Back to the Real World

Fishcamp recap.

I had a hard time getting up Monday morning. No alarm for nearly 2 weeks, naturally waking is nice! Sleeping to ocean sounds is also nice. Neither of those things are happening anymore . 😂

Although technically not fishcamp related the Solstice Sisters headed to Homer on Sunday, which has become a tradition at least once a year when things are normal. We went for brunch and tried to get home at a decent hour. It was glorious. Doing the tourist thing on the Spit: eating at quaint little cafes and food trucks; shop hopping little boutiques and charter shops; and one cannot forget a pitstop at The Salty Dawg.

Fishcamp was different this year. The emergency orders restricting our fishing between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm essentially gave us about 5 days of actual fishing, for at least 20 mins. We had nets in the water whenever we legally could and we caught 1/3 of the number of fish we normally do. That’s not going to last the year but at least we didn’t come home empty handed. Our household allowance is 75 fish, we came home with 29. Just means we need more halibut. 😎 In total we caught 125 fish, split between 6 permits.

Good food and drink is always a part of our adventures.

I processed three cases of salmon in the beach. Came home and put 8 fish in the freezer for later processing and smoked 6. I tried a new brine, just salt and pickling spice. Smoked for about 6 hours. We’ll see how we like it. Then we’ll do more later.

Even with all the differences and split camps and odd vibes, it was nice to spend time with my peeps. The beach was not as crowded, no rowdy dudes to contend with, few beach racers and poorly behaved people made for a more peaceful beach time.

We also learned new things (Thing 1 got to observe a commercial setnet operation with Mrs Jane and learned about assembling a new net), met new people and had new experiences! Always good things. And we day dreamed of what we could do if this happens again…. Go hiking, camping, fishing, etc somewhere else. It would be more affordable probably!

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Mom’s Day Out

Mom’s Day Out

Fish On

Fish On

Three days left…

It’s just after midnight. I’m laying here listening to the rhythmic crashing of the waves. My tent softly illuminated with the fading “civil twilight” from the setting sun. Kids are finally asleep. It’s so peaceful.

It’s Wednesday June 22 (my nephew’s birthday!) And we have three days left of this personal use fishery. Later today will be the first time since it started that we get to fish any of the incoming tide. That’s where the fish are, headed to the river on the incoming tides. We get one hour of incoming tide today. Slightly more tomorrow, with the best fishing window on Friday, the last day.

Solstice Sisters’ Setnetters!

I’ve tried not to focus on the negative and lack of fish. But enjoying my Solstice Sisters’ company. Making & eating good food and the best beverages a gal could ask for, and beach ice cream for the kids. Tonight’s served with fresh baked brownies from Mr Jimmy!

Each night Niki fills hot water bottles for each of us to put in our sleeping bags to keep extra warm. What a sweetie.

The fireweed is blooming, summer is here!

Solstice marks the official “winter is coming” season because we’re now losing daylight hours. Even though we have about two months of decent weather left, it will be gone before we know it! So get out in the sun and soak it up! Play in the sea spray. Walk barefoot in the sand. Hunt for some agates and beach glass. Enjoy a margarita with your besties. Live life Alaska style.

Solstice sunset.

#solsticealaska

#midnightsun

#salmonislife

#thisismytribe

Solstice in the Land of the Midnight Sun

Solstice in the Land of the Midnight Sun

First Canner Full

First Canner Full

Seaside Lullaby

Seaside Lullaby

11 pm in Alaska

11 pm in Alaska

No fish today so…

No fish today so…

Taking a Break

We are home for our compulsory break after three days. It’s necessary for feeding and watering our animals. Plus showers, laundry & restocking. Helps with mental fatigue too. It’s a lot of work fishing and setting up camp simultaneously, feeding all these people, & factoring in the disheartening lack of fishing time. We’ve had nets in the water a total of 4.5-5 hours over the past two days and netted 27 salmon. Total. It’s a lot of work for not so many fish.

Already done fishing but the tide is still coming in.

We got home late last night, it was after 9 pm but I’ve lost track of time to know for sure. Kids tended to the animals, I jumped in the shower. I had two days of Cook Inlet mud to wash off my legs and out of my locs. And that long hot shower helped to soothe some of my tired muscles. And I went straight to bed.

Mental fatigue is always a thing for us at fish camp. We love doing this, look forward to it all year long, but it is a lot of work. Even walking on beach sand all day, every day is tiring. And dealing with other people in close proximity is hard. I mean, we love all of our FC family but even loved ones can get on your nerves at times, amiright?? But it’s all for a purpose. It’s our “working vacation” to fill our pantry with fish.

So taking away that reward, or at least feeling like it’s being taken away from you, makes you question if it’s worth it or not. Plus the reality for us is that there isn’t another opportunity like this to get salmon the rest of the season, it’s a real mind #*@&.

Tequila always helps.

One of my kids were definitely showing that their overwhelmed meters were pegged yesterday so I was glad to be taking our overnight break.

Today we have a plethora of chores and things to load to haul back to the beach for the rest of our adventures. I just keep reminding myself of the purpose: to secure food and enjoy each other’s company. After all, we don’t get this opportunity but once a year, and with Niki here is even more rare.

Gathered around the fire at Basecamp Niki.

So it’s off to work and start getting stuff loaded up. I’ve already got a load of laundry going. Made Dean’s lunch and sent him to work. And paid my business bond renewal that expires next week. I think I need more coffee.