We’re home again and what a beautiful arrival with full afternoon sun and Devil’s Thumb greeting us across Frederick Sound. All passengers were on deck when we docked.
We schlep, schlep, schlep about a dozen boxes up the beach, then go back for more. How can we carry so much with us for 7 1/2 months? Astounding.
We’re greeted by our old friend, Rusty, our pet black bear with a reddish forehead. He has taken over the place so we watch carefully when we walk about. I spend a day replacing all sorts of washers, light bulbs, tightening pipes, etc. The Fridge washing machine didn’t drain so it froze for the third or fourth time–do not buy a Frigidaire. We heated the house all winter remotely and it worked (with the able assistance of our nearest neighbor down the beach). This winter we’re staying put.
First thing we do is acquire this handsome, yet dead, 27 lb. white King salmon–this is one of the nicest fish I’ve seen but we’ve been gone all winter. We’re half way through it and the other half fits nicely in our freezer. Oh, I forgot; we also put up a nice 26 lb. halibut. We’re ready for summer!
The second thing we do, given the beautiful weather, is paddle up Petersburg Creek and join our neighbors for the annual Memorial Day picnic. It’s good to be home!
We all arrive at noon, drifting upriver, on a flood tide–we’ll leave in about two hours and take the ebb back to our house. Our NuCanoe is the yellow kayak in the middle of this raft–we love it.
All the shooting stars are in full bloom. We walk around this meadow and discover lots of bear sign–OK, poop. Fish are beginning to move in and the eagles are there to keep an eye on them.
This is our group–what a potluck picnic–even strawberry shortcake with whipped cream! Petersburg Mountain is in the distance which overlooks our cabin to the right, about a four mile paddle.
We invite some of our friends home with us for gin and tonics at 4 pm after drifting out of the creek.
Whoa! Sticker Shock sets in again. Check out these prices!
Want a lime also? Why not just call it Two Bucks!
And check out tonic water. Schweppes is outrageously over-sweetened and overpriced! We’re switching to Indian Tonic Water or Seagrams for our mixer. We shipped a pallet of wines/olive oils, etc. up from Seattle and it cost us $1/bottle for shipping. That’s Alaska.
Boy oh boy, it’s good to be home (have I already mentioned this?). Here our ferry returns south past our cabin after a trip up to Juneau and Haines. Come up for a visit!