On the Road

Next in line is building our gazebo on the salt chuck (or slough as some prefer to call it). First thing to do is locate the position of the structure. We engage several mystics that utilize Feng Shue (just kidding)–we’ve already figured this out. Because the bears cross here….

OK, so we select a spot and put in several pilings–no trivial task. These puppies have to be hauled several hundred feet across the property–each weigh several hundred pounds. Creosoted pilings wash up on our beach (big polluters) occasionally so we recycle them for footings for buildings. Every building in Petersburg is built on pilings–no foundations allowed as we are living on muskeg.

After pilings we install floor beams–4″ X 6″ X 12′ yellow cedar and next the floor:

What a chore….I’m working in an octagon so every angle follows upward. Next task are the vertical supports and then the roof structure. Of course, everything is wobbly and has to be first braced and then tugged with ropes from trees until the structure is plumb and level–very important. Gazebo’s want to fall back to earth under snow load, etc. Here is the final structure before the roof is installed–we ran out of lumber which is a typical thing here in Alaska.

Hey, did we show you our new fawns? They’ve been keeping us company all summer and checking out our new garden where all the lettuce grows. These animals are not stupid!

I’m going to publish this but a final framework of the gazebo will appear within a week or so. Life is good here but it rains all June/July. We hear it is La Nina pushing moisture up north. Our luck…..(Next: Gazebo completion and my Mercury outboard motor blog–buy Yamaha!)

Our old dock has about had it. It’s probably close to 100 years old and many of the beams are rotten, even missing. Also the crane/winch is unsafe and we’re lifting 250 lb. propane tanks up out of our boat–not a good thing to do with a faulty crane/winch. First thing we do is demo the old dock surface and beams below:

Opps, a piling falls over with Udo, our visiting guest going with it–a very close call but all is OK and Udo looks good with a limp. We rig the old winch on the new dock beams and tripod it back into place–only 18″ deep! If I’d known that, I’d have braced it! Don’t ever assume pilings go into the ground.

Here is the view of the new dock beams–we’ve stainless steel bolted some into place to secure the new Thern davit winch. Thern builds a great product, has a great website, and staff that knows how to pick up a phone. I’ll probably blog this winch later, it’s so good.

After three days hard work moving beams and decking around, we’re done and are watching our final beach bonfire of the old dock. We’ve now a direct platform from our skiff through the netshed, up the boardwalk right into the house….stay tuned!

Amidst all our Spring gardening, we get a visit from a wolf! We’re sitting at our kitchen table when a deer dashes by–nothing but hooves and white tail. We grab the camera knowing something is chasing it:

Martina takes about two dozen photos–this is the clearest–it’s through a window. Now the bears get jealous and start showing up:

and

This view looking north into Petersburg Creek is the future site of a gazebo style boathouse for our two rowboats and touring skis in winter ….stay tuned!