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Back in the Yakutat harbor after 3 days of fishing. Had some rainy, misty weather to start and a bit of a swell, but all cleared off today and we could see towering St. Elias, Logan, Fairweather, and the Wrangells off to the west. The maw of the Hubbard glacier was often visible and a couple other glaciers were streaming toward the ocean or most likely those sinuous snouts were backing into the fields from which they came.

We delivered 3,600 lbs of halibut today and are off for another spree early in the morning. Looks like I am going to make enough dough to cover the fuel bill for this summer’s boat journey. Hopefully I’ll sail through the next days without any future chiropractic needs.

 I could not be with a better crew than with Tom and Jim. It is great to see their rhythm and skills that make arduous tasks seem almost effortless. They are both great teachers and have been quite patient with the new greenhorn’s trouble in mastering new knots. I have a long way to go to reach the “effortless” stage which my muscles can attest to right now. 

It is nice to be back on the Explorer right now. I really love this boat as it becomes more and more like a home that allows me to float on the boosum of the sea. The Godwit rides at the finger of the next peer and I can see it as I sit here. I still smell like bait but it’s not so bad. There are lot of details about longline fishing I would like to write down to share and have for myself to read later but that will have to wait.

It seems like so long ago when Louise and I pulled into the harbor here and Tom was waiting for us at the dock. Tom took us out to Cannon beach and we walked the long sandy beach adorned with the washed roots of many trees. It  was good to sit and talk in the little cabin after a good meal and the luxury of a long hot shower. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of a hollow spot when we dropped Louise at the airport to continue on her journey. I  knew I would miss her humming and morning mannerisms and I do. The sky is just amazing right now so I will take a picture. I took a couple… I am real glad Jim Mealey from Ely is coming out to join me for the journey across the gulf to Prince William Sound and on around the Kenai Fiords to Homer. I don’t mind being alone but it sure is nice to be with good friends. It seems so appropriate that Jim, who started this trip with me in Anacortes last year  will be along for the final leg, if indeed a final leg even exists. In the long run a good journey never really ends. Sleep, that is good too, and that is my very next journey.