

Fish for dinner? Oh yeah.

We have been enjoying some delicious fish for dinner. The leftovers from salmon end up in the next morning's quiche (big hit) or on a bed of lettuce for lunch. Otherwise, I have been trying new recipes when I can. Here is a strata with ham and asparagus I made the other day:

I think everyone enjoyed it, but it's not one of my favorites. I will keep trying the stratas because I can make them the night before and refrigerate overnight. Since I am not a morning person, this makes for more pleasant mornings for everyone. I have a recipe for salmon strata that I may try next.

The fishing is still slow and everyone is hoping it picks up and fast. We are headed to Slokum Arm last I heard. That is a good trek from here, about 15 hours through Peril Straight and Serguis Narrows. The tides rip through there at an alarming rate - as high as 9 knots sometimes. It's skinny and shallow so the timing is key. Jeff tells me we have to go through there at 04:00. It's going to be a long night. But we had a nice evening last night - enjoying dinner off of the boat with friends in Petersburg. Thank you Cindy for another fun night of badminton, giant bubbles, and good company around the fire pit.

Quick photo of Jeff and I out on deck recently. The days and nights blur together. We have no sense of the days of the week, only whether or not the seiners are fishing or not. And then we drive and wait, wait and drive.

Lastly, Bootsie is finally home from the Cozy Cat Lodge. Keysa rescued her the other day and it's good to know they are both home enjoying themselves. Look at these happy faces:

Thank you Keysa! You are such a good friend to us and we always want you to know how much we appreciate you and all you do. 

Our best to everyone. Will write again when I can.

Joanna

We are off!

Its been slow... Not much fishing going on. We have been tied to the dock for 4 days and finally heading out. We had time to make some repairs, visit with friends and get some sleep.

 Looks like our destination is Noyes island. I have never been there before. Here's Jeff, ready to go:

Met some people up here from Kailua! That was a surprise. Suns out. Beautiful day. We are off! 

Go suck fish....

We have been working for about 3 weeks and it's been an adventure. Still, things are going on at home and luckily we have a small army of people looking after the house and the cat, Bootsie. My brother John and his wife Alaura were on duty, when Bootsie had to be boarded at the Cozy Cat Lodge for a few weeks. After many conversations about  this new arrangement and reviewing the logistics of getting her there, I was lamenting at the fact that I didn't leave anything that smells like us to comfort her during her first trip away from home... My brother, in his succinct and witty way texted:

"Go suck fish. The cat is fine..."

I roared laughing. I called him up and we kept laughing. My cheeks were hurting I laughed so hard at how silly I was with angst over the cat. Thanks John, for being you and helping me laugh when I am too much "me." Now, my new "back to reality" catch phrase is "go suck fish." It works and I get back to work and try to remember to laugh more.

This is my current view. I love my job. Even when it's not going that great. Or, I'm tired. Or the men are excessively boyish and my patience is gone. Even with all of these factors - this is the best paid adventure ever and I get to enjoy it with my husband.

We are heading out of Valdez. Don't know where we are going next... and it doesn't even matter because it is time to go suck fish and the cat is fine.

Adios! 

Joanna

Go Go Go

We have been going non-stop. So far we have been to:

• Larson Bay, 
• Homer, 
• Seward and 
• Up into Prince William Sound. 

This was the sunset/sunrise on one of my wheel watches. We have had some glitches, but continue to work through any problems that come up. Boats are a ton of work to put it mildly. Weather has been beautiful and the scenery can't be beat.
Joanna

Cooking and more

It has been an uneventful start to the season. We are running freight right now. You know the big containers that go on trucks? We are putting them on the boat and running to and from Homer and Larson Bay which is on Kodiak Island. It's about 14 hours each way. We are running fresh catch that gets loaded on to a truck, then flown to market. Amazing to see how many industries, people and steps it takes to get the fresh catch on the chefs special.

The cooking is easier. The photo is of a chicken pot pie that the boys raved about. That was a definite repeat. It seems whenever I put something in a pie crust, it's a big hit. Made a quiche, the first of the season and they wolfed it down. Other hits - pulled pork, steak fajitas, fried rice, French toast made from croissants and a chicken veggie bake. 

I'm low on supplies now so it's hard to scratch anything together that requires fresh ingredients. I try and use lots of dark leafy greens and fresh produce when I can. Needless to say a big salad usually is met with disappointing looks and I have to make something else to go with it. But they love Keysa's guacamole recipe. When I can find avocados. 

Improving as a deckhand is a challenge. The hawser lines are heavy and unwieldy. When I throw the heaving line, I have a 50/50 chance of getting it where I want it to go. I must improve this statistic right away, not only because it's important but it's mortifying when it doesn't work.  Most of my body hurts. But this will pass the longer I am on the boat. I'm still a greenhorn but now I've been around enough to see my mistakes faster and hopefully fix it before the teasing begins. Yes Joanna, put the PLUG IN THE SKIFF before it's lowered it into the water. Ty and Jeff see my mistake in this particular instance and I hear all kinds of jabs as they raise the skiff back on deck, drain it, watch me put the plug in and now we are ready to launch - for real this time. What a greenhorn move. The teasing is all in good fun and I certainly had it coming. So compared to being a deckhand, the cooking is easy. 

Hopefully I can post some more videos and photos. If anyone wants the chicken pot pie recipe I will send it along. 

Aloha, 

Joanna

2014 season about to begin

One of my favorite parts of the beginning of a new season is the train ride from Anchorage to Seward. I love trains. And this ride cannot be beat. It is beautiful and breathtaking. Our last few moments before the work begins in ernest.

More updates later. 

Joanna

Along side the Ocean Hope 3

It's impossible to adequately describe the past few weeks. We have spent time driving long distances in some of the largest seas I have personally experienced, but I'm just a greenhorn so that's not terribly impressive to those who have done this for years. We have spent days on anchor waiting... And waiting and waiting. I will post more cool stuff another time. Since I'm at the library in Dutch right now, I thought I would check in. Aloha!

Still going...

We are headed out to Port Malmsbury in Chatham Strait. Ready for the opener tomorrow. Nice to be in town and nice to get out of town. Gives me a break from cooking and a chance to stock up on supplies. New idea for breakfast - stratas! Never heard of it let alone made one. But going to try. 

Jellyfish in Affleck Canal. Wow. Didn't jump in that day!

A new month - August begins

I haven't written in a while and I am short on words. There is no sufficient way to describe events since my last post. Just part of the job. I will try and show you because words fail me recently. 

Hiking to wade in a glacial lake. 

Isn't she beautiful? Great credit to her owners for keeping her in top condition. Not easily accomplished! We take care of her for the summer with pleasure. 

It's been a time of changes and adventure. Our family said good bye to the Quarters on the west side. Yale is open, so you can still get your fix of BBQ and pick up a bottle of wine. 

Much love to our families. As always. 

Chilling at Baranof Warm Springs the water is actually more blue:

 We are working and playing hard. 

Several folks have mentioned to us how lucky we are, living in Hawaii and working in Alaska. I agree with the sentiment and get what they are saying about how sweet it is. Absolutely.  

At the same time, the word lucky gives me pause. I actively sought out and created the life I live today. There were plenty of hard times and sacrifices, but it was worth it to me to make it work.  When my husband and I married, we became a team that continues to define our relationship, goals and values while living this life of adventure and logging lots of airport hours. 

We have had wonderful support from family that help make it work and we miss them terribly. Because along with this life, there are sacrifices. Hawaii isn't all sunsets and rainbows anymore than Alaska is.  We are far away and miss family and friends. There are big events like closing a store or a missing dog and we are so far away and not able to be there to support or help. Someone took my grandfathers little dog Sandy out of his car while he was shopping at the grocery store. 

Who takes a 90 year old man's dear companion?!?!? These are the times when it is hard to be so far away. I get homesick for my family and friends no matter where they live.

We miss out on the little things too like the everyday tennis game or dip in the pool. 

So I don't feel lucky to live this life. I feel blessed and proud. As my niece Isa has in her byline  - in a world where you can be anything, be yourself. 

Will do, Isa. No problem. 

Aloha. 

Melt down in Baranof

French toast and the breakfast from hell 

    Breakfast is my least favorite meal to cook. It usually involves getting up earlier than I would like in the morning. I am not a morning person and never have been. The guys usually have to wait a little too long before I actually feed them. In my own defense on the topic of timing, most of us need time to wake up and aren’t ready for a full breakfast until after our coffee or tea. The boys know, if they are hungry, there are plenty of breakfast snacks and I will deliver a hot meal … eventually. This morning I wanted to use fresh herbs from my little herb garden I bought in Petersburg. So I cut fresh rosemary and chives for the fried red potatoes. If only it had been that easy. I decide to complete the meal with sausage and French toast. Jeff had thawed out a nice, thick Texas toast and it is one of his favorites – freedom toast. I hope he enjoyed it, because I’m not making that mess again for a long time. For some reason, submerging bread in a thick, egg-custard concoction is incredibly tedious and not very appetizing to me. Sweet breakfasts make my stomach turn. I realize I may be reporting things that cooks are not supposed to openly admit, but I could care less today. I am not a real cook anyway, I am just pretending to be one for a very small, forgiving audience. 

     When things start going awry, it happens fast, there isn’t a lot of counter space or room to maneuver. Organization, timing, and having ingredients close at hand, but not too close because of the tight quarters is a delicate balance. While cooking, Ty came down for coffee and I handed him the box of 5 dozen eggs and asked him to please get them away from me before I threw them out of the galley. Not long after, Jeff came down to “get something” and I promptly shooed him out because there was not enough room in the galley for both of us. He retells it differently, of course, and it all sounds so dramatic. 

     After what seemed like an eternity of cursing, rushing, flipping, stirring, splattering grease everywhere, and using more dishes than I could count, I announced breakfast was ready and they could come down at their own risk. Then, I hastily went out on deck to my favorite hiding place, striping off my apron, earphones, fleece and burst into tears.

On our way again

We are leaving Petersburg for Amalga Bay, north of Auke Bay which is NW of Juneau. This is new territory for me and I'm excited to check it out. Beautiful sunny day in SE Alaska. Got my boots on and ready for work. 

During those rainy, cloudy days, I loke to make soups pr stews for us. I made pho twice and everyone enjoyed it. The beef stew was average, so if anyone can recommend a hearty recipe for the slow cooker, I'd  appreciate it. Jeff made his awesome Okinawa chicken tonight and I had a break from doing the entire meal. Spoiled the boys yesterday with biscuits and gravy, bacon, scrambled eggs with red potatoes and cheese. So this morning it was a yogurt Greek style with berries  and honey. 

Mornings like today are a great treat. Jeff and I got to walk to the coffee shop and wander around town. We walked back to the boat, and I had some time to spare. So I headed to the flower shop and book store for some quiet time. It was delightful. 

So happy.... Aloha. 

Crossed the gulf again

All went well. Working out of Petersburg now. Enjoyed Baranof Warm Springs yesterday - amazing!